Paint Quality

Is anyone here an expert on paint, or just happen to know about SVX paint? Working at a subaru dealership i see a lot of old and new subies come in. The paint quality of my '92 (it hasnt been repainted) seems better than most 2000+ cars. Did the SVXs have some sort of special paint process and/or paint? Most of the outbacks that come in look like they've been sitting in the sahara for 10 years...WRXs, Forresters...they all seem to fade, scratch and chip prematurely.


-Alex

[Landshark]

i don't think its so much that the SVX paint is great (its poor to mediocre), its just that the newer cars paint is HORRIBLE!!!! Subaru had better wise-up and stop being so cheap with the paint. this is probably true of all car manufacturers these days, though.

Its gotta be partially a function of the sticker price...Acuras are the other part of the dealership, integras seem to be worse than the subarus but the RLs seem to have better quality paint...Its hard to tell w/NSXs cuz everyone babies them.



-Alex

Originally posted by Landshark
i don't think its so much that the SVX paint is great (its poor to mediocre), its just that the newer cars paint is HORRIBLE!!!! Subaru had better wise-up and stop being so cheap with the paint. this is probably true of all car manufacturers these days, though.

Some odd years back the government mandated that the car companies reduce the amount of toxic fumes put out by the painting process. Filters can only do so much, so they either had to reduce the quality of the painting process or produce less cars. You're a big corperation... More money or Better paint... Or I could just be ramblin... Correct me if I'm wrong...

Your friendly neighborhood bizzel

[shelfy]

breck:

i desperately wanted that red svx your dealership was selling with only 44,000 miles. i haven't seen in auto trader recently. it's gone, isn't it?

[Phast SVX]

after the mandate, mazda had a perticulerly hard time, and its kind of hard to find a early 92's miata that still has paint on it Most SVX's i see have paint problems on the bumper, and then there is the pesky foreign sheet metel on the doors that dents when the wind blows...such a car to maintain!
phil

[gl1674]

The paint quality of my '92 (it hasnt been repainted) seems better than most 2000+ cars

Are you absolutely absolutely sure it has not been repainted?
The factory SVX paint is not exactly outstanding.
Can't comment on Outback though - it also seem to chip easily, but mine hasn't gathered enough evidence yet.

Each paint manufacturer has multiple lines of paint for multiple markets - there are paint lines for original painting by manufacturer, for aftermarket refinishing, for public transportation fleet etc etc.

Then within each market segment they have multiple paint lines - budget, middle of the road and high end.
PPG for example has 10 paint lines for automotive refinishing only.
PPG Global is the premium line, PPG Delta - mid quality, PPG OMNI - cheapo (but not exactly cheap).

It all comes down to the cost - why should a manufacturer apply top quality paint to a mid-priced car?

[shelfy]

Originally posted by gl1674


Are you absolutely absolutely sure it has not been repainted?
The factory SVX paint is not exactly outstanding.

both of my SVXs have their original paint and with a good wax job, i'd say my claret looks great for a twelve year old car. really, the only thing one has to worry about in colorado regarding paint is the sand placed on the roads after snow storms. fronts of cars get chipped up pretty badly here.

Originally posted by shelfy
breck:

i desperately wanted that red svx your dealership was selling with only 44,000 miles. i haven't seen in auto trader recently. it's gone, isn't it?

Its been gone for a few weeks, don't know if it sold or went to auction, however there is a nice S4 avant they just got in

-Alex