Benz vs. Honda Paint

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by pitzel
Hondas are probably less likely to be garaged, while I suspect most Mercedes' would spend a good chunk of their lives indoors. Simply due to *who* is actually buying them.

Similar logic may apply even to things like car washes.

Not really good methodology. In Europe worst rust is always on Asian vehicles (and 80's and beginning of 90's Opel's due to GM running it the way they ran American division). Europeans do not have garage in every house or not to mention apartment. But you really do not know how many vehicles of which origin are parked in garage or not.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by edyvw
The comparison is impossible, between ANY German car and ANY Japanese car.



The German car is the one with a person under it.

I am personally afraid to lean on my Japanese car as I am not sure whether panel will ever pop out again. The true sinking feeling when one leans on it. I kept my Sienna 4 nights at Denver airport this week and this is first time in my life I had frost inside the car. Not to mention that it took car literally 45 minutes to warm up. I still prefer cars that need more attention but are assembled better than average toy for a 3 year old (and I am not sure about that too, as my 3 year old has some toys that are built pretty good).





That was easy. 🎣

You did not hook me, just stating the fact.
Not to mention that my Tiguan looks brand new compared to Sienna, and has more miles and is 4yrs older vehicle. And still has less issues.

 

[atikovi]

Seeing that the car makers don't manufacture the paint they apply on their vehicles, such a comparison between makes is sketchy at best.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Ford has far and away the worst paint long term wise. It peels, corrodes and fails on almost everything. Look in a parking lot or google Peeling Ford paint. Honda seems to be more of a clear coat, surface problem which is cheaper to fix and can be prevented mostly. My F150 had to be completely stripped and redone. Honda just sanded and resprayed. I take mine to a high end shop that does exotic cars and new vehicle touch ups.

 

[RooflessVW]

I know this is just going to be a bash fest against German cars, as always, but I'll drop my

The paint I see on new Toyotas, Hondas, and especially Nissans - is poor, with the domestics not far behind. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, as each mfg has "premium" paint options that are generally very nice. GMC's Tricoat White, as an example.

I'll also say that "softness" or "hardness" of a vehicle's paint is not indicative of its overall quality. My Touareg has impossibly soft paint, but the finish is far nicer than the pure black of an economy car. There's more of it on there, as well.

 

[PWMDMD]

I've owned several Honda/Acura vehicles and currently own a 2018 Pilot - I agree the paint on Honda vehicles is never great - seems thin and soft. Best car I've owned as far as paint (and fit and finish) was a 2014 Audi S5. My current vehicle is a 2019 Lexus RX350 and while it isn't quite as good as the Audi it's much better than the Pilot.

 

[PWMDMD]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Seeing that the car makers don't manufacture the paint they apply on their vehicles, such a comparison between makes is sketchy at best.



Why? There are two factors important to paint: 1. Quality of the paint and what the manufacturer is willing to pay for paint; 2. how the manufacturer chooses to apply the paint.

Both of these are under each manufacturer's control.....

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted by domer10
Originally Posted by parshisa
The way 99% of car owners in US maintain their cars (cosmetic wise), orange peel or lack of thereof will make 0 difference- cars will be covered with scratches and swirls caused by automatic car washes and you won't even see the orange peel



This is exactly it, It's amazing to think that people expect the hold up to exposure of heat/uv rays without any sort or care. I have family in Florida, and it's amazing to see the condition of 1-2 year old high end vehicles with faded, swirled paint. Clear coat is soft and unless the day you get it and start a proper car care procedure....it's not going to stand a chance. Unless it's garaged, but even then just preventing the inevitable. It's not a coincidence that you have 3-4 year old vehicles across all makes and model that need paint correction done.

Every vehicle I have ever owned, from new or even purchased used, first thing I do is give it a nice proper wax, and maintain it after every wash with spray wax. And I have never had a issue, and always been complimented at time of sale or just in general. I was lucky to find a mint 2013 Jeep Wrangler that was stock, meticulously maintained and in a garage most of time. After few coats of wax and maintaining it, that silver metallic pops like day it came out of factory.

And if people just did this right from new, that few bucks and few hours you spend taking care of it, you will make it up on resale. Not to mention how much easier it is to wax a new vehicle compared to one that has never been touched even after a year or two.


Disagree-a cars paint with regular washing with todays clear coats should hold up for the life of the car-even without waxing.

 

[Rolla07]

Ive heard that luxury cars get more coats of paint and therefore paint is harder and more durable. A friend and I were detailing and its clear his benz had much better paint than my Toyotas. Makes sense to me. Since leaded paint went, durability seems to be an issue.

 

[Traction]

New car paint is seldom perfect, but I don't miss the days of the past, when red cars turned orange, or pink in just a few years. Old car paint couldn't hold a candle to most newer paints. They turned so dull you would never now you had swirl marks. Here is 70 year old paint before I cleaned it up a little and coat it with penetrating oil. Way beyond clay bar. It doesn't have any orange peel though. There was no "magic" wax to save this.

 

[domer10]

Originally Posted by CKN
Originally Posted by domer10
Originally Posted by parshisa
The way 99% of car owners in US maintain their cars (cosmetic wise), orange peel or lack of thereof will make 0 difference- cars will be covered with scratches and swirls caused by automatic car washes and you won't even see the orange peel



This is exactly it, It's amazing to think that people expect the hold up to exposure of heat/uv rays without any sort or care. I have family in Florida, and it's amazing to see the condition of 1-2 year old high end vehicles with faded, swirled paint. Clear coat is soft and unless the day you get it and start a proper car care procedure....it's not going to stand a chance. Unless it's garaged, but even then just preventing the inevitable. It's not a coincidence that you have 3-4 year old vehicles across all makes and model that need paint correction done.

Every vehicle I have ever owned, from new or even purchased used, first thing I do is give it a nice proper wax, and maintain it after every wash with spray wax. And I have never had a issue, and always been complimented at time of sale or just in general. I was lucky to find a mint 2013 Jeep Wrangler that was stock, meticulously maintained and in a garage most of time. After few coats of wax and maintaining it, that silver metallic pops like day it came out of factory.

And if people just did this right from new, that few bucks and few hours you spend taking care of it, you will make it up on resale. Not to mention how much easier it is to wax a new vehicle compared to one that has never been touched even after a year or two.


Disagree-a cars paint with regular washing with todays clear coats should hold up for the life of the car-even without waxing.


You can't be serious, it's common sense. Look at what the sun alone especially in southern states to things left outside unprotected, I guess they just magically change colour on their own. And I guess it's just a coincidence that every left unprotected not just recently made but older must just magically fade on their own.

Do your yourself a favour and research protected paint vs un protected. And it's laughable to say that clearcoat should last the life of a vehicle. LMAO between uv damage and contamination from dirt, and pretty much being sandblasted while driving in certain areas....ya it's really going to hold up.

 

[domer10]

Originally Posted by CKN
Originally Posted by domer10
Originally Posted by parshisa
The way 99% of car owners in US maintain their cars (cosmetic wise), orange peel or lack of thereof will make 0 difference- cars will be covered with scratches and swirls caused by automatic car washes and you won't even see the orange peel



This is exactly it, It's amazing to think that people expect the hold up to exposure of heat/uv rays without any sort or care. I have family in Florida, and it's amazing to see the condition of 1-2 year old high end vehicles with faded, swirled paint. Clear coat is soft and unless the day you get it and start a proper car care procedure....it's not going to stand a chance. Unless it's garaged, but even then just preventing the inevitable. It's not a coincidence that you have 3-4 year old vehicles across all makes and model that need paint correction done.

Every vehicle I have ever owned, from new or even purchased used, first thing I do is give it a nice proper wax, and maintain it after every wash with spray wax. And I have never had a issue, and always been complimented at time of sale or just in general. I was lucky to find a mint 2013 Jeep Wrangler that was stock, meticulously maintained and in a garage most of time. After few coats of wax and maintaining it, that silver metallic pops like day it came out of factory.

And if people just did this right from new, that few bucks and few hours you spend taking care of it, you will make it up on resale. Not to mention how much easier it is to wax a new vehicle compared to one that has never been touched even after a year or two.


Disagree-a cars paint with regular washing with todays clear coats should hold up for the life of the car-even without waxing.

Ya paint definitely performs great when unprotected, that's why they need paint protection right. And P.S today's paint and clearcoat is even worse.

 

[PimTac]

The vehicles that have been taken care of right from the start will show that. Use a qood quality sealant protective trim coating. Proper washing with good quality microfiber is essential.

 

[Luftmasse]

German cars usually has harder top coats so they last longer.

Hondas, the paint can last long if you wax it 2 - 4 times a year.

 

[MetalSlug]

depend which color it's . Clear coat flake off after few month or a years usually cause by cheap paint they use at the factory . Also biggest main reason is the worker . I tell you why

After the car get paint and dry . It go thru a station where each of the worker assign to each section of the car . Each of them have a sander and buffer . If they see any dirt . They need grind if out and polish it . This is the main reason paint clear coat flake off early because 99% of the worker grind the heck out off the clear coat . Left with very thin layer of clear coat left .

Also the vehicle got damage . Dent or whatever . It will need take to a station and get repaint . Most painter have no idea how to paint . Some good some don't .

It's a mess at the factory . This happen to every cars brand . The only good paint is those vehicles that made in Japan . Their quality is usually high .

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by domer10
LMAO between uv damage and contamination from dirt, and pretty much being sandblasted while driving in certain areas....ya it's really going to hold up.

That's why I don't bother on my vehicles, after 10 years / 150k it's going to have an assortment of rock chips and scrapes, and rust underneath, and no one will give a plugged nickel.

 

[willbur]

Originally Posted by parshisa
The way 99% of car owners in US maintain their cars (cosmetic wise), orange peel or lack of thereof will make 0 difference- cars will be covered with scratches and swirls caused by automatic car washes and you won't even see the orange peel


Yeah that's true but I still like great paint on a new car. German cars (and Cadillac) now use ceramic based top coats that are very resistant to what you mention.
BTW, my 12 year old Honda looks new bc I take great care of it and does not exhibit swirls etc you mention. The front does look sand blasted from driving on I-95. I look at cars in parking lots and it appears to me German car paint holds up better than the rest. Maybe their owners take better care of them

 

[SeaJay]

And there are those of us who do not have a garage, only take the car to an automatic washer maybe every few months and are content with the way it looks even after many years of use.

 

[Alfred_B]

Originally Posted by mclasser
That's why one is a Honda and the other a Benz

This. Although I have to admit that Audi paint is better than Mercs we get in the US.

 

[domer10]

Originally Posted by PimTac
The vehicles that have been taken care of right from the start will show that. Use a qood quality sealant protective trim coating. Proper washing with good quality microfiber is essential.



Exactly, I don't know why you people just don't get on a proper program on car paint right away from the start. Don't know about you but I sure as [censored] am buying whatever car I am searching regardless of year with the most meticulous or up kept paint.