Fit & Finish

[Guest]

My email is akreimer@rogers.com

[Missay]

besides the rust spot i have going, I don't have any problems w/ paint chips...maybe it's cause my car's been on the hgwy like a whole handful of times in a year since I started taking the train into boston..but who knows.

although, the original hood did have a lotta dings in it. luckily, i have a whole new hood from the accident so it's still smooth as a baby's bottom and it's almost been a year

[bkp_duke]

when my car was silverstream opalescent...the panels never seemed to match colors...maybe its just me but has any1 else noticed? L8r moe

if you are talkin about the car itself compared to the front and rear bumpers that make it look like diff colors that is because the bumpers are made of a diff material and it shows up as a diff color, noticeable in the sunlight...

I've got a 2000 V6 SLE and I actually got into a small accident involving the door. It was my original impressiont that the door bumpers were a different color b/c they faided somewhat over time, but the guys at the body shop (also a toyota dealer) said that the door strips actually had a slightly different color from the factory. In a nutshell they are made that way.

Amen on the paint chips. I'll probably get my hood and front bumper painted in 2 years or so just to get rid of all the chips. I've never noticed paint problems in my mom's and sister's Accuras. Toyota definitely needs to improve on this.

[pecora55]

i know that the front and rear bumpers are made of a diff material which isnt sheet metal so the color looks diff on it, i dont know about the rest...

[Flipside909]

the guys at the body shop (also a toyota dealer) said that the door strips actually had a slightly different color from the factory. In a nutshell they are made that way.

Paint color is different on those parts because of the flex additive added into the paint. As well as being painted on sheetmetal vs. polyurethane.

[edsolnj]

after my accident about 2 years ago, i was complaining to the auto shop guy about the chips, thinking it was the paint job they did after replacing the hood. he had nothing to say and appologized then had his guys put two coats on the hood.....and now instead of chips, i have craters. my car is silver, by the way. seems like every color has the problem though. maybe it's the hood and not the paint.

[Flipside909]

maybe it's the hood and not the paint.

Nope, it's the paint, not the hood. BTW, non factory paint is known to be not as durable as factory paint.

[edsolnj]

maybe it's the hood and not the paint.

Nope, it's the paint, not the hood. BTW, non factory paint is known to be not as durable as factory paint.

i think it was factory paint. at least i'd think so from a toyota auto shop.

[Yanks0114]

maybe it's the hood and not the paint.

Nope, it's the paint, not the hood. BTW, non factory paint is known to be not as durable as factory paint.

i think it was factory paint. at least i'd think so from a toyota auto shop.

Even if it was OEM paint, which chances are it wasn't, it wouldn't be considered a factory paint job. At the factory paint is either baked on or sprayed with a multistep process which is unmatched by most body shops.

[700t]

In 1998 Toyota started using an acid-resistant clearcoat paint @TMMC. So all Solaras have this paint but this paint is also somewhat soft and appearently tends to chip easily. This paint will resist the etching effects of acidic rain.
My prediction is that in 10 years time, Ist gen Solaras will still look great (paint wise) but will have numerous paint chips.
Try not to drive behind big trucks and/or don't let big trucks pass you to avoid getting chips.

[MNSolara]

i got a black solara sle and my frigin hood looks like swiss cheese if you get up close to it. CHIP city!!! my parents have 2 GM cars and there paint is still glossy and chip free after years and years. other than the paint though everything else is almost Lexus like in quality!

swiss cheese is the right word. i need a new bumper too.

Likewise...granted I have 104K in miles but all other vehicles I have had in the past have stood up much better...and the fake chrome job on the front grill is wearing off quite badly as well...although I've been meaning to change my front setup now that it's warmer out. A new bumper would be nice but is rather spendy...perhaps it's time to make a trip to some local junk yards to see what I can find however.