Lucky b*st*rd! I requested no dealer prep but found out I was going to take a long trip the next day after my baby's delivery and I wouldn't have time to detail. So I relented and let them do it. Bad mistake.

Then I screwed it up some too before reading a lot on detailing here and elsewhere, getting the right tools, and teaching myslef.

 

I'm a former Acura owner and I will tell you how 'soft' the Honda/Acura paint is. Doesn't really matter the Japanese manufacturer, but enviro laws pretty much restrict how 'durable' paints are, to a large extent. I would say my lowered '02 TL-S is no better than my G with respect to rock chips. And my TL is as low as my G (ie scraping the exhaust on those stupid extra-tall/long speed bumps).

Now ... if you want to talk about level of 'orange peel' effect ... take a closer look of the '09 TL. You will be shocked at how bad that paint looks upon closer inspection. Then compare that with your G. Worlds of difference.

Good luck on what you decide upon.

 

Thanks, JDM. While agree that environmental regs have forced the use of softer, water-based paints, I owned an '05 TL and put 45k, mostly highway miles on it in two years. The front end of that car looked way better when I traded it in than my G37 looks now with less than 1/3rd the mileage and maybe 1/5th the highway miles. The G isn't that lower than my old TL.

I'm keeping the G. I'll probably just get it repainted in a few years. I've seen a product advertised that is supposedly a super-tough clear coat. Maybe that's something I'll look into when it is time.

Thanks to everyone for listening to my bitch session. Maybe we all just need to vent every once in awhile.

 

I agree that most cars have softer paint than in the years past. Mercedes seems to be better. Just looking and touching it I can tell it's better. Are you having the same frequency of complaints from Benz owners?

 

Walk up to the dealership and notice how many scratches already exist on brand new, interior covered plastic vehicles.

Also, look at the consensus of this thread. Im not knocking Infiniti on something that's not true. Now I've come to here that the self-healing paint will only repair swirls......... -1 again for Nissan. Your G is awesome by far but the paint is the worst part about it. Just doesn't make any sense.

 

I dont know if this has happened to anybody else besides me, When I took off my front bumper to install my Stillen Gen3 intake my paint chipped off on both side of the bumper right underneath the corner of my headlights where the fender, bumper cover and the headlights meet. Im very dissapointed too and I really dont think the dealer will warranty the bs quality paint, They are gonna ask why did the bumper need to come off in the first place and probably give me some bs excuse to void my warranty. I know the bumpers not really suppose to come off, but at the sametime, the paints not suppose to chip off like that either. so should I even try to go to the dealer about this?

 

There are some people on the Frontier forum that are squeekin' about the paint quality and how rocks chip it up. If someone were to keep their G long enough to have it repainted then a quality layer of paint could be applied. Just have to make the call earlier enough to enjoy it before being traded.

I have to say that water-based paints are getting better. Recall the days in the early 90's when manufacturers had issues with paint not sticking to the primer coat. At least we don't have that problem.

 

Yes I hear the same thing over in the 6speed forum. And it is not only cars but I hear the same thing form Harley riders... I do a lot of motorcycles. Until we get a grasp on the EPA then we will continue to deal with the regualtions they impose... and I fear it will only continue to get worse.

 

I have to say ... my parents' Volvo S70 has fantastic paint. Kudos for Volvo (well, for model year 2000, at least) and their solid paint. And since it's from Europe, the paint has to be enviro-friendly and good enough to prevent corrosion (I think it's a 7 year corrosion warranty on their car).

Now ... if Infiniti can replicate their (Volvo's) painting techniques ... I would be happy.

And I thought MB had some sort of 'nano' paint technology that makes it so much more durable than the average OEM paint. ???

 

MY2000 paint is not the same as MY2008 paint. Laws have changed drastically.

Just within the last few years, ROHS compliance, for one, has become VERY big.

As far as durability, my STI easily had the most chips... then again that's the car I did the most stupid things in...

Clear bras are proven to work for all but the biggest debris; my windshield is pitted so badly that I can't drive into the sun. I actually have to wait till the sun rises/sets a bit more before I can drive because I just can't see. My clear-bra is for the most part, undamaged.

 

AGREED!

Dealership pays their detailers Crap! I know because I once worked for a company that detailed a highly reputable dealership (The Collection in Miami) which sells some exotics and the guys they hired on our team to work where low lifes who could care less about your $180.000 dollar Ferrari let alone your $35,000 dollar Audi.

Firing them was routine for our boss since they made mistakes all the time. But the f****d up thing is the dealership was charging the clients $150.00 - $250.00 for full details that our detail company would pay the detailers 15% of that becuase our company olny made 35% off the enitre jobs.

So I think the detailers new this and it just pissed them off - "Little scratchy de scratch for your Ferrari Rich Boy!" - LOL!

 

Has anyone tried the Armorcoat spray on paint protection instead of the clear bra?

 

it's always good to know a detailer in your area that your friendly with cause you know they will do a good job for you. Otherwise do it yourself that way if you make mistakes you know it's your fault

 

I really don't think that you can compare the MDX to the G coupe... The G is way lower to the ground and will be the target of much more road debris. Not to mention that it is likely going a lot faster than a MDX tank. The MDX hoodline is also flat while ours is really sloping... this is just physics. We have Acura's in the family and their paint is NO better. My wife's 07 TLS (black) is pepered with stone bruises and it has the full 3M kit.

 

I have not heard anything about the engine oil issue... can you elaborate? I have been using Mobil 1