Is it just me or

[Lexi65]

Does anyone else think that non-luxury vehicles have better paint?
Feed back please

[swanicyouth]

No. I think BMW paint is better than Japanese paint.

[Klasse Act]

Does anyone else think that non-luxury vehicles have better paint?
Feed back please

Better how? Orange peel? Chips easily? Shine?

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

[artofdetailing]

I disagree. In fact, I think they are far worse then lets say.... GERMAN!

[EddieF]

I had an 05 camry and the paint was horrible. I used 2000 grit on the hood and after a couple of passes, I went through the clear coat.

[Pureshine]

I had an 05 camry and the paint was horrible. I used 2000 grit on the hood and after a couple of passes, I went through the clear coat.

Did you not take a paint reading before wet sanding?

[EddieF]

Did you not take a paint reading before wet sanding?

Of course not. LOL. That was the first time I had wet sanded and didn't know there was suck thing as a paint gauge. I learned a lot from that car.

[PRicci09]

Disagree. Most high end (specifically german) vehicles have far superior paint.

[thebamboo23]

are we talking off-the-dealership lot better paint condition?

better paint to correct?

better OEM sprayed paint?

[Romans5.8]

Guess it depends on your definition of 'better'. But I never see older German cars (many of which had base/clear paints BEFORE the American autos) with failing clear. Better paint or better owner care? Not sure. But just an observation!

Always seems like I see the most clearcoat failure on GM cars, but the most rust on Fords. Anyone else? (Referring to seeing them driving down the road, not detailing. I only do my own!)

[Desertnate]

Guess it depends on your definition of 'better'. But I never see older German cars (many of which had base/clear paints BEFORE the American autos) with failing clear. Better paint or better owner care? Not sure. But just an observation!

Owner care is the biggest question when regarding longevity. You never know if it's the "luxury" car owners that just spend more time and/or money to keep them up where as some owners of more common makes seem to view them as disposable appliances. Personally, I've owned German and now have Japanese. I've found them to hold up about the same. I have noticed that the paint on my Japanese cars don't get stone chips from road salt/sand as easily as my BMW did.


Always seems like I see the most clearcoat failure on GM cars, but the most rust on Fords. Anyone else? (Referring to seeing them driving down the road, not detailing. I only do my own!)

I don't know if I've viewed more clear failure on any one particular brand more than any other. When I lived in Hawaii a few years ago, clear failure seemed to be universal across the board as the salt air and intense sun seemed to kill just about any paint if you didn't care for it.

For rust, around here it seems to be Honda's and their wheel arches. I was shopping for a used Accord a few years ago and all three of the cars I looked at were rusting around the fenders. To this day I still see the same thing on many more I observe on the road.

[Romans5.8]

I don't know if I've viewed more clear failure on any one particular brand more than any other. When I lived in Hawaii a few years ago, clear failure seemed to be universal across the board as the salt air and intense sun seemed to kill just about any paint if you didn't care for it.

For rust, around here it seems to be Honda's and their wheel arches. I was shopping for a used Accord a few years ago and all three of the cars I looked at were rusting around the fenders. To this day I still see the same thing on many more I observe on the road.

I live in Rural Missouri. We don't get a ton of snow, but we do get snow, which means we get salt. So rust is a concern but it's not 'everywhere' like it is in more northern states or along the coasts. Domestic autos are the overwhelming majority (where I've found it to be the other way around when you get close to St.Louis!). A lot of people out here worked for the Ford or Chrysler plants, or have someone in their family who is UAW. So unless I'm in the city, I don't see too many imports (now and then, but overwhelmingly domestic). Just always seems like I see Chevy trucks and Chevy Cavaliers, Pontiacs, everything but Saturns in the GM line with huge chunks of missing clear coat. My wifes sister has an '05 Cavalier and it's missing probably 40% of it's clear coat! Total failure!

But then the Ford's (Including our Taurus, unfortunately) always seem to have the wheel well rust. Dunno! Must be just where I am!

[c8n]

As someone already said... I think we need to define "better paint".

More scratch resistant?
Thicker paint?
Better paint job? as in orange peel?

Altho I cannot answer any of the above, but I do know I see swirls and scratches in all cars, whether it be a MB, Lexus, Honda, Chevy and etc

[Mike Phillips]

I really like the PPG Ceramiclear paints if you can get your hands on a car with this finish that someone else has not already messed up.

They really seem to resist scratching well. I think the first one I worked on was back in SoCal. I buffed out this MB for a forum member and over a year later he showed it to me and it was STILL looking scratch and swirl free.

The MB we just bought was owned by a 70 year old lady and from all appearances it was never buffed on by anyone. Robert Diterlizzi as well as all the guys at the Thursday night project for this car looked at, inspected and came to the same conclusion... the paint was in good to excellent condition.

2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 Show Car Makeover Pictures (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/pictures-autogeek-s-car-week/72151-2006-mercedes-benz-slk-350-show-car-makeover-pictures.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2111/2006_SLK_350_055.jpg


Heck, if you click the link above and read what we did for the correction work all we did was machine buff the paint using dual action polishers, Wolfgang Finishing Glaze, which is a Fine Cut Polish and foam polishing pads. That is NOT very aggressive and the paint corrected easy as a summer breeze...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2111/2006_SLK_350_059.jpg


Coated with Black Label Diamond Surface Coating...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2111/2006_SLK_350_086.jpg




I see other guys always posting how hard these paints are, as in hard paint. But I disagree.

I don't think they're the hardest paint I've ever worked on and every time I've correct a PPG Ceramiclear paint I've done so with zero problems.

The two cars in this DVD have Ceramiclear paint systems...

DVD - How To Use the Flex 3401 & PE14 Rotary Buffer (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-car-garage-how-videos/59214-dvd-how-use-flex-3401-pe14-rotary-buffer.html)


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1422/FlexVideo005.jpg



Two black Mercedes-Benz cars both with Ceramiclear paint systems.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1422/FlexVideo002.jpg




So at least at this time my vote goes for PPG Ceramiclear paints and be sure to be intelligent on how you "touch" the paint or let anyone else "touch" the paint including taking your cars into have them serviced.

I explain why in this article and also explain what makes these paints different than other paints...

Ceramiclear Paints - Be Careful (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/47152-ceramiclear-paints-careful.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/715/D8182.jpg







Especially if you have a car with a Ceramiclear finish.

DON'T WASH CAR !!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/66855-don-t-wash-car.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/Dont_Wash_Car_003.jpg




:)

[hamlyn]

Does anyone else think that non-luxury vehicles have better paint?
Feed back please

Have you seen the paint on a Koenigsegg?
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-IYh8Ln0wQ]Million-Dollar Paint Job - /Inside Koenigsegg - YouTube[/video]