Clear coat ILLEGAL in California??
 

I recently bought the RX-8.
They said there is NO CLEAR COAT in California because it has been made illegal...( I think she said it was due to the high IRON content?? Or some other metal).

My question is...is clear coat illegal in California?

also....If I do want to buy ZAINO, do I need Z2 (for cars with clear coat) or Z3 (for cars without clear coat)?..I guess if someone can answer my first question this will answer the Z2 or Z3 question.

WTF!!!!!!

Um, That is the 1st I've heard of that. That has to be a load of crap. Why would they not clearcoat a new car. It comes from the factory...WTF!!.

I've only been out of Calif for 6 years, but I doubt that is true.....Anybody, Anybody.???????????????????

Ok, that one sounds a little hokey to me. It's a clear acrylic coating. For the life of me I can't figure out where "iron content" would come into play. If that were the case they'd have to repo all of my wife's fingernail polish as well. I've had body work done to a previous car in San Diego and they were kind enough to clear coat the whole thing after taking forever to get it fixed.

I am almost 99% positive that it is not true! I am from Cali.
I have been in the aftermarket indrusty for a while and never heard of that at all. My suggestion would be to get the Z2

thats probably the biggest crock i have heard on this forum ever!... dude where do you get your information...smack the fool upside his head whoever told you that one... i guess everyone will be driving around with flat black paint jobs now..haha

Maybe that was his story to cover some bodywork that didn't go so well? Seriously, try to compare it with another of the same color (from a different dealer preferably). If it appears deficient, make a big noise.

I think you want the Z2, not the Z3... that's why the Zaino kit comes with Z2 and not Z3. I realize that the "official" color names Mazda has chosen for the RX-8 only mentions "clear coat" when referring to the black paint, but I'm thinking that's just marketing. If you are concerned, call Sal Zaino... he seems to like taking calls from customers... really.

All Mazdas are clear-coated in the factory as part of the factory paint job, since 2000. Prior to 2000, only the "Mica" (metallic) paints were clearcoated, and regular colours were not. Just to be specific - all RX-8s have factory clear coat paint.

Whoever told you differently is a moron.

Regards,
Gordon

More proof that common sense is illegal out there.

I think the "clear coat is illegal in California" bit is actually partially true but doesn't apply to the Mazda RX-8 unless you bought a used RX-8 which needed to be repainted. I don't think it has to do with iron, though. At least in densely populated LA with smog, I believe it is illegal to paint with non-water based paint because of the fumes. I've also seen certain paint guns advertised as illegal in California. Think about all those strict pollution laws in California. It must not apply in all situations because I believe my truck was clear coated in California at the NUMI plant.

As stated by others, a new RX-8 should already be clear coated in Japan so the California law doesn't apply. Use Zaino Z-2 for clear coated cars. Use the kit and follow all the instructions. That's what I recommend.

I live in California. If it's illegal, then I wonder why the Finance Department tried to sell me clear coat. I've always believed this was pure profit motive scam, as the car comes clear coated from the factory.

Again, our "good friends" in the finance department hard at work to separate us from our money (yes, again).

That is exactly what happned to me...the finance lady said "Clear coat is now illegal in California".
She offered to sell me the dealers clear coat/wax which was supposed to "take the place" of the non-existent clear coat.


..but of course I didn't buy any...

Yea waxing your car is also illegal due to refracted light.

Bonnzilla, please do us all a favor and name names...
City and dealer?? That's total b.s.

I bought my car at Irivne Mazda.
The finance person was a lady...I forget her name.
She was from the Middle East.
..but she said "clear coat is illegal in California"

Forget about her.
I leased a Dodge van for 3 years
and my dealer offered me to buy it off for 18,000 bucks
NO WAY
They're always trying to trick you into buying something
Like they will say, "OH HEY, We included FREE INTERIOR CARPETING" when it is actually always included in all cars
or something like that
And how would a middle eastern lady know more about California laws and Rx-8's?

Besides

If it were illegal, how could a cop pull you over for it if he can't even see it?

was up with Cali.........????, everything is ilegal over there....sooner or later they going to say, You can't have Sex more than 3 times a week is ILEGAL...lol, i think this is crak, not true.

i stil say, sell the state to the North Koreans, build a 100' wall along the border and let them nuclear test there!!

If I'm not mistaken, ALL cars that have been painted since the time of lead based paints have clear coats. Thats because the clear coat is what gives the paint a shine. You cannot have shinny paint without a clear coat.

as a californian I will readily say that we have a lot of wacked out idoits over here. no one on this forum of course but..... (sorry about this)

we still aren't as bad as New Jersey. Man that was a crappy state. haha Nation's Landfill!

Trying to Provoke me eh!?

1st: you can have shiny paint without clear coat, the clear coat gives the paint a deeper look.

2nd: depending on the paint used Clear Coat is the same as colored paint just without pigmentation. There are different types of clear coat, just like there are different kinds of paint (Enamal, Lacquer, Urethane, etc...)

Normaly when I would paint a motorcycle (flame jobs and such) I would paint the color coats with lacquer (much more forgiving paint) when my flames or artwork was done I would top off with Urethane. I would use the Urethane due to its "hardness" and resistance to chemicals (like gas).

Of course I haven't painted in 7 years so things may have changed.

holy crap, I'd go back and get that in writing and then sue them for fraud :mad:

Be Careful out there!
 

It is completely true, and they are really starting to crack down! The accumulation of the deadly element Iron in the environment from wanton clear-coating of vehicles reached a crisis and something had to be done.