Repaint Time - Single Stage v Clear Coated

W

WD Pro

New member
I have a good friend that over a period of years has restored / modified a MKI golf. The car has a 16v and some fancy wheels / suspension etc, it’s now time for a FULL repaint.



The car will be having a good paint job (from an expensive specialist painter with a long waiting list / good rep etc) but a decision needs to be made - single stage v clear …



Now before you make comment either way, please consider the following :



• The car is a medium blue - solid / non metallic.

• The car is garaged.

• The car is very low annual mileage.

• The car will only see nice days.

• The car will be prepped for shows.



Bearing in mind that the target is ultimate visual impact and after the initial paint prep / flatting / polishing / waxing it won’t (due to care / usage) require much maintenance, which paint type would you recommend ?



I have given him my opinion but said I would ask on here so I am hoping for a healthy discussion and a clear 1st choice, I will then send him a link :D



So, what would you do ?



WD :D
 
WD Pro- Were it single stage or b/c when new? I can't quite remember for certain just when VW switched over and you didn't mention what model-year this one is :think: :confused:



I myself would want to duplicate the original....BUT- a) high-quality single stage is getting hard to find, and b) good b/c is a "better" paint system in that it's more durable.



I just happen to *LOVE* the look of a good, high-quality single stage, at least on cars "of a certain age".



Oh, and that's one really cool car your pal has there :xyxthumbs
 
WD Pro said:
I have a good friend that over a period of years has restored / modified a MKI golf.
Click to expand...



The word "modified" here is key for me. If we were talking about a stock restoration I'd agree with Accumulator -- duplicate the original. Being a resto-mod vehicle though, BC/CC would be my choice hands down. Much more durable, easier to maintain, etc.
 
Single stage!



Reasons:



1. Scratches in clear appear to be white, whereas a scratches in blue will appear to be either a different shade of blue, or dull blue. This is the primary reason why most people that aren't paint polishing freaks believe that clear coat paint systems are "soft", or not as durable as single-stage paints.



2. If there are any variances in the texture of the color coat, it can be dealt with relatively easy on the single stage paint job (via sanding or polishing). Regardless how "flat" or "level" the surface of the clear is made to be, the texture in the base coat (under the clear) will remain. If both paint types feature surfaces that are equally level, accuracy of REFLECTION on either paint type will be similar, regardless.



To better envision this, imagine filling two bowls full of water. If one bowl featured a textured or pebbly interior surface while the other featured a completely smooth surface, both bowls of water would cast a perfect reflection upon the water's surface. However, if you looked directly into the bowl, it would be easy to see the texture (or lack of it) inside the bowl.



Over time, repaints tend to encounter shrinkage of body fillers, primers, or paint (pigmented or clear).

So, even though textures are non-existant initially, there's a good chance that shrinkage will show up later.



3. Touching up single stage can be less difficult to achieve, whether the touch-up is a rock chip or an entire panel.



In my opinion... all things being equal in terms of durability, resiliency, fade resistance, etc., a single-stage paint job is tough to beat.
 
might be a little late in replying, but in my experience with b/c, it is really hard to paint the car right unless you get at the jambs. I notice every hard edge from a masking job no matter how meticulous they attempt to feather in the clear. It's just the nature of the beast.
 
Agree with Accumulator, go with what was original.
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It's not to late, these things seem to take a while !



The car is still in the shop having metalwork done (he had to wait a while to get it in the shop in the first place), although some of the new / bolt on panels are already in colour.



He has decided / made a choice with the paint though - to go down the clear coat route :D



Cheers,



WD :D
 
WD Pro- I'd do some research into the various choices. I'm generally a big fan of Spies Hecker paints for b/c, but not every painter is, uhm...dialed in with that brand compared to "usual" choices like Glasurit.
 
Single Stage.





On top of the awesome info Kevin posted I just think SS has more depth to it...could just be me though. :)
 
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