Hi All,

anyone know the difference between Mica and Metallic paint? I ordered my scooby over the web from Europe - Mica and Metallic options were both an extra £250. When I asked them the difference they were a bit unclear but basically said none.

Since the colour was 'WR Blue Mica' anyway I thought I should tick the Mica option but now am not sure if this means it is going to be hardened protective paint (like Metallic) or not .....

apologies for ignorance
DaveR

 

I'm not an expert but my car has black mica paint (code 47A). and the only difference I can see is that I have a red fleck in the paint. So I'm guessing mica means you get a flecked color in the paint, and with metallic you don't. not sure though.

 

Same here. Mine is Blue/Black Mica. It appears black except if you wa****, its in direct (bright) sunlight when if you look very closely and squint you can occasionally pick out some flecks of blue. I was a little disapointed with this as you would expect a little more blue. Perhaps they should change it to Black/Blue Mica.

 

Thanks for the replies guys and I think I know the kind of colours you're talking about - but what I really want to know is, did you have to specify Metallic as an extra option, or is the Mica finish hardened anyway?

cheers
DaveR

 

What I REALLY want to know is what fazack does to his car that gets filtered out





[Edited by Diablo - 4/16/2002 4:05:20 PM]

 

As far as I know Mica paint = Subaru name for Metallic = about 250 notes and has shiney bits in it.

 

Cheers Boost II - that's more like what I wanted to hear someone say!!

I can now rest in peace from dreams of easy scratches and stone chips....

DaveR

 

Don't mean to put a damper on it, but Mica finish no harder than any other and sometimes more prone to chipping than standard metallic.

Don't ask me why, just personal experience.

D

 

ps - metallic is not hardened or protective, btw.



Still, its one of the nicest colours around, so good choice regardless

D

 

Mica paint is pearlescent - which means it goes even shinier in sunlight. I can confirm this 'coz my Legacy looks even blooer when the sun's on it

Personally, I thought "mica" meant metallic, so I'm thinking Subaru might have their translations a bit wonky

 

mica [my-ka] n. glasslike mineral used as an electrical insulator

That should clear it up!

[Edited by Boost II - 4/16/2002 4:59:28 PM]

 

My guess is that what he does, is to 'wash-it', but without the dash

 

Metallic basecoats have (normally) aluminium particles in. These reflect the light in one direction only.

Mica basecoats use particles of mica and these reflect the light differently. This is a clear(ish) mineral, often used for electrical insulation as it is heatproof - (the element of your toaster will probably be wrapped round a sheet of mica). The particles act more like a prism and reflect light in a different way - this is why mica and pearlescent paints often change colour (flip paints in the USA) as the mica particles reflect the pigments in the basecoat in a different way.

This is also why it can be difficult to match mica and pearl paints - the mica particles can be a different size from paint make to paint make and reflect light differently, and also if aerosols are used the mica particles are much smaller to pass through an aerosol nozzle. Also, if a car is partly repainted the mica particles can lay in a different direction when sprayed on and again reflect the light a different way - thus looking a different colour.

Effectively there is no difference in the lacquers used on top of the metallic or mica basecoats and the hardness of the overall paint finish.

 

whoa, good knowledge DaveT-S !!!!

that allays all my fears so thanks

 

To summarise Dave T-S

Metallic - means metallic (duh!)
Mica - read Pearlescent.

 

"Electric insulator"

So you shouldn't get an electric shocks when you get out of the car

 

Seriously, I am most confused. How did my message get "***" inserted in it ? I am sure that I typed washed it.

 

Bloody hell Dave, what did you eat for brekkie this morning, an encylopedia?

Thanks though, cleared it right up.

 

I have an inorganic chemistry book on my desk. Apparently white mica is also know as muscovite and black mica is known as biotite. Unfortunately I can't see any reference to World Rally Blue Mica!

 

Fazack: you probably did - waSH IT

 

Markus

I used to spray cars for a living - in the 1970's.....

Incidentally, you may have seen that green paint that Nissan use on Primeras and Micras that turns a nice shade of turd brown in different light. This is a special flip paint (so called because it changes colour) that is made by Standox and is horribly expensive - about £200 a litre if I remember correctly.

Also used by TVR to slightly greater effect on the Tuscan S in a violet sort of colour.

[Edited by Dave T-S - 4/16/2002 8:59:46 PM]