Car Knowledge and FAQs

If your vehicle is driveable after an at-fault accident and you can repair it with a painted auto body part, you could see significant savings by not taking it to the shop – even if you have the insurance to cover it. 

At a body shop, it will cost $500 to $1,500 to replace a front bumper. For more extensive repairs, your front bumper replacement cost may be up to $5,000. Learn about whether it's worth it to use a repair shop or if you can replace a front bumper on your own.

Pre-painted auto body parts will match your car -- this is a top concern for people buying painted parts, especially online. But it's fair to question how a company that's never seen your car in person is able to color match your fender, bumper, or any other part to perfectly match your vehicle. Here's how ReveMoto makes sure your painted car parts match.

Side view mirror replacement costs about $150 to $350, including parts and labor at an auto repair shop. Your cost will be less if you install it yourself, but the actual cost to replace a side view mirror depends on your car's make and model and the repair shop's rates, if you use one. You can lower your cost by ordering a replacement side view mirror and installing it yourself.

As you shop for painted car parts, you might see terms including aftermarket, CAPA, OEM. What do they mean and how do they affect the quality and price of your car parts? While CAPA and OEM parts can offer the assurance of manufacturer guarantees, they’re not worth the additional expense for most car owners replacing exterior painted car parts.

ReveMoto's painted car parts offer superior matching and ideal pricing and efficiency for customers who need vehicle replacement parts. With a painted car part from ReveMoto, you'll enjoy the convenience of having your replacement part delivered directly to your door already painted, cured, and ready to install. This can save you time, money, and hassle -- and we use better paint than many body shops, at a better price. Read on to learn more about ReveMoto's paint, our processes, and our lifetime guarantee on paint and checkout our painted parts reviews.   What Makes ReveMoto's Paint Superior ReveMoto offers custom color matched painted parts with a lifetime guarantee on paint. Each part is painted to order and color matched to ensure your part will look perfect with the rest of your vehicle. And while ReveMoto delivers a premium service that can be very expensive at the body shop, with ReveMoto, you'll enjoy a fair, affordable price with convenience and efficiency. With a set price for each painted car part, you can ensure that your purchase will be both fair and affordable. Unlike some body shops, ReveMoto will not try to nickel and dime you according to your knowledge about paint prices. Rather, every customer will pay the same affordable price for each part. ReveMoto's paint process also offers convenience and efficiency. While at a body shop, you may have to rent a car and leave your car behind to paint, blend, and cure the finish, then install the part, all you have to do with ReveMoto is place your order, take delivery, and follow simple installation instructions. Even if you have your part installed by a professional, you'll save both money and time, as your part won't have to be painted or blended with paint cure time: it arrives ready to go.   ReveMoto's High Quality Paint Product ReveMoto exclusively uses Lesonal paints, which are custom mixed in-house. This high quality solvent based paint product is known for its perfect color matching and durability and is trusted by leading dealerships and reputable body shops nationwide. Lesonal meets the highest quality standards on the market with easy to match, durable colors that have a great finish. ReveMoto trusts Lesonal paint for perfect results with a lifetime warranty.   How ReveMoto Paints Car Parts Each car part that ReveMoto paints is painted in our paint booth. This booth is well ventilated and cleaned frequently to minimize dust. After each part is painted, we perform a quality inspection to check for paint drips or dust. Any imperfections are buffed out so that you can enjoy a perfect finish on your newly painted car part. ReveMoto's painters are trained by our paint vendor, learning the proper techniques for applying paint and creating custom paint codes to generate color matches for our customers' vehicles. And as new techniques and system upgrades are introduced a few times a year, our painters receive training updates, so they're always on top of the latest in painting knowledge.   How ReveMoto Ensures Perfect Color Matching To ensure a perfect color match for your painted car part, we require your vehicle identification number (VIN) or paint code and year. This allows us to use our system to generate a perfect match. Our paint manufacturer frequently takes in paint samples and conducts research on paint fading for different car panels over time. Each paint code variant will match a particular car's year, make and model. With your VIN or paint code and year, we are able to input the paint code, and our system will generate the perfect color to match your existing paint -- including the typical fade experienced over the years.   Sending in a Part for Paint Matching While our color matching is typically perfect with just your VIN or paint code and year, you can send in a paint sample if you'd like. With a sample, we are able to color match by comparing it to our large paint sample inventory, and will adjust grams of paint as needed. Sending in a part is not necessary to get a perfect match on paint, but if you prefer to send it in, you can follow this process: Order the part Find your confirmation email with your order number Email sales@revemoto.com with your order number to inform us that you're sending in a sample Cut out a 6x6 inch piece of the damaged part, or remove your gas cap Send your sample to: ReveMoto (Attn: Paint Dpt) Order #: XXXX, Customer Name11515 Tanner RoadHouston, TX 77041 Returns and ReveMoto's Lifetime Paint Warranty While ReveMoto's process ensures that your new painted car part should match perfectly, if it doesn't, you can send it back. If you need to make a return for paint match, simply follow this process: Contact us at sales@revemoto.com and send us photos of the part side-by-side with your car ReveMoto will reply and send you a shipping label to return the mismatched part, as well as a shipping label to send us a paint sample Upon receipt of the return and the paint sample, a new part will be painted to match the sample, and the part will be delivered to you ReveMoto's high quality paint product is guaranteed for life. Our paint is designed to last as long as your car does: under normal conditions, our paint should never show any peeling, fading, or cracking. If you notice any problems with your paint, simply contact us at sales@revemoto.com to arrange for a new painted part under our lifetime paint warranty. Have questions about our paint, paint processes, returns, or lifetime paint guarantee? Simply contact us at sales@revemoto.com. We're happy to answer questions!

Got a scuffed bumper or cracked mirror? Skip the costly body shop visit; there’s a smarter way to repair your car. With ReveMoto’s pre-painted, color-matched auto parts, you can order online, skip the paint booth, and get your car looking brand new again in no time.

Whether you're ordering painted replacement parts or touch up paint, paint matching is essential. Choose the wrong color paint, and you could have a new part or painted area that sticks out like a sore thumb. But finding your vehicle's paint code can sometimes be tricky. In our guide, you'll find out where to look for your car's paint code, as well as the paint code format your vehicle make typically follows. This makes it easy to order accurately painted replacement parts and touch up paint knowing you've found the right shade. Why it's Important to Find Your Car's Paint Code It's never a good idea to simply guess the color of your car. A red car isn't just red. It's fire engine red, brick red, or even a candy paint red. That's why choosing "red" for your touch up paint just isn't going to cut it. With even a slightly different shade, you'll be able to plainly see the difference as soon as it's applied, and the poor matching job on your paint touch up may look worse than what you're trying to cover up in the first place. Locating Your Car's Paint Code Unlike information like your vehicle's VIN or tire pressure settings, there's no single predictable location to find your vehicle's paint code. Each manufacturer may do something different than the others, and it may not even be the same for each model. This means you may need to look in a few different places before you can successfully find your car's paint code. Try these spots first: Driver door sticker: Often, you can find your paint code right where you find your tire pressure settings. This is the most common location for paint codes, so be sure to try it first. Another place to look on the driver's side door is in the hinge area, or in the passenger door, sometimes on the pillar. Makes that may use this location:: Acura, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedez Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volvo Under the hood: Some will place the code above the strut towers, fender edges, or frame rail, or along the engine wall or fire wall just between the engine compartment and the interior. Others will have a sticker on top of hood deck lid or front of the radiator support. Makes that may use this location:: BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jeep, Mazda, Mercedez Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki, Volvo Inside the trunk: The sticker may be under the deck lid, inside the rear compartment, spare tire cover, or even on the wheel housing. Makes that may use this location:: Acura, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Volkswagen In the glove box or middle console: Check inside the glove box or middle console, either on the door or inside the interior of the box, removing items if necessary. Makes that may use this location:: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Isuzu, Suzuki Inside the wheel well: Look inside all wheel wells for a sticker. Some use the front passenger, others the rear driver's side, so it's best to check all of them. Makes that may use this location:: Buick, Cadillac On the floor: This one's tricky, but you can check on the floor behind the back passenger's seat or under the front seats. Makes that may use this location:: Chevrolet, Chrysler, GMC What You're Looking For Will you know your paint code if you've found it? Typically, you're looking for a white or silver paper sticker. Just like locations, the paint code format for many vehicles is significantly different. Most related manufacturers, such as the General Motors group including Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC, will use the same format, which can make it easier to identify them. Paint code formats for selected models: Acura: NH-XXXX Audi: May be 2-4 numbers long and can include letters BMW: Three numbers Buick: Starts with WA, BC/CC, or U, may be prefaced by a three digit number and letter combination Cadillac: Starts with WA, BC/CC, or U, may be prefaced by a three digit number and letter combination Chevrolet: Starts with WA, BC/CC, or U, may be prefaced by a three digit number and letter combination Chrysler: Starts with P, Q, G, or T, 3 digits with letters and numbers. May be prefaced by PNT. Dodge: Starts with P, Q, G, or T, 3 digits with letters and numbers. May be prefaced by PNT. Ford: Two digits with numbers and/or letters GMC: Starts with WA, BC/CC, or U, may be prefaced by a three digit number and letter combination Honda: NHXXXX or YRXXXXX Hummer: Starts with WA, BC/CC, or U, may be prefaced by a three digit number and letter combination Hyundai: Two digits with numbers and/or letters Infiniti: Three digits with numbers and/or letters, may be fourth digit after a space Isuzu: Three digits with numbers Jeep: Starts with P, Q, G, or T, 3 digits with letters and numbers. May be prefaced by PNT. Older Jeeps may be two digits long. Kia: Two digits with numbers and/or letters Lexus: Three digits with numbers and/or letters, usually prefaced by CTR Lincoln: Two digits with numbers and/or letters Mazda: Two or three digits with numbers and/or letters Mercedez Benz: DB-XXX Mini: Three digits with numbers and/or letters Mitsubishi: NH-XXXX Nissan: Three digits with numbers and/or letters Subaru: Three digits with numbers and/or letters Suzuki: Three digits with numbers and/or letters Toyota: Three digits with numbers and/or letters, usually prefaced by CTR Volkswagen: Two to four digits with numbers and/or letters If You Can't Find Your Paint Code Even if you know where to look and what you're looking for, it's not always easy to locate your car's paint code. But you do have options. First, check your owner's manual. Some manufacturers will explain in your manual where you can find the paint code. If that doesn't work, use your VIN. Your VIN is easy to find, located in the dash. If you write down this number, you can call a local dealership to ask them to find your color code based on the VIN. Finding your car's paint code is sometimes tricky, but it's always worth it to get an exact match. With the right paint code, you'll have the perfect match for your painted replacement part or touch up paint.

So you're ready to order a new painted car part from ReveMoto: but what happens after you place your order? ReveMoto carefully matches paint codes, professionally paints each part, and performs a top of the line process for quality control and inspection, packaging, and shipping. Getting your new part shipped out quickly and in perfect condition is our highest priority. Ordering Your Painted Car Part: Processing and Shipping from Start to Finish Most orders will arrive at your door 3 weeks after your place your order. This depends on our paint queue, quality control, and shipping times. When our lead times are short, you can receive small parts such as side mirrors as fast as five days from placing your order, or as long as three weeks for fenders and bumpers. If you're in a rush to receive your new painted part, please contact us at sales@revemoto.com to ask about our current lead times and find out how long we expect to take to get your part painted, inspected, packaged, and shipped to your door. Painting Your New Auto Body Part At ReveMoto, a proper paint match must meet our highest quality standards. That's why we ask for both your paint code and VIN. With these numbers, we verify each order to ensure the paint code we use is correct for your vehicle. This paint code is used to generate a perfect match for your vehicle in our system. If you prefer, you can send in a part for color matching, but this is usually not necessary: all we ask for is the VIN and paint code. Once your paint code is verified, your car part is placed in the painting queue. While in the queue, your order status will read: Awaiting Fulfillment. Depending on demand, your part will be painted within one to five business days of your order placement. Note: ReveMoto does not operate on the weekends. Every car part is painted in our state of the art paint booth using proper techniques for paint matching and applying paint. Our paint booth is well ventilated and cleaned frequently to minimize dust and debris, giving your new part a perfect finish. Once painted, each car part is set to cure for two days. This allows the paint and finish to completely dry and harden, and minimizes smudges, dust, and other issues. After curing, your order status will read: Awaiting Shipment. ReveMoto's Quality Control Standards for Painted Auto Body Parts After curing, each car part will go through our quality control process. In this process, we'll check for visible paint debris or drips. Any small imperfections will be buffed out. If there is a problem with the paint and it is unacceptable for any reason, ReveMoto will fix the problem, either by repainting the part, or painting an entirely new part. Customers will be notified if their order does not pass inspection, and all orders that are repainted through quality control will be placed at the front of the queue to minimize wait times. After repainting, the part will pass through quality control and inspection once again. Products that pass quality control and inspection will be photographed and sent to packaging and shipping. Packaging and Shipping Your Painted Auto Body Part Parts that are painted, cured, and have passed quality control will be ready for packaging and shipping. We carefully package each part to ensure that it reaches your door undamaged and just as perfect as it is in our shop. Note: local pickup in Houston is available by appointment. Local installations are available as well. Parts that are packaged before 2 p.m. will be shipped out the same day, parts packaged after 2 p.m. will be shipped out the following day. We use USPS, freight, and FedEx for shipping depending on the method and part selected when you place your order. Shipping times can vary from 2-3 days for side mirrors shipped via USPS to 7-10 days for bumpers and fenders. Our current shipping times are: via USPS: 7-10 days for bumpers & fenders 2-3 days for side view mirrors via freight: 5-7 days for bumpers, fenders, hoods via FedEx: 4-5 days for bumpers & fenders In shipping, you'll receive a photo of the finished product if available, as well as your shipping information including the tracking number. Once shipped, your order status will be updated to read: Shipped, and you can expect to receive your order within the posted shipping times. After You Receive Your Painted Car Part We encourage you to install your new part as soon as you receive it to verify that you have the proper fit and paint match. If there's a problem, we want to know about it immediately so that we can begin working on a new part that will meet your needs. You'll receive a follow up contact from us to ensure that you're happy with the product, and we encourage you to call or email us with your comments as well. Our products are carefully packaged to minimize the risk of damage during shipping, but if your car part arrives damaged, don't worry: we've got you covered. Our products are insured by our shipping courier, and if your part is damaged during transit, just send us a photo of the damages. We'll put a new part at the top of the queue to ship out to you as quickly as possible at no additional charge. Have any questions about the ordering and fulfillment process? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or email us at sales@revemoto.com.

Even when you're using factory matched touch up paint, it's possible that your actual paint color won't match up. This can be frustrating, especially when you've made sure that you've found the right match. What went wrong? We'll explain a few of the reasons why your paint may not match -- and what you can do about it. Why Touch Up Paint Doesn't Match There are a few different reasons why your touch up paint may not match your existing factory paint. These include: Difficulty replicating factory finish: When you use touch up paint, you may be simply painting on a layer or two of paint. But in the factory, your car is sprayed several times, producing a different finish. Fading from the sun: Your touch up paint will be the original factory color -- but the paint on your vehicle might not be that same shade anymore. After sitting in the sun and being subjected to weather, the paint on your vehicle may have faded slightly, making it a lighter shade that the original, unfaded color of the touch up paint. Metallic finish: Metallic paint colors can be more difficult to match accurately, as they include small reflective flecks of metal in the paint. If they're not distributed well throughout the touch up paint, it can look different than the existing paint when applied. How to Get a Better Match It's not always easy to get an exact match on touch up paint, even if you're using the factory finish. But don't panic: if it's still wet, wait a while, as it may blend better when the paint has dried. For others, simply waiting a few months to allow the new paint to fade with the sun and outdoor elements may produce a better match. There are steps you can take in the application process that make a difference as well: Use your factory paint code: When purchasing touch up paint, always order paint that matches your vehicle's factory paint code. Always test first: Before applying paint to say, your driver's side door, test on an inconspicuous section of your vehicle first. This will allow you to double check your color match as well as get a feel for application. Properly prep your painting area: You should wash your vehicle and use wax and grease remover to make sure you're getting right down to the paint. If there is rust or any texture, be sure to lightly apply sandpaper before painting. Shake paint before applying: Paint may have natural separation, so remember to shake it well for at least a full minute before you begin. Metallic paint in particular will have flecks included that need to be distributed. Fake a factory finish: In the factory, your vehicle is painted with multiple thin coats. So that's exactly what you should do with your touch up paint. Apply several extremely thin coats with a light hand to blend in the new color. Each coat should be just slightly larger than the last for optimal blending. Apply paint with a toothpick: For very small chips, dip a toothpick in paint and apply a small amount of paint to the ding. Avoid trying to completely fill the ding with each layer -- simply let it dry for a few hours, then apply a bit more until you've applied several layers that match up. Use a clear coat: Your factory finish has a base coat and clear coat, so adding this step can help you avoid painted sections that stick out as different. Paint in the shade: Ideally, you'll want to paint your vehicle in the shade without high humidity conditions. You should at least avoid direct sunlight to allow the paint to dry slowly. Paint a larger area: If you're still not happy with the way your touch up paint looks, it may be necessary to repaint a larger area. With careful application, and an accurate shade of paint, you can ensure that you'll get the best touch up paint match for your vehicle. This is a great way to protect your car's finish from rust and outdoor elements, plus it keeps your vehicle looking great.