Found out last week that most modern clear coats are only rated for about 5-7 years of UV exposure

Was reading through some paint tech sheets from Sherwin-Williams and stumbled on this. Always figured a good paint job would last a decade or more if you took care of it. But apparently even the factory stuff starts breaking down after year 5 depending on where you live. I'm in Phoenix so that explains why my 2016 truck's roof is already looking chalky. Has anyone else noticed their clear coat failing way earlier than they expected?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnson.faith2d ago

I heard a body shop guy say that modern water based paints just don't bond as well as the old solvent based stuff, which lines up with what you're seeing.

reese_nelson2d ago

Wait, did your buddy say the clear coat started peeling on his new paint job after like 6 months? Had a friend who got his truck repainted and it flaked off in chunks after a year, shop blamed the water-based stuff.

richard_anderson1d ago

Bet the shop just wanted an excuse to avoid fixing it right. Quality prep work matters way more than the paint type.