I assume that coating a vehicle`s clear coat/paint ADDS some thickness to the overall exterior surface finish thickness (OESFT) that can be measured quantitatively (IE, physically) with a paint thickness gauge. Why do I ask?
I asked Mike Lambert, What IS an acceptable paint thickness for a new vehicle manufactured today? It should be a KNOWN and published vehicle manufacturer`s specification (IE, value) that can be measured as part of the dealership pre-delivery inspection OR be verified by the customer or an independent inspection service before a new-vehicle buyer takes delivery. But I guess that will never happen.
I only ask because how many customer`s REALLY care about this. I cleaned my wife`s-side nephew`s brand-new Ford F-250 Super Duty truck last year and discovered a small imperfection in the front chrome bumper that was the result of a manufacturing error in the plating process (how it got through inspection at the factory and then at the dealership it beyond me!!). When I pointed it out to him, he took it back to dealership and had them replace the bumper. He told me later of the extraordinary amount of cost for such a warranty claim, but as I explained, when you pay that much money for a new vehicle, it should be perfect and it would rust and look like crap if it was not taken care of, decreasing the value of your truck at some point in time.
Are paint thicknesses (or lack thereof) a ticking time bomb in new vehicle appearance down the road after the new car warranty is expired? Sounds like it is.
Can it be mitigated with a good, quality coating? Don`t know because time will tell (witness GM water-based clear-coating failures in the late 80`s and early 90`s and resulting consumer litigation). Sounds like a manufacturer-to-have-dealership-applied-coatings "opportunity"(IE scam) to me.
Or at least an "opportunity" for professional vehicle detailers to not only take care of dealership-installed swirls, AND add paint protection with a quality coating to less-than-acceptable manufacturer`s applied surface finishes.
Lonnie,
Great post !
For sure, if they are indeed putting less and less total paint thickness on vehicles, then the only way to protect what is on there is to carefully remove as little as possible as measured by a good, calibrated meter, and then putting on a coating, or for those who are really rich, and can stand to look at it, clear bra the whole dang thing or for sure, the front end, and perhaps the back end - wherever that particular vehicle`s design gets the most damage from the road, the sun, etc...
And yes, perhaps the auto makers are working out a deal with the dealerships, ref., coatings, etc., but I highly doubt that they even care enough to go to that level to actually want to help them out..
I believe it`s more of a love/hate relationship between the two, and I am so glad I will never be a part of that mess...
Since there appears to be no "watchdog", etc., group sponsored by any form of government, the automakers appear to be able to do whatever they want, and who really cares about the Clients???? And if they are so good at playing the "wait them out and they will all go away, or die game", what will cause them to change now... ever.... ???
I believe if a real poll was taken, there would be a higher number of those that " know nothing or care much about their vehicle, etc.," vs those that know varied amounts and really care about their vehicles, because they are going to keep them forever, etc.. "
And then what about all the outright
lies Dealerships tell their Clients ???
I still remember being stopped in a parking lot by a guy who parked next to me in his new, Jet Black, totally swirled up Mercedes, and him asking me why my older, Black Grand Cherokee paint looked so much better in the noon day sun, than his "just Detailed by the Dealership Mercedes"....
When I pointed out the rotary induced defects in his paintwork, he looked at me and said, "The Dealership told me, that is how it is
supposed to look after being Detailed".... I gave him a business card and told him, no, that is not how it is supposed to look.. My Jeep paintwork is how its supposed to look ...
Well, the trickle-down effect will eventually get to us, and it will for sure bring us more bizz if we are very careful and invest in tools that protect our Clients from themselves, and us from potential damage from working on their already way, way, too thin, paintwork...
And if it shows up way too thin to begin with, think carefully about touching that paint with any machine at all.. Perhaps just a good cleaning, a good mild claybar, do NOT induce any marring, and see if they care enough to want to invest extra $$$ into a good, proven, Coating
that has been around long enough, measured in years, that you know its ability to be there long enough or not...
There are some products that are more of a finishing polish, than a correcting polish, etc., One that comes to mind that I have used before is Optimum Finish.. There are others out there I am sure...These might have to be the way to go, and then still be really careful and you absolutely have to measure, measure, measure, to know what is happening...
Again, this is why I always measure in microns, I measure beforehand to get a baseline, and then re-measure continually until that spot is good, and then move to the next spot and repeat the process.. I want to know and be able to tell the Client, I took off half a micron, 1 micron, as little as possible, and not have to say, "well, I only removed a Mil or 2".. ( 1 Mil = 25.4 Microns)...
Dan F
