scratch resistance

V

VT_Don

Forgive me if this has been addressed before, but I couldn't find an answer by searching.

I'll be taking delivery of a new, fiberglass body in a couple weeks. Have read here about the need to complete cure in direct sun before starting work. Question is regarding scratch resistance of SPI clear coats. The 4WD vehicle will be well used for many years to come. Enjoy accessing remote fishing & hunting spots reached by overgrown logging roads. Finish will be subjected to brush, overhanging limbs, and lots of mud. Also plan to use it exploring the desert Southwest. May likely be encrusted with layers of dirt for a month at time.

I'm not so concerned of a show quality appearance as a clearcoat that is durable. I NEVER want to have to repaint. Have read about such coatings with claims of unique, nano technology. Am appealing to FIRST HAND, LONG TERM experience here, will I be happy with an SPI clear coat?
 
If your not overly concerned with appearance then spray it with bedliner. Won't be pretty but who wants a pretty mudder?
 
Welcome to the forums!

Some OEMs have deployed self-healing clears, but I don't know if they are available in the aftermarket.
I don't know of any customers who have intentionally abused their vehicle the way you intend, but the long term normal use scenarios for the SPI Euro 5000 I use have been very good in terms of gloss holdout, chip resistance, scratch resistance, etc. The Euro is the SPI clear I would use for your application. The way the body is prepped will affect chip resistance as well, I'd recommend epoxy only for the primer and surfacer, and a high coverage color that won't excessively weaken the finish with a high build of basecoat. In fact, you might want to consider a single stage color followed by clear.

I'd love to check out links to the other products you are considering!
 
crashtech, sincere thanks for the honest feedback. I plan to use the SPI epoxy primer. But I can also use it as a high build surfacer too? What would I gain by a SS followed by clear over a base coat,clear coat system?

Here is an option that has caught my attention.
http://www.motostorm.com/gpage5.html
 
no, your not going to be happy with any product because of what you intend to do with the vehicle . in a short time it is going to be a beat up scratched up mess . bed liner would be your best bet but even it will end up the same way. there is only so much abuse any product meant to refinish can withstand. plan on a fresh coat every couple of years.
 
"I NEVER want to have to repaint" It sounds as though you are looking for a paint product that can be subjected to extreme abuse, yet not scratch, or show rock chips! Any painted product subjected to that type of abuse, with brush running down the side of it etc, will not hold up. As great as I believe SPI paint products to be, not even SPI Paint Products will hold up to the type of abuse you intend to subject them to. If you do find a paint product that will endure all that punishment, please post it for us all. I think you want the great look of paint that will endure anything you subject it to, but that's just not reality. I agree with the others, you probably should be looking more at just going with a bed liner for the durability part of it all. And over time, that too will need to be re-done if your expecting it to always look new. Good Luck!
 
Shine, for what it's worth, I am very pleased with the durability Polane and 30 year old Imron paint jobs I currently have. If SPI is better, fantastic, I'm a customer. If not, I need to know that before proceeding. Again, I'm looking for FIRST HAND, LONG TERM experience, not opinion or those seeking to boost their post count with non sensical, frivolous comments.
 
you asked i told you. no paint is going to hold up to what you described . bedliner would come closest . but since you've shot imron you are the expert here not me. and for the record i have used every type paint since nitrocellulose lacquer including the first imron line they introduced. good luck finding a urethane that will not scratch .
 
There do exist urethane clears which contain "self healing" microspheres of resin, some of which burst upon being scratched, releasing their contents into the scratch and helping to minimize the appearance of damage. But I don't know anybody who uses one of these clears that can corroborate whether they are as wonderful and durable as the linked site makes them seem. Companies get away with lying all the time.

The reason I stay with SPI clears is because the evidence is in front of my eyes. I've seen clears from PPG, for example, fail long before SPI. For me the jury is still out on how long SPI clear will last. I have some jobs out there that are 7 years in the desert sun and harsh snowy winters, still looking great.
 
Actually, I'm serious. Plastidip has a spray on coating that you can peel off. But, it only lasts 3 years. I still think bedliner is the way to go.
 
Sherwin Williams has a self healing clear(SRC2 clearcoat) ,seen demo on a black panel scuffed with grey scotch brite and then a heat gun. Scratches disappeared with heat. Pretty cool stuff, but pricey. With that being said , I just started using Euro 5000(4 gallons in the last couple months) and now some universal. Spi is my go to clear for the price and performance. I keep some SW hpc 21 on hand for brand new cars (2012 & newer) that I'm worried about warranty. Not sure it's necessary ,Spi seems to be pretty hard to beat.
I just have a bad taste in my mouth after having some ppg clears fail a few years back, costing a bunch for redos. I'm hoping the Spi clears last longer than 4-5 years or I'll be in trouble. From what crashtech and others have said(as far as lasting at least 7 years) , I'm think I'll be fine.
 
Kinda like painting the inside of a cement truck..... Just how much abuse is this going to see and how nice do you want it to look forever?
 
if you want a paint that is the most durable go with awlgrip. its a pia to apply but by far the most durable of any coating i have used and the stuff looks super wet. its a marine product. they use it on hulls, bilges, engine rooms etc. way more durable than imron ever was and glossier as well. with all that said, any paint will scratch.
 
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