Paint Problems - Honda Paint (civic)

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phimag512

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Hi Mike,
I have a lot of issues going on with my cars paint. I have a '06 Honda Civic Rallye Red, and the paint is peeling and oxidizing really bad on the roof and starting to fade on the sides. I've had the car for almost 11 years, and this started last year. I've been trying to just keep it clean and waxed, hoping to slow the process down, but I feel I'm losing.

Honda cars, especially the model/year I have, are having serious paint problems. There was an extended warranty put out for the years 2006-2011, however my color and VIN# doesn't fall under their parameters, even though it's doing the exact same thing as other Civics and models.

My question is, how do I stop this from getting worse? I know the easiest way is to just repaint it by a professional, but that would cost between $700-1000. And I'm not prepared do that. I've been watching a lot of videos on YouTube on wet sanding and polishing. However I know the defect is within the primer and color that Honda used and it looks like the clear coat has failed on the roof. So I don't know if it even makes sense for me to do this.

What I was going to attempt to do was, wash, clay, wet sand, compound/polish, and use 2K clear coat. I'm just hesitant to do this process on my car, especially since I don't have much experience with wet sanding and using the spray cans.

What do you suggest? I'm realm angry with Honda, I've contacted them several times but they are unwilling to help me. There are so many complaints online about this generation and other models with the same issue.

I will enclose photos later, I just wanted to get your thoughts on this.

Thank you,

PhilView attachment 57558View attachment 57559View attachment 57560View attachment 57561
 
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Sorry to hear that, Phil. Without pictures it's difficult to assess however if it is, in fact, clearcoat failure the last thing you want to do is wetsand or even compound it. Maybe a light polish. My personal approach based on your description is a full, wash, decon and maybe a cleaner wax to brighten up what's left and save up for a repaint if you want to keep it.
 
Hey Paul,
I just edited my post above with the photos included. Okay, so you think just polishing it a little. I've been using that Liquid Glass stuff as a wax/polish, but maybe i'll try to find something a little better on the polish side. Anything you recommend?
 
I've used Liquid Glass before and from my experience it seemed like more of a sealant type product and not really a "polish". Although there is nothing wrong with using it to protect.

Unfortunately that clearly looks like clearcoat failure and once it has gotten to that point it will most likely continue. Again, I would thoroughly wash and decon the paint and get it as clean and defect free as possible. Considering you are not going to repaint it now I would maybe polish the paint and then maybe lay down a coating to offer a more substantial and robust layer of protectant on what paint remains. One of my favorite paint "cleaners" is Duragloss 501. there are numerous coatings however I have found McKee's 37 coating very easy to apply.

Another approach I would consider is an AIO like HD Speed or McKee's 37 360. These AIO's are mildly abrasive and clean your paint in addition to leaving some protection behind. Using an AIO is simply one time around the car whereas the polish+coating is essentially twice around the car.

With either approach I would keep in mind your paint is not only thin but soft. I would probably test out a black or white LC pad with either approach.

Do you have a machine or are you doing this by hand?
 
Hey Paul,

I would be applying this by hand, I don't have a buffer, unfortunately. When you say "decon" the paint, are you speaking about decontaminating it with the clay bar?

I looked up both the Duraglass 501 and the McKee's 37. So I would use both of these or just one?
 
this is the main reason why i won't purchase another honda again, the paint quality sucks (though the engines are as solid as they come). sorry to hear about your frustration and lack of customer service from such a reputable brand. this may or may not help, here's a video i found among many on YT. i have yet to try this method so do so at your own risk...

 
Ya know, after watching that video VISITOR posted up I would certainly want to do that instead. That seems like an excellent video that goes step by step.

If you don't want to tackle respraying clear over the failed areas, doing a buff job by hand is a very tedious process and you never get the results a machine would give you. Even so, it's been done before but I would probably just do the AIO approach and go around the car once. You'd certainly brighten up the remaining clearcoat paint and get some sealant type protection on it until you get it repainted. By comparison, the DG501 and a coating session isn't that much more work but anything done by hand is a lot of work. I would wipe down the paint with an isopropyl alcohol/distilled water mix in a spray bottle before the coating for an inexpensive precaution but ideally I would use the McKee's Coating Prep product before applying the coating.

Better yet, tell us where you're located and maybe someone here local to you could give you some guidance.

(edit - oops, sorry, I left out an answer...By decontaminate I always do 2 things, a ferrous metal remover like Iron X and then a thorough clay bar effort. I NEVER run the risk of breaking any of that crap away from the paint and lodging it in my buffing pad or, in your case, hand pad).
 
Hey guys,

VISITOR - I'm absolutely pissed with HONDA, I'm definitely staying away from them. It's crazy, now that it happened to my car, whenever I drive by a civic, I see it! on all of them. I can't understand how they are getting away with it, and there is nothing anyone can do about it, UNLESS you happened to be within the 6 year period and it fell under your VIN number. Ridiculous.

Thanks for the video. I actually saw that one, and I thought about doing that technique. It looked like it really didn't get it perfect, however it did look nicer and that's where I got the idea for the "2k clear coat".

I'm located in Virginia Beach currently. One of the detail shops recommended I go to a body shop to get it repainted, because there wasn't really much I could do to restore it back to normal. I checked in with that shop and they wanted right under $800. That was just for the roof though. I got some minor issues happening on the spoiler and above the driver side window.

So it looks like the steps will be:
- alcohol/distilled water mix
- McKee's coating prep
- McKee's coating

Now what after that, I just hit it with the 2k clear coat, would that make it look better or do I have to wait for that McKee's stuff to cure?... I'm guessing, right?

or..
I have to choose one or the other?? Either polish it with the McKee's or go the road of sanding it and then clear coat.

Paul, thanks for explaining the decon process. I figured claying it had something to do with it.

I'll try to give it a shot next week maybe, the weather has been crazy around here lately with rain and I live in an apartment complex, so I don't have much wiggle room.
 
phimag512 said:
VISITOR - I'm absolutely pissed with HONDA, I'm definitely staying away from them. It's crazy, now that it happened to my car, whenever I drive by a civic, I see it! on all of them. I can't understand how they are getting away with it, and there is nothing anyone can do about it, UNLESS you happened to be within the 6 year period and it fell under your VIN number. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...

unfortunately, most every car that i see on the road in my neck of the woods that has clear coat failure is the honda civic and/or accord (most later models after 05'). while their paint quality may have improved over the years (maybe not), i'm not going to purchase another and have to worry about paint issues within a few years of owning it. also, most of their exterior designs are getting uglier...
 
VISITOR said:
unfortunately, most every car that i see on the road in my neck of the woods that has clear coat failure is the honda civic and/or accord (most later models after 05'). while their paint quality may have improved over the years (maybe not), i'm not going to purchase another and have to worry about paint issues within a few years of owning it. also, most of their exterior designs are getting uglier...
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That's the way it is in Florida, along with a lot of Acuras and Toyota Camry's and Corollas. My buddy bought a brand new Sti back in the late 2000's, after 18 months the roof near the windshield failed as did the trunk deck lid.
 
Not that this answers your questions but Think Honda cares about the clear coat on a 11 year old car ? They wish you would be on your third or forth new civic in that time frame not holding on to the one you got.

Car care is not the manufacturers responsibility just like they don't make you change your oil. Should you of course but you should also take care of the exterior too. Sure there are cases that they are handling like the recalled years and vins and that's probably because several people class acted against them it does not fit the normal NHTSA definition of a recall parameter

Could be wrong but I don't think any car company ford chevy dodge Toyota Kia etc would fix your paint on an 11 year old car just because your clear coat is starting to fail. 11 years is a long time with way too many variables


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
MattPersman said:
Not that this answers your questions but Think Honda cares about the clear coat on a 11 year old car ? They wish you would be on your third or forth new civic in that time frame not holding on to the one you got.

Car care is not the manufacturers responsibility just like they don't make you change your oil. Should you of course but you should also take care of the exterior too. Sure there are cases that they are handling like the recalled years and vins and that's probably because several people class acted against them it does not fit the normal NHTSA definition of a recall parameter

Could be wrong but I don't think any car company ford chevy dodge Toyota Kia etc would fix your paint on an 11 year old car just because your clear coat is starting to fail. 11 years is a long time with way too many variables


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

If they care about future sales, they better start paying attention to their ex-customers.
Clear coats should last a minimum of 5 years with no added protection. Light colors will last longer. I see Honda's in particular with cc failure before the five year mark.
 
Rsurfer said:
If they care about future sales, they better start paying attention to their ex-customers.
Clear coats should last a minimum of 5 years with no added protection. Light colors will last longer. I see Honda's in particular with cc failure before the five year mark.
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:dblthumb2::dblthumb2::dblthumb2:

My buddies Civic Si was a goldish color and like I posted earlier it flamed out at 18 months. They had to cover it under warranty but a repaint is never like from the factory. He ditched it 6 months later.
 
You don't buy a Honda because it has awesome paint, Honda's imo are still great cars and a great value. Any car that isn't maintained will have clear coat failure, gives you more reason to at least take care of the paint and protect it.

The new type r's are coming out too! I can assure you they aint buying the car for the paint especially not at 40k ish for a civic. :xyxthumbs:
 
I have not seen very many clearcoat failures on Hondas/Acuras in my area, by individuals that actually maintain their vehicles. There have been a few here and there, and I have seen them taken care of by the dealer. Granted, I am in NY, and the sun isn't as extreme, but you can totally tell the difference between someone who maintains the vehicle, vs someone who does not.

I have seen lots of clearcoat failures by people that DON'T maintain their vehicles, but honestly, at that point, it is clearly the least of their worries...

Like stated above, 11 years is a long time. I have had very good luck with my Acura TSX, as an 09 with 180K. My paint takes a beating with salt and sand in the winter. So far, no clearcoat issues...
 
I have been driving VWs since 1998 and been in the VW/Audi scene for years and years now. I never ever see clear coat failure on these cars. Maybe one in a great while but the paint holds up. Hard clear.
 
I think clear-coat longevity depends on where you live and how you maintain your vehicle.

My wife had a 1989 Honda CRX until she traded it in 2000 for a Honda Civic. Both cars paint were impeccable through their life time. The 2000 Honda Civic was sold privately in 2012 and we purchased a 2013 Honda Fit Sport. The 2013 Fit is now 4 years, has 60,000 miles and it completed a 6 day, cross-country 2700 mile trip from New Hampshire to Arizona. Aside from a few rock chips on the hood, she looks new. Regular maintenance, regular washing and good protection have held the paint in a near flawless condition in all of our Honda's.

Where you live plays a huge role in how much maintenance and what types of products should be used. Here in the Valley in Arizona, I see a lot of clear coat failure, unlike I've ever seen before. But that doesn't mean it's not preventable. Here is where I would prefer a coating over a sealant or wax. We need longevity of protection not from rain or snow, but 100+ temps and sun nearly 365 days a year. The CC just doesn't get a break.

Back to the OP... It appears that you have clear coat failure as others have said. You can try the DIY method, but I think for the time, energy and effort, if you really want the car to look great again, a reputable body shop would be the way to go.
 
phimag512 said:
So it looks like the steps will be:
- alcohol/distilled water mix
- McKee's coating prep
- McKee's coating

Now what after that, I just hit it with the 2k clear coat, would that make it look better or do I have to wait for that McKee's stuff to cure?... I'm guessing, right?

or..
I have to choose one or the other?? Either polish it with the McKee's or go the road of sanding it and then clear coat.
Click to expand...

No, it's one or the other. I like the clearcoat respray video that VISITOR posted up. It looks fairly straight forward and if you prep it right it would improve the looks of it. It takes some time to do it right but, again, and to me, it looks fairly easy. It won't be perfect but maybe better until you either decide to have a body shop repaint it or you sell it. If you don't have the desire or the confidence to try that video stuff and respray some clear yourself I would probably just clean the paint with a paint cleaner...either the AIO route or something like DG501 and a coating.

Again, if it were me, I would look at 3 (technically 4) options. 1. have it done by a pro body shop. I understand that's too expensive for you right now but that, in my opinion, might yield the best results. 2. Prep the damaged areas yourself, mask off the surrounding sections and respray some 2K clear yourself. Yup, takes some time and careful application but if I could get close to what it looked like in the video I'd be happier. 3a. Clean the paint with a good paint cleaner or a very mild polish, wipe the area with isopropyl alcohol mix, work it again with McKee's 37 coating prep and then apply the coating and be done with it. 3b. Use an AIO product or a good cleaner wax and be done with it.

I wasn't suggesting you combine step 3a with, then, 2. You can't apply anything to the paint and then paint it.

All of these are simply what I would consider doing and assuming you are planning to keep the Honda. I think I would personally want to try to dress it up a bit and especially after seeing that video. Lacking any confidence in trying that, I would probably want to clean the paint thoroughly and then get a good layer of protection on it.

Another consideration based on your experience with that Honda paint is to insure you get some protection on the entire car. If it failed in those areas it may spread, especially on the top panels...hood, more of the roof and rear deck lid. I would certainly be doing a thorough wash, decon and layer of protection on all of the paint to slow or prevent further degradation of that precious clearcoat and paint.
 
Not that this answers your questions but Think Honda cares about the clear coat on a 11 year old car ? They wish you would be on your third or forth new civic in that time frame not holding on to the one you got.
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Haha, definitely. I know they could care less. As Rsurfer said though, they might want to start thinking about it. There are enough people out there with this issue and have voiced their issues about it on consumer affairs and other sites. It will start to make consumers think a little harder about it. I know most people move through cars fairly quickly (3-6 years), I just try to hang on to mine for as long as I can. That's why I was alwasy religious about keeping it clean and protected. However it was only a matter of time before this started happening. 10 years was a good run in my book, I'm just dissapointed, but at least the car runs great still.

Again, if it were me, I would look at 3 (technically 4) options. 1. have it done by a pro body shop. I understand that's too expensive for you right now but that, in my opinion, might yield the best results. 2. Prep the damaged areas yourself, mask off the surrounding sections and respray some 2K clear yourself. Yup, takes some time and careful application but if I could get close to what it looked like in the video I'd be happier. 3a. Clean the paint with a good paint cleaner or a very mild polish, wipe the area with isopropyl alcohol mix, work it again with McKee's 37 coating prep and then apply the coating and be done with it. 3b. Use an AIO product or a good cleaner wax and be done with it.

I wasn't suggesting you combine step 3a with, then, 2. You can't apply anything to the paint and then paint it.
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Great, thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll think about what I need to do next. I know the body shop will get the best results, I'll probably aim for 2. or 3a. Thanks for your help.
 
Good luck and let us know. At the very least you will have done something yourself and that's something I enjoy. Plus you'll most likely save some hard earned cash as well!
 
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