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Options for sun-damaged clear-coat / Paint shops in San Diego

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by BluetoothEdsel, Dec 6, 2022.

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  1. BluetoothEdsel

    BluetoothEdsel Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The clear coat on my 2014 (Nautical Blue) Prius is in bad shape, thanks to having had to sit in the sun for many years here in San Diego. Happily, I have a garage now - but I'd really like to get the paint/clear coat looking better. The worst peeling is on the roof, although there is also some on the hood and tops of the doors. I once had the dealership body shop look at it, but they said the whole car had to be repainted and gave some exorbitant estimate. A detailer I showed it to said he couldn't do anything for it.

    I'm trying to figure out what's the options are for approaches to get it looking better, without springing for a "deluxe" treatment to restore a 9-year-old car. Could I just get the roof done? Or is it better to get the whole thing painted? (I can imagine issues matching 9-year-old blue paint.)

    I'm assuming I need to take it to a paint shop, but every paint shop in town seems to get mixed reviews - in terms of work quality and/or in terms of time they keep the car, communication, etc. (I'd have to rent a car, so I don't want a shop to end up keeping it for months.) Do any San Diego folks have recent recommendations for a reliable paint shop in town?
     
    #1 BluetoothEdsel, Dec 6, 2022
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Two professionals have said similar. Try an independent body shop or two more, but I think you’ll hear more of the same.

    To do it right won’t be cheap. Might not make much sense financially either, to sink that much expense into it. If it’s mechanically sound, just keep driving it?
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Dec 6, 2022
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  3. BluetoothEdsel

    BluetoothEdsel Member

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    Yeah, that's certainly the path of least resistance. The car is still low miles and fine mechanically, so my plan is to keep driving it for the foreseeable future. That roof is just really embarrassing though. And if it keeps getting worse am I risking having the car rust or anything? I'm wondering whether there's a path in which I could just get the roof repainted - or if it'd be a problem with the older paint on the rest of the car not matching.
     
    #3 BluetoothEdsel, Dec 6, 2022
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Blending is key with partial repaints. After each coat they thin the paint with clear, maybe 50%, then shoot some more extending further. Do this several times and feather out. Do this with the roof and the colour will not stand out in any noticeable way. Still there’s a contrast with the remainder, with the peeling. But…

    Also, prepping any zone with peeling paint, levelling the surface likely take$ more time than a typical paint job.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Dec 7, 2022
  5. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Mine has the very same problem, starting last March or so. Roughly half the clear-coat is already off the main center section of the roof now, in random splotchy fashion. Starting a couple of weeks ago, there are signs it's starting to let go in other areas nearby. So far, I've just waxed the affected area, hoping that will allow the remaining layer of paint to prevent rusting for a while.

    I'm tempted to repaint affected areas with a brush, like my former landlady did her '55 Chevy.
     
    #5 CR94, Dec 7, 2022
  6. Paul E. Highway

    Paul E. Highway Active Member

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    I'm in the same boat with the roof on my silver 2010. There are dozens of videos on YouTube that show how to sand back the old clear coat and apply new. Won't look brand new but will look better! I haven't had the guts to try this out yet. Maybe over the holidays...
     
    #6 Paul E. Highway, Dec 7, 2022
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