Soft Paint ?

[paulmel]

Hi all,

Had my XT5 for 10 weeks now and am over the moon with EVERY aspect of it.

My only niggle is with the bodywork condition even with a lot of TLC . I wash it regularly with quality products,a mitt not a sponge, taking care not to pick up grit etc by never putting it anywhere I shouldn't, have a separate one for the wheels, basically everything possible to try to keep it looking great.

The bodywork has so many fine scratches on it it's untrue. Some are a bit more severe than others, what with the kids running around I'm sure a few have been caused by them, but overall it looks a lot older than it is by a LONG WAY.

It's a bit disheartening washing and discovering yet more "new" scratches

The colour is black, and before anyone comments, yes I know that is one of the worst colours for keeping clean/noticeing scratches, but I wouldn't have any other colour, this in fact is my 4th black car. My method of cleaning is no different than with my previous black cars, in fact it's probably more particular as this is our pride and joy and is a "long term" car.

Colour Magic polish isn't rated by myself although I have used it with poor results.

This is the silly bit but my only theory is,that the paintwork seems somehow "softer" or not as tough.

Is this possible? With it being new could the paint somehow not have had enough time to cure? I dread to think what it will look like a few years time.

Any advice/tips much appreciated.

[bothwell_buyer]

funny one as cars often sit about for a few weeks on the long road to the UK and the paint should be hard. Course, due to global warming, we've moved away from the good ol cellulose paints and most are water based with lacquers.

I'd say that theres always a chance that the paint may not have been mixed/cured/dried properly......but who do you turn to? A paint specialist or vehicle bodyshop might give you an opinion for nothing. You wouldn't be picking up muck from Sellafield??? A T dealer won't have a clue, nor would most garages.

I saw a job done by what is meant to be one of Scotlands best specialist paint shops and frankly it was terrible. So its a difficult one. I'd try to find a true old-fashioned bodyshop tradesman who has a reputation for knowing what he/she is doing and ask for an opinion on the paint hardness and finish.

Or I could arrange to torch it so you get it resprayed for nowt? B)

[Robert6920]

Hi paulmel, there's a good section in the forum "Car Care and Detailing" which might be worth a read, and I'd also recommend the website Polished Bliss. My better half has a 3 year old Rav4.2, and there is hardly any of those fine scratches on it. My three month old Rav4.3 seems much more delicate, which I am putting down to its youthful tenderness (!)

I have found that once you have removed any scratches, the use of a good wax (I use "Concours look P21S", also sold as "R222") is keeping them at bay

Good luck

Robert

[matfrost]

Hi all,

Had my XT5 for 10 weeks now and am over the moon with EVERY aspect of it.

My only niggle is with the bodywork condition even with a lot of TLC . I wash it regularly with quality products,a mitt not a sponge, taking care not to pick up grit etc by never putting it anywhere I shouldn't, have a separate one for the wheels, basically everything possible to try to keep it looking great.

The bodywork has so many fine scratches on it it's untrue. Some are a bit more severe than others, what with the kids running around I'm sure a few have been caused by them, but overall it looks a lot older than it is by a LONG WAY.

It's a bit disheartening washing and discovering yet more "new" scratches

The colour is black, and before anyone comments, yes I know that is one of the worst colours for keeping clean/noticeing scratches, but I wouldn't have any other colour, this in fact is my 4th black car. My method of cleaning is no different than with my previous black cars, in fact it's probably more particular as this is our pride and joy and is a "long term" car.

Colour Magic polish isn't rated by myself although I have used it with poor results.

This is the silly bit but my only theory is,that the paintwork seems somehow "softer" or not as tough.

Is this possible? With it being new could the paint somehow not have had enough time to cure? I dread to think what it will look like a few years time.

Any advice/tips much appreciated.

I have to agree with you. I have a 6 month old Carbon Quartz RAV4 and the paint marks so easily. It has a couple of good stone chips, and loads of fine scratches.

I have never had problems with paint on cars like this. I also only use lambswool washing mits, and SwissVax washing products.

Its very dissapointing. I now feel I can't be bothered to clean it, as all I do is find more chips and scratches.

Matthew

[gwilphil]

Hi paulmel This is the only thing that I hate about my Rav its the soft paint, mine is also black and there is a new mark on every time I wash it, and that is often. Its going for a service soon I am going to ask if this is a problem that Mr T can help with. Gwil

[vickk]

Hi paulmel This is the only thing that I hate about my Rav its the soft paint, mine is also black and there is a new mark on every time I wash it, and that is often. Its going for a service soon I am going to ask if this is a problem that Mr T can help with. Gwil

I have has all the same thoughts and problems with the paint on my Rav. After years of buying cars that I could afford or were suitable for my growing family I have now bought a car that I wanted and thought I was moving up in quality. Love the Rav but I do think the paint marks easily.

Would be interested to hear what they say when you ask, Gwil

[gwilphil]

I was told today by my Toyota dealer that there is nothing wrong with the paint because everybody uses the same paint , what can I say . Help Gwil

[Hoovie]

This is not a lot of use to anyone posting here or to me, but if I were buying a brand new car, I would specify the SupaGuard paint protection treatment for it.

We got the Fiat Punto in May 2002 brand new (and in Black) and went for Supaguard. Fiats are hardly renowned for their bodywork quality, but the paint on the Punto after 6 years and about 28,000 miles is still gorgeous and showing very little signs of wear - excepting the drivers door that is looking dull, and the reason for that was it was keyed a few years ago and had a respray and couldn't have supaguard reapplied - so it is now a good test of supaguard v non-supaguard.

[three5]

This is not a lot of use to anyone posting here or to me, but if I were buying a brand new car, I would specify the SupaGuard paint protection treatment for it.

We got the Fiat Punto in May 2002 brand new (and in Black) and went for Supaguard. Fiats are hardly renowned for their bodywork quality, but the paint on the Punto after 6 years and about 28,000 miles is still gorgeous and showing very little signs of wear - excepting the drivers door that is looking dull, and the reason for that was it was keyed a few years ago and had a respray and couldn't have supaguard reapplied - so it is now a good test of supaguard v non-supaguard.

Hi Folks

My XT5 is Astral Black and it marks VERY easily. Kingo has just supplied me with a very good Toyota touch-up kit for just over £7 but I'm thinking that I might have to ask him for the stuff in litre tins.

This is the third Japanese 4x4 that I've had ( Isuzu Trooper then Suzuki Vitara then RAV ) and I'm less than impressed with the paint on any of them compared with the Discovery that preceded them. The Trooper ( metallic grey ) shed its lacquer top coat like confetti and the Suzuki ( metallic blue/black ) was very easily scratched. It was Superguarded from new so I'm less confident about Superguard than Hoovie. Mind you, I suppose there might have been no paint left on it at all without the Superguard!

I think that Bothy could well be right about water based paint systems being very soft compared with things like cellulose and two-pack type paints. Had a couple of jobs done on the OH's Peugeot 206 at a small body shop run by a couple of old guys. Without any prompting they said the paints now available to the motor industry, including refinishers, were nothing like as durable as the stuff that they used 20 years ago. Apparently it's all down to H&S and Environmental legislation designed to reduce the amount of solvents in the atmosphere. There'll no doubt be cost implications for vehicle manufacturers as well.

Best regards

Chris

[Hoovie]

Thinking about it, My Honda HR-V had metallic black paintworks and was 5 years old with about 55K on the clock when I sold it and that paintwork was fine, so it may be manufacuter related.

I know as far as the painting & decorating trade goes, Solvent based paint is set to be banned by 2010 and that will all be water-based stuff - The same is probably true of Car Paints by a certain date. Could Toyota and maybe other Japanese makes be pre-empting this by switching before the other makers? Or maybe this has come in a lot faster in Japan (for jap-made cars) then Plants in other countries?