mazda = thinnest paint on earth?

SwampAss

Member
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2007 Mazdaspeed3
I drive the same freakin road to work every day that I drove when I had my 1.8T GTI. I had a few boo boos from rocks over the course of 2 years but not like I do with this car. Anyone else getting the s*** kicked out of them from road debris and rocks? These are to the primer.
 
yeah. my hood looks more like swiss cheese.
horrible paint. I am worried cause here in the NE i am starting to see some oxidation on the bigger chips on my hood....even though i wash and wax my car pretty often.
 
Do you guys have any problem with the paint on the plastic bumper? I am putting RockBlocker film on the front of the hood and wondering if it is worth doing the bumper too? How about the mirrors?. Thanks!
 
In the past few years i've owned a 04 350Z, 05 WRX STi, and now a 07 MS3. They all had really thin paint. I think manufacturers are just spraying a once or two over and sending the cars out as fast as possible.. probably the reason I have orange peel on my black MS3.
 
Vermilion said:
In the past few years i've owned a 04 350Z, 05 WRX STi, and now a 07 MS3. They all had really thin paint. I think manufacturers are just spraying a once or two over and sending the cars out as fast as possible.. probably the reason I have orange peel on my black MS3.
Orange peel already? That blows.
 
Orange peel is something that takes place when painted, not something that occurs over time. Poor prep is the main culprit.
 
I always thought that orange peel occured when then paint was applied incorrectly. Usually happens when paint dries to much before it hits the surface? You will see orangepeel on almost any low to mid range car today, and even on some of todays high end cars. With todays low VOC paints, and faster assy. lines, it is nearly inescapable.

...and yes, it is pretty thin paint, not like the paint of 20+ yrs ago.
 
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mazdadude said:
I always thought that orange peel occured when then paint was applied incorrectly. Usually happens when paint dries to much before it hits the surface? You will see orangepeel on almost any low to mid range car today, and even on some of todays high end cars. With todays low VOC paints, and faster assy. lines, it is nearly inescapable.

...and yes, it is pretty thin paint, not like the paint of 20+ yrs ago.


Dirty gun... low pressure PSI ....contaminated surface
 
I already have a 1-inch long chip in my door. Paint is REALLY thin, but I had the same complaints about my 2002 VW, so I think it's the "new" paints. Sucks.
 
Is anyone else planning on getting their car repainted in a few years?

I want more color choices, mainly. Also, it'll help 'stealth' the car once everyone 'knows' that MS3s can't be yellow, bright blue, or white (in the US).
 
IMHO the Orange Peel we see now is a by product of low emission stds - it is fairly common in a lot of new cars by makes which would surprise you: BMW, Mercedez, etc..

Its not the orange peel of yesterday which was due to bad prep, etc. but a more subtle peel effect

not sure if that is what the black MS3 shows (my silver one has subtle orange peel specially on the plastic portions) but I can tell you that the clear coat isnt as deep on the MS3

Ive never expected Japanese brands to have thick metal or good paint. I cant get as much gloss out of the MS3 as I can from the other beast
 
lmao you think your paint sux, check your local dodge neon
laugh4.gif
 
Hyundai paint is worse. I would get patches of paint coming off from debris on meh old '05 Tiburon.
 
I know my VW didn't last long before the rock chips took their toll on the paint. i have noticed though a few spots on my MS3 from rocks. the paint is thin, but whacha gonna do? Repain the car already? and the dealer will fight tootha nd nail to not paint it.

Uh oh i guess thiers MACCO
 
stupid rocks.....i have a few hits on the hatch...1 is knew i noticed today and they are all to the primer....few on my hood and 1 on the left side driver handle........also stupid shopping cart hit under my gas door ...its very minor but extremely annoying because i know its there.....STUPID DWARFs
 
Mocoso said:
IMHO the Orange Peel we see now is a by product of low emission stds - it is fairly common in a lot of new cars by makes which would surprise you: BMW, Mercedez, etc..

Its not the orange peel of yesterday which was due to bad prep, etc. but a more subtle peel effect

not sure if that is what the black MS3 shows (my silver one has subtle orange peel specially on the plastic portions) but I can tell you that the clear coat isnt as deep on the MS3

Ive never expected Japanese brands to have thick metal or good paint. I cant get as much gloss out of the MS3 as I can from the other beast

mocoso hit the nail on the head... orange peel on todays vehicles are due mostly to emmision laws which regulate the paint process on new vehicles. Its due in part to the high velocity of vehicles produced. auto-body shops dont deal with this because of the low volume of painting they do on a daily basis.

SOME vehicles with less orange peel (the new streched LS450, IIRC whatever their flagship car is) have wet sanding between coats to lessen this effect. Otherwise vehicles are sent through once without wet sanding. Again this is to lessen the cost of the vehicle. So no, manufacturers are not doing the paint cheap to get out of cost. If there wasnt any emmision laws controlling the painting process Im sure you would see less orange peel in todays vehicles...
 
BTW, mazda is proactive in some way by atleast sending out touch-up paint to their customers, I know even my VW didnt get that treatment (although I did get a cool wool washmit...)
 

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