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Dodge Paint

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Anyone out there has any recent experience challenging the factory on this S*&^&y paint that coats our trucks? Beyond me why They would build such an awesome machine then put a micron of fingernail polish on it instead of paint. It chips just looking at it.
The tire care that I spray on my tires has splattered up onto the rear fiberglass wheel wells and stained them???? Even bird crap leaves permanent stains?????? this really has me PO'd.
I had a 93' Dodge van that had the same crappy paint.
What if anything can be done to remove the stains?

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01' 3500 QC LWB, Auto, 4:10, 24 Valve Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel
2000 Dutchman Travel Trailer
1996 Harley-Davidson FLHR
 
Buff,
I just returned from a trip to Alaska and picked up a large stone chip right above my headlight. I was suprised how thick the paint was. I'd say it was nearly 1/64 of an inch. What color is your paint, and what kind of stain is it that you have. My truck is a 98. 5 and I have been very impressed with my paint.
Oh, by the way, you can't say **** like S*&^&y on this board.
Have a good one.
Arlan

[This message has been edited by arlan (edited 07-30-2000). ]
 
Buff I have to agree with you about the fragle paint. I have a '95 two tone emerald green / driftwood. I found from the start that the paint scratches very easily. For this reason I only hand wash the truck. If I go to the car wash I only high pressure wash to get the heavy crud buildup off the paint and wheel wells.
I have had good luck using Meguires professional line of products (#00 or #62 wash shampoo, #9 polish/swirl remover, and #26 yellow wax) The # 9 does a decent job of removing fine scratches that show pretty well on the emerald green. The #9 is a mild abrasive polish and dosn't do very well on the heavier scratches, but I've been hesitant on using any more of any abrasive polish or rubbing compound on the delicate clear coat finish. I have been thinking of calling Meguires 800 number and talk to them about possible better options to help remove scratches and swirl marks from our delicate paint. Anyone out there have suggestions? Also anyone have suggestions for a wax job that will last? The #26 yellow wax is about the best I've come across so far.
Back to the paint question. I approached the dealer about how my truck would get scratches if you just looked at it wrong. Asked if there was some kind of paint defect. As you can imagine I was told there was not a thing wrong with the paint, "that's normal". Not satisfied with this answer I went to a body shop. They agreed, said a clear coat paint job will look nice, but the trade off is that it will show scratches easily, especially on the dark colors.
This spring when I washed my truck after winter driving I found a few spots of the driftwood that looked like the paint had flaked off and also noticed a lot of what appears to be small spots of surface rust on the paint. At first I thought it was from rock chips, but some of the rust spots are on areas of paint where there are no visible chips or damage to the paint coating. Anyone else having this problem? I have also noticed surface rust all over the chrome on the factory wheels and bumpers.
 
I agree the paint on our trucks is not the best, the 1st week I had my truck I had a rock hit the right upper side of my bed, and sure enuff i had a chip, right down to the White Primer, boy was I hot. I figured Dodge would use some common sense and use a dark prime... but not the case. Right now am in the middle of repairing these chips. , Heres how am doing it... 1st I clean out the chipped area with some Wax and Grease remover, next I mix up some Dupont Chroma-one paint, the touch-up paint you buy in stores i found doesn't cut it. After it dries I take a razor blade and cut down the high spots. Then take 2000 grit sand paper and blend in the new with old. I take some rubbing compound to bring back the shine followed up with a polishing compound and then a good wax. Its not a perfect match but its better then the White primer showing ... ... JB

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99 Black/Agate, Quad,Long bed,4x4, SLT,Auto,HX-40 16cm2 & ATS Exhaust manifold treated to Jet-Hot 2000(Gray),DD stage 3 injectors,4 wire Blue Box,"True" 5 Jet-Hot Coated 5 inch exhaust from turbo to Tailpipe(Over the Axle),Borla Shoot-out Muffler,Suncoast converter, BD valve body and pressure-loc,Mag-Hytec trans pan,Amsoil ATF-4,Mobil Super Delvac 1300,fuel line up-grade from lift pump to filter and from filter to injection pump,Auto meter Ultra lite gauges:Boost,EGT,Fuel Pressure,Trans Temp, Valentine 1, EZ-pass
 
1tuff

Am using Zaino brothers on my truck. They advertised that it would remove squirls and light scratches. I was very sceptical but plunked down the dough and i was really impressed. My truck was hammered from the " so called" detail shop the dealer had it prepped at... i wished they would have never touched the darn thing. I used the zaino system and been happy ever since... I am not a dealer and have nothing to gain, jus trying to help out... Zainobros.com... . JB
 
Originally posted by arlan:
"Oh, by the way, you can't say **** like S*&^&y on this board. "

ROFLMAO!!!!!!! Good One!!!


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Bill Lins Wharton, TX 98 2500 QC SLT,12 (the CORRECT # of)valves,NV4500,3. 54 LSD,Manik grille guard,Psychotty Air,Amsoil everywhere, Reading aluminum utility body and bumper,Optima yellow tops- silencer ring, cat,& muffler all stolen.
 
I drove exactly 19 miles on a gravel road. When I got home and washed the truck, I found I'd taken about 10% of the paint off of the rocker panels! (Black truck, white primer- go figure) I wasn't thinkin' about the paint at the time, just happy the 4wd was working so well.

After checking my warranty info, which told me chips weren't covered, I decided not to bother the dealer. They've been good to me about everything else. I was going to have a bedliner sprayed on the rocker panels before winter sets in. Anyone tried that? I hear a good company can match colors.



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-Adam
adam_farnham@yahoo.com
'01 2500 ETH DEE, 4wd, 3. 54 X-spin rear, black, with lighting, camper special, snow plow, trailer tow pkgs, SLT group, Walker Airsep and brake controller
 
Adam, DaveB had the rockers on his black Ram sprayed with Line-X and then painted aferwards. It looks very nice... and it's darn near indestructible.

As for the swirl marks in my BLACK Sport; I use the Machine Polish & Wax Kit (#11119) from Griot's Garage ( www.griotsgarage.com ). This machine polishing kit utilizes foam pads in conjuction with any/all three of their Machine Polishes instead of the old style terry cloth bonnets and polishing compound. Even their Best Of Show (liquid) wax can be applied with the random orbital. After using this system, I have NO swirls! #ad
It is also VERY easy to obtain excellent results.

Recently, I purchased Zymol/BHMA (Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories... www.beverlyhillsmotoring.com ) Platinum wax (#ZYM180) for my Ram although, I haven't had a chance to wax my entire Ram yet. I tried it on the hood and it looked awesome! Talk about EXPENSIVE though! #ad


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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4 Sport, Glasstite Vision II, 285 BFG A/Ts on M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares & tow hooks, NW Custom s/s-rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover & trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, Reese Titan V hitch, VDO Vision gauges, '00 Sport grille & valve cover, '00 Sport headlights/PIAA Super White bulbs, PIAA Dual Sport 900 aux. lights, BD exh. brake and TorqLoc, Prime-Loc, Bosch 275s, VA CPC, DD Boost Module, Banks Stinger wastegate actuator, ATS exh. man. , Banks 4" dia. s/s exh. sys. , BD V10/Cummins hybrid TC & valve body, BD trans. front pump & PressureLoc, Air Bulldog induction hood (with NACA ducts), plus MANY other trick modifications
 
Thanks for all the replys. I chose the bright white paint as here in the golden state the S%$t ( gotta watch my language) that falls out of the sky will coat your entire truck in less than a day. My wifes car is black - was that a mistake!
I have used a number of the differant waxes and cleaners, nothing seems to be able to get the scratches off. I had the garden hose hanging over the side of the bed as I was washing the roof and it scuffed the fiberglass wheel wells to the point that I can't get the marks off. Like I said, I had a white van also and the paint on it was a joke. Maybe its in the white paint? Anyhow, I'm not going to let it slide like I did on the van. At 1/2 the price of a new home
( well maybe not here in the granola state) the paint should be damn near bullet proof.

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01' 3500 QC LWB, Auto, 4:10, 24 Valve Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel
2000 Dutchman Travel Trailer
1996 Harley-Davidson FLHR
 
You guys still have paint to worry about #ad
. The inside box is almost scratched enough to be considered ready for the spray-in. BTW - How do you all like the way the tailgate is higher than the bed when opened so as you slide stuff out you wack the tailgate and scrape the paint off #ad
 
My truck that is less than 5 months old already has scores of little scratches and a few rock chips. But a couple weeks ago when washing it, I was horrified to see several small chunks of paint fly right off in front of my eyes!! It was on the inside edge of the wheelwell & they were about the size of a dime. The paint came off down to the metal #ad
Looks like there was some residue on it before it was painted. I'm taking it in next Tuesday to have it repainted, under warranty, at least so says the dealer. I plan to have it all polished up for the appointment and then point out the obvious scratches as well #ad
.

Vaughn

<font color = blue> "BLUE THUNDER": </font color = blue>'01 2500 QC Shortbed 2wd, Patriot Blue over Driftwood, HO 24v Cummins & 6-speed, 3. 54LSD, Cab & Fog lamps, Camper & Tow Pkg.
<font color = blue> BOMBings: </font color = blue> K&N RE0880 (NOT ANYMORE ), straightpiped exh. , debadged body, AutoMeter Sport Comp gauges, amber turn signals, 55w halogen rev. lights, braided stainless fuel lines, removed overloads & dropped rear 1"
<font color = blue>Performance: </font color = blue> 245rwHP on BD Dyno, 0-60@ 11. 5 sec. , consistent 17-23 mpg. 13,205 miles (8/01/00)
 
John's right, the Line-X type treatment on the rockers is the only way to go, unless you like the chrome stuff.

Wonder what a Ram entirely sprayed with Line-X would look like?!?!? Bet the hood and doors would be so heavy it would cause problems... ... . but oh, how indestructible.
 
I'm glad(unfortunately) to hear there are others out there with the same problems regarding the paint job on these trucks that cost too much to have such a simple problem. I took my truck back to the dealership many times to complain about the paint and their only reply was if you live in the country on dirt roads, expect your truck to get scratched and chipped. BUL****! In answer to 1tuff's question about the little red spots all over the paint, the dealer tried telling me it was "rail dust". Huhh? Anyway, I use Meguire's cleaner wax with a cotton cloth and spot treat each little area and it seems to do the job. I have line-x in my bed but the idea of spraying the rockers sounds enticing even though my paint is driftwood.
 
White must be the color!!
My 01 has something over 7K on it now including at least a couple hundred miles on unpaved roads plus the 1/3 mile of unpaved driveway. I do have running boards (not the nerf bar things) and to date I have found not a single paint chip. Paint still looks like new all over.

Vaughn
 
I get the chips, too, but I also have several thin spots. They're in areas that aren't noticeable, like the inside edge of the tailgate and under the hood.

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2001 2500; SLT; 4x4; QC; LWB; Auto; 3. 54 LS; 265s; Camper; Tow; Sliding Rear Window; Travel Convenience Group; Cab Clearance Lamps; Forest Green
 
Buff
I have a black 01 sport, got it in Feb. It had some surfice scratches in it when I picked it up. Seems like every time I would go near it I would end up with another scratch. Now though with the truck 6 months old it seems it is not as delicate. Im thinking The paint needed time to harden completly. Maybe they just ship to soon after painting.

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01,3500,auto,2wd,quad,black sport,agate leather,All options
 
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