I didnt and I wont read anything past the OP.
First off EVERY single aspect of that job is not swinging in your favor for perfect results:
-Silver and greys are the hardest colors to match. Its the way the pigments work.
-Plastic bumpers ESPECIALLY light colors will not, ever look the same as metal parts. Infact, you can paint a fender and the bumper with the same damn paint, gun, psi, painters arm… and it will be off.
-metal flakes lay out COMPLETELY different, depends on gun pressure, reducer type, distance from panel with the gun, travel speed, direction, … again the hardest thing to duplicate results with.
-Aged panels vs new.
-Color code schmeller code… some colors manufacture to manufacture, painters to painters, booth temps to booth temps… everyone is so quick to blaim the sticker on the can of paint.
-Lastly and most importantly… anyone who paints and puts their signature next to “this shit will be a perfect match” when panel painting should just hang the gun up. ALSO as a customer if you expect that you can also be in the wrong. If you dont know, you need to ask AND the shop needs to explaine correctly why. If that car came to me, to panel paint it and it has to match OEM perfect like the bumper came out of a time machine and was just installed I would turn the work away.
Bottome line is this, blending the fenders and hood would be a MUST. If the code is right, the mixer didnt fall asleep pulling the pigment levers and there are no variances, use another vendors product. Personally that would be a SPIEZ $120+ a pt color for me, not a $32 a pt nason job. Then the painter needs to make adustments to the fun or painting style now that he see how it laid down.
I’m happy with my non blended, panel painted job. I’m still sticking with the paint is the wrong shade. It shouldn’t be that far off, plastic bumper to metal hood or not.