Clear Coat issues...

[MHRookie]

2003 Monaco Dynasty.. what did you do to fix it??

Starting to get a few areas (softball size) of clear coat peeling off coach.  Top rear cap both sides have a few basketball size spots.  Coach has a few area of the glass checking issues but not terrible.

Can’t seem to find the person to just quote a full clear...  last quote to repaint.... well that’s not gonna happen.

Thanks for ur time..

Kurt 

[Bob Nodine]

2 hours ago, armstrong1869@gmail.com said:

2003 Monaco Dynasty.. what did you do to fix it??

Starting to get a few areas (softball size) of clear coat peeling off coach.  Top rear cap both sides have a few basketball size spots.  Coach has a few area of the glass checking issues but not terrible.

Can’t seem to find the person to just quote a full clear...  last quote to repaint.... well that’s not gonna happen.

Thanks for ur time..

Kurt 

Kurt,

It is next to impossible to just paint more clearcoat and have a decent job. First you have to get all the loose clearcoat off back to where the finish is stable. You then need to feather edge the old clearcoat and that is where the problem comes in. I have not been able to do that without sanding thru the basecoat of paint. In my opinion the best job will happen with a lot of sanding and then a coat of primer over the entire area including what is left of the old clearcoat. Then a new coat of the base color and then a new coat of clear. There needs to be a break where the rework can stop like a different color of paint or the roof itself. Here are some photos I took when repainting our rear cap.

[Ivan K]

There's no good easy way to do invisible spot repair with clear coat. No matter what, the repair will show up sooner or later in contrast to the old clear. There are melting thinners in a can that help to mend the new clear into an old one that make it look better after buffing out the transition but you are still better off to spray the whole area between body lines where the border will get somewhat hidden to an eye. The faded base coat will still be visible if you don't respray it also. The prep labor takes more time than spraying it. The thing is that if you just 'fix' one little spot, an other one will show up soon anyway in those sun blasted areas. If you can live with it, you can use a clear coat can, just pick one that is made up of two parts, like from an auto refinishing shop, even online. Don't expect an invisible repair and you may have to kill the new shine a little to mach it too. Still better than 'bold spots' after the sun eats the base coat too.

[MHRookie]

3 hours ago, Bob Nodine said:

Kurt,

It is next to impossible to just paint more clearcoat and have a decent job. First you have to get all the loose clearcoat off back to where the finish is stable. You then need to feather edge the old clearcoat and that is where the problem comes in. I have not been able to do that without sanding thru the basecoat of paint. In my opinion the best job will happen with a lot of sanding and then a coat of primer over the entire area including what is left of the old clearcoat. Then a new coat of the base color and then a new coat of clear. There needs to be a break where the rework can stop like a different color of paint or the roof itself. Here are some photos I took when repainting our rear cap.

Bob - I could tackle that part.  The few spots on the sides of the coach is a different story.  Thanks for sharing.

 

Ivan - i agree.... fix one spot then others show up.  I really like my coach just can’t quite get over the $25,000.00 paint quote.

Edited October 18, 2020 by armstrong1869@gmail.com

[6Wheels]

If I had my 'druthers there would be only one color on my coach, or maybe one above and one below the bay doors.  Every time a paint repair is done it costs thousands.  If only one color was involved it would cost hundreds.  Who came up with the current design so prevalent these days anyway?

[Bob Nodine]

On 10/19/2020 at 7:30 AM, 6Wheels said:

If I had my 'druthers there would be only one color on my coach, or maybe one above and one below the bay doors.  Every time a paint repair is done it costs thousands.  If only one color was involved it would cost hundreds.  Who came up with the current design so prevalent these days anyway?

Even a single color paint job on a large RV will be over $10,000. There is a lot of labor involved and contamination issues can be a problem. After the clearcoat is applied there is quite a bit of sanding that takes place before the finish is buffed to a mirror like finish we have become accustomed to. In May of 2019 we toured a shop in Indiana that specializes in painting RV's for manufactures. Many of the factories in Indiana do not do their own paint jobs. I was curious about the process and asked the guy giving the tour about how they achieved the mirror finish on the coaches. Here is what he told me. Before they lay the clearcoat they sand the finish with 320 grit. After spraying the clearcoat they dry sand with 1500 grit, then dry sand with 2000 grit, then wet sand with 3000 grit. Next they polish with a compound mixture and finally buff out with polish. All this work is just for the clearcoat. If you bring in a used motorhome there will be more prep than with a new unit. I suppose if you just spray a coat of enamel on the coach and there is no clearcoat involved like the old days then you could do it for less than $1000 in Mexico. I remember those days in my Dad's body shop and we had to buff that enamel for a long time with compound before we got a decent shine. I know many like the clearcoat process but at least with the enamel or lacquer you didn't have the peeling to deal with. If the paint faded you could usually buff it out again.

 

[6Wheels]

Of course if the whole coach is involved there is more prep, but if you hit a "goal post" at the fueling station all you might need is a new bay door and some paint in that area.  4 colors means more work and material.  $3,800 worth in my case.  The tech said he could do it for $2,100 with only one color.

[Moonwink]

I have no idea what the situation at the border is but just across it from Yuma in Algodones Mexico, there's a shop called "Navarros Shop" that I've heard many good comments about.  USA phone numbers:  (928)329-8906/(928)328-1114.  They have good reviews and great prices from what I've heard.  No website but you can find them on FB:  https://www.facebook.com/navarrosdobyshop  A couple of Trek owners had their MHs painted there and highly recommend them.

[rvingstuff]

YUP!!!  I'm also a receiver of these "spots." But mine are much bigger. Basically the ENTIRE top and parts of the front cap. So... mine is worse.

Any recommendation for this type of QUALITY and LASTING work in the San Diego or Riverside County areas of Southern California? PLEASE, only recommendation that YOU PERSONALLY have knowledge of their work and lasting quality.

THANKS!!!

 

[Admirial RVr]

Currious, has anyone considered repainting just the roof line and end caps down to clearance lights white. What kind of paint is used on large boats ? Would I end up with the same problem again in time? Would the prep work be the same with a different paint and color.

Don T.

[Ivan K]

In my opinion, white/light color would be longest lasting because of the heat reflection, if done with a quality paint. Don't know about boat paint difference but look at high end light color cars looking good after many years compared to dark ones. The prep is the same regardless of color, you just have to be careful not to sand or scuff past the edge. Having said that, light colors are more forgiving to lousy prep than black which is the worst in making imperfection visible.