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Author Topic: Halfords spray cans  (Read 2414 times)

SailorGreg

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Halfords spray cans
« on: June 18, 2024, 01:49:09 pm »

I went to Halfords yesterday to get a can to retouch one of my boats.  I luckily keep a record of which colour I use for each boat, so it's easy to get the right colour when a touch-up is needed.  Or rather it used to be.  I was taken aback to see that Halfords no longer do manufacturer's colours.  They have replaced them with a range of own brand spray cans, but it means if you have used , for example, Ford Olympic Blue on your pride and joy, you will now need to shop elsewhere or try and find the closest match.  Fortunately, I found a shade that was a pretty good match (and I am doing the whole lot, not just a small area on a larger field) so I am OK, but some of the more exotic colours might be harder to match.

The lass at the checkout said that their customers didn't like it much, and I can understand that - if you are looking for a paint to actually do your car, you want the exact one, not a Halfords approximation.

Not a problem for new builds, although the range of colours is smaller than it was.  And the quality is fine, I'm very happy with my Halfords finish.  But if you have a little left in a can of your favourite Ford or VW colour, guard it carefully!

Greg

Andyn

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2024, 02:42:40 pm »

Try DC paint solutions instead, they custom mix cans in a variety of finishes. I swapped to using them from Halfords a couple of years ago
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Circlip

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2024, 08:51:55 am »

You could always go to your local Ford spares dealer and buy can from them.


 Regards  Ian.
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SailorGreg

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2024, 12:42:54 pm »

You could always go to your local Ford spares dealer and buy can from them.


 Regards  Ian.

True.  Although when I look at the colours I have used, there are at least 4 different car makers' colours there.  I don't even know where my local Fiat dealer is.  I will rely on Halfords own colours in the future, and hope they don't change their minds again!

Hey-ho! First world problems!


Greg

KitS

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2024, 12:58:42 pm »

They are the original manufacture's colours but their names are hidden away in their computer system for some bizarre reason. The caps of the spray cans are just a generic colour, there are only 3-4 reds for instance, but the caps of their little touch-up paints are the actual colour and you can use those to visually match to Halfords new paint codes.


Some stores let you access their database to find the colour you need, but it's very inscrutable! Others only have a card flip-chat chart thing that only seems to list colours in recent production. For instance it doesn't include Ford Strato Silver, which is about the best match for 'natural metal' I've ever found.


I'd like to  bet money that this crazy system was proposed and carried out for financial reasons, and they'll only have themselves to blame when they lose substantial business because of it.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2024, 02:02:37 pm »

I think the problem for Halfords is that they don't want to keep large stocks of paints, many of which may rarely be wanted. The auto repairers, including the Chips Away type services all mix up for a specific job using the paint code (usually found on the VIN Number). They all have stocks of standard base coats and lacquers and just apply the appropriate amount of tinting pigment.

You can order cans online to your specification (or often from a local body shop). The usual method is to quote the paint code or the vehicle registration number but I believe there are lookup tables which list the descriptive name of the paint.

Halfords now do seem to be moving towards generic paints and expanding their enamel range but using standard RAL numbers. For example their Garden Green RAL 6001 is identical to Revell Aqua Colour Leaf Green which is also RAL6001. They may not always look perfectly the same depending on whether you are using gloss, satin of matt but an overspray of clear lacquer usually blends them together. I am using the Halfords spray for the green hull of my liner model with minor touch ups with the Revel Aqua Colour.

Colin

PS I believe the Volkswagen Orange commonly used on model lifeboats is VW L20b,  RAL 2004.
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Subculture

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2024, 05:48:23 pm »

These guys are good for custom paints and standard colours too-

https://www.jawel.co.uk/
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Neil

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2024, 02:55:40 pm »

I went to Halfords yesterday to get a can to retouch one of my boats.  I luckily keep a record of which colour I use for each boat, so it's easy to get the right colour when a touch-up is needed.  Or rather it used to be.  I was taken aback to see that Halfords no longer do manufacturer's colours.  They have replaced them with a range of own brand spray cans, but it means if you have used , for example, Ford Olympic Blue on your pride and joy, you will now need to shop elsewhere or try and find the closest match.  Fortunately, I found a shade that was a pretty good match (and I am doing the whole lot, not just a small area on a larger field) so I am OK, but some of the more exotic colours might be harder to match.

The lass at the checkout said that their customers didn't like it much, and I can understand that - if you are looking for a paint to actually do your car, you want the exact one, not a Halfords approximation.

Not a problem for new builds, although the range of colours is smaller than it was.  And the quality is fine, I'm very happy with my Halfords finish.  But if you have a little left in a can of your favourite Ford or VW colour, guard it carefully!

Greg

Totally agree. i visited Blackpool store yesterday and the range is now a shambles with no names, their own numbers, and when i asked a gent on the counter, he willingly told me i could take the cans out to my car to see if they were a match........could have easily walked away with them. as he had no idea of the names as to how they assosiate to the old range.
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KitS

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2024, 05:44:33 pm »

Unless you'd actually sprayed some of the 'sample' paint on the car there's no way you could compare the colours as the spray can lids of the new style paint don't depict the paint colour. Almost all the red paints, no matter who the manufacturer, have the same generic 'red' colour lids.


It makes any proper checking a potential disaster.  >:-o


If you insist, the staff can dig into their computer database and read off the actual colour, but it's buried way down in there and it isn't a searchable field. A more stupid system would be difficult to imagine!
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Kit

Colin Bishop

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2024, 06:49:58 pm »

As per my earlier post, I don't think Halfords are really interested in carrying large stocks of dozens of different colours now that it is so easy to have what you want made up online using the vehicle paint code which is usually displayed on a plate or sticker in various locations on the vehicle. If you have a brochure for your car then the paint name can also be used to reference the colour. An internet search will usually turn up the required specification.

So no, you can't go into Halfords and expect to find your car colour on their rack any longer, but it's pretty easy to find it online and order it and the cost is likely to be significantly less. I think we have to be realistic about this. It doesn't make much sense for Halfords to devote large amounts of selling space to stock which has a very slow turnover and when most customers are probably switching to online sources for touch up paints etc.

Times change.

Colin
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Neil

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2024, 03:10:57 pm »

my only question there, Colin is why they used that space then for none descriptive colours that no one will buy because they can't match up to their car when they could use the space for showing cycles and scooters which at least the blackpool store is selling anyway did they make the change in the first place.

 If its a chore to them selling the old type at £8.99 a can, when you knew what colour you wanted, its going to be a mighty site more problematic selling paint that you don't, and with no help from the staff can't find the proper match at now £11.99 a can for your pride and joy, and especially if you dont want a metalic blue for the hull on your lifeboat..... {-) %) 
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Neil

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2024, 03:39:30 pm »

AND, as anonther equation to this absolute muck up......what if you are mildly colour blind as a lot of people are who cannot differentiate the slight colour tone changes.......pick a can off the rack [say the blues]..........nahhh, not the one you think so you put it back, but in the wrong rack.........i just cannow believe the work it is going to cause the work force putting the right cans on the right racks every night.............at least with the old cans, the paint shade differences were clearly visible on the can lids.
ABSOLUTE TURMOIL.who ever thought this one out needs their bumps feeling lol.  8)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2024, 05:13:15 pm »

Neil, on looking further on the Halfords website you will see that they do in fact claim to offer hundreds of specific colours:

https://www.halfords.com/car-repairs/how-to-guides/how-to-find-car-paint-code.html

For example, there are  22 shades of red metallic, and similar numbers for the other primary colours.

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-and-body-repair/car-spray-paints/halfords-m4-070-red-metallic-car-spray-paint---400ml-251771.html

However, the system appears to be terrible to use and even the staff don't properly understand it! See discussion here:

https://www.slotforum.com/threads/halfords-car-spray-paints-new-range.215052/

I imagine that only the most popular shades will be stocked at any one time and that you have to order ones that are not, ideally over the internet.

I tried putting my code into the search bar on my PC but nothing happened - it is a Mazda though.

I think that ties in with what I said earlier about them wanting to reduce shelf space.

There are also a lot of other types of paint now, The enamels and the matt and satin lacquers are very good. (matt and satin go on well over acrylic modelling colours but not the clear gloss which seems to be a different formula.)

Colin
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Neil

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2024, 08:00:57 pm »

hi Colin......I was once told by a customer service chappy in Halfords when I was buying 2 cans of Volkswagan orange as he asked if I had a Beetle, too which I told him they were for two model lifeboats I was building.
His reply was that they get more modellers buying Halfords paint than car restorers .
I think myself, they have shot themselves in the foot with what they have done to the range, because if you are going to paint or restore a car, you are going to need a better spray unit than a few rattle cans from Halfords.........see how long this range lasts before paint is taken off the availables at Halfords, as for me, this new range is not worth even considering in the grand scheme of things..I wont be going for paint again.
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KitS

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Re: Halfords spray cans
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2024, 12:39:47 pm »



hi Colin......I was once told by a customer service chappy in Halfords when I was buying 2 cans of Volkswagan orange as he asked if I had a Beetle, too which I told him they were for two model lifeboats I was building.
His reply was that they get more modellers buying Halfords paint than car restorers .



Indeed so, the staff at the two Halfords branches that I frequent most, Gloucester and Wellingborough  also say the same thing.


As a humorous aside I wanted some Ford Polar Grey on one occasion as it's an exact match for the underside fuselage and wing colours that Boeing use on their aircraft. A 'helpful' but young assistant came up and asked me what car I drove, to which I replied 'A Vauxhall Signum'. He smiled and told me that I was unlikely to find a Vauxhall colour in the Ford section. I told him I wasn't wanting to paint a car, I was painting an aeroplane. The poor lad looked very shocked and suggested that a spray gun may be a better purchase, so I pulled the 3" long tailplane of the model out of my pocket and said 'It's a very SMALL aeroplane................'


Collapse of assistant.  :}
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Kit
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