I am increasingly disappointed with the apparent paint quality and lack of resilience to scratches of my '13 ES300h. Deep Sea Mica is far from my first experience with a dark color that admittedly illustrates defects more readily than light hues. In 2 months of ownership two areas have received both light scratches and a minor abrasion that cannot be eased with a commercial scratch remover. While the overall finish retains a high luster when clean, rubbing a fingernail over the surface seems rather course as compared with prior vehicles.

No, I didn't purchase the dealership paint protectant nor have I with other vehicles, so the playing field is level. My driving and parking habits have been stable for years. Other than this appearance issue I am absolutely satisfied with my ES in every other aspect!

My question to veteran Lexus owners with this model: Do you perceive the paint quality to be roughly equivalent to past vehicles or is their a discernible difference?

 

I do notice quite a few stone chips in the nose of my ES and it bugs me. Of course, the car is low to the ground in front so that might explain the problem.

 

I think paint quality is lacking on most brands to be honest and has been getting worse over time. We'll be getting the clear bra on ours in an effort to help it hold up.

 

I traded a 2006 Avalon for the '13 350. I thought that the paint on the Toyota was excellent and remained so for 6 years. I have a Satin Cashmere 350 and honestly have no complaints - so far.

 

All of the EPA requirements have forced paint makers to reformulate paint. Some of the ingredients that made for a higher quality paint had to be removed. As a result, paint quality is poorer.

 

I don't have a 2013 ES but did have a 2007 (Smokey Granite Mica) and a 2010 (Starfire Pearl) and didn't really notice any difference in the paint on them vs. previous cars. The quality of the paint jobs was excellent and the durability was good IMO.

I doubt that the quality of the paint is much different in the previous gen vs. the new gen. Who knows though, just a guess.

 

Thanks to all for the replies thus far. "It is what it is!"

 

I purchased the paint protective coat. I noticed the surface is very smooth compared to my tsx, which has no protective coat. I set a coffee cup on top of the hood one day and it was sliding off. I'm not sure how good it is at protecting the paint, but it does make the surface smoother.


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It's not only the new ES the GS has the same problem and the 3GS never had that issue. I think it's because they went with more environmentally friendly paints.

 

I have a 5 month old ES350 and I too have been disappointed with the paint quality. Mine is black so I expected to see a few imperfections but I see a lot of swirl marks and a lack of depth to the paint and I take VERY good care of my cars. I feel the same about the perforated leather seats. I'm already seeing creases and wear.

 

I definitely think the paint quality is more fragile. I got too many scratches and chips on a 5 month old car. My previous car held up much bettr.

 

The paint on my ES seems no more fragile than the paint on my past few cars. Plus, the overall smoothness is much better than any car I've owned. I don't miss the orange peel look my GM's exhibited.

 

Darker colors will always show scratches and swirls more easily than lighter colors, and Lexus does have soft paint that scratches easily. The good news is that Lexus' soft paint polishes up very nicely.

As for your roughness, the paint needs to be claybarred. Bonded contaminants are causing that roughness. You should read up on the detailing forum on here, or Autopia.org, or find yourself a good detailer. Your issues can be easily solved.

The paint does chip easily, a lot of it has to do with low VOC eco friendly paint. I would recommend a clearbra.

 

I agree with SW13GS. Darker colors will show the swirl and scratches more than the lighter colors and becomes more evident over time. Clay bar helps remove the contaminants and should finished with a good sealer/wax.

With the nebula gray 300h, I got a clear bra to minimize the rock chips that would be more obvious with the darker color, since I've gotten chips that still show on both the cashmere white RX and silver GS.

 

That IS a rough color for surface scratches. I have it on my Prius. It had swirl marks the first time I had it washed..