[jimrws6]

My son has a 2002 Firebird that has had the front fascia replaced/repainted. The replacement paint is not holding up to the minor debris/rocks that hit the front end as you go down the road. Paint seems to chip easily. Local Pontiac dealer claims there is not a way to recreate the durability of the facotry paint. Anyone know of the best paint/application procedure to creat a durable finish?

[jimrws6]

My son has a 2002 Firebird that has had the front fascia replaced/repainted. The replacement paint is not holding up to the minor debris/rocks that hit the front end as you go down the road. Paint seems to chip easily. Local Pontiac dealer claims there is not a way to recreate the durability of the facotry paint. Anyone know of the best paint/application procedure to creat a durable finish?

[T/A 70]

Yes factory paint is especially tough as the heat applied during the process bakes it but good. Nothing will prevent chips from stones and such from driving but a good quality urethane with flex added will be your best bet on that facia. Still, touching up now and then or a repaint every few years may be needed.

[steveopolus]

The problem with paint chipping lies in the base coat. Base coat drys hard and brittle and relies on the clear as a protectant.When a paint chip happens, it usually takes the base off along with clear. However, if the base coat remains softer and more pliable it is more likely to "give" than chip off. I am surprised the Pontiac dealer had no suggestions for you, as the correction is to put a small amount of clear hardener in the base coat. GM mandates this for repairs under warranty. PPG and Sherwin Williams have bulletins posted on this procedure. Add about 1 ounce of urethane clear hardener to sprayable quart of base. I know you are thinking that the hardener will make the base harder, but just the opposite happens.There is no chemical in the base to react with the hardener to set it off. If you have ever felt hardener in your hand, it is like corn syrup. The hardener actually keeps the base from drying brittle and keeps it "soft" to absorb a stone impact instead of chipping off. The fascia will need to stripped of all old paint and primer, primed with flex additive in the urethane primer, urethane hardener added to the base, and flex additive to the clear. There is no procedure that will stop all stone chips, even the factory applied, but this procedure works very well to keep it to a minimum. Hope this helps you.

[jimrws6]

Thanks for the expert advise guys! Jimmy