# Clear coat damage **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** damage\ **Created:** [March 13, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761 "2008-03-13T19:27:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Neills](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dfb087/32.png) [@Neills](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Neills)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/1 "2008-03-13T19:27:55Z")
The clear coat on the roof and trunk lid of my 1999 VW Passat is peeling. I have already had the hood repainted. Is there any remedy besides expensive stripping, repainting the base coat and clear coating? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/2 "2008-03-13T19:53:39Z")
Nope. Sorry. If the adhesion between the layers is failing, any treatment of the top layer will be ineffective. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/3 "2008-03-14T01:52:30Z")
It’s not worth fixing. No offense but $$ wise it is not. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/4 "2008-03-14T03:53:15Z")
Nope. Clear has to be applied to the base color coat within a particular time frame or it won’t properly bond. Once the bond is gone, no point in putting more expensive paint on it just to peel off again. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/5 "2008-03-14T10:34:32Z")
where did you go to get a price? the dealership? try a local body shop/ they can take the trunk deck off the car and do it right inside the shop. im thinking the price would be around 300 or so, to strip and repaint and clear coat. but, if the hood did it, the trunk is doing it, then…the whole car is next; nowhutimean? ---
**Author:** ![Neills](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dfb087/32.png) [@Neills](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Neills)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/6 "2008-03-14T18:48:13Z")
Thank you for your reply. Another question: Is there any easy and safe way to remove the flaking clear coat without damaging the base coat? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/7 "2008-03-14T18:53:25Z")
This might sound dumb, but have to tried waxing your car? Some clear coat blemishes can be well hidden by a good thick layer of wax. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/8 "2008-03-14T20:47:46Z")
No. Like I said the color base and the clear are a two part paint system designed to be used together. Once the base is exposed, you need to start over with new base and clear applied within the proper time frame (like several hours). You need to strip it to a sound base, either the primer coat or bare metal and start over. Failing to do that will just cause more money to be spent on a surface that will only start to flake again on you and you’ll be back to square one. The standard charge around here is $150 per panel painted including the prep. If you wanted to save some money you could rent an angle sander and prep it yourself so all the body shop needs to do is shoot the paint. Try an independent shop and see what they say. Back in the 60’s I got a whole Morris Minor painted for $20 that way. I did all the prep and taping and they just sprayed it. Of course paint was only $5 a quart then instead of $120 now. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/9 "2008-03-14T22:29:50Z")
what exactly are you looking for? are you looking for a cheap, quicky way to hide (for a while) the peeling clear coat, or… do you want an “as new” finish? if you want cheap, go to the hardware store and get a couple sheets of 1200 grit (yes that is 1200 grit, NOT 120 grit) sandpaper, and a can of krylon clear acrylic spray paint. flake off the edges of the peel, wet sand the edges into the center of the peeled area of the peeling clear coat. and lightly spray on the clear acrylic.(two or three light coats are better than one runny one. before painting mask off the sides and the windshield so you dont get overspray all over the rest of the car. this will partially solve the flaking problem, but it will kill your resale value, and a professional will KNOW what you have done. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat-damage/11761/10 "2008-03-15T02:32:43Z")
Before you do this I would check with some shops first. If anybody came into my shop wanting my techs to paint their prep work I will respectfully turn them away. Poor prep work will always make a great refinish job poor. And no amount of warning to the customer or disclaimers on the invoice will make an unhappy customer happy again. If the customer is unhappy then he will complain to all his buddys and leave out the part of his crappy prep job. IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALITY!!!