How bad is our paint?

[Will BRZ]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have the opposite drive. At least 98% of my time is spent on a highway with trucks throwing crap at me. My bumper has chips on the chips. Somehow I even managed to get a stone chip on the flat part on top of my back bumper.

Yes that's how mine is. I literally have a rock chip on my rear bumper too. What sucks even more is that it looks like the previous owner tried to touch it up and did such a shitty job. Looks like whiteout on some chips Do you try to touch yours up or have you just given up?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Will BRZ

Yes that's how mine is. I literally have a rock chip on my rear bumper too. What sucks even more is that it looks like the previous owner tried to touch it up and did such a shitty job. Looks like whiteout on some chips Do you try to touch yours up or have you just given up?

Never tried as it seemed senseless when I was traveling almost 40K a year. It goes in for a whole repaint on Friday though.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Never tried as it seemed senseless when I was traveling almost 40K a year. It goes in for a whole repaint on Friday though.

So, you have kept the neighbors yard mowed?


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by xdavidx

I've had my 86 almost a year now. When I got it, first thing I did (as I do with all new cars) was to thoroughly wash, clay bar, prep, and seal the paint. I used wolfgang sealant from autogeek as I have on my past several cars. I wash my cars every week or two for the most part with a very anal process to ensure no scratches and top it off with a spray wax. Car is always garaged and in southern california away from the ocean. While sometimes I will reapply sealant soon, this has always kept paint in really good shape for up to a year. Normally when I redo the process, I find it doesn't really need the clay bar.


This car has totally broken that. The paint is so bumpy with contaminants that no washing will make it feel smooth (i'm thinking it will take some seriously clay barring to remove) and it is covered in light surface marks from bugs, birds, trees, and water spots. If I didn't have so much confidence in the wolfgang sealant from so many prior applications successes and that fact that it has remained very shiny and beading water, I'd think it had no paint protection at all for a year. Nothing serious and noticeable to anyone but myself and nothing that shouldn't buff out with a light pre sealant polish, but I guess I am just shocked that it needs anything at all considering my process has worked great on every other cars paint.



I'd heard the paint on these cars was not very great, but didn't give it too much thought as I take such good care of my cars that I never have issues. Anyone else particular about their paint care that has had one of these a long time and can tell me what I should expect in future years? Maybe if I have a heads up I won't be as upset when it starts showing more wear than I'd like. Also open to other sealant suggestions if someone has had good success with something else on our paint.

The paint on my 2013 FR-S (Whiteout) has held up well over the past 6 years. I wax it once a year, spray wax it twice a year and wash it twice a year. Yes, it's garaged.


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

So, you have kept the neighbors yard mowed?


humfrz

Yep and will until one of us moves.

[RToyo86]

The paint on these cars is soft. I was able to polish out hazing/swirls by hand which is a good indication.

Even with front paint protection, the bumper has been peppered pretty good.
Mostly has to do with the dumbass drivers in our city. Nobody leaves gaps in traffic. If I leave any I'm constantly getting people cut in to fill the space.

[why?]

All modern automotive paint is bad. You can go on any forum and you'll see the exact same thread. I was one of those people that never washed my car, because it didn't need it at all. Where I moved to the birds use my car for target practice daily, and I've got those nice pink trees and bushes that people love that spit sap like they are a factory. Even I wash it as much as I can, but frankly it is just a good excuse to go get carbon fiber everything.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have the opposite drive. At least 98% of my time is spent on a highway with trucks throwing crap at me. My bumper has chips on the chips. Somehow I even managed to get a stone chip on the flat part on top of my back bumper.

Dang, that's harsh!


Out of curiosity, how do you like driving it on the highway? about 40% of my commute is on I-65 coming into Lousville from the south. I hate that drive in this car. I actually like driving it in my xB better.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by LotsaMiles

Dang, that's harsh!


Out of curiosity, how do you like driving it on the highway? about 40% of my commute is on I-65 coming into Lousville from the south. I hate that drive in this car. I actually like driving it in my xB better.

I love it. I find it plenty comfortable. It is one of the quietest cars I have had (most were very old). It has just the right amount of gadgets to make it a good highway cruiser even though that wasn't it's primary purpose when designed. There is really no car that can make a 3 hour each direction commute enjoyable but at least this takes some of the edge off it.

[radroach]

A single pass of Meguiar's M205 and a dual-action polisher and a light finishing pad works very well for cleaning paint up after washing and claying, very gentle on the paint. Just use a fresh pad per section, 1 minute at medium speed is fine.

Fixing small rock chips on the hood and bumper is pretty easy with a Dr. Colorchip kit. Check previous threads on it.

You might consider getting the car ceramic coated if you want an extra layer over the factory clear coat. There are a few different types, the cheaper ones are a ceramic/silica sio2 sealant suspended in a liquid polymer resin, and they are popular and they work well for DIY application. The more expensive ones offer better hardness benefits but are for professional application only.

[xdavidx]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Never tried as it seemed senseless when I was traveling almost 40K a year. It goes in for a whole repaint on Friday though.

Are you going to keep it original hot lava or go for a custom hotter lava?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by xdavidx

Are you going to keep it original hot lava or go for a custom hotter lava?

Same thing. I like the current colour. Or colours as the case may be when different light gives you anything from deep gold to brown.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Same thing. I like the current colour. Or colours as the case may be when different light gives you anything from deep gold to brown.

What! Not candy apple red?




humfrz

[xdavidx]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Same thing. I like the current colour. Or colours as the case may be when different light gives you anything from deep gold to brown.

It is a really cool color for this car. Sort of like inka orange on the old bmw 2002s. I think they are worth about $10k more for being orange. Would be a totally different vibe if you had it on something like the new Supra/Z4 though.