Purchased new to me outback and lower trim is different on some of car

[vtwinjunkie]

2005 outback with Willow Green with moss green lower accent paint scheme.

 

Trying to figure out how this could have happened. I received a full carfax outlining issues and accidents but when asked about the discrepancy of the paint this is the one spot the previous owner was not clear with me on. He pretty much just said he was unhappy with it also. I tried rephrasing the question but he did not provide any sort of answer on how or why it was this way. 

 

The lower trim on one side of the car is textured and on the other side glossy and smooth. 

 

Could this be perhaps from 2 different years of trims? 

 

I have attached a pic to show the difference. This is where the drivers side wheel cover meets with the rear bumper. the texture of the wheel cover (and the remaining drivers side door and lower trim as well as front bumper) can best be described as a rhino liner texture.  The smooth portion is the rear bumper and this appears stock. 

 

Edited March 9, 2016 by vtwinjunkie

[Bushwick]

When you say "one side of the car" are you saying left side is different than right side? Or are you saying top is different than bottom?

 

Also, what year/model are we talking about here?

Edited March 9, 2016 by Bushwick

[vtwinjunkie]

Sorry,

 

Its a 2005 outback. the left side (top and bottom trim and front bumper) is diffrent than the right side (top and bottom and rear bumper).

 

The color from the factory (I believe) is titled "Willow Green with moss green lower accent" .

 

I guess my question is, is it supposed to be smooth or rough? My car currently has both!

Edited March 9, 2016 by vtwinjunkie

[idosubaru]

Bottom looks normal in photo unless its lighting. Look up photos using Google images and I think it'll be clear to you.

 

Unless it's just gunny lighting or flash that ultra sparkly doesn't look like OEM Subaru paint, looks like touch up paint or rattle can matched attempt to look pearl.

 

Easiest and cheapest fix is a paint matched stock part. Look for trim on eBay or someone parting out an outback on here or subaruoutback.org

 

Buying new and painting has its own drawbacks.

 

Or ignore it?

[Bushwick]

I'd say whatever the majority of the trim is, is what's supposed to be there, but considering 50% of the car is one thing while 50% is something else, suggests it was in an accident (probably minor like sliding on ice and into something where a side of the car was scratched and one of the bumper covers was damaged) and everything was replaced on the cheap. 

 

Other issues I've seen when I worked for a used car lot years ago is basically all lots buy their cars at auction. Some buy specific cars (like say you trade a Ford Escape into a Subaru dealership, it has low mileage but Subaru doesn't want a Ford on the lot, it'll go to auction despite nothing being wrong with it; other end of the stick is a higher mileage or a car with some battle wounds, repos are VERY common) while others look for cheap fixer uppers they can throw $1k at and sell it on their lot for 5-8x what they paid for it as it still books high and technically has lower mileage.

 

If you are concerned, consider running a full report on the VIN, and see if it's been in a serious accident. If the VIN is clean through ALL reporting agencies, it's possible the previous owner wiped out, repaired on the cheap (DIY) and traded it in and avoided reporting the damage to the insurance company, etc.

[idosubaru]

textured doesn't sound normal - i'm confused why you're describing two sides being different but only showing one photograph.  either the differences shoudl show on one photo, or don't post a photo - or post multiple photos? 

i'm sure this would be simple if we're standing there, just trying to clear up communicating when we only have a keyboard.  

 

full on side pic's would likely show us more of what's going on.  

 

although "textured" doesn't sound immediately normal, that's still ambiguous (to me) so i won't assume to much. 

 

sometimes Subaru splits a generation and the colors are different for the same vehicle.  (00-01 and 02-04 outbacks have two different "reds"/"burgundy's for instance). 

you can look up color availability on cars101.com and see what other close colors may have been offered in other years.  05-09 are the same generation - check all those years for changes/offereings. 

 

then again it could just be poor paint job.

 

a properly done repsray will cost $2,000 (very roughly)

swapping doors/trim/bumpers will be $1,000+ if you do the labor. 

www.car-part.com

 

which option are you trying to do?

[vtwinjunkie]

I will try to take some more pictures when I get home to show you all what I mean. 

I do have a full carfax and the car has been in a fender bender (minor) and the trim on the left side was replaced (this is the similar color but textured paint that you can see in the pic) The bumper is also the same textured paint but I am not sure why as it has never been in an accident. The paint has a texture similar to rhino liner. 

 

It was also in a small fender bender on the other side that I know of but the trim paint works normal. 

[Bushwick]

There's your answer. Both "fender benders" are why you have a mis-matched trim.

 

If the actual body panels are the same color and match up well enough it's not a concern (it bothers me when I can tell a bumper is a shade off due to being cheap and having a GM color instead of "correct" color to cut cost/corners or body shop does a poor match) and all you are dealing with is the trim sections, that's fairly cheap to deal with. 

 

If it were me and the trim really bugged me, I'd purchase all the missing "smooth" sections and just replace (they should match up with non-painted/textured trim). Shouldn't be more than a couple hundred at most assuming the yard with the trim isn't gouging prices. 

 

Other option would be to get the correct "smooth" trim sections, remove yours, and drop them off at a REPUTABLE paint shop and have them color-code match the lower body color (you said your car is 2 tone, so go with the lower color) and also correct both bumpers so they'll match. 

 

As time goes on, it'll hold up better and stay appealing longer. The "bare plastic" trim that many car manufacturers went to (Ford did it with their Escape for example) which is a molded in color and cheaper to spit out, tends to fade badly over the years.

[vtwinjunkie]

There's your answer. Both "fender benders" are why you have a mis-matched trim.

 

If the actual body panels are the same color and match up well enough it's not a concern (it bothers me when I can tell a bumper is a shade off due to being cheap and having a GM color instead of "correct" color to cut cost/corners or body shop does a poor match) and all you are dealing with is the trim sections, that's fairly cheap to deal with. 

 

If it were me and the trim really bugged me, I'd purchase all the missing "smooth" sections and just replace (they should match up with non-painted/textured trim). Shouldn't be more than a couple hundred at most assuming the yard with the trim isn't gouging prices. 

 

Other option would be to get the correct "smooth" trim sections, remove yours, and drop them off at a REPUTABLE paint shop and have them color-code match the lower body color (you said your car is 2 tone, so go with the lower color) and also correct both bumpers so they'll match. 

 

As time goes on, it'll hold up better and stay appealing longer. The "bare plastic" trim that many car manufacturers went to (Ford did it with their Escape for example) which is a molded in color and cheaper to spit out, tends to fade badly over the years.

 

Yea I assumed it may have had something to do with the accident but it is just very strange how it almost feels like a different plastic all together. 

 

It really bugs the hell out of me so I will have to do something about it for sure. 

[Bushwick]

It's hard to say without seeing all of it, but it could be different year trim, maybe the PO used some textured rattle can paint, etc. If you are talking about the fender lip color, that looks like "orange peel" from a cheap paint job.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Bushwick