Topic: What Kind of Paint Do We Have?

[DRGNSLR]

Does anyone know exactly what kind of paint is used on the Kappa?  For instance, I know we have a base coat and a clear coat but exactly what kind of paint do we have as the base or color coat – acrylic, lacquer, or urethane?  What about the clear coat -  is it acrylic, lacquer, or urethane? 

Thanks for the replies.

[Rogue]

It is my understanding that the base coat is a water-born product, either an acrylic or a polyester resin, and the clearcoat is a solvent based urethane.

[lil goat]

GM uses PPG paint and they use the Deltron Acrylic Clear coat and Aquabase Plus colors, almost all companies have gotten away from the solvent based paints due to the EPA. They haven't used them in Europe for many yeras.

[Uranium-238]

All I know is the paint on my Sky is really fragile compared to the stuff that was on the '81 Volvo my dad used to own. Seems these "greener" paints don't hold up as well as the oldschool ones.

[lil goat]

You have never touched the paint, it does seem that the clear coats on black cars are very different than other colors, Go-N Def said the same thing. I had a black NA, and when I got the GXP no way I wanted black again. It is pretty but what a pain. I don't know why the clear coat would be different, but sure seems like it is to me. The yellow has a pretty tough clear coat, it also costs more for some reason. I did paint correction last weekend and used a very aggressive pad and polish (yellow pad and Poorboys 3.0) I would never use on a black Kappa, came out beautiful.

[Uranium-238]

Well, I don't know about the clear coat being any different, because all the rock chips on mine are straight to the metal.

If I had to do it over again, I'd go with either yellow or white. Yellow was my first choice, just didn't want to pay more and have cops all over my back. Black was my second, white my third.

I'm thinking it'll need repainting in another 2 years or so. Not sure if I'll stick with black or mix it up. I keep all the damaged areas well waxed so they won't rust on me.

[1LILNDN]

I have the 2008 GXP carbon flash and the Clear coat is trash. Had bird crap on the door took wet rag wiped it off then I saw a speck i missed.took my finger nail to pick it off and Bingo rite through the Clear,Thin and soft

[Uranium-238]

It reminds me quite a bit of the nitrocellulose finishes found on some guitars. Very thin, and not much for protection.

[1LILNDN]

Ya very soft ,almost like it never dries to a hard finish.Maybe bad pigments in the clear itself .

[DRGNSLR]

Thanks for the replies.

[lil goat]

Then I guess the acrylic sealant I use is helping, or it is a different clear coat on the lighter cars. All in all I have no problems with my clear coat, and I have a clear bra. That is worth every penny! My NA front end was trashed after 18,000 miles. You can buy a complete painted bumper on eBay for about $650. They are easy to change.

[Uranium-238]

Oddly, my front bumper is fine. My hood and the rear fender flares are what's taking a beating. Maybe they used different paint on the plastic panels?

[SolPainter]

In answer to some of the questions/comments above:

A. GM uses paint in their factories in the USA/Canada from PPG, Dupont BASF and (Siebert-powder prime).
    Some plants apply powder prime.  Most of GM plants use waterborne basecoats.  All plants use solvent
    borne clearcoat.  
B. The Wilmington plant used Dupont products.
C. Wilmington used:
            1.  A solvent borne prime applied electrostatically with Sames bells over the ELPO.
            2.  Waterborne basecoat was used for all colors.  It was applied with non-estat Sames guns
                 until somewhere around/during 2007-2008 when the robots were converted over time to
                FANUC/Sames Electrostatic Accustat spray guns due to EPA concerns. (higher transfer
                efficiency)
            3. The higher price of the yellow is due to the extra cost of the yellow pigments. (3-4 times
                more per gallon)
            4.  ALL  basecoats were covered with the same Dupont two component clearcoat that was
                 applied electrostatically with Sames bells.  
            5. There are GM standards for the thickness of each coat of paint and are measured/monitored
                each day.
                Improper application can lead to large warranty costs so this is important to monitor.
            
            

[Critterman]

Welcome aboard Solpainter.  I think I met you at the plant farewell.

[Ben L]

Now that sounds like very authoritative information from someone who knows their stuff!

Thanks! 

[Critterman]

Ya think Ben?   I think he knows what he is talking about

[perris]

In answer to some of the questions/comments above:

A. GM uses paint in their factories in the USA/Canada from PPG, Dupont BASF and (Siebert-powder prime).                Improper application can lead to large warranty costs so this is important to monitor.       
            

great info solpainter, I believe I met with you when we all drove up to say thank you for our  cars and to wish you good luck when the plant closed

if that was you my contact with you was the most memorable at the plant, I had asked "what did you do for my car?" and you, with bit proud smile;

"I panited her"

I've been telling the story since

anyway, I have a silver gxp and my clear coat is spectacular, always looks wet, there is not a trace of orange peel or paint over and I think this is the very best paint I have seen on any car so my experience is differant then some on this thread

thanx for your work on our car, I am told the paint won industry awards for quality and appearacance

well done

[SolPainter]

Thanks for the compliments but I am not from the plant and was not there to meet you nice folks.  I have been in the Automotive paint business for 25+ years and spent many hours/days at Wilmington in that time.  I have worked as an enginner/supplier/designer of paint automation, robots, paint applicators and process equipment.  I have been in over 80 paint shops worldwide of about every car company around.
More than happy to share my knowledge with everyone.  Of course I have a Mean Solstice GXP!   

[Critterman]

Okay well it is great to meet you here then, and thank you for the knowledge you bring to the table.  It is just a shame you had to settle for that color, they must have been sold out     

[DeepBlueGXP]

Great info, thanks SolPainter.  What year is your car?

[lil goat]

Okay well it is great to meet you here then, and thank you for the knowledge you bring to the table.  It is just a shame you had to settle for that color, they must have been sold out     

Critter remember that gel you wanted the price just went up, a lot!

[Critterman]

You are supposed to be at work!

[AdamVIP]

My paint has held up fairly well.  I have (2) rock chips, one on the hood and one on the windshield surround.  Ive only had a pro touch it once to get off some stubborn water stains that came with the car from the dealer.  I think color choice has a lot to do with how much you see.  Silver, yellow and white can hide just about anything.  Black shows everything.  The rest of the paints were all metallics which seems to help as well.  I haven't seen any of the new non metallic blues to judge them.

[LiquidPT]

You have never touched the paint, it does seem that the clear coats on black cars are very different than other colors, Go-N Def said the same thing. I had a black NA, and when I got the GXP no way I wanted black again. It is pretty but what a pain. I don't know why the clear coat would be different, but sure seems like it is to me. The yellow has a pretty tough clear coat, it also costs more for some reason. I did paint correction last weekend and used a very aggressive pad and polish (yellow pad and Poorboys 3.0) I would never use on a black Kappa, came out beautiful.

I've used a fairly aggressive product on a medium pad (with a DA), and still haven't gotten close to getting the swirls out of my black car. I need to step it up to an aggressive pad...

My buddy (who works for Meguiars) said he was surprised at just how hard the paint was on the Cobalt they just bought for his wife was, and wasn't surprised when I said I was having troubles getting defects out of my Sol.

[Sol Asylum]

Silver, yellow and white can hide just about anything.  Black shows everything.  The rest of the paints were all metallics which seems to help as well.  I haven't seen any of the new non metallic blues to judge them.

Uh...Agressive (red), Mysterious (black), Mean (yellow), and Pure (white) were not metallics.  Based on experience with other cars that were metallics of various colors the "wear" marks all showed up.  A lot will depend on what color the primer is and how deep the chip is.