Best and Worst Paint/Clear Coats

That's what Orange Peel is :scared:

That is all over my black Hyundai. I was wondering why the paint looked like that but didn't know it was called OP. I suppose this diminshes the look of the finish but can't be removed, right ?
 
You can lessen the OP by wetsanding, although I don't know how many would really recommend that on a factory finish, and I find Hyundai paint to seem a bit thin.
 
Wet sanding is a way out BUT factory paint is likely too thin for such a remedy. Small areas done to correct severe problems are one thing. The whole car is just a bad idea.
 
Interesting that people find Mazda paint soft...I wonder if the MPV is painted differently since I don't find it all fragile :confused: Easy enough to correct, but not really marring-prone. I somehow can't imagine them doing it with different paint/etc. from their other vehicles so maybe it's just different perception, but that seems like quite a difference.
 
RAG said:
In your detailing experience, which car company has the best paint system? Who has the worst? Of course, justify your reasoning (i.e. too hard, orange peel common, too thin, lifeless colors, faulty clear coats...)



Personally, I think Lexus has the best paint/clear coat, as we have major rust contamination issues in my ocean community and Lexus is the only make that seems to have resistance to it...and for that alone it gets my thumbs-up.



For me, the worst would have to go to Audi for having clear coats tha are too hard, yet they seem to scratch just as easy as more "workable" coats.
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My wife drives an LS430 and I find it somewhat soft and prone to chipping even though I have the clear bra on it. I will admit that it is easy to work on versus my Mercedes autos that have the ceramiclear on them.
 
seikoguy said:
Speaking of orange peel, here's what it looks like on the rear quarter panel of a white 2004 Mazda 3S:



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That's exactly what my '07 Mazda 6 paint looks like. It's really annoying but I figured it's just normal. :confused:
 

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SpoiledMan said:
Wet sanding is a way out BUT factory paint is likely too thin for such a remedy. Small areas done to correct severe problems are one thing. The whole car is just a bad idea.
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FWIW, here in the Detroit area most of the higher end cars used in auto shows like Detroit, Chicago, NY and LA are taken to the pro's who wet sand and polish the OEM paint. So, if you've seen it in a show it's been wet sanded.
 
HansB said:
FWIW, here in the Detroit area most of the higher end cars used in auto shows like Detroit, Chicago, NY and LA are taken to the pro's who wet sand and polish the OEM paint. So, if you've seen it in a show it's been wet sanded.
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Doesn't make it a good idea cause they do it for shows. It will compromise the longevity of an OEM paint job.
 
So is the only way to get non-OP paint from thin OEM paint or whatever is to get the whole car repainted by a reputable painter? How do you go about finding someone or some body shop who can paint a car without making OP happen? And is the OP because the metal of the car isn't perfectly smooth when they sprayed on the paint or what?
 
A good bodyshop / painter can lay down the paint very well to limit OP. Plus they will wetsand it and spray it again... and wetsand it and spray it again.



I had an aftermarket hood put on my Mustang and they had to blend the front fenders as my paint is a metallic gray. My hood and my front fenders look so clear and perfect that it makes the rest of my car look sub-par.



Now from a foot you can't really tell that much difference, but up close under halogens it's VERY apparent. The aftermarket paint is just clearer because there is no orange peel.



Unfortunately doing a whole car is pretty darned expensive which is why most, like me, just live with it.
 
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