Cobra Colors Closed?!

[Nutsforcars]

Is it too early to start mourning or panicking? I went to the Cobra Colors web site today and it said there that Cobra Colors is closed. For good? For a well deserved break?
Anybody with any insights?

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Yes, sadly they are closed. I emailed Leon from the website this evening, and he replied quickly.

Here's an excerpt:

"I had to close due to a sudden responsibility I have to take on which won't
permit me the time necessary to continue to operate and develop Cobra
Colors. I closed once before under similar circumstances and came back so
I've learned to never say never, but for now I have no idea if or when that
might be."

All of us Cobra Colors addicts need our fix really bad and we can't get it anymore

[TireGaint]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leon closes his business, what can I do? I still need to orders tons of paint from him. His products are both economic and user friendly.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by TireGaint

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leon closes his business, what can I do? I still need to orders tons of paint from him. His products are both economic and user friendly.

I guess like the first person, you'll have to panick and mourn. I know I am certainly mourning

[deltableh]

How long do we have to order paint?! Before he's gone for good?

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Too late, man.

It's all shuttered up.

What a perfect capper to a less-than stellar day...

[73superduty]

It's like having water, you never want it when you got it and then when it's gone you get real thirsty real fast.
I had been putting a paint order together for myself the last three days to order tonight. That boat sailed before I got to the deck.

I hope Leon comes back, but in the mean time, I am going to miss him.
Chris

[deltableh]

Oh man! I was gonna order colors for the SLR I just got!

[klutz_100]

That is really bad news. I just hope for Leon's sake that the reasons for having to close down are not too serious!

It's strange how things work out. Just a short while ago, after nearly 2 years of trying, I finally managed to get some Cobra paints brought to me here. It was quite a complicated event and Leon was really helpful and co-operative.

Only this weekend I was looking through them and finally read the invoice properly.

All I can say is "Thank you Leon!". It's rare nowadays to meet people who are quietly and genuinely nice.

I think it's safe to say that those CC paints represent the best quality and value for money of any paint I have bought.

I hope his business served him well while he was able to run it and I hope it will be able to serve us again the near future.

Good luck to you Leon!

[willimo]

I should have REALLY stocked up. I'd been waiting until I could afford another order, there are quite a few things I still needed. Too bad. I hope that everything pans out for Leon, for him and for us.

[hirofkd]

All I can say is, I look forward to reopening and I hope the wait won't be too long.

[flyonthewall]

That's a shame. I can fully understand his situation though having been in a similar one myself for last couple of years.

Hopefully without sounding that I'm trying to stick the boot in, there is an alternative - http://www.modelcolourworx.co.uk/ have an excellent paint system specific to the car modeler. Prices good, service top dog!

[cyberkid]

Originally Posted by flyonthewall

That's a shame. I can fully understand his situation though having been in a similar one myself for last couple of years.

Hopefully without sounding that I'm trying to stick the boot in, there is an alternative - http://www.modelcolourworx.co.uk/ have an excellent paint system specific to the car modeler. Prices good, service top dog!

I hope I'm not sticking the boot in even more but..
Hiroboy's own brand is pretty good too.. and cheaper... called "zero".. can be found at his site.

[klutz_100]

Since the subject coma up, I recently did a comparative "value" evaluation for my Polish forum.

In order or preference from left to right:





All three of them were similarly priced at approx 4.50 GBP:

Quantitity:
Cobra Colors contained 2,5fl oz (147ml?)
Zero paint from Hiroboy seems to contain about 60ml (nothing I could find on bottle or web page so Steve, if I'm wrong please correct this!)
MCW contains 30ml

Interestingly, only Cobra Colors jar is filled to capacity. The other 2 are "slap filled" i.e. only partly filled so do not use packaging to assess contents.

Labelling:
CC- clear labeling of contents, color and mfctr
Zero - Clear labelling of color contents (AM desugn label is a great touch!) no mention of volume contents
MCW - Clear labelling of color contents no mention of volume contents

Packaging:
Cobra Colors sturdy glass jar with excellent screw top
Zero paints good plastic bottle, seals well
MCW - plastic bottle OK but screw top cracked when closed and leaked.

Paint quality:
Cobra Colors - have not used yet (probably keep them now as "Collector's Items"
Zeropaints - have not used yet
MCW - excellent paint. Less happy with clear but I am sure this was more dur to my inability to work well with 2-pack clears.

Qlty of service when purchased:
Cobra Colors - Excellent (purchased direct from web site)
Zero paints - Excellent (purchased via hiroboy.com)
MCW - Poor. Order took forever to be processed and communication was less then clear.


I cannot comment on color accuracy - no 1/1 reference available and anyway I am color blind


Please note that the above is MY PERSONAL AND SUBJECTIVE assesment and based on MY experiences only. Other opinions may be completely different.

[cyberkid]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

Packaging:
Cobra Colors sturdy glass jar with excellent screw top
Zero paints good plastic bottle, seals well
MCW - plastic bottle OK but screw top cracked when closed and leaked.

ERRG!!! That is all I can say about the MCW packaging...
I opened the 2 pack clear that I ordered from Hiroboy just now.(Ordered and received mid-July) The hardener had literally 'hardened'. I'm sure that the bottles were closed as tight as possible without cracking the bottle.. and the masking tape was still intact.. but there was a layer of hardened hardener like what happens when you leave white glue in a bowl overnight.. and it was rock hard. The rest of what remained had become a gel/goo-like substance.. The lacquer didn't have a layer on top but again was a gel like substance...
After mixing it 2:1 I must have added 40ml of thinner...2: 1 :6. (I'm stingy and spending 10 bucks on something and not being able to use it really pisses me off.)

I suggest anyone that has MCW products change the bottle to something you know is airtight.