Hey all! I'm having a paint issue (all of a sudden) with my 2015 Prius V. A large round spot on the hood showed up and a clear dried skin fell off. I DID have a repaint on the front end several years ago, but am also showing this "puckering" paint skin on the rear of my Prius. 1 - Is this just the clear coat shedding itself? 2 - Am I going to have to have a total repaint on all the affected areas? Lastly, there are several places where it seems they installed some sort of protective plastic over the paint, which now has yuck underneath it, so wondering if the whole vehicle needs a repaint???
Since you said it had a front repaint, clearly thats the problem there. In the back, if it is the plastic spoiler that is peeling, that is common and that part will need repaint. If they put ppf (paint protective film) on in places, it "might" come off cleanly by a pro and the factory paint might be salvageable. An affordable complete repaint will rarely be as good as factory paint so if the majority of the car is ok then fix parts of it. A factory quality repaint costs more than the value of the car. Best to go to a decent body shop and ask for options and a quote. Generally free.
Both pictures depict clear coat layer flaking off. If you leave your car parked outside and don't wash and wax your car on a regular basis - that layer will flake-off. Especially on the front end, where you get small debris dings (pitting) that creates small craters in your paint; where dirt and water can work it's way in-between the layers of your paint. The rear is usually cause by oils or contaminates on your hands - that's why washing and waxing is so important. It removes the contaminates and seals the surface imperfections. It has withstood 10+ years of abuse and UV radiation. Hope this helps..... FWIW; a cheap paint respray will probably only last you 6-8 years.
Yes, looks to me as clear coat failure. Complete repaint, maybe no. Yes, best ask your local body & paint shop. Sometimes, just the clear coat can be sanded off, retaining the color, and the affected area resprayed with clear. But, weigh the cost. For example, the paint work expense may not be recovered in a used car resale. A front bra and a painted flat black rear spoiler (if only this area) could be an option. Good luck with your repair decision.
