Extra Layers of Clear Coat?

**JonnyOzero3** · 12-03-2003, 03:32 PM

Has anyone considered doing this? I tried a search but got nada.

My girlfriend washed her very dirty `03 Firebird yesterday, and it came out so amazingly well it looked like the car was going to drip onto the pavement. I asked her if she waxed it and she said `no, not in awhile.` She said that when she bought the car, she had them take it into the body shop and put *7* extra layers of clearcoat on it!

I have to say - my Klasse/S100 looks like glade wrape compared to the incredible depth of all that clear coat.

Has anyone else seen this?? Right now unless I hear something bad about it, my next car is getting that treatment! Then imagine Klasse ontop of it...mmmmmmm....

**luke667** · 12-03-2003, 03:46 PM

this is soooo weird, i was dreamin about this last nite, wondered if its any good to give the car an extra layer of clear coat.

**LightngSVT** · 12-03-2003, 04:18 PM

Besides there werent any 03 Firebirds. Last year of production was 2002. Something smells fishy, I have never heard of anyone applying that much clear to a vehicle?

**Sci-Fi** · 12-03-2003, 04:32 PM

I`ve seen 2-3 additional coats of clear on some show cars. The look and depth is certainly worth the extra cost and effort. Modern paints/clearcoats shouldn`t crack like they did in the good old lacquer days.

**JonnyOzero3** · 12-03-2003, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by LightngSVT

Besides there werent any 03 Firebirds. Last year of production was 2002. Something smells fishy, I have never heard of anyone applying that much clear to a vehicle?

Ooops, sorry - didn`t mean to be fishy. I just knew it was one of the ones from the last model year run. I thought they had a few tagged as `03s....that`s my mistake. It is a `02 then.

**JonnyOzero3** · 12-03-2003, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by Sci-Fi

I`ve seen 2-3 additional coats of clear on some show cars. The look and depth is certainly worth the extra cost and effort. Modern paints/clearcoats shouldn`t crack like they did in the good old lacquer days.

I would have to agree - the depth of the reflections off the car are amazing. So it possible they actually put "7 layers" on it - without cracking problems, etc. Or did they just add a few microns of it and tell her it was "7" lol....I`m sure a stealer would do that. I thought 7 sounded like a lot - but I don`t think she`s exagerating. Either way, there is definately some extra on there..and wow! WOW WOW. Way worth it.

**JonnyOzero3** · 12-03-2003, 05:14 PM

Originally posted by BlackRegal

7 "extra layers" of clearcoat would almost certainly crack. Average factory thickness is right around 5 mils, give or take a mil. Anything over 9 mils is almost sure to crack unless it is kept in a controlled environment (i.e. temperature, humidity, etc...). If you figure 1 mil per "layer" of clear, she would be at about 12 mils. Doesn`t make sense to me....

Hmmm. I wonder if maybe when she requested extra clearcoating the dealer just told her it was 7 layers when maybe it was 7 passes to put on a few more mils....I dunno - maybe they didn`t want to use techincal terms like mils to confuse a mere undereducated simpleton consumer (I wouldn`t be surprised)

. I have to say though, however much they put on - it worked. Looks better than any Firebird I`ve seen...

**ehgvette** · 12-03-2003, 05:18 PM

This is interesting, surely we`ll get an educated answer from this.

**jimbmor** · 12-03-2003, 05:30 PM

I`ve had similar thoughts about clear coat but related to when scrathes aren`t through the clear coat. Why not use clear touch-up paint instead of color touch-up paint? Seems color touch-up is always mentioned in articles about scratches. Perhaps when a scratch can be felt it`s pretty much through to the color coat. I`m a novice, but am working on my 8-year old car. Don`t want to hijack the thread, but was wondering if anyone has an answer.

I`m especially interested in people`s thoughts when dealing with metallics or pearls, because if you use the color touch up and then have to buff out the "hump" you`re guaranteed to get a different (lighter) color as the darker components that rise to the top get buffed out.

Cheers, Jim

**hondaguy2582** · 12-03-2003, 05:34 PM

guys, my uncle got that supposive clearcoat thing, and its supposed to be some protection service where you never have to wax your car again, and we all know how much bs that is!!!!!

**john bennett** · 12-03-2003, 05:45 PM

I had my 1978 BMW 320i painted a few years ago. I had a few rust repairs done here and there and the paint shop guy couldn`t match the original white paint because it had turned ivory. At his suggestion I let him reshoot the whole car the original alpine white paint. It sure made the car look new again. Anyway, he also laid down a really heavy coat of clear and to today the car still looks wet. That clearcoat sure did made a difference from just the factory color!

**JonnyOzero3** · 12-03-2003, 06:52 PM

Originally posted by hondaguy2582

guys, my uncle got that supposive clearcoat thing, and its supposed to be some protection service where you never have to wax your car again, and we all know how much bs that is!!!!!

You are joking right.....?

**shaf** · 12-03-2003, 08:02 PM

Both of these things have been discussed already in the past, both spraying on additional clear coats, as well as paint protection packages. Spend a few minutes searching and check out some of the older threads about these topics.

Neither idea has many supporters though.

**jimmybuffit** · 12-03-2003, 08:18 PM

Silly! The cost of a professional paint job (clearcoat or base+clear) on a NEW car would have to be over $2000! -prolly much more!

7 coats would require almost as many days to apply. Methinks some BS may have been applied...

Ask her what she paid for the "7 coats of clearcote". Are you sure it wasn`t 7 coats of clearcoat PROTECTION?

I would guess the dealer made a few dollars on this deal...

Keep us informed

Jim