ARGHH! My paint is getting worse!

[2002GT_Celica]

I cannot believe what is happening with my car. I wash it once a week, I wax it once a month religiously and the thing manages to get more paint chips and scratches by the week. How? I have no clue. It sits in my garage most of the time and I can count the number of times I have hit rocks in the road on one hand. I have heard other people complaining about the paint Toyota has been putting on Celicas, about how it is extremely thin, and I can testify to this. The only problem with this is no one is willing to complain to Toyota about this, there was a thread a while ago encouraging people to call Toyota over this issue, but no mod was even willing to make the thread a sticky. I guess no one cares if there paint goes all to hell. Who knows, maybe I am just obsessive about my paint.

It's nice to vent.

[Archon_Ninja]

damn... sorry to hear that. get the car repainted and get a thick coat of clearcoat.

[EndlessShock]

I feel you with the paint... If you clean your car yourself - Here is a tip - When drying your car use microfiber cloth (leaves no micro scratches or residue from wax) I have the same color car as you and I have had my car for about a year now and it looks fine some rock chips but thats about it... Hope that helps...

Ritz

[Personafied]

I have the same problem on both the drivers side and passengers side door. They look like paint chips and but they arent. I have had the car for Almost a yr and half and it is just terrible how it looks. From far away you cant tell but when you look really close you would faint. I have been extremely pissed about it and the dealership is blaming me for it.

[racinjason]

Hate to tell you this but this happens on all cars. I haven't seen a paint ever made that is going to stand up to a rock hitting it at 50mph etc. I have never seen paint that doesn't get swirl marks or scratches either. Deal with it. It's a never ending battle. Just get yourself some Zaino and get to work.

[HilfigerCelica]

Agreed Jason. Also with the Celica being so low, it's going to get hit by more rocks and debris.

[MihoKiyo]

what about that teflon coating/kar kare crap. wont that take care of the painting on your car for atleast 5 years they said?

[Jesse IL]

Actually, the paint made today isn't as hard as paint used to be. This has to do with environmental concerns. Manufacturers aren't able to make paint as hard as it used to be for environmental issues.

[X-EVIL-X]

thats what im talking about.
get some Zaino.
it workes really really good.
it last really long too.

[Zorn]

What do you mean it gets worse over time? I thought it would automatically get better!!! DAMMIT!!!

[Cronos]

Zaino. That and a good full days worth of work. Rock and debris chips are a fact of life with an everyday driver. Do what you can about the larger rock chips using touch up paint and rubbing compound (carefully use the rubbing compound and be sure to get one that is clear coat safe). Do a complete Zaino treatment which will take a full day and add 3-4 coats of Z2 over the next week. Go to www.zaino.com for instructions and ordering information.

Today's paint is all water based paint which is not as durable as the old oil based paints. They changed the standards due to the emissions from the paint process. All the new cars suffer from this. My wife's 2002 Highlander already has rock chips on the hood and front, brand spaken new too, what a shame.

[2002GT_Celica]

Damn tree huggers! I want my oil based paint back!

Seriously though, thanks for all the tips guys, I think I am going to try the Zaino products in a couple weeks when it is time for me to wax my car again.

[ghostface]

the post about the paint not being that hard is not true...yes they do have the envrironmental laws but not as strict in japan..they put the sam,e sh!t in thier paint as they did 10 years ago....our cars are built in japan and painted there and then shipped here......my friedn owns a body shop and he said that the paint chips on my car are becaseu of a crappy base coat like the primer they usedf had somehting wrong wihgt it becaseu my chips are chippoing from underneath the paint....i ahve liek 2 chips that are rgiht down to bare metal...thats how he can tell....

Ghost

[CelicaLicious]

Zaino is the S#$%.. but my wallet says meguiers gold class works just the same hehehe...

[inflaymes]

bring back lead paint!