Paint Chipping is it the new softer paint or specific makes/models?

curlyq

There has been much discussion as to the reason(s) for what seems to be a greater incidence of paint chipping on newer model cars. Some say it is the softer, more environment friendly paints being used by some makers. Some say it is the new aerodynamic car designs. Some say it is cost savings by some makers, putting a thinner coat of paints on their cars.

Are certain makers and/or models more prone to paint chipping? Let's help each other understand these issues and help future car buyers make better informed purchase decisions.

Thank you for your participation,
Curly

leadfoot4

From what I've heard, because one of my friends owns a body shop, is that it's the new paints. A number of years ago, the EPA mandated that the paint manufacturers remove the VOCs (volitle organic chemicals) from the paints. The VOCs are gone, and so is the durability.
I understand the need to clean up the environment. But, since the paints are now less durable, more repairs will be necessary, so more paint will be sprayed. Where's the improvement?

rubicon52

I have a Solara like curlyq and our paint is soft and easily chipped. If I had bought a Lexus instead, would the paint be better because it was painted in Japan where they don't have the EPA to worry about?

mpyne

Dont manufactures care??? With todays technology dont you think they could design a more durable paint thats friendly to the environment. Is their anything that can be done to change this? Cars arent cheap and im sure allot of people are very unhappy

curlyq

I agree. If the car makers hear from more owners that are unhappy that their investments are chipping away, maybe they would put more resources behind developing harder, yet environment friendly paints. I encourage all car owners unhappy with their paint finishes to call, email, fax or write the maker and let them know your concerns.

8u6hfd

My brazilian assembled golf does not suffer for small paint chips.

fwatson

I have read that the Japanese built cars such as my '01 Millenia are still painted with oil based paint.

In 8 months and 6000 miles, I have gotten only one tiny chip driving on US27 in Georgia at 80 miles an hour when a truck dropped a small piece of drywall. It also caused a minor scuff mark that was easily compounded out with an extremely fine polishing compound.

I can't say for sure the Japanese paint made the difference, but I have come to understand that it does.

beachfish

My '02 Forester was built in Japan and came with two chips out of the paint on the bumper. Now it has a few more.

Oh well. So much for that theory, huh?

Or do you mean the U.S.-painted cars are even worse?

John

geegee1958

my 88 Accord ever did, but the Echo is silver and the Accord was dark red, & I think the chips are more obvious on the lighter color. So it is most likely a combination of two issues- different paint formulation, and car color making marks more obvious on certain shades of paint.

fwatson

The paint on my Millenia is a highly metallic silver, and as I said, after 6000 miles it has only one very tiny chip on the front edge or the hood.

As for the Forester having two chips on the bumper, it is obvious to me that any car will have chips if hit hard enough. It is a comparative matter as to whether some paints are more chip resistance, not that there are any that can not be chipped at all. And the bumper is a very likely place for a hard strike.

jlan

I believe most of the chipping is related to how and where the car is driven. I have workmates who drive virtually only in town on secondary streets and put very few miles on their cars (6,000 - 10,000 miles per year), and have virtually no chips. Others with long highway commutes typically show more chipping (20,000 - 25,000 per year). The make of car or place of manufacturer does not seem to matter. It is probably due to the more frequent faster driving, the presence of more road debris flying around the highways because of faster speeds (which not only throws stuff up in the air more, but causes impact with greater force), and the greater number of miles driven over a period to time and therefore the greater frequency of hitting things. A rock kicked up by a car going 30mph and hitting a car going 30mph is quite a bit different than one sent flying by a car at 60mph plus and hit at the same speed. I have seen Japan built Maximas with greatly peppered hoods and American cars with nary a mark. I think the chipping factor is also a result of the angle at which the front end approaches the debris (sloping hoods chip more than blunt edge hoods or so it seems), and probably also depends on driving style (follow closely versus a larger following distance).

8u6hfd

Sufferes from chipping of the paint.

My old 88 Camry....barely any

curlyq

Some people believe car companies that make cars in Canada, like Toyota, are using a different quality paint than their USA, Japan, and Europe factories. What do you think?

mpyne

And the paint quality is not better than US. Car is not even a year old and hood is pretty chipped.

britton2

it's a 2001 Corolla LE - have a few paint chips too - very annoying.

everyday

sux...plain and simple. I've already posted my problem in Camry Problems. I just have to say my 2000 model has the worst paint of all I had before...and it was built in Japan. The paint comes off if you looked at it wrong!!!

andys120

I have a '98 Audi A4Q 2.8 Avant. I marvelled at the lack of chips when I bought it @ 53k but
inevitably at just shy of 84k I've had to go out and get some touch up for a small chip.

Color BTW is Melange, a metallic tan. Color may play a role. In my years of model building I've discovered that different pigments have different properties even if they're the same type of paint.

They really put good paint on Audis.

mel100

I picked up my brand new Acura RSX seven weeks ago and at last count had six chips and a couple of spots that look like small cracks on the front bumper. I've put 1500 miles (2400 kms) on the car - maybe 40% on the highway. If I see a truck now I pull way back - I don't want to have a rusted mess on my hands in a couple of years. I'm extremely disappointed with the paint quality - why can't manufacturers use something a little more durable? I knew I would get some marks on the car but at this rate I'll have a couple of hundred chips by the time my warranty is gone! This car was made in Japan but my boss has a BMW with the same problem and he even parks his car in the winter when the sanding trucks are out in full force.

My sister has a 10 year old Escort with no chips - she drives on highways and gravel roads all the time. The guy she bought it from had it paint protected - I wonder if it acts like an extra coat of paint or if it just had better paint to start?

I was on the Mother's website and saw they have a new product that helps you apply touch up paint more evenly. Has anyone tried this? Any feedback on how 3M tape strips work long term?

blizbb

NEW 2014 Corolla blizzard pearl (2k miles) - 3 chips right in the middle of the hood, several tiny spec chips on front bumper. So depressing to have such weak paint.

I tried touch up paint... at first, the color looked like a really good blend/match. Then I did another coat and now on my pearly white car they look like dull spots. The issue might be that I had to prod with the toothpick to get the color to settle into the chip, making the surface a little rough.

Should I sand these tiny chip-paint surfaces down, clean, and dry to drip again so that the surface is smoother and perhaps a better match?

To make matters more complex, I am looking to have a clear bra installed ASAP once I am satisfied with my touch up job. My idea was to try to fix my existing touch up work, let that dry a day or two, perhaps put on a clear coat of nail polish(??) and then have the dealer buff the car before they put on the clear bra. Does this sound at all like a good idea??

I need a super rookie solution to make this look as acceptable as possible.

andys120

I now own a pair of older BMWs and have found the paint to be quite durable with a few exceptions.

My 2000MY 528ia has over 150K on it and very few stone chips in the front. Every spring I touch up one or two on the front hood. The bumpers are more prone to chips as well as parking scrapes, in fact I've had the rear bumper repainted.

I also have a 2001 330ci cabrio with 86K that has hardly any scrapes or chips, in fact I've yet to acquire touch up for it. Oddly, the paint problems in this car show up on the interior where there is discoloration on some parts of the dashboard, perhaps due to the extreme heat in the Phoenix area.

There's also paint worn away on the steering wheel spokes (3-spoke M-Sport wheel) which oddly reveals white plastic underneath. I was trying to figure out what type of paint to use for touching up the wear spots, I even asked a body shop (they were no help).

I decided to use good old Testor's Enamel Gloss Black model kit paint. I figured if it was designed for plastic it should work. So far so good, it's a perfect match and even if it wears off quickly it's easy to reapply.

andys120

@blizbb said:

Should I sand these tiny chip-paint surfaces down, clean, and dry to drip again so that the surface is smoother and perhaps a better match?

A lot of the pearl whites are multi-layer paints which involve layers of different shades, they can be very tricky to match. If you can get some touch-up paint from Toyota or an automotive supply store you should do that rather than attempting a match with nail polish. You can get the correct clear coat from them as well.

I've discovered the hard way that through mixing and shaking the paint is critical to getting a color match for metal-flake colors.