paint quality and sheet metal thickness
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paint quality and sheet metal thickness
I think that it was Road & Track that recently completed a long term test of the WRX. The only really negative comments that I saw concerned the quality of the paint and the bodywork. It seems that the front fenders and hood of their car took a beating - many paint chips. Their car was also hit (they aren't sure how) and sustained a lot of damage to a front fender. They commented that the damage was extensive due to the thin sheet metal. I noticed myself that the front fenders were very flexible - you can push on the side of one and watch the gap between the fender and hood close. Any comments on these issues? How bad is the paint in real world driving? Thanks.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 282
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Car Info: 2002 Subaru WRX
My WRX is my daily driver...as of now, I got 6,000+ miles. I have about the same amount of rock chips...6,000! LOL...j/k I do have quite a few tho. I just didn't realize that it was becuz of the sucky paint.
I also got into a minor fender bender like 3 weeks ago and the bumper kinda cracked. Maybe if it was another better material it wouldn't have?
I also got into a minor fender bender like 3 weeks ago and the bumper kinda cracked. Maybe if it was another better material it wouldn't have?
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The paint really sucks. I am thinking of repainting the car already, it drives me nuts. I try to take good care of it, wash it once a week and wax it often. But the front end and down the bottom of the doors looks like it has been shot by a shotgun. 
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 857
From: -----------------
Car Info: .............................................................................
My '92 SE-R sheetmetal was a joke, a bad joke. All you had to do to it was sneeze on it and it dented. I had a new door ding daily. The WRX sheetmetal is thicker/better quality than that Nissan's was, that's for sure.
The Nissan paint was better though, much better.
The Nissan paint was better though, much better.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,499
From: town / kaneohe
Car Info: gc w/ neons and a wrx that needs neons
i got the protective paint coating from the dealership, kept my car nice for maybe a month. now it looks like someone flicked white paint my baby. so sad to see
guess it couldn't be helped considering i commute with that car and things are bound to fly up
guess it couldn't be helped considering i commute with that car and things are bound to fly up
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iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,518
From: Bay Area
Car Info: 2004 Black WRX wagon
i'll show you thin sheet metal! my 04 got hit yesterday while i was watching a movie. damn hit and run *bleeeeeeepers*. i'll go take a pic later. my car has sutained soo much damage. i agree. our cars have the worst bodywork. my door is screwed. my trunk has a scratch, and the right corner is screwed. i'm sending it into the shop later for an 800 repair. haha. brb. going to take some pics.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 61
From: NWA
Car Info: 2004 WRX Wagon
We really shouldn't complain too much about our crappy Subaru paint.
Japanese cars tend to have weak paint and thin sheetmetal. Hondas, Nissan, and Toyota all have paint and ding issues.
Japanese cars tend to have weak paint and thin sheetmetal. Hondas, Nissan, and Toyota all have paint and ding issues.
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 492
From: Rockville, MD
Car Info: 2003 Silver WRX Sedan, 1982 Corvette Collectors Ed.
I have a silver 03 WRX.
It has about 25,000 miles on it and most of them are freeway at above 80. The paint is stil in good condition and the stone chips are not that noticeable (this is most likely due to the silver). I did get hit on the roof with something on the I-880 and it scratched a good gouge in it.
I wash weekly with a soft brush and wax about every 4-6 months with an instant detailer inbetween middle.
Also, I was rear ended a few weeks ago and it didnt do too much paint damage. The trunk lid was tweaked and its just dented and the bumper was smushed in.....some cracking where the creases are but not toooo bad. I am getting new ones so I am not too worried about that.
So unlike most of the people in here I dont have too many complaints about the paint.
I have seen many dark colors though that look like cxrap in the front with all the lil chips.
Does anyone know what brand of paint is used on these? My moms car was a test car for DuPont in silver (Brother works for a high volume dealership and they use some cars there every year for testing new paint and have the owner check in every six months so the DuPont rep can check the paint - Not bad seeing as it's free if you allow them to see the car 2 times a year). It is the identical color and flake, and I am wondering if it was the same paint. She had hers painted 3 or so years ago and it looks great to this day.
--Robb
It has about 25,000 miles on it and most of them are freeway at above 80. The paint is stil in good condition and the stone chips are not that noticeable (this is most likely due to the silver). I did get hit on the roof with something on the I-880 and it scratched a good gouge in it.
I wash weekly with a soft brush and wax about every 4-6 months with an instant detailer inbetween middle.
Also, I was rear ended a few weeks ago and it didnt do too much paint damage. The trunk lid was tweaked and its just dented and the bumper was smushed in.....some cracking where the creases are but not toooo bad. I am getting new ones so I am not too worried about that.
So unlike most of the people in here I dont have too many complaints about the paint.
I have seen many dark colors though that look like cxrap in the front with all the lil chips.
Does anyone know what brand of paint is used on these? My moms car was a test car for DuPont in silver (Brother works for a high volume dealership and they use some cars there every year for testing new paint and have the owner check in every six months so the DuPont rep can check the paint - Not bad seeing as it's free if you allow them to see the car 2 times a year). It is the identical color and flake, and I am wondering if it was the same paint. She had hers painted 3 or so years ago and it looks great to this day.
--Robb
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Minority
Maybe I am part of the minority, but after 5k the paint still looks new. Not one rock chip. I will say that it really matters where you live. I live in South Georgia and we don't have gravel on the roads or snow to deal with. I will say that the paint on my car has been great! The bodywork has been great as well too no dents. Don't complain about dents if you care about weight.
I used to hear about dents and chips on the Celica boards when I owned my 2001 Celica GT-S. I never had that problem. I also had a blue car and never ever had spider web marks on the clear coat because I knew how to wax a damn car.
In case if you don't know how to wax a car the right way:
1. MOST IMPORTANT (**WET THE APPLICATOR**)
2. The applicator MUST BE WET!
3. Again the applicator must be wet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The hotter it is determines how wet the applicator is. The wax needs to be applied in a thin coat.
3a. Use a good wax (Zymol or Zaino)
4. Use small amounts of wax, not globs of wax!
5. Do not use the "wax on----wax off" Karate Kid technique using circles (** IF YOU WANT SWIRLS IN THE PAINT THEN FINE**). Use light strokes in a even fashion back and forth (front to back using the direction of the vehicle).
Never ever use a brush on your car. Always use a terry clothe mit or wool mit to wash the car.
WD40 is great for removing road grime fronm shocks, paint...
I learned from a professional car detailer who charged $150-300 to detail a car which took about 8 hours to complete (removed seats, wheels, cleaned shocks, springs, underneath the damn car... You get the idea). He was not cheap.
I used to hear about dents and chips on the Celica boards when I owned my 2001 Celica GT-S. I never had that problem. I also had a blue car and never ever had spider web marks on the clear coat because I knew how to wax a damn car.
In case if you don't know how to wax a car the right way:
1. MOST IMPORTANT (**WET THE APPLICATOR**)
2. The applicator MUST BE WET!
3. Again the applicator must be wet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The hotter it is determines how wet the applicator is. The wax needs to be applied in a thin coat.
3a. Use a good wax (Zymol or Zaino)
4. Use small amounts of wax, not globs of wax!
5. Do not use the "wax on----wax off" Karate Kid technique using circles (** IF YOU WANT SWIRLS IN THE PAINT THEN FINE**). Use light strokes in a even fashion back and forth (front to back using the direction of the vehicle).
Never ever use a brush on your car. Always use a terry clothe mit or wool mit to wash the car.
WD40 is great for removing road grime fronm shocks, paint...
I learned from a professional car detailer who charged $150-300 to detail a car which took about 8 hours to complete (removed seats, wheels, cleaned shocks, springs, underneath the damn car... You get the idea). He was not cheap.
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I just noticed yesterday that I'd been 'bumped' at least twice while parked (when some jerk rolls forward until your bumpers touch while parallel parking).
I found two sets of what appear to be license plate gouges on my rear bumper, including a small paint chip/pastic gouge on the corner of one set of scratches. Crap.
I found two sets of what appear to be license plate gouges on my rear bumper, including a small paint chip/pastic gouge on the corner of one set of scratches. Crap.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 385
From: Ironton Ohio
Car Info: 04 Blue TS
Originally posted by namakemono
i got the protective paint coating from the dealership, kept my car nice for maybe a month. now it looks like someone flicked white paint my baby. so sad to see
guess it couldn't be helped considering i commute with that car and things are bound to fly up
i got the protective paint coating from the dealership, kept my car nice for maybe a month. now it looks like someone flicked white paint my baby. so sad to see
guess it couldn't be helped considering i commute with that car and things are bound to fly up
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 261
From: So. Ca., CA USA
Car Info: 03 WRX / 08 Forester
20k miles and no dings and very few rock chips. My Black '03 looks awesome. I agree that the paint is thin though. ....but then again, so are many other cars. As an example, my '93 Silverado had massive chips on the leading edge of the hood and the paint faded rapidly. It wasn't until after my warranty was up that I found out GM was re-painting vehicles that had my problem.
- Kean
- Kean
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 414
From: Nether reach of CA delta
Car Info: 03 WRX Sedan MBP/17X7.5 SSR Comps/225 Kumho MX
I have the Midnight Black, which I like a lot. But I do with the clear coat had been a thicker.
Face it. The WRX was designed to be fast and still qualify for the fuel efficiency rating at 26 MPG. If you want a car to be fast it has to be as powerful and light as possible. Light metalwork is part of the formula.
That's why a goose can't fly like a hummingbird.
Face it. The WRX was designed to be fast and still qualify for the fuel efficiency rating at 26 MPG. If you want a car to be fast it has to be as powerful and light as possible. Light metalwork is part of the formula.
That's why a goose can't fly like a hummingbird.
