Did Dodge/Chrysler Change their CLEAR Coat?

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

Ive been doing a few LX cars lately (mostly chargers and challengers) and have heard that the 2012 line of Chargers/Challengers no longer offer the Toxic Orange color because the plant in Japan was damaged in the earthquake.

I did a black 2012 Charger...only 10 days off the rail a week or so ago and i went to use the Megs MF D300 and pad on it...which usually gives a very nice finish, but after wiping it clean the paint was seriously hazed...had to go to 205 on a foam pad to clear it up.

So my question is...did dodge (chrysler) change their CLEAR also? I did a Black Challenger as new as a 2010..and D300 finished off beautifully...so i cant figure why the same pad/product combo on the same make of car (Chrysler), would suddenly haze up.

Thoughts?

[Setec Astronomy]

My only thought is the only paint issues I have heard of from the earthquake/tsunami were regarding pigments...so that would rule out any clearcoat issues.

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

My only thought is the only paint issues I have heard of from the earthquake/tsunami were regarding pigments...so that would rule out any clearcoat issues.

Thats what i thought but i cant figure out why the factory clear would haze all the sudden with D300 which is suppose to work with factory clear

[embolism]

I know that on later model lexi there have been some chipping problems b/c the paint formulations are slowly being changed to be more environmentally friendly.

Perhaps those changes are being adopted by more companies?

[Setec Astronomy]

Thats what i thought but i cant figure out why the factory clear would haze all the sudden with D300 which is suppose to work with factory clear

Yeah, that doesn't mean they didn't change their clear, I just don't think it had anything to do with the tsunami.


I know that on later model lexi there have been some chipping problems b/c the paint formulations are slowly being changed to be more environmentally friendly.

Perhaps those changes are being adopted by more companies?

Chrysler does have a new owner, certainly conceivable they changed their paint for any number of reasons.

[FUNX650]

Couple of things I consider:

-Most OEM automotive manufacturers have at least three paint suppliers.

-These paint suppliers must the OEM's manufacturer's engineering and quality-assurance standards.

-These standards may include a tolerance of +/- 5%; must be within a given price-point (per: the bean-counters); the selected color-wheel-matchablity; but, since it's the CC you're asking about: the "hardness", scratch-resistance, CC paint film thickness, etc.

-The OEM's are continually wanting to cut the costs of BC/CC paint systems...And are beseeching the paint suppliers to assist them in that venture each and every model year. (If they don't comply...they're usually dropped as a supplier)

-Some of those BC/CC paint suppliers being asked for cost reduction and "better" paint systems include DuPont and PPG (It's been estimated that DuPont and PPG manufacture more than 80% of all automotive paint used worldwide....Including the base-coat/clear-coat paints....and their paints are on at least 90% of vehicles leaving the assembly lines everyday).

-It's very difficult to find out on a day-to-day (often hour-by-hour) basis which of the paint manufacturer's paints (BC and CC) is actually being applied in the OEM's factories paint kitchens. And I don't believe they'll tell...proprietary issues, as usual.

-As long as the OEM's paint standards, including quality-assurance, are being met, then they spray away.

-Also: At the assembly plant, and the receiving dealership...There are times when a vehicle is pulled aside for "cosmetic repairs"....These type of re-sprays do not have the luxury of having the same paint kitchen's baked-on ability....the qualities (such as: hardness) of the CC may be compromised.



I see the above listings as some factors that play a role in determining any "changes" that do/will occur in BC/CC paint systems.
Perhaps these same factors are a force to contend with when someone does any paint corrections on a vehicle? The all important: TEST SPOT, therefore, looms quite heavily these days!

Hope this helps some.

:)

Bob

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

Couple of things I consider:

-Most OEM automotive manufacturers have at least three paint suppliers.

-These paint suppliers must the OEM's manufacturer's engineering and quality-assurance standards.

-These standards may include a tolerance of +/- 5%; must be within a given price-point (per: the bean-counters); the selected color-wheel-matchablity; but, since it's the CC you're asking about: the "hardness", scratch-resistance, CC paint film thickness, etc.

-The OEM's are continually wanting to cut the costs of BC/CC paint systems...And are beseeching the paint suppliers to assist them in that venture each and every model year. (If they don't comply...they're usually dropped as a supplier)

-Some of those BC/CC paint suppliers being asked for cost reduction and "better" paint systems include DuPont and PPG (It's been estimated that DuPont and PPG manufacture more than 80% of all automotive paint used worldwide....Including the base-coat/clear-coat paints....and their paints are on at least 90% of vehicles leaving the assembly lines everyday).

-It's very difficult to find out on a day-to-day (often hour-by-hour) basis which of the paint manufacturer's paints (BC and CC) is actually being applied in the OEM's factories paint kitchens. And I don't believe they'll tell...proprietary issues, as usual.

-As long as the OEM's paint standards, including quality-assurance, are being met, then they spray away.

-Also: At the assembly plant, and the receiving dealership...There are times when a vehicle is pulled aside for "cosmetic repairs"....These type of re-sprays do not have the luxury of having the same paint kitchen's baked-on ability....the qualities (such as: hardness) of the CC may be compromised.



I see the above listings as some factors that play a role in determining any "changes" that do/will occur in BC/CC paint systems.
Perhaps these same factors are a force to contend with when someone does any paint corrections on a vehicle? The all important: TEST SPOT, therefore, looms quite heavily these days!

Hope this helps some.

:)

Bob


All very interesting points. No big surprise they try to cut any corner they can. And trust me, i did a TEST SPOT before going over the whole car. Thats why i opted for 205 on a polishing pad since it was a single pass on a new car. Turned out nice...just wondered why D300 was acting up.

[Setec Astronomy]

At the assembly plant, and the receiving dealership...There are times when a vehicle is pulled aside for "cosmetic repairs"....These type of re-sprays do not have the luxury of having the same paint kitchen's baked-on ability....the qualities (such as: hardness) of the CC may be compromised.


All very interesting points. No big surprise they try to cut any corner they can. And trust me, i did a TEST SPOT before going over the whole car. Thats why i opted for 205 on a polishing pad since it was a single pass on a new car. Turned out nice...just wondered why D300 was acting up.

So there's a possibility--that the vehicle was damaged in-transit or on the lot and had a repainted panel--which is the one you chose for your test spot?

[C. Charles Hahn]

It's also important to consider, just to add to Bob's points above, that a change in any one component of any layer of the film build can have an affect on how the top coat cures and cross-links due to slight changes in solvent content and off-gassing -- even when it is a thermocured OEM finish.