[MiNiGuY]

Some valid points made by Andu.

Paint repairs on mini involve identical paint, but I believe (I've been told at least) that the chemical makeup of the paint is varied in order to achieve a faster cure.

Indeed, from first hand expierience, some of the 'touch up' paint used on the production line dries incredibly fast. So fast in fact that it is touch dry within about 30 seconds!!.

This is never used on visable exterior bodywork, or on anything other than the smallest of paint problems, but it certainly seems quite feasible that the paint used on visable bodywork, or on major rectification, is a slightly different variation to this paint.

With major paintwork rectification the paint starts to cure within about 45 minutes to an hour, assisted by large fans/heat lamps, aimed at the painted area, and within a purpose built building that has an extremely tightly controlled atmosphere.

Nonetheless, it seems quite probable that under certain conditions (ie street lamps etc) the paintwork rectification could be noticed.

This is speculation on my part of course.