Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

[mb911]

Hi everyone,

I might have my hood repainted. Of course, the certified body shop says the job will be great, etc.

However, will a body shop paint job likely chip a lot more than the factory paint?

Or should I not worry about the difference?

THanks.

[tguil]

Re: Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

How about maybe? I haven't had a hood or front panel repainted recently, but in the past I had a hood and front panel repainted with catalyzed acrylic enamel and yes, it did chip rather easily. Find out what kind of paint the shop plans to use, then do a google search. Newer paints may be a bit my flexible and thus might be less prone to chipping.

Also much would depend on the surface prep prior to the painting.

Tom

[dope92cc]

Re: Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

Another factor is the factory anti chip coating under the primer. If that is removed then chipping to metal will be more possible than ever.

[Zaris]

Re: Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

When I bought my car third-hand, the previous owner did not tell me the car had been in an accident (I even asked him plainly in the face, "has this car ever been in one?" and he flat out said, "No"). It was only when I was looking to get a quote on detailing my car through a professional that I spotted the indicators. The pro pointed out to me the differences in paint coatings (the passenger door paint looks a bit grainy compared to the rest of the car under the right light), that the hood was slightly off-centered (though I thought that was normal over time), and that the headlights had mismatched manufacturing labels. Clearly, the car had been in some kind of front-end accident along the right side and was covered up pretty well. Even my uncle who used to repair cars at a Honda dealership didn't catch'm.

But also noticeable is that the repainted areas are stuffed with flakes of missing paint. Chips, really. The front of the hood is literally a smattering of white dots - some are even starting to rust. And in some areas along the upper front bumper, there are lines forming as if the paint was cracking. Worse still, on the bumper, some paint is missing altogether. The picture below is the current condition of my car post-wax on May 25th 2010 and a sample of what a bad paint job could result in over time (despite obvious defects, I felt it best to protect the rest of the car in the here and now with a coat of wax).


Click to Enlarge

So to answer your questions, body shop paint jobs can be worse than factory paint. Because what they do (from what I understand) is look for a number on a sticker somewhere on your car that indicates the paint type and try to replicate it. Should you worry about it? I would say so, at least just a little. You care about your SLK's appearance, so you should want some assurance that the body shop will do a competent job, prep it right, and apply it right. Take a look at where they'll be spraying the paint - an enclosed room or outside. If it's the latter, I would take my business elsewhere. Contaminants from an outdoor workplace can settle onto the panel and cause uneven surfaces.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

Yes, no and maybe. It all depends on what paint is used at the shop compared to what paint was used at the factory.

Bottom line; if you actually drive your car on public roads it is going to suffer some sort of fine damage to the paint over time. Learning to live with these little imperfections goes a very long way toward maintaining one's sanity.

[aris]

Re: Body Shop Paint Chips More than Factory Paint?

In my case when i get my front end repainted it will be thiker and more durable then the factory paint..Mazda piant is complete ****