General Soft Paint?

pearce_jj · Mar 10, 2009

Is it just me or is the paint incredibly soft?

I have the red, and the bonnet has literally countless stone chips down to the white undercoat - 7k on the clock. There's quite a few down the sides as well.

I've not had anywhere near this many with any car before. A red Saxo picked up a few over 90k miles, dark blue skoda has none after 40k, and a Smart had only a few after 5 years (can't remember the mileage!).

Cheers

Ffoxy · Mar 10, 2009

This has been complained about by the Grande Punto people too. Must be the water based paints now being used, I have to agree it was an unusual sight to find a stone chip on a new car in the old 2pack days. Still... it gives us Fiat owners somethin to do after washing the car before waxing / sealing...

Mark Elvin · Mar 10, 2009

I have to say I have not (until testerday) picked up any chips to speak of.

Then BANG, a bloodly great rock hit the bumper & then the leading edge of the bonnet.

Time for some TLC

pearce_jj · Mar 10, 2009

agreed it's softer but not like this, my skoda is water based as well and that suffers from streaks down the side from bushes on country lanes, but not actual chips?

Heidi · Mar 10, 2009

No chips for me at all yet - maybe that's because the Funk White has another layer of paint??

Bhindi · Mar 10, 2009

Ive ordered Pasodoble Red too, so thought to order a touch up stick at the same time, and the dealer has 15% off at the moment on parts so thats handy. Not that I know yet how to apply touch up sticks with any skill, but sounds like I will be fast learning.

Ffoxy · Mar 10, 2009

I dont think the paint is very thick TBH. Possibly a cost saving measure. Not good, but at least I have no rust coming through on any of the many spot touch ups I have done. Advantages of a plastic front end! But to be fair, I have stone chips on my rear wheel arches at the front and thats steel but still no rust.

Murano16v · Mar 10, 2009

This also seems to be quite an issue on the Abarth forums on both 500s and Grandes. Now that would really **** me off if I paid £15 grand for a car and the paint falls off after a few days. My wife has an 07 black Corsa with 20k miles of driving on all sorts of crappy roads and just one tiny stone chip. Its something Fiat need to sort especially as virtually all paint is now charged for.

initialg · Mar 10, 2009

the laqure isnt water based just the base coat is, its probly costcutting acctuly putting less material n, ours has done 8k, no stonechips yet, and its duel carageway driven daily, i diamond brighted it the day we got it tho, and polish it every saturday, ours is cha cha blue btw

cjay · Mar 11, 2009

Mmm... I thought the paint is rather tough, some $#%!#@ keyed down the side of my 500 yesterday... he did not get through to the undercoat till he got to the end of the car.....

Mark Elvin · Mar 11, 2009

I think the paint is brittle, not soft.

When machine polishing it's actually quite hard to be honest, much harder than expected.

grimwau · Mar 11, 2009

Mark Elvin said:
I think the paint is brittle, not soft.

When machine polishing it's actually quite hard to be honest, much harder than expected.

Have to agree, at least on my car. Soft paint would tend to absorb the impact of a stone and be more susceptible to marking from branches etc. Hard paint seems to be more resistant to scratches but chips more easily.

Suasexed · Mar 11, 2009

Mines on 10.7k miles and I've lucikly only got the tinniest of tiny stone chips on the bumper.

initialg · Mar 11, 2009

the lighter colours (pastel white/blue) will have more paint on from factory, i remember when i worked at toyota factory the lighter colours got 3 coats 65 second line speed and dark colours and reds yellows ect got 2 quick coats 40 second line speed

shortie · Mar 11, 2009

I'd be interested to know what colours have suffered more from stone chips. Does someone know how to do one of those survey thingys.

500Stu · Mar 13, 2009

My red is 3 weeks old and already has 2 stone chips through to the undercoat. I was considering taking it back to complain as I thought it must be faulty. Never had this problem with a new car before. Seems like it is a more widespread problem. Guess I'll have to get a touch up stick.

Murano16v · Mar 13, 2009

Personally I would complain as this cannot be described as normal wear and tear and Fiat should be made aware that this is far too common. I'm on the verge of ordering one and will go for BN white because at least I won't be paying extra for the temporary ownership of the paint. All the red 500s i've seen are chipped badly and the paint seems to come off very cleanly as if the colour coat is not bonding to the primer.

Ffoxy · Mar 13, 2009

Fiats red also goes quite pink from sunshine fade and general weathering over around 3 - 5 years...

Ulpian · Mar 13, 2009

Fiats red also goes quite pink from sunshine fade and general weathering over around 3 - 5 years...

Correct. Unless you get metallic. The flat red is just pink waiting to happen.

pearce_jj · Jul 6, 2010

Murano16v said:
All the red 500s i've seen are chipped badly and the paint seems to come off very cleanly as if the colour coat is not bonding to the primer.

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but mine has got pretty bad, just like stated above it seems the paint is litterally just coming off. Every *metal* panel is affected (even the boot), whilst the front and rear bumpers remain perfect.

Would be keen to hear other experiences.

Thanks

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