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Clear coat breaking up on Sonata

The clear coat on my 2002 Hyundai Sonata is breaking up. Rep says it bird droppings that caused it and are not willing to repaint. I know that bird poop did not cause this and there was no bird poop on the car ever. I went to my insurance and they are willing to paint the damaged areas as they agree that the damage was from bird poop. The damage is increasing over the car. It started on the truck lid and has progressed to some spots on the sides above the doors, on the hood. I feel that this problem is caused by ultra violet rays because the damage is spreading over the summer months. The body shop had the paint tested and the results were that the clear coat was thin. The result was that the manager lost his job when he presented his information to the rep. What do I do now?

John Doskoch
retired - Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
2005

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You are correct that the problem is caused by ultraviolet damage. In the case of a clearcoat, UV penetrates the clearcoat and causes the color coat underneath to become chalky. The clear coat then looses adhesion and falls off. Ford and Chrysler had severe problems with this problem some years ago - just look at any old K-car. They have learned to incorporate UV inhibitors in the clearcoat, which stops or slows the problem. If the clearcoat is abnormally thin, it would accentuate the problem. Another part of the problem - and no offense intended - is that the rule may be that cheap cars often have cheap paint. Really good paint is expensive. Top quality aftermarket auto paint can be $300/gallon, and the Hot Rod guys sometimes use stuff which costs $3000/gallon. They think it's worth it. If you ever get to a good Hot Rod show, new car paint will look like crap for ever after. So will new car chrome plating.

To the second part of your question "What do I do now?" You can't do anything about the paint which is on your car now. The only choice is to live with it as it continues to get worse, or to have the car repainted. If you do go for a repaint, please don't go to a $199 shop. What they put on your car will not last. Find a shop which has a good reputation and which uses name brand paint like Dupont or PPG. I'd also recommend that you not go for a color/clearcoat system, as you might have the same problem again. Something like DuPont's Centari acrylic enamel with urethane hardener will give you a good looking and long lasting job. Be prepared to pay perhaps $2000 for a good job. Ask around to find a good shop. The insurance adjusters usually know who is good and who isn't.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
2005

Hyundai had my Sonata painted 13 times, the place stripped it and it still went weird. How can they say they don't have a problem? I restored my '91 Caprice I will never buy a new car again ever! I have had it with them all.

Bob Nicholas
n/a - Victoria British Columbia
January 22, 2010