Paint hardness

70chevelleSS · 04-12-2019, 02:10 PM

Guys who are into paint correction and the like- how "hard" or "soft" would you consider our paint. Variations between colors?

My Camaro (2017, black) seems to have moderately soft paint. Nowhere nearly as soft as some Japanese cars I have worked on, but not what I would consider "hard".

My Silverado, however has pretty hard paint. It can be a pain and requires more aggressive compound than my Camaro.

What are you experiences with late model GM paint (especially the gen 6 Camaros)

Glen e · 04-12-2019, 02:12 PM

My camaro's ('13 & '16) are Kinda in the middle, not honda soft, but not benz hard either....

lgarrison34 · 04-12-2019, 02:13 PM

The paint on these cars is rather soft and chips pretty easily.

Tyl3r · 04-12-2019, 02:13 PM

My 8K mile black Camaro has more chips than my 60K mile Honda. The Camaro paint is absolute sh!t.

bobby35ny · 04-12-2019, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgarrison34

The paint on these cars is rather soft and chips pretty easily.

Just the opposite, hard paint is more brittle therefore chips easier.
Camaro paint is pretty hard. not on the soft side that's for sure. The carbon black plastic stuff is real soft be careful.
If you paint is in good shape, Perfect finish with a rupes yellow pad does wonders. If that doesn't do it, Go right to cutmax or jescar correcting compound and a MF pad.

70chevelleSS · 04-12-2019, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

Just the opposite, hard paint is more brittle therefore chips easier.
Camaro paint is pretty hard. not on the soft side that's for sure. The carbon black plastic stuff is real soft be careful.

I was about to say the same thing.

Not sure how I have managed to go 25k miles in 2 years and the only paint chips on my car are on my aftermarket bodyshop painted front splitter.

70chevelleSS · 04-12-2019, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

Just the opposite, hard paint is more brittle therefore chips easier.
Camaro paint is pretty hard. not on the soft side that's for sure. The carbon black plastic stuff is real soft be careful.
If you paint is in good shape, Perfect finish with a rupes yellow pad does wonders. If that doesn't do it, Go right to cutmax or jescar correcting compound and a MF pad.

Perfect finish is great stuff. But then again, anything made by Sonax is good.

My go to’s are Sonax perfect finish and/or CarPro Essence.. depending on the car and the goal.
3D one is good as well. Cuts a bit more than PF but does not finish as well IMO

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KirkH · 04-12-2019, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyl3r

My 8K mile black Camaro has more chips than my 60K mile Honda. The Camaro paint is absolute sh!t.

The mosaic black sucks. I didn't have any problems with nightfall grey.

KirkH · 04-12-2019, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

Just the opposite, hard paint is more brittle therefore chips easier.
Camaro paint is pretty hard. not on the soft side that's for sure. The carbon black plastic stuff is real soft be careful.
If you paint is in good shape, Perfect finish with a rupes yellow pad does wonders. If that doesn't do it, Go right to cutmax or jescar correcting compound and a MF pad.

My opinion is that the clear coat is pretty soft, it mars and corrects very easily. The paint however is hard and brittle.

bobby35ny · 04-12-2019, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkH

My opinion is that the clear coat is pretty soft, it mars and corrects very easily. The paint however is hard and brittle.

Not my experience at all, I had 4 Camaros so far and they are a bitch to correct. Maybe the FL sun bakes the paint more, LOL

70chevelleSS · 04-17-2019, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobby35ny

Not my experience at all, I had 4 Camaros so far and they are a bitch to correct. Maybe the FL sun bakes the paint more, LOL

Fellow Sunshine state native here!

My 6th gen (black) seems to be a bit more difficult to correct than my fifth gen is (also black). I don't have a paint depth meter. Has anyone gotten any depth readings on the paint? I assume the clear is pretty thin.

bobby35ny · 04-17-2019, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70chevelleSS

Fellow Sunshine state native here!

My 6th gen (black) seems to be a bit more difficult to correct than my fifth gen is (also black). I don't have a paint depth meter. Has anyone gotten any depth readings on the paint? I assume the clear is pretty thin.

I have a meter. I also have screwups too. LOL. Paint is heavy. Clear is THIN for sure!

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70chevelleSS · 04-17-2019, 10:24 AM

When you say screwups, do you mean you’ve Burned the clear?

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Quix · 04-17-2019, 01:49 PM

What I've noticed the most on my Garnet Red car is that the paint is a lot thicker than the Mazda 3 I used to own. This means that minor rock chips don't normally make it all the way to bare metal like they did on the Mazda. I guess that's better, but Mazdas have notoriously easy to damage paint.

04-12-2019, 02:10 PM	#1
70chevelleSS Drives: 2017 Camaro SS 1970 chevelle SS Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Florida Posts: 231 View My Garage	Paint hardness Guys who are into paint correction and the like- how "hard" or "soft" would you consider our paint. Variations between colors? My Camaro (2017, black) seems to have moderately soft paint. Nowhere nearly as soft as some Japanese cars I have worked on, but not what I would consider "hard". My Silverado, however has pretty hard paint. It can be a pain and requires more aggressive compound than my Camaro. What are you experiences with late model GM paint (especially the gen 6 Camaros)

04-12-2019, 02:12 PM	#2
Glen e Retired from Car mfrs.... Drives: 2LT RS/HR-V Join Date: May 2013 Location: /Fort Lauderdale Posts: 10,048	My camaro's ('13 & '16) are Kinda in the middle, not honda soft, but not benz hard either.... __________________ Glen CLICK HERE for detailing a new car: detailing for non detailers CLICK HERE for how to rinseless CLICK HERE for EASY wheel sealant

04-12-2019, 02:13 PM	#3
lgarrison34 Drives: 2017 SS 1LE HBM, 2010 SS FBO/Cam Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Ohio Posts: 174 View My Garage	The paint on these cars is rather soft and chips pretty easily. __________________

04-17-2019, 10:24 AM	#13
70chevelleSS Drives: 2017 Camaro SS 1970 chevelle SS Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Florida Posts: 231 View My Garage	When you say screwups, do you mean you’ve Burned the clear? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ 2017 camaro SS A8 FBO With all porting and tuning done by PRAY

04-12-2019, 02:13 PM	#4
Tyl3r Drives: Camaro 2LT Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Boca Raton, Fl Posts: 282	My 8K mile black Camaro has more chips than my 60K mile Honda. The Camaro paint is absolute sh!t.

04-17-2019, 01:49 PM	#14
Quix Drives: 2016 2LT V6 Garnet Red Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 106	What I've noticed the most on my Garnet Red car is that the paint is a lot thicker than the Mazda 3 I used to own. This means that minor rock chips don't normally make it all the way to bare metal like they did on the Mazda. I guess that's better, but Mazdas have notoriously easy to damage paint.

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