Lots of variables but overall pearl is cheaper, true candy coat is a long process that is very very touchy during application, play it safe and go pearl with maybe a dye top coat b4 clear that will provide a deep candy look with out the headaches of candy
good high solids clear coat very expensive . to paint a car with good paint not no name company . 1800.00 to 2000.00. we use German paints high quality! pay for what you get
when you spray a car with waterborne paint it does not bloche like solvent base paint. what I mean is with new technology in paint water always lays down perfect ( metal flake) or ( pearl ) always drys perfect (3D) effect like it is stacked on top even all the time. you can get solvent to do that but conditions have to be perfect . like no humidity in the air.
by the way that pint of pearl is just 1color in the mix there are probably 6 other colors in that mix to make the color of your car
Played absolute hell on an allover just a few hrs ago with a bright blue with HEAVY metallic, 92 with 90%humidity......it was fun. Ive never sprayed waterbase the flash and dry times were a turn off for me , things may be more advanced since I last looked at it. Wish I got to spray the good stuff Every day and not just on the show cars, but Collison repair = second line stuff
Answer to your question about pearl over metallic is yes ive sprayed it prob close to 500 times its called tricoat, just pearl mixed in clear binder and sometimes mire metallic tint then sprayed over a metallic base
