TiRX8

I was wondering what brand of paint Mazda will be using to paint the RX-8. I know that BMW and MB use Spieshecker (an excellent German brand of paint). VW uses Glasorite (another excellent German paint). I think Honda and Toyota use BASF and Dupont. Domestic vehicles also use Dupont. Any clue on what Mazda will be using on the RX-8??

ACRX8

Water base! :D

ZoomZoom

Yea, like the environment friendly paint that GM used a few years ago. :D

Lensman

I heard Dulux emulsion with a top coat of Mr Sheen.

BillK

Earl Scheib - $99.95, no ups, no extras! :D

chinx

i think saleen also uses BASF. what a cool name for a paint. does it really matter what brand they use?

guys i think using water-based paint is not good because...huh huh...it'll just come off when it starts raining or when you take it to a car wash...huh huh...or when you spill soda on your car or when you mist your windshield

:D

RotorGeek

Water based? of course not!!

Everybody knows Mazda uses oil based fingerpaint

Superfan

It matters a lot. The first batch of FD's were known to chip and fade. I've read that the 350z’s paint chips easily too. If your going to spend $30k+ on a car it should have a coat of paint that isn't going to chip on a cigarette butt at 5 mph.

RotorGeek

And with all the dumptrucks we have in south florida i hope it is some damn good paint

tribal azn2

i heard all japanese cars use crappy paint??? is that true?

DTECH-RX

I hear ya RotorGeek! Driving down I-75, sometimes it's like an obstacle course of dump trucks and a combination of flying pebbles and sand blasting. LOL Fortuntely my current car (VW Jetta) seems to have weather it well over two years vitrually no obvious stone chips (only a couple really tiny ones and the primer color kinda blends in with my Lagoon Blue). I think I do a pretty good job avoiding them altogether though.

I'm VERY happy at how durable VW paint is!

babylou

The Mazda paint is as good as any other manufacturer. The rub is that all of the paints are now "environmentally friendly" with low VOC's to comply with environmental laws enacted in all of the auto manufacturer countries. The low VOC's makes the paint have poor impact properties compared to 15 years ago. Your RX-8 will get stone chips. Don't bother bitching at the dealer. There is nothing they or Mazda or BMW or Ford or Ferrari or NASA can do. Hopefully, someday PPG or whoever will invent a new formulation that is environmentally friendly, looks good and has improved impact properties.

Lensman

The 350Z (which is VERY prone to chipping because of its blunt snout) has a 'clear bra' as an option. This is a transparent plastic cover that sticks to the car and protects the paint. Seems a bit drastic though!

VWjet

It may seem drastic, until you drive the highways and byways of South-eastern Michigan. There are semi-trucks littering the road with small pebbles and other debris that is not paint friendly. I will definitely get this "clear bra" for my RX-8. That's the only sure way to protect it without having an eyesore on the front of your car!

TiRX8

From what I've heard, Japanese and Domestic vehicles paint is the worst. It doesn't have that smooth texture and appearance. It has that "orange peel" look to it. I can notice it on my Honda but not on my BMW 540i. Spieshecker and Glasorite are the best. I hope the RX-8 doesn't come with a low quality paint job! I am just wondering what brand Mazda uses so I can read up on it.

babylou

My '99 Miata has absolutely no orange peel. Neither did my older Miata or the three other Miatae that neighbors on my street own. They all seem to have some rock chips, though.

IGOZMZM

The two Miata's that I've owned ('90 and '01) both have the 'orange peel' paint job, BUT only on the bottom sides of the car..... that is there to prevent paint chips, it's also thicker than the rest of the paint job on the car. the rest of the paint job is smooth as silk

eccles

You're comparing apples to oranges.

The "orange peel" that the other folks are referring to, is an imperfection in the paint finish, while the "orange peel" that you're describing on the lower panels the later Miatas, is due the impact-absorbing material that Mazda applies as an undercoat in areas that would otherwise be prone to stone chips.

TiRX8

So guys any news on the paint brand? Is it BASF?

Smoker

Whao, hold on.

Japanese Cars in general DO NOT have cheap paint jobs. I know for sure since I have a 92, Toyota Camry and that paint job is superb and it is as durable as anything you can find. Same with my Uncle's 91 Corolla and my friend's 98 Camry. Also, I've also had an Acura CL and an Accord, both of those got excellient paint jobs on them.

On the other hand, My cousin, and several of my best friends got 2001 to 2003 Nissans, and They got lots of problems with their paint. Stone Chip like crazy on the Sentra in particular. The Maximas are better but definitely no Honda or Toyota quality.

It really doesn't surprise me that the 350Z got this paint problem as well.

tribal azn2

the new evos have the paint problem as well.

Cylo

Throughout the history of the Z they have had paint problems.

TiRX8

What brand is the paint??

RotorGeek

My friend has A WRX and his paint is chipped pretty bad. He says the paint sucks. My 01 Miata's paint is looking great

Mazda man

The Paint on the Subaru Forester my Dad had was not really bad for stone chips but was damaged by a pretty standard good-quality polish. It made they black paint all dull an go slightly lighter than the rest of the bonnet as it was only used on a small area. This polish has been used on many other cars without any problem but it was just this one, it could have just been a reaction with something but it was really strange.