Changed my mind about using cheap clear coat on a 2008 F-150 job

I used a budget brand from the local supply house on a full repaint last month, and it started hazing after just three weeks in the sun. I had to sand it all down and redo the whole top coat with a better product. What's the cheapest clear you've used that actually held up for more than a year?

4 comments

4 Comments

shanec618d ago

Felix nailed it. Good UV blockers are pricier but they're the only thing that actually works.

davis.olivia1mo ago

That whole "buy cheap, buy twice" thing is SO real with car stuff. Saw it with my brother's lawnmower deck paint last summer, flaked off in a month. It's like the universe forces a do-over. For clears, the store brand from the big chain auto parts store actually surprised me, lasted on a truck bumper for ages. But yeah, after a certain point, saving fifty bucks just costs you a whole weekend of rework.

felixm291mo ago

Honestly saw a video where a guy tested cheap vs expensive clear coat on test panels. The cheap stuff yellowed and cracked after just a few months in the sun. The good stuff looked new a year later. It really is all about the UV protection they mix in.

harperr821mo ago

I used to think all clear coats were basically the same, but seeing results like that makes it impossible to ignore.