Lexus Paint Quality VS. Others
10-25-06, 08:57 PM
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Lexus Paint Quality VS. Others
Today I got a paintless dent guy come to my house to remove a door ding. He said that Toyota & Lexus has one of the least amount of paint coating layers on their cars. Personally, I think Toyota & Lexus cars paint look the best compare to their competitors in ages. I rarely see any 5-7 years old Lexus cars are dull on the road compare to the German cars. American cars are the worest. What do you guys think?
10-25-06, 09:29 PM
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10-25-06, 10:06 PM
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I think it differs with each model.
For example, I own an Acura RL and I know that it has one of the best and most meticulous paint jobs of any mass production car. It is hand sanded and painted at the factory. But on the other hand, the RDX for example is only hand sanded and doesn't receive a paint job with as much attention that the RL receives. It probably goes along something like that with Lexus too. I don't know the details of my SC430 and Range Rover paint jobs but visually they both are almost as good as the RL's minimal orange peal.
For example, I own an Acura RL and I know that it has one of the best and most meticulous paint jobs of any mass production car. It is hand sanded and painted at the factory. But on the other hand, the RDX for example is only hand sanded and doesn't receive a paint job with as much attention that the RL receives. It probably goes along something like that with Lexus too. I don't know the details of my SC430 and Range Rover paint jobs but visually they both are almost as good as the RL's minimal orange peal.
10-25-06, 11:59 PM
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The new Mercedes paint is likely the worst looking I have seen of any car producer. Why? ..........Orange peel. More orange peel on the newer Mercedes than any car I have seen on the market.
I expect this from GM, I expect this from Ford (and neither disappoint in that area), but for $60k I expect to buy a car without orange peel all over it in massive amounts.
Now don't get me wrong, I fully understand that these new age paints produce more orange peel, but I also know that ANY clear coat can be sanded smooth and a $60k car should have wet sanding in the final process if orange peel is THIS bad.
Thank god my Mercedes is actually a few years old, it's only lately in the last couple years it has gotten as bad as it has.
Now, Lexus has a little peel to it also, but nowhere near as bad.
I expect this from GM, I expect this from Ford (and neither disappoint in that area), but for $60k I expect to buy a car without orange peel all over it in massive amounts.
Now don't get me wrong, I fully understand that these new age paints produce more orange peel, but I also know that ANY clear coat can be sanded smooth and a $60k car should have wet sanding in the final process if orange peel is THIS bad.
Thank god my Mercedes is actually a few years old, it's only lately in the last couple years it has gotten as bad as it has.
Now, Lexus has a little peel to it also, but nowhere near as bad.
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10-26-06, 05:35 AM
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Here's a topic I know something about. 
First, Lexus paint thickness is now lower than other manufacturers; they are all around 12-15 microns from the factory. The only anamoly is Mercedes ceramiclear (aka, nanopaint), which is slickly thicker.
The issue with Japanese paints is they tend to be *softer* than German and domestic paints; this of course is a generalization, but it's pretty uniform. For example, Acura/Honda paint is widely considered very soft, on a scale of 1-10 I'd say it's about a 3, maybe a 4. Nissan/Infiniti paint is even worse, it's probably a 1 or 2; it's so soft in fact that it not only marrs easily but is difficult to work on, and prone to early clear coat failure. Toyota/Lexus actually has the best of the Japanese paints, though it is still soft. Not only do they typically have the least orange peel, but the paint is a good mix of easy to correct, and reasonably easy to maintain.
Germany paints, in particular Audi/VW and Mercedes, tend to be very hard. Ceramiclear is a whole different story, it's the only 10/10. BMW is somewhere around average.
Domestic paints are almost all above average for hardness, with Corvettes (only Corvettes, not all Chevys), being a solid 8-9/10.
As for orange peel; aside from wetsanding there isn't a lot a manufacturer car do, and until people stop buying the cars due to excessive OP they aren't going to do anything. New VOC regulations mean more OP using the same paint process, and they won't change that paint process unless it makes them money.
As for dullness after a few years, it depends almost entirely on care and maintenance. A well maintained Neon will have better paint than an abused Lexus.
First, Lexus paint thickness is now lower than other manufacturers; they are all around 12-15 microns from the factory. The only anamoly is Mercedes ceramiclear (aka, nanopaint), which is slickly thicker.
The issue with Japanese paints is they tend to be *softer* than German and domestic paints; this of course is a generalization, but it's pretty uniform. For example, Acura/Honda paint is widely considered very soft, on a scale of 1-10 I'd say it's about a 3, maybe a 4. Nissan/Infiniti paint is even worse, it's probably a 1 or 2; it's so soft in fact that it not only marrs easily but is difficult to work on, and prone to early clear coat failure. Toyota/Lexus actually has the best of the Japanese paints, though it is still soft. Not only do they typically have the least orange peel, but the paint is a good mix of easy to correct, and reasonably easy to maintain.
Germany paints, in particular Audi/VW and Mercedes, tend to be very hard. Ceramiclear is a whole different story, it's the only 10/10. BMW is somewhere around average.
Domestic paints are almost all above average for hardness, with Corvettes (only Corvettes, not all Chevys), being a solid 8-9/10.
As for orange peel; aside from wetsanding there isn't a lot a manufacturer car do, and until people stop buying the cars due to excessive OP they aren't going to do anything. New VOC regulations mean more OP using the same paint process, and they won't change that paint process unless it makes them money.
As for dullness after a few years, it depends almost entirely on care and maintenance. A well maintained Neon will have better paint than an abused Lexus.
10-26-06, 06:47 AM
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Part of the reason I wound up painting my lower panels black to match the rest of my RX300 was peeling paint on the of the rear bumper (closer to the corner) a few months after I had it. I think the black paint has issues with the lack of clearcoat protection.
10-26-06, 10:04 AM
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Here's a topic I know something about.
First, Lexus paint thickness is now lower than other manufacturers; they are all around 12-15 microns from the factory. The only anamoly is Mercedes ceramiclear (aka, nanopaint), which is slickly thicker.
The issue with Japanese paints is they tend to be *softer* than German and domestic paints; this of course is a generalization, but it's pretty uniform. For example, Acura/Honda paint is widely considered very soft, on a scale of 1-10 I'd say it's about a 3, maybe a 4. Nissan/Infiniti paint is even worse, it's probably a 1 or 2; it's so soft in fact that it not only marrs easily but is difficult to work on, and prone to early clear coat failure. Toyota/Lexus actually has the best of the Japanese paints, though it is still soft. Not only do they typically have the least orange peel, but the paint is a good mix of easy to correct, and reasonably easy to maintain.
Germany paints, in particular Audi/VW and Mercedes, tend to be very hard. Ceramiclear is a whole different story, it's the only 10/10. BMW is somewhere around average.
Domestic paints are almost all above average for hardness, with Corvettes (only Corvettes, not all Chevys), being a solid 8-9/10.
As for orange peel; aside from wetsanding there isn't a lot a manufacturer car do, and until people stop buying the cars due to excessive OP they aren't going to do anything. New VOC regulations mean more OP using the same paint process, and they won't change that paint process unless it makes them money.
As for dullness after a few years, it depends almost entirely on care and maintenance. A well maintained Neon will have better paint than an abused Lexus.
First, Lexus paint thickness is now lower than other manufacturers; they are all around 12-15 microns from the factory. The only anamoly is Mercedes ceramiclear (aka, nanopaint), which is slickly thicker.
The issue with Japanese paints is they tend to be *softer* than German and domestic paints; this of course is a generalization, but it's pretty uniform. For example, Acura/Honda paint is widely considered very soft, on a scale of 1-10 I'd say it's about a 3, maybe a 4. Nissan/Infiniti paint is even worse, it's probably a 1 or 2; it's so soft in fact that it not only marrs easily but is difficult to work on, and prone to early clear coat failure. Toyota/Lexus actually has the best of the Japanese paints, though it is still soft. Not only do they typically have the least orange peel, but the paint is a good mix of easy to correct, and reasonably easy to maintain.
Germany paints, in particular Audi/VW and Mercedes, tend to be very hard. Ceramiclear is a whole different story, it's the only 10/10. BMW is somewhere around average.
Domestic paints are almost all above average for hardness, with Corvettes (only Corvettes, not all Chevys), being a solid 8-9/10.
As for orange peel; aside from wetsanding there isn't a lot a manufacturer car do, and until people stop buying the cars due to excessive OP they aren't going to do anything. New VOC regulations mean more OP using the same paint process, and they won't change that paint process unless it makes them money.
As for dullness after a few years, it depends almost entirely on care and maintenance. A well maintained Neon will have better paint than an abused Lexus.
10-26-06, 10:18 AM
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AUDI and Porshe used to be the best, but I've even seen an AUDI with orange peel. Newer paints only have 10% VOC due to the new regulations are all water based. The paint from my early 90's Del Sol (lime green) has led an outside life and blows away my 2000 RX300 (Black Onyx, pre-clearcoat).
All my older cars have had fab paint, 1990 Accord, 1991 MR2 Green pearl (clear coat). The non-clear coat Toyota paint jobs like Crimson Red, Super White, and Black from that same era fade and look like junk after 15 years, not the case with the old ozone destoying clear coated paints of that era.
Just a fact of life, the majority of paint jobs have gotten worse and even chip easier.
All my older cars have had fab paint, 1990 Accord, 1991 MR2 Green pearl (clear coat). The non-clear coat Toyota paint jobs like Crimson Red, Super White, and Black from that same era fade and look like junk after 15 years, not the case with the old ozone destoying clear coated paints of that era.
Just a fact of life, the majority of paint jobs have gotten worse and even chip easier.
10-26-06, 10:21 AM
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AUDI and Porshe used to be the best, but I've even seen an AUDI with orange peel. Newer paints only have 10% VOC due to the new regulations are all water based. The paint from my early 90's Del Sol (lime green) has led an outside life and blows away my 2000 RX300 (Black Onyx, pre-clearcoat).
All my older cars have had fab paint, 1990 Accord, 1991 MR2 Green pearl (clear coat). The non-clear coat Toyota paint jobs like Crimson Red, Super White, and Black from that same era fade and look like junk after 15 years, not the case with the old ozone destoying clear coated paints of that era.
Just a fact of life, the majority of paint jobs have gotten worse and even chip easier.
All my older cars have had fab paint, 1990 Accord, 1991 MR2 Green pearl (clear coat). The non-clear coat Toyota paint jobs like Crimson Red, Super White, and Black from that same era fade and look like junk after 15 years, not the case with the old ozone destoying clear coated paints of that era.
Just a fact of life, the majority of paint jobs have gotten worse and even chip easier.
10-26-06, 10:29 AM
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The paint jobs on our two 2006 Lexus cars both chip and scuff far easier that any car I've ever owned. Regardless of environmental restrictions, whether self-imposed or not, that tells me all I need to know about Lexus paint quality.
10-26-06, 10:37 AM
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Problem is all modern cars paint sucks just as bad. Your best bet is to add those new clear film "bras" I think they are mandatory with today's paints.