Q: Paint in a really bad state, can it be fixed?
My nearly new 2014 Nissan Rogue, with barely 5,000 miles on it, already has far too many chips in the paint. There are a lot of chips on the bumper and on the front of the hood. If the problem is this severe now, what will it be like in a few years? What can I do to stop this?
The reason paint on new cars chips more easily today than it did in the past is because the paint is more environmentally friendly. Traditionally, the majority of car paints were lead-based, but today paints are water-based, which increases the risk of chipping. The change from lead-based to water-based car paints is due to the non-toxic nature of water-based paints. The same goes for paints made from urethane and acrylic. The process of water-based paint is that the car is painted, then the water is baked out of the paint. Other types of paint require a four step process: paint the car, dry the paint, and apply a layer of clear, and then let that dry. The benefits of water-based car paints for the manufacturer outweigh the disadvantages and thus, there is no chance of a turn around. The best protection against paint damage is to have a clear bra professionally installed on your vehicle.
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