MB "Dull clear coat" on '92 W124?
 

A Mercdes-Benz approved collision center changed my rear bumper. They were supposed to color match and put clear coat, but it looks very dull.

See the picture. The new rear bumper is very dull, while the 17 years old lower moldings on the door is glossy.

The collision center says that they put clear, but they put "dull clear", in other words "semi-gloss clear", which is different from the usual clear. They said that Mercedes specifies usage of "dull clear" on lower molding on this model.
They also said that they can buff it and make it as glossy as usual clear if I want.

How is the painted area of the rear bumper of your W124?

Painted Bumper (Sounds like a Movie)
 

Body Color is 040 (Schwarz) BLACK, it's Shiny
Trim [Bumpers to you and me] is 74 which is a sorta semi-gloss Grey.

The only thing you have to go with is the color code for your trim.
(It's on your Vehicle Data Card...also on the RU VIN site)

I've seen the 124.128s in a WHITE body, some with White trim and, some with
Grey trim.

BUT, For You, The fact that all your other "Trim" is Glossy White Is
Prima Facie "Not be Knowing what the (Expletive) we be doing"

EDIT:
1.Did they smile and offer you an apology as they claimed "It'll buff right out".
2.They did of course ZERO out your R.O.(Bill) ?
[With NONE of your Money going into their coffers]

By the way, does your semi-gloss grey lower molding have shiny chrome attachment?

My bumper feels to me like bare paint (no paint at all).

Fortunately, the collision center is an Amica's referral shop. Amica will send someone to me to inspect my car. If Amica agrees with me that the shop did not paint properly (or did not paint at all), Amica will have the shop work on my car again. I do not have to argue with the shop, and I do not pay for the additional work.

By they way, this Mercedes approved shop never does the job right. The picture was taken at the third visit to pick up the car. At the first and second, I found faulty jobs, but they aggressively tried to refuse my request to correct the faults. I had heated talk with them. I contacted Amica and Amica simply approved the additional jobs without any question.

You know the rubber parts right behind the rear wheel (at the front ends of the plastic bumper). They put right side rubber to the left and vice versa. As a result, they had to turn each piece upside down while the curvature of the bumper varies from top to bottom. See the ugly mismatch in the picture. It is hard to believe that Mercedes-Benz of USA approved this collision center. There are only a few MB approved collision center in Massachusetts.

(Basketball Stadium Horn)
 

As you can see(In amongst all my ranting) I thought the Body Shop WAS in
fact the Dealer!
My bad! ('Back Editing)

[YES, Chrome from wheel-well to wheel-well (less 3/4 inch at each WW)
in between the Bumper/Trim and the Body]

The best paint job I've seen locally was on a Porsche 911
(Exquisite) [HowEver, body shop "forgot" to reassemble the Porsche]
$11,000.00 +taxation.

Many lower paint colors are matt finish clear but satagrau metallic is not one of them. It should have been painted with gloss clear. It looks like they just screwed up.

The '86-'89 were molded in gray plastic, a matte-finish and not painted (to enhance recyclability). Although it had no chrome strips (also added in '90), the chrome is easy to add with a handful of easy to drill holes for the pegs on the chrome (done that). Sounds like a used '80s bumper.

Sacco Panels
 

Bruno Sacco the famous style engineer is responsible for what were termed sacco panels many body shops refer to them as side cladding. The cladding and the bumper paint were never as shinny as the body finish enamal paint. Over the counter Mercedes-Benz list the paint as a two part system color and clear.

It could be many things that caused it to look different from the orginal paint on the front and back bumper as well as the side cladding.

1) the way the painter laided on the color too far away causes a flat look with no distintion of reflection. sometimes this can be corrected by colorsanding if there is enough material of clear and polishing the panel or bumper in question to bring up the gloss.

I would try and fine a stock well cared for model your year and compare thepaint finish. try to fine a vehical that has not had any previous body work to these areas and take a newspaper and see how much reflection in the paint their is . another words if you can almost read the print in the reflection on a stock painted bumper than you have a problem with your body shop and I would point out that the paint on the car is the Standard they have to match.

Bob Geco

I had the same problem on my 1995 E320. I also received the same explanation from the bodyshop. I had them buff the panels to get some reflection and it matched the original look on the other panels. It isn't as shiny as the top of the car, it never was, but it matches the other lower panels. It was totally dull when they first returned the car, but the buffing fixed the problem.

With the help of the insurance company (Amica), I had the bodyshop correct their faulty work in late June. They sprayed clear coat, aligned rear bumper, etc.
Below are pictures showing their initial left-right reversed installation of the rubber parts and their re-installation after Amica contacted the bodyshop.

About their wrong jobs, I can say every one makes mistakes.

Due to their attitude, however, I strongly recommend against this Mercedes certified collision center.

I had to hear lie after lie from them. They claimed that the rubber parts in the picture are designed from the factory to fall off by light finger tapping. They also claimed that, due to the document I signed, I, instead of the insurance company, have to pay for the repair of the additional damage (dent in the spare tire well) from the rear end collision that was found later. They said many more lies. They always tried to claim that their wrong job was correct. Upon starting the work on my car, they did not inspect for damages that was not written on the initial insurance company's estimate. They did not communicate with insurance company about additional damage found later, did the additional repair without getting insurance company's approval, and tried to charge me directly for the additional repair cost.