Clearcoat or Not?

P

ptaylor_9849

New member
My girlfriend is buying a jet black 2004 Mercedes C320. While at the dealership, I mentioned that I am looking forward to getting this car home and polishing it thoroughly.

Then the salesman said " Just remember, "Mercedes jet black has no clear coat". Then I thought maybe he's right since Mercedes black doesn't seem to have orange peel that many other cars have. So friends, I have two questions. Does this car have a clear coat and if not, how will that change my approach to polishing it?



Thanks alot,



Patrick
 
ptaylor_9849 said:
My girlfriend is buying a jet black 2004 Mercedes C320. While at the dealership, I mentioned that I am looking forward to getting this car home and polishing it thoroughly.

Then the salesman said " Just remember, "Mercedes jet black has no clear coat". Then I thought maybe he's right since Mercedes black doesn't seem to have orange peel that many other cars have. So friends, I have two questions. Does this car have a clear coat and if not, how will that change my approach to polishing it?



Thanks alot,



Patrick
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Your sales person is wrong! Yes, it has clear coat. It's actually ceramic clear coat.
 
Many pure black colors (non metallic) are non-clear coated. You can check by wiping the paint with a white towel and a polish to see if the color transfers to the towel.
 
brwill2005 said:
I could not say right off the top of my head, but why is it you always think you know everything?
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I don't know everything, that's why I asked you for the answers? You stated something that I didn't know. As far as Mercedes, I know they're all clearcoated. What car that you speak of isn't clearcoated? It's a simple question. Do you know the answer?
 
All I know is, I have worked on pure black cars that are not clear coated. One was a saab, not quite sure what year it was. Maybe I should have said 'some' pure black cars are not clear coated. BTW, it is the tone of your questions. I never said the Mercedes is definitely single stage; only that it may be. I also told him the way to check, which is really the only real way to know.
 
Back in the late 80's clearcoat was introduced on the OEM level. By the mid 90's every car produced/painted via a production line was converted to 2-stage finishing. Saab's (even black ones) fall into the same category as having 2-stage/clearcoated finish. If you buffed a vehicle and your pad is black, it's most likely from oxidation/contamination and not the base coat. I confirmed this with Sherman Williams and Finish Master.
 
It is hard to believe it's SS. The only SS car I *ever* did was an 86' red Porsche. Note that I don't really do that many cars (a handfull every month), but I couldn't imagine there are many cars 10 years old and younger with SS paint.
 
Having done a few non-metallic black cars never ran into a 2000 and newer model without a clear coat.



2004 Merc CLK55 AMG Black non-metallic

http://autopia.org/forum/click-brag/90416-04-clk-55-amg-just-front-end-now-15-pics.html



05 Gallardo and 01 Merc E320 Both Black non-metallic

http://autopia.org/forum/click-brag...01-e320-both-black-both-owned-me-60-pics.html



2006 Porsche 911 C4S Conv BLack non-metallic

http://autopia.org/forum/click-brag/89685-2006-porsche-911-c4s-convertible-black.html



2003 Merc SL500 Black non-metallic

http://autopia.org/forum/click-brag/92195-03-mercedes-sl500-black.html



Those are a few black ones I did this year. I seriously doubt a 2004 Merc C-Class does not have clear coat on the jet black color.
 
Every newer car has a clear coat unless its been repainted! NEVER believe ANYTHING someone who it trying to sell you something tells you! Rule number one!
 
I thought the MB ceramiclear was introduced for the 2005 model year and later. Just a question for those that might know the definitive answer. In any event, I have 2 customers with MB "Swarz" Black (2001 E320 and 2007 E55) and both are definately clearcoated. Just wanted to offer my experience.
 
If you find a C before the paint code that will indicate that it has ceramic clear coat. Most all Mercedes after 1999 have this. If all else fails check the paint code.:buffing: Have a great day.
 
cjl71 said:
If you find a C before the paint code that will indicate that it has ceramic clear coat. Most all Mercedes after 1999 have this. If all else fails check the paint code.:buffing: Have a great day.
Click to expand...
Not true. Ceramiclear wasn't introduce by Mercedes until 2003. And it started with the higher models, S,SL,CL, etc... Some C-classes got it in 2004, but only very late builds.
 
ben_r_ said:
Every newer car has a clear coat unless its been repainted! NEVER believe ANYTHING someone who it trying to sell you something tells you! Rule number one!
Click to expand...



does the sells benefit anything by telling you the car is not clearcoated?



you kinda need to think about WHY you don't want to believe what the sells says

this time it's clearly not the case.....lol



===========================

So what if it's not clearcoated?

I can't polish the car or something? different procedure?
 
Your right. I was reading something and did not finish it first. According to Menzerna it wasn't until 2005 that Mercedes received it. These are the BASF clear coats being used on the Maybach and 2004-5 Rolls Royce Phantom and PPG's CeramiClear* which is being used on the 2005 and newer Mercedes. (Check the paint code on your Mercedes. If it begins with a "C", you have a car with the new, ceramic clear coat.) Thanks for keeping me straight. Have a great day.
 
Let me start by saying thank you to all of those who took the time to answer my question. However, this thread sparked so many opinions that I fired off an e-mail to my auto body guy who has 25 yrs in the business and here is what he wrote back.



Pat, my books say that in 04 Mercedes had 7 different varieties of black. Only 1 doesn't have clearcoat (code 040 black)



The rest utilize a clear coat and they are:

003 Mocca

025 Brilliant

197 Obsidian

182 Almodine

185 Melanite

189 Opal



You can guess which black came on my girlfriend's new car. You guessed it, 040 black.

I tried doing some correction work on it the other day with an orange pad and some SIP 3.02 via rotory. I was surprised to find that this paint is even harder to correct than my corvette. Here goes another month long project.



Patrick
 
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