Taken from another post:

Having read the many and varying posts regarding the chipping on coupes I have been doing some research. It it obviously not a problem with everyone or any particular color, at least from what I was able to ascertain with our unscientific way of gathering info on here.

In any case last week I called R-M and spoke with some of their technical people and they told me they would do a little research and call me back. Instead of them calling me back I received a call from a chemist at BASF on Monday.

I explained to him what some of you were experiencing. He asked a lot of questions regarding the coupe and he too said he would get back with me.

Well late today he called me with a theory that sounds plausible, at least to me.

His theory is that the effect is caused by 3 seperate events.

1. The paint product used on the coupe, and many other new cars, is a new product that gets harder the more it is exposed to direct UV.

2. The cars are built, shipped and sold without ever having the opportunity to sit on a storage lot and simply "bake" in the sun and harden as most other cars would. In other words it is a hot product and is in a constant state of motion.
This alone will not cause the chipping problem to the extent some of you have described. It seems it is the 3rd event that MAY be causing the problem.

3. The addition of waxes, sealants, polishes, etc., are in his opinion the problem. The fact is most of them are petroleum based which may cause the chemicals to be absorbed by the paint and thereby not allow it to continue to harden properly. In other words the paint stays soft and may even become softer with the addition of petroleum based chemicals. His suggestion is to not put such products on the paint until it has had sufficient time to "cure" properly.

Now I am not a scientist and I have no statistical data to support anything regarding the information that I provided him. My information was simply relaying what many of you posted here and using that information this is what he came up with.

Maybe, just maybe this is the problem.

 

So when I'm going to buy a new car, I should ask the dealer to give me the one that's been sitting on their lot for some time, not the one just off the transporter.....

 

I never wax/polish/seal a car until it is a couple months old, some say that that isn't necessary since it has so much time to cure on the boat ride over, but I do it anyways, I then got a clear bra soon after I took delivery (so obviously I don;t have the problem b/c of that)

I wonder if it is true?

 

I always understood the problem to be common among all newer cars. I had the problem on my VW as well as my Z28, Ranger, and even a motorcycle. I understand that the manuf. are having to use a different type of paint to meet EPA requirements. Whether it is thinner or has a different base substance I do not know.

 

It makes sence. When I had my fender replaced at Nissan shop, I was told not to wax it for 3 or 4 months I guess. Because paint has to cure properly. And only do hand wash for that time.

Now, when we buy a car, nobody tell us not to wax it...

 

This is the part that really pisses me off! If you specifically tell the dealership not to wash your car, they will wash and wax the car when you take delivery as part of their SOP!!!

 

My car was built in October & I bought it in late December.....about two months of "cure" time. And I've only had 1 pinhead size paint chip. Maybe there is some truth to this thread.

 

I think every car forum has people complaining about "soft" paint, or paint chipping easily. I have a 2k2 Audi A4 and this was complained about their as well.

My personal opinion has to do with the environment, the rules and restrictions are leading to softer and easier chipping paint.

just my $.02

 

Ok here is the thing about paint "curing". There is no need to wait to wax your car coming from the factory. The paint on your car was cured without any plastic/rubber/vinyl or anything on it. They cure factory paint at about 350 degrees. This assures the paint is hard as nails when we get it. Now, if you get aftermarket paint, it is cured at a much lower temp do to the interior and tires you dont want to catch on fire. Therefore, wax away.. you are helping, not hurting!

 

Now arn't all these paint chips flying off our cars going to hurt the environment just as much as the chemicals that used to make paint good?

 

Actually its not the paint themselves that were the reason for the switch from solvent based paints to water based paints, it was the airborne polutants the solvent based paints created when they were being applied and dried that the EPA cracked down on. If anyone wants to fall asleep heres alot of info on the new water based paints http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/es/etb/cetc/c..._paints_e.html

As far as curing, these new water based paints are sprayed on semi-dry and quickly flash heated in an almost powder coating process thats much hotter than the old style solvent based heat cure. It doesnt seem there is much of a chance that time will make them significantly more stronger so I dont think waiting months to wash or wax is that big of an issue. Nissan was the first major company to adopt water based paints back in the 90s(their old Maxima brochures even brag about it ) and this has been an ongoing problem since then, they really cant be blamed its just sort of the nature of water based paints. In time car manufacturers will refine the process but for now factory car finishes will not be as strong as in the past.

 

So You're telling me, at least according to the BASF chemist, that by regularly waxing and always garaging my car, I am actually mistreating my paint and thereby propogating this paint chipping issue? I'll admit I don't obsess over the other cars in the family the way I do with the Z, but neither the Maxima nor the Xterra seem to suffer from this problem (oh right, maybe that is b/c no one takes care of them as meticulously as I care for the Z). The BASF guy might be on to something, but I don't think it exculpates Nissan at all.

 

think again....
http://www.maximapaint.com/

 

The chemist says that waxing may do harm if the paint has not been properly UV cured. Once its hardened, then you should be able to wax to your desire. He is saying that putting wax on during the curing process may cause a longer curing time.

 

....I stand corrected...So like I was saying the Xterra (my Mom's is bright yellow) has stood up pretty well.

So if it applies to Maximas as well then perhaps this is a problem endemic to Nissans. I don't really expect Nissan to step up and address this problem and I don't think it really detracts in the slightest from the amount of pleasure my Z brings me, it's just a tough pill to swallow. Truth is everyone on this board seems to be as **** about their Z as I am and any blemish that exists(un/justified or not) is source of endless frustration.

That said...I guess the obvious solution to paint chipping is to leave the Z outside and wax only every couple of months, or to stop being so obsessive.

 

5th gen Maximas (2000-2003) also have this paint chipping problem. I wonder if other Nissan/Infinitis have similiar problems...

 

Afr0puff,

so how do I know when the paint has cured?

 

According to the chemist, it's 6 months. But you would have to have your car parked outside for 6 months. It's next to impossible not to get a rock chip after the first couple of months. You would have to drive 2mph during those months if you did want to drive the car.

 

Put it in the garage at night and aim some UV lights at it all night. This would give you 24 hour UV exposure -- dramatically reducing that 6 month requirement.

UV lamps are inexpensive and a few (3 or 4) could be tripod mounted to hit the fascia, hood, and fenders.

You really gotta believe a chemist from BASF -- they manufacture ALL the nasty chemicals, paints, solvents, poisons, etc... Probably have some involvement with the UV hardened clearcoat thats on Nissans....

.....just an idea......

DR