eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

If Lexus paint were single stage nowadays, I'd refuse all my clients. Single stage paints eat up pads when you detail them by Rotary

OP, work on your technique. I find it odd seeing as I can do it just fine. I'll agree about the hardness since its similar on my RX and Camry. Rocks seem to love it but then again, the only damage so far is on the plastic bumpers, which are soft to begin with so oh well

miniz

I never said car paint wasn't water based. Aftermarket body shop paint is still solvent based in most states. The difference between Toyota-Lexus-Honda-Acura paint and something like Mercedes paint is the clear coat (and how many coats they apply). One is cheap, thin and soft and the other is thick, durable and hard. There is no reason why the Japanese manufacturers cannot figure out how to make a hard durable factory baked clear coat, like Mercedes Dupont Ceramic. They could also apply more coats. Nissan is one of the largest offenders. They appear to spray most of their vehicle with only one super thin layer of clear! There are still parts of vehicles that are single stage acrylic enamel. The bumpers on Toyota Sienna 2004-2010 and Toyota Avalon 2005+ are acrylic enamel. You can actually see a difference in color when you look at the car in direct sunlight. It is one of the reasons why the paint on the bumpers holds up so poorly against the sun, bugs and small scuffs. Vehicles such as the 2001-05 Honda Civic could be ordered in 100% single stage acrylic enamel in white-only. I have seen them. The color was called Tafetta White. That is scary, but true. ALL current and prior body style Toyota Tundras in white are single-stage.

Macklin

What wax do you use? My '07 SGM still looks as good as the day I bought it...except for the front end. Driving on the Interstate to work every day is not good on paint.

Also it's a dark color. All dark colors show dust!

racingt

One has to remember that the Japanese car makers have a thought process to save weight - thin paint, thin glass, thin sheet metal etc.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Says who? Go get a paint gauge and measure away buddy

Then again, I'm probably one of the very few who actually have one so I'll tell you right now that its in the average range of all cars I work on.

Another thing, if the sheet metal were so thin, then I bet they managed to make some super dense metal to use since the crash rating is so good

samathews

On this link are pictures of my 07 smokey granite mica. I think it shines nicely; there is also a description of my process.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...r-wet-too.html