Is all cladding created equal?

[boocher13]

Just a quick question from a noob that's been looking for his first vx for almost a year now. Is the cladding on all cars regardless of color, supposed to be the same color? I've only been able to look at 1 in person but the reason I ask is a few I've seen on eBay and craigslist the cladding looks gray, almost too gray to have been faded from black. Seems kaiser models this stands out most where the cladding doesn't contrast the body color much.

[blacksambo]

Interesting observation. Don't know that this has ever been discussed here. But, given the same part number, no matter what the year involved, we must assume equality.

[VX KAT]

It's been discussed before Black Sambo.
Sounds like you're describing what Dub has said many times. He thinks the cladding color on the dark paint colors is a bit lighter than cladding color on the lighter paints.
I do know the part number is the same, and it should be the same.

Since I kind of delved "pretty" (there's an understatement _ ) deep into this when I tried for 2 years to solve why I had the extremely weird VERY LIGHT GRAY cladding, that was NOT dry and parched looking (like many have after being uncared for for a long time.)

I think there are now going to be a variety of hues of cladding for a few reasons.
Since many MANY of us have dyed it with ShowRoom Dye to either dark charcoal or pure BLACK, I think NOW, you might find some of these VXs for sale with darker cladding. Some others have used GatorBack and a few other products.

But even untouched cladding may have variation based on how it was treated and what it was treated with, sun exposure, weather, etc....

[JoFotoz]

Correct me if I'm wrong ....L ike I need to ask!

But havent I seen a replacement cladding available ...
...that is a bit Grey'er.and slightly less/different texture ?


OK...off to

Final w/end ahead to pamper the ORW before Moab....up early and at it!

Jo

[boocher13]

I've only seen one or two white models with this same lighter gray look. There is a foxfire for sale on auto trader currently that looks like its cladding has been treated with something to make it a smooth texture gloss black.

[VX KAT]

I've only seen one or two white models with this same lighter gray look. There is a foxfire for sale on auto trader currently that looks like its cladding has been treated with something to make it a smooth texture gloss black.

ATTACH THE LINK!!!

All OEM cladding has a slight texture.
Many have PAINTED the cladding with high gloss paint, sounds like this may be one.

[Y33TREKker]

Just a quick question from a noob that's been looking for his first vx for almost a year now. Is the cladding on all cars regardless of color, supposed to be the same color? I've only been able to look at 1 in person but the reason I ask is a few I've seen on eBay and craigslist the cladding looks gray, almost too gray to have been faded from black. Seems kaiser models this stands out most where the cladding doesn't contrast the body color much.

I imagine it's a simple matter of visual contrast. Using your own example, if the cladding on a Kaiser has "grayed" a little, the amount of contrast between the charcoal gray paint color and the cladding color isn't going to look as pronounced as it would if it were on an Ebony. That would be the baseline to consider first in my opinion, with multiple variations in the products used for cladding care by previous owners accounting for most of the other differences you've seen.