Why do red cars fade?

[Thankyou4calling]

Red cars of the 80's and 90.s fade terribly, even more recent ones. What is different in red paint to other colours, I know I am not imagining it.

[Meoricin]

Thankyou4calling said:

Red cars of the 80's and 90.s fade terribly, even more recent ones. What is different in red paint to other colours, I know I am not imagining it.

Red's more noticeable than other colours when it's faded.

[thebigmacmoomin]

Yellow fades just as bad. Seen a few MG ZR & Seat Leons that are now very pale.

[ticmon]

I think it's something to do with the pigment in the colour. (or is that a load of bks?)

[FreeLitres]

Isn't it down to the Photo-stability of the pigments? Some colours are more prone to degrading than others under uv light?

As a side comment - when I see a really faded red car, I get an incredible urge to have a crack at restoring it with detailing products! I'm sure they could improve the appearance dramatically.

[Thankyou4calling]

I feel the same urge to get the T Cut out and lay on some good polish. I dont think you just notice it more than other colours though as red stuff left out fades more too, things like garden equipment etc.

[Conian]

correct me if i'm wrooooooong but I think it started when lead based paints were banned and the paint companies were caught with their pants down with some colours fading very badly.

i've just had my red car resprayed and the 22 year old paint was faded yes, but still red, while the wing that was resprayed within the last 10 years was utterly faded
i'm told that paint now is fixed, i'll let ya know how true that is in 10 years, so keep bumping the thread to remind me

[soad]

I'm only seeing it on cheap banger cars parked on the streets.

Do Ferraris and the like fade then? Probably not parked all day outside in the sunlight though.

[OllieC]

caution, this colour is fugitive

[Jayzee]

FreeLitres said:

As a side comment - when I see a really faded red car, I get an incredible urge to have a crack at restoring it with detailing products! I'm sure they could improve the appearance dramatically.

You're not alone; I did the wife's Granparents Tornado red (read pink) Audi 80 some years back. The challenge was on, and the car looked damn lovely again.

[_rubinho_]

soad said:

Do Ferraris and the like fade then?

They don't call it "Italian Red" for nothing you know!

[deadalfa]

The OH's 4 year old Corsa has faded horribly, I don't think it helps that someone's had a half-arsed attempt at T-Cutting it in the past. I've tried using some resin polish and a few other things but it doesn't bring the colour back for long. The bumpers and plastic trim still looks fine but the metal paintwork is terrible! I've given up now.

[WhoseGeneration]

Not if they are looked after.
As with any finish, on anything.

[Torquey]

I thought it was neglected cars with a solid paint colour. I'm sure metallic colours are more resistant to fading.

[istoo]

Jayzee said:

FreeLitres said:

As a side comment - when I see a really faded red car, I get an incredible urge to have a crack at restoring it with detailing products! I'm sure they could improve the appearance dramatically.

You're not alone; I did the wife's Granparents Tornado red (read pink) Audi 80 some years back. The challenge was on, and the car looked damn lovely again.

Tornado pink is famous! It does respond well to a good polish as well. Red is at the bottom of the colour spectrum so there maybe some truth in the UV damage over other colours.

[jbi]

problem is, the clearcoat on a lot of cars prevents buffing as the paint has faded underneath.

Only way to fix it is a complete respray

[Rich_W]

I was told similar. That the UV degradation of the pigment and the fact they 99/100 are on a white primer that makes them go pink.

[PhillipM]

Clearcoat gives the pigment some defence against the UV that causes the colour to fade - so you don't often see clearcoated paint fading much - normally it's the older single stage paints, or just marks in the clear.

[NickXX]

This was my 1993 red car last year. Bit of a polish and wax and it comes up pretty nicely:



Don't think it's ever been garaged extensively or had a lot of paint correction.

[FezzaDude]

The roof only on my red car always fades. i am fed up paying for it to get re-done each year. Could somebody please tell me how to polish back up myself. Thanks!