Extra Clearcoat. Would You Buy It As A Factory Applied Option?

oldmodman

oldmodman

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If there was box on the order form for a second and third coat of clear coat, along with fancy wheels, heated seats and so on, would you order it?

And how much would it be worth to you?

Automobile manufacturers are always looking for a new, easy profit center. Maybe we could get them to offer it. I doubt that it would cost them more than an extra twenty bucks a car.

I would be willing to pay an extra $250.00 per extra applied coat. Imagine being able to wet sand and perfect a new car to show car perfection and know that there was still double the protective clear coat that any other new car has stock.
 
I would buy it if it was a couple hundred for a coat, but I'd be doubtful of something like that happening, at least for an reasonable price. I would just assume that the cost of the product, as well as the cost of storing the car for the extra clear coat to dry would be reason for manufacturers to charge more. Hopefully I'm wrong though, and we would see that in the future!
 
It really depends on the car I was buying and purpose.

A daily commuter bought for pure efficiency, probably not.

A nice sports car/truck/luxury car definitely would love the option up to about 2-300 a coat and would add prob extra 2 coats.

However from production stand point I think they would charge around 1-1500 a coat due to the extra tracking and special attention needed at manufacturing. I think it would add to the wait time for delivery. They could not mass produce them as in guessing at how many would be sold with each option. Take the Chevy COPO's for example many options but with a price tag of almost double the price of a SS offered.

But high end production cars should have this option.
 
Interesting proposal. I would but i bet there aren't many consumers who would. Think of how much we are in the minority. We do what we do because 99% of the planet's population really doesn't care and the few that do are either us or come to us.

Not down playing the idea at all. Again, i would absolutely pay for more factory clear as long as it doesn't diminish the color coat.
 
For a couple of hundred more, I would definitely opt for it.
 
It would never happen. Most people don't even know what clear coat is, no less have any interest in polishing a car. The average person who buys a new car drives it for a few years until it gets ratty looking, then trades it in because the want a new looking car again.
 
I would.

I would also like the option for the PPG Ceramiclear.

One of my recent Mercedes-Benz customers ordered his new MB from the dealer and at that time with my recommendation ordered it with the optional PPG Ceramiclear finish for an extra $800.00.

To me that was a wise move and I would do the same.

I love the Ceramiclear paints and having this paint system and an extra thickness of the fumed mica would be cool if it's possible. Not sure the technology works like this though....


Now the question is.....


Are there any reps from the major car manufacturers reading our forum?


:dunno:
 
swanicyouth said:
It would never happen. Most people don't even know what clear coat is, no less have any interest in polishing a car.

The average person who buys a new car drives it for a few years until it gets ratty looking, then trades it in because the want a new looking car again.
Click to expand...


:iagree: What he said....



Kind of goes with my article,


The difference between a swirl and squirrel




And your description of people's habits is why for most people, a new car is like a Bic Lighter in that they are simply disposable.

Buy it, drive it, in a few years trade it in.


:laughing:
 
i know rolls royce use to put 12 coats on their cars, not sure if they still do.
id pay the extra, no question. my work van is already down to 90 microns in places, theres not a whole lot left to polish! ;-)
 
Maybe the paint suppliers may swing more weight than us lowly detailers with the vehicle manufacturers! Gotta be a paint supplier rep here within the kazillions of members!
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I would.

I would also like the option for the PPG Ceramiclear.

One of my recent Mercedes-Benz customers ordered his new MB from the dealer and at that time with my recommendation ordered it with the optional PPG Ceramiclear finish for an extra $800.00.

To me that was a wise move and I would do the same.

I love the Ceramiclear paints and having this paint system and an extra thickness of the fumed mica would be cool if it's possible. Not sure the technology works like this though....


Now the question is.....


Are there any reps from the major car manufacturers reading our forum?


:dunno:
Click to expand...

I'm surprised to hear you say that. I understood Ceramiclear to be sometimes difficult to correct (hard) and that much of the UV protection is in the uppermost area of the paint - so once it's gone, it's gone for good. Maybe I'm wrong.

I'm guessing it's more scratch resistant, so theoretically it would require less frequent polishing. Of course, your recommendation may have been to someone with no interest in ever polishing paint or detailing their car - giving them Ceramiclear may be the best option for them.
 
Heck yeah I would buy it, assuming they would sand the orange peel out. I would hate to pick up a new car with orange peel. I know that most would just sand, cut, and buff it out but since I don't have the experience with sanding (or rotary application, for that matter), I would want it to come from the factory perfect.

But yes, to answer your question, I would buy it, and probably pay a few hundred (or more) for the option.
 
•I can imagine the re-tooling of an OEM's paint kitchen, in order to accommodate such a feat, would be in the millions upon millions of USD.

•Of course this doesn't count the paint manufacturers R&D to find the correct chemistry to where extra layers of CC-paint will successfully adhere to the first BC/CC-paints combination.

•By the first BC/CC-paints combination I'm referring to the BC now being used in many OEM factories is water-based...CC is still, for the time being, mostly a 'urethane'.

•During the paint processes:
-The BC's solvent (water) is allowed to outgas...
-With the BC not becoming totally heat-cured (tacky wet)...
-And the "wet CC" is then sprayed on the "wet BC".

•This BC/CC-paints combination must then cure together, as one:
-To ensure and optimize their adhesion.
-Again: The two chemistries must cure simultaneously!

•How, then, to ensure and optimize the adhesion between any additional layers of "wet CC"...and the already cured BC/CC...can be the deal breaker, or not.

•Money talks.
-But here we're talking BIG MONEY!!

•If these dreams of extra layers of CC-paint would come true:
OEMs just charging ~$200 USD per extra CC-paint layer is probably another dream---nightmarish in nature though.

•Shoot...
I'd be happy if they would see fit to spray at least a couple more microns of the CC!!


Bob
 
I doubt that option would be a couple of hundred bucks. I am thinking more in the thousands.

Also, don't remember to much but could definitely find it out with a couple of calls lol

From what I remember having to much sprayed CC could be bad too, because it could begin to crack. (not sure if having it baked would make a difference)

Also, Show cars that get painted with extra CC get sanded down to remove all the orange peel so in the end they do have a normal amount of resprayed CC because it got sanded down.

So the whole car sprayed with extra CC
then sanded down to mirror finish (zero orange peel)
for a couple of hundred bucks? Doesn't sound right, but could be wrong....
 
Assuming the science lined up behind it, then yes, I'd pay $500 for an extra coat :xyxthumbs:
 
Few a hundreds dollars more for extra clearcoat"skin" i would certainly buy it
 
I heard maclarens come with extra clear, though too rich for my blood
 
Semi-related question: Would would it entail (and cost) to have a reputable body shop add several layers of clear to a brand new vehicle just delivered from the factory?
 
hernandez.art13 said:
I doubt that option would be a couple of hundred bucks. I am thinking more in the thousands.
Click to expand...

exactly.

i own one car and have another coming that both have line items for picking colors other than white/black/red.

one was $720, another over $500. they are both gray metallics.

the volume of people who tick those boxes for colors other than the base is pretty high and they still greatly overcharge. for a low volume, obscure option like extra clear, it'd be much more, esp. if you factor in materials and production changes/time, two things that they don't really need to factor with most color options (unless it's a metallic with tinted clear or something wacky).

the only thing i can think of is if they called it something else and added it into a package with glass coating or something(s). they could charge $3000 and possibly get away with it. of course i am looking at this in light of, say, a 55-95k car purchase price.

Mike, out of curiosity, which Benz in particular offered Ceramiclear as an option? was it part of the designo options?? my car came with it by default but that might be because it's AMG.
 
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