Best Factory paint?

[Spork]

Hey this may not seem like a detailing issue, but I think it is. I am in the market for a new car and was wondering from a detailers point of view who has the best finish. Perhaps 2 classes best over all and best on a budget. I have detailed lots of older cars as that is what is in my aria, but I want something that will really show off my talents, that I have and will develop. So when some one sees my car in a lot they will be amazed. I am concerned with other things as well, like the way it drives and how reliable it is, but not what I want to think about at this point.

[Sharkie]

For budget paint I’ll throw a vote in for VW. Seems hard and orange peel is minimal. I got rear ended after having my GTI for 12 days, albeit it was at very low speed but all I suffered was a little scuff the size of a match head. Can’t recommend Subaru, our 2001 Forester’s paint is very soft.



Adam

[offcenter]

Originally posted by SJ Sharkie

For budget paint I’ll throw a vote in for VW. Seems hard and orange peel is minimal. I got rear ended after having my GTI for 12 days, albeit it was at very low speed but all I suffered was a little scuff the size of a match head. Can’t recommend Subaru, our 2001 Forester’s paint is very soft.



Adam



I don`t know that VW paint is "hard", I read that is actually soft. But I agree, before I purchased my Passat, whenever I saw a new VW, whether a Jetta, GTI, Passat or Beetle, I was always impressed with the paint. It seems to glow and we know that not all VW owners are Autopians, so it must be a good paint job to begin with:)

[Viking]

Your question seems a bit open ended. I don`t think you can compare the paint finish of a car that costs 20K and one that costs 300K. I do agree that VW has a very durable finish but as far as the best of the best I would have to side with Porsche, MB, or BMW.

[McMustang]

My dad has a 2002 Lincoln LS and I have a 2002 Mustang GT. Both in the color True Blue (Paint code: L2). His paint however is MUCH better than that of the mustangs. We drive in the same conditions and I detail both cars and his has far less orange peel and swirl marks than my stang does.

[M3 Dream's]

I have to say Ford..



When my dads Explorer is dirty it stays really shiny.. When I clean it, it has some serious depth. At night the car is a different color..



:up to Ford.



Oh yeah.. Metallic colored BMWs have a really nice gloss. I waxed a friends 330ci and the gloss was crazy at the end. I used Meg. #26 Paste and a orbital.



:up to Metallic colored Bimmers, Benzes and Porches..

[mdporter]

The paint on my 1997 honda accord has not been impressive at all. It seems to scratch fairly easily. Looking at other Honda`s I have noticed the same thing.



I also have an 87 Toyota Camry which has great paint. Very scratch/chip resistant.

[Antym15]

Volkswagen paint is actually excellent these days.

VW paint is made by Glasurit. BASF owns Glasurit, and Glasurit makes paint for some of the very best Euro marques...

BMW

PORSCHE

MERCEDES-BENZ

AUDI

VW

:up



And yes, it`s on the soft side from what I hear... people think that`s bad? I think this is a good feature... less prone to chipping, cracking & crazing, etc.



Quote: “VW has a very durable finish but as far as the best of the best I would have to side with Porsche, MB, or BMW.� ;)



My paint is very durable, thank you! Over 2 years old and looks like new. And the black metallic color {{{black magic}}}}?! Fuggeeeedddabbbouuuudddittt!!!! :D



I just wish there was a little less orange peel, but that`s from the application and does not negate the paint. The quality of the paint is excellent.

[imported_Intel486]

I like ford and all but I`m not going to vote for their paint quality.



Lots of orange peel, expecially in my truck.



I also hear a lot about people having paint runs and one guy saying half his roof`s paint was soo thing he could see primer through it.

[Spork]

Originally posted by Viking

Your question seems a bit open ended. I don`t think you can compare the paint finish of a car that costs 20K and one that costs 300K. I do agree that VW has a very durable finish but as far as the best of the best I would have to side with Porsche, MB, or BMW.



Actually that was kind of the pont, I would like to know what cars have that "ultimate dream" paint and also the for 100,000 less you can have just as good. I think I am agreeing on what most have said is VW`s look good for low bucks. I have had about 7 of them from the 80`s to the 90`s. The Passat is a great looker, and what I may go for as I owned the 4th one that came into the country and was used as a show car in 1990. My father just got a 2002 but I have yet to get to check it out as they live 800 miles away. My mother has a 2001 530i that looks good even though it has never seen wax. (at least she gets it hand washed)

I have never gotten the chance to work on really expensive paint so I was wondering if there was a huge difference. Newer paints seem to eliminate much of the quality differences.

[imported_M3Pilot]

Originally posted by masterofreality

[B]Volkswagen paint is actually excellent these days.

VW paint is made by Glasurit. BASF owns Glasurit, and Glasurit makes paint for some of the very best Euro marques...

BMW

PORSCHE

MERCEDES-BENZ

AUDI

VW

:up







That what my car has just been sprayed with, i`m glad to hear that Glasurit isn`t some cheapo crap paint :)

[shvlhead78]

I don`t own a BMW, but my friend does.. and I just can`t believe how badly he treats his car (12 months+ with no wash, no garage), and when he does wash, he goes to a machine wash....



Still... I can`t believe how few swirlies he has... I am extremely anal about my blue 2001 Honda Civic, and I still have swirlies up the crazy.

[BumpersPlus2]

Bmw, mercedes, Honda paint sucks. wifes 2001 Accord EXL white, sucks. Jason

[BumpersPlus2]

Bmw and mercedes is the best, in my professional opinion.

[drewski59]

I think Audi has the best factory paint job.:xyxthumbs

Motor Trend quotes:

"Nobody paints cars as well as Audi. No matter how hard we looked for orange peel or any defects, they weren`t anywhere to be seen."



I think Porsche is a close second, followed by Mercedes, then VW.

BMW has some orange peel on the lower body panels:nono .



I think that domestic cars and Japanese cars have the worst paint. American cars all have massive orange peel, ALL of them! This drives me crazy with the PT. 20+ coats of Z2 and still fuzzy reflections up close:mad: ! I`ve seen pretty bad peel on Toyotas and Hondas, too!



This is just from all the cars I`ve seen new. Just my opinion.

:wavey