Clearcoat Failure or Something Else? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Violinguy · 08-27-2019, 07:52 PM

On July 21st, I noticed some spots on the driver-side rear quarter panel. I guessed that the local tomcat had bared in on his way to his perch on my '15 v6 LT1. I made an attempt with Dr. Colorchip, but it really didn't stick.

On August 26th, I snapped a photo that shows considerably more damage. It feels like the clearcoat is gone. (Interestingly, the touch-up paint is still there.)

The car was a rental for its first 15k. It now has 92k. The Texas sun is brutal this summer and the car is parked outside. That mentioned, I have had incidents with vandals for the past four years. After the car was hit from behind, someone dug out "..." near this same area of the quarter panel.

So, my question is, does this look more like clearcoat failure, vandalism (possibly a cigarette), or something else?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Dizzy82 · 08-27-2019, 08:48 PM

Looks like whatever was on it ate through the clear.

chef-beavis · 08-28-2019, 03:03 AM

If it has been repaired, that looks to me like they blended the color and/or clear coat there and it is starting to peel from being too thin, or not prepped well enough.

lbls1 · 08-28-2019, 08:49 AM

Clearcoat lifted (failure) caused by something aggressive. I would fix this.

ChibiBlackSheep · 08-28-2019, 09:03 AM

Could have been a cheap respray of the panel while it was a rental and being prepped to sell.

Reichler · 08-28-2019, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

Could have been a cheap respray of the panel while it was a rental and being prepped to sell.

That's exactly what that finish looks like (cheap respray from the horrible orange peel).

Violinguy · 08-28-2019, 06:24 PM

Thanks guys for your thoughts. This gives me a degree of peace.

This one was never a show car, although it pretended. It came with twenty door dings (removed by paintless dent removal and touched up), was lightly rear-ended knocking the bumper cover out of place, and subject to a hit and run on that same panel just five days after I waxed it.

Mechanically, it's better than anticipated. I haven't had the greatest luck with body shops and resprays, though. I had a 2011 v6 Mustang I bought new that went in with hail damage. Door and windows seals were not tight when it came out. A month later, it was hit at highway speed by an unlicensed driver and declared a total loss. My Takata airbag worked, thankfully.

The real question is do I leave it, repaint it, or trade it. I suppose I'll get some estimates and see where that leads.

Thanks again!

GearheadSS · 10-03-2019, 01:07 PM

Looks like that panel has been painted on. Factory paint doesn't do that nor does it have that kind of texture to it. Being that it was rental, the odds are good that it was damaged and repainted. Check the rest of the car to see if the paint looks different.

mikeman · 10-06-2019, 07:34 PM

It looks like a cheap spot respray with crappy paint. May need to redo the whole panel with good quality paint for it to look and function right.

15RS2NV · 10-06-2019, 10:29 PM

Looks like poor workmanship when it was prepped, or possibly a bad spray job. Either way poor workmanship.

08-27-2019, 07:52 PM	#1
Violinguy Drives: 2015 Red Camaro LT1 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: McAllen Posts: 5	Clearcoat Failure or Something Else? On July 21st, I noticed some spots on the driver-side rear quarter panel. I guessed that the local tomcat had bared in on his way to his perch on my '15 v6 LT1. I made an attempt with Dr. Colorchip, but it really didn't stick. On August 26th, I snapped a photo that shows considerably more damage. It feels like the clearcoat is gone. (Interestingly, the touch-up paint is still there.) The car was a rental for its first 15k. It now has 92k. The Texas sun is brutal this summer and the car is parked outside. That mentioned, I have had incidents with vandals for the past four years. After the car was hit from behind, someone dug out "..." near this same area of the quarter panel. So, my question is, does this look more like clearcoat failure, vandalism (possibly a cigarette), or something else? Thanks for your thoughts! Attached Images

08-27-2019, 08:48 PM	#2
Dizzy82 Drives: 2011 1LT/RS A6 RJT SuperCharged Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 87114 Posts: 3,503 View My Garage	Looks like whatever was on it ate through the clear. __________________ Power is worthless without control. *The 2nd* protects the 1st.** BMR sub frame brace, BMR tunnel brace, LSR sways, LSR CM ca & tl, Sphon ExD el, GM tower brace, Megan EZ Streets, Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided brake lines, PowerStop D/S rotors & pads, Doug Thorty Ceramic Shorties, Magnaflow x-pipe, MRT V2.0, KICKER PowerStage sub & amp, Infinity speakers & tweeters, Viteese Throttle Controller, Viteese Paddle Shifters, ACS T2 Splitter, ACS T2 Ports/Quad LED lights, VDI kit, Havoc diffuser, IPF ECU/TRANS tuned, IPF/KPE Supercharged. 364RWHP/297RWTQ

08-28-2019, 08:49 AM	#4
lbls1 Drives: 2002 Camaro SS SOM; 2015 Malibu LTZ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 4,021	Clearcoat lifted (failure) caused by something aggressive. I would fix this. __________________ '02 CAMARO SS SOM; 5.7L LS1/FLS6B '08 TBSS AWD Black Granite Metallic '15 Malibu LTZ 2LZ Turbo *'14 CAMARO ZL1 Blue Ray Metallic*

08-28-2019, 09:03 AM	#5
ChibiBlackSheep Drives: 2012 2SS/RS, 1968 SS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southeast, PA Posts: 2,085	Could have been a cheap respray of the panel while it was a rental and being prepped to sell. __________________ LS3 Crate Engine Swap \| CSP Custom Cam 232/240 .615/.615 113 +3 \| Stainless Power LT Headers \| Z28 Intake \| Borla S-Type Exhaust \| FTI Triple-Disc Billet 3200 Stall 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS \| 1968 Camaro SS \| 2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury \| 2021 Spark LS

10-06-2019, 10:29 PM	#10
15RS2NV Ponies are for girls Drives: 2015 RS LFX Red Hot A6 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Southern AZ Posts: 315 View My Garage	Looks like poor workmanship when it was prepped, or possibly a bad spray job. Either way poor workmanship. __________________ H&R 1.8/1.7” drop, Overkill 80mm + intake ported by AFS, 1" insulator MACE, Accel Super Coils, THR cai, JET MAF sensor, Hurst shifter handle, GPP strut tower brace, CI ice cube tray hood vents (functional) @SemperFiCamaro

08-28-2019, 03:03 AM	#3
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,585	If it has been repaired, that looks to me like they blended the color and/or clear coat there and it is starting to peel from being too thin, or not prepped well enough.

08-28-2019, 06:24 PM	#7
Violinguy Drives: 2015 Red Camaro LT1 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: McAllen Posts: 5	Thanks guys for your thoughts. This gives me a degree of peace. This one was never a show car, although it pretended. It came with twenty door dings (removed by paintless dent removal and touched up), was lightly rear-ended knocking the bumper cover out of place, and subject to a hit and run on that same panel just five days after I waxed it. Mechanically, it's better than anticipated. I haven't had the greatest luck with body shops and resprays, though. I had a 2011 v6 Mustang I bought new that went in with hail damage. Door and windows seals were not tight when it came out. A month later, it was hit at highway speed by an unlicensed driver and declared a total loss. My Takata airbag worked, thankfully. The real question is do I leave it, repaint it, or trade it. I suppose I'll get some estimates and see where that leads. Thanks again!

10-03-2019, 01:07 PM	#8
GearheadSS Drives: 23 LT1/22 Colorado TB/69 Chevelle Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Greenville, Tx Posts: 4,968 View My Garage	Looks like that panel has been painted on. Factory paint doesn't do that nor does it have that kind of texture to it. Being that it was rental, the odds are good that it was damaged and repainted. Check the rest of the car to see if the paint looks different.

10-06-2019, 07:34 PM	#9
mikeman Banned Drives: 2015 Camaro Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: My Garage Posts: 1,125	It looks like a cheap spot respray with crappy paint. May need to redo the whole panel with good quality paint for it to look and function right.