couldnt afford to repaint, so i decided to replace. I AM SO STOKED!!!!!

**timaishu** · 03-30-2015, 09:52 PM

Hey guys, I just had to share this with you all because you are the only folks I know who will truly appreciate this.

So the paint on my fender started to delaminate I about 4 years ago. It only got worse and kept peeling. I eventually decided to try the DIY route in 2012. I bought some rattle can clear coat from an auto body supply shop. Did a lot of sanding, covered half the car in trash bags and put down some clear. It came out real bad. I made a thread on here about it but I cannot find it anymore.

Here is what it looked like after two layers. I ended up using paint thinner or something else that thins lacquer and removed it all. I then just used one layer and it came out better, but it was a thin coat. Good enough I figured as I didn't want to risk the second layer looking weird again. I don't know why applying the second layer made it look like that. Up close it looked bad, but it passed the 3 foot distance just fine.

Fast forward to today, this is what it looked like. All the clear I applied over where it delaminated came off again and this time it took even more paint with it. The areas I painted also began to scrunch up and fracture. I was so sick of looking at it, it looked TERRIBLE. So I started watching craigslist postings and found someone who was parting out their 2002 Altima (mine is an 05), and they had a right front fender with the right color code, he said the paint was OEM. SCORE!!!

I picked it up last night and it has some issues. A rust mark, several scratches and tons of swirls. Heck, its still better than what I had, so I paid the guy 80 bucks and took it home. Anyways, I spent the last 3-4 hours removing the old and putting on the new. Clayed barred it and buffed with two quick passes of optimum compound II on an 5.5 orange LC pad on speed 5 with my griots. I then sprayed waxed it with aquawax.

To say I am stoked with the overall outcome is an understatement.

So instead of paying an autobody shop several hundred dollars. I bought an identical panel off craigslist and swapped them out.

Now all I need next is a new hood and rear bumper and I am good to go. If the roof was removable I would do that too. But right now, the fender was my biggest gripe.

SO STOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im very happy how it came out. I was worried that being 3 years older might make it stand out or something(paint fade or maybe different paint process or slight color difference), but the color match looks identical and the metallic flake also looks to match as well.

**Sizzle Chest** · 03-30-2015, 10:31 PM

Good deal! That's the way to do it...and you get the satisfaction of knowing you saved a bunch of $$$$ and did it yourself! Good going!

**MrCleanit** · 03-30-2015, 10:45 PM

Hell yeah! Awesome work.

**dcjredline** · 03-30-2015, 11:26 PM

Well that was meant to be! Nice deal

**VISITOR** · 03-31-2015, 02:45 AM

sweet!

**Mask** · 03-31-2015, 06:26 AM

Awesome! Good job man.

**Setec Astronomy** · 03-31-2015, 07:14 AM

That fender simply unbolted?

PS Here's your thread: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-thoughts.html

**Mike@DedicatedPerfection** · 03-31-2015, 07:21 AM

That's awesome Jacob! Im stoked as well. Glad to hear about your update.

That looks original. Thanks for sharing.

**Don M** · 03-31-2015, 08:11 AM

How awesome is that! Finding a the exact panel you needed with matching paint. And all it took was a little wrenching on your part.

**timaishu** · 03-31-2015, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

That fender simply unbolted?

PS Here's your thread: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-thoughts.html

Yep. 8 bolts in all. 5 of which were in the engine bay. One I could see with the door open and the other one I had to pull the bumper off slighty and the final one( and the most annoying) was hidden under the side skirt.