How does GM get by with it?
 

Ive been reading more and more threads about the terrible paint on this car of ours and I couldnt agree more. While I maybe only have two chips, they were way too easy to get like the car is painted with dry mud. So why is GM getting away with it? No recall? Can they get enough complaints to change the way this car is painted?? I think we all paid good money for this car and the paint should reflect that!

GM's (and ALL auto manufacturer's) hands are tied by the EPA forcing them to use water based paints instead of solvent based which has a lot more durability to it. Water based paints are notorius for their lack of durability in standing up to normal wear and tear.

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Although, I can't explain why the paint on my Company vehicle that gets abused seems to hold up better than my Camaro did.

I would say that it has a lot to do with the shape of the body and how it sits in relation to the ground. The Camaro sits a lot lower than most cars.

They're just bitter that we aren't all driving around in plug in electrics and hybrids.

There is probably more truth to that than we know.

I read somewhere that we have one coat of paint and one coat of clear . . If the paint is weak from being water based then they need to do more coats!

I had my the dealer repaint the hood after I noticed little cracks under the clear and my front bumper has been painted again as well so hopefully they will hold up a little better

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So sick of hearing about how fragile GM paint is. All cars built over here are like that. Go onto another forum, I guarantee there will be bitching about paint also! My wife's 2009 Camry looks like it was sand blasted on the front. I don't blame Toyota. When the solvent based paints went away, so did durability!

And you think this is ok? I understand what happened . . I just dont think its ok. We paid good money for durability!

I'm not complaining, just responding to the OP's question. My front end looks like it was sandblasted also and I accept that.

The problem is that water based paint is not weaker, but it's actually harder than a solvent based paint. When a rock hits a solvent based paint, it just gets marred because it's softer where the water chips.

Here in lies the the problem. It's the Walmart mentality. We know it's junk ,but we just live with it because it keeps cost down.

Companies know this and exploit it. That's why so many of the things we buy these days suck when it comes down to quality.

Amen!