ummm... 99.999999% of all new cars manufactured have clear coats. Cali doesn't make a difference.

 

Hmmm, I've actually been wondering if my car has a clearcoat. In the past, it wasn't uncommon for red cars and white cars to not have a clearcoat. I don't know why this is, but I think it's true. Would be interesting to find somebody in the know.

 

Really? Why only red and white cars?

 

I'm going to back pedal on this because I can't seem to find any proof, but I'm fairly sure there was no clearcoat on my 93 MR2. This led to me learning what I stated above. Wish I could back it up. Anyhow, I would be willing to be all moden cars a clearcoated, but for some reason, when I saw this post, it didn't surprise me.

BTW - found this if you want to test your car. I will this weekend when I get home.

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/index.cf...ection=_41#_41

Interestingly enough, they use red and white for their examples.

 

Thanks so much jab23! I am going crazy here... reading all the responses saying that my car has to have a clear coat. But that guy at the collision center said I don't. He said its extremely rare but I just happened to have one without clear coat. Now I can actually give it a try! Will post as soon as I get a chance to test it out. And I am going to call the guy back tomorrow morning to find out more about this.

 

Well I know that. He just stated California in his original post so that's why I said that.

 

which car thesedays does NOT come with clearcoat ? just WOW !

 

Infiniti will not let a car get the quality control signed if it didnt have a clear coat. besides, the robot sprays clear on it

 

Give your VIN to either your dealer or Infiniti US. They can lookup exactly how it came and what options were installed/applied when it came from the factory.

In any case.. if the factory report says it has clearcoat, you have two options:

1) If you actually do have clearcoat (get it tested), then your body shop made a mistake is is probably looking to cover up their tracks with a mistake they made.
2) If you actually do not have clearcoat, then take it back to the dealer and DEMAND a explaination and a new car (or a complete repaint/recondition of the existing car).

If the factory report says you do not..then you are stuck my friend.

My $0.02.

 

I had a red 87 Toyota p/u truck about 10yrs ago, and there was red on my cloth. I was just thinking that my paint was old, although it was hella shiny after i was done waxing it.

 

I used exactly those Meguires products on my Red Integra when I had it and the paint came off right on the white cloth. I freaked out, but it turned out it was a single stage paint. Even though it shined like you would nver believe. I think it is common with red and white.

 

can anyone tell me why only red and white dont have clear coat? That just doesnt make any sense to me.

 

Paints that include Pearls or Metallics require a clear coat because they can't be sanded smooth. The added particles are harder than the surrounding paint. Apply the clear coat and everything is the same hardness at the surface and can be sanded. That is why with clear coats it is important that you don't buff through the clear or you have to start over with color. It is also very difficult to blend old to new and generally requires an entire panel to be resprayed.

Red, whites and blacks on cheaper or vintage cars don't use metallics or pearls so they don’t require the clear.

Clears are also used to change the depth of the color. Other effects are dependant on whites, blacks and yellows used as base colors because many paints are see-through. There are so many variations used for creative effects.

 

you were right the first time. my 88 white mustang gt was a one stage color. the maroon red for this car was also a one stage paint. even some two stage basecoat/clearcoat white cars are repaired by bodyshops with one stage white paint--they are hard to blend because the all clearcoats have a tint (yellow or blue).

 

meguiars FTMFW