Matte paint - any experiences please?

[toppstuff]

Hi

I spotted a rather fetching matte blue M5 over the weekend. And looking on the internet today I saw that the new NISMO GT-R comes in the option of matte grey. Lovely it looks, too.

This got me wondering.

Would I ever consider a matte paint job? And how much care does a matte finish need - less or more than regular glossy finishes?

Are there special "polishes" involved? How do you get rid of waterspots?

It occurred to me that you probably can't just polish out blemishes at it probably leaves a mark .

Does matte paint go swirly if you polish it? And if so, how do you get the swirls out?

So many questions, but I think we need to know. More cars are coming with these options.

[HustleRussell]

Matte paint is trouble.

[iridebikes]

Why would you polish a matt paintjob?!

[Puddenchucker]

This is what Hyundai recommend you do, or rather don't do to care for Matte paint:

http://www.ppg.com/coatings/refinish/en/oem/manual...

[jonno_]

Birdst is seriously unkind to those Matt finishes I hear.

[jonno_]

Birdst is seriously unkind to those Matt finishes I hear.

[toppstuff]

iridebikes said:

Why would you polish a matt paintjob?!

So how else do you keep it clean?

[Don1]

Wash it with a soap that doesn't have any polish in.

[chili1]

If I was considering a matte coloured car, I'd go for a wrap rather than paint, due to:

Requiring matte car shampoo
Fine scratches cannot be polished out
Issues with tar, bird poo etc
Handprints showing on paintwork ( same as wrap I know )

I'm quitye anal about paintwork and keeping my car clean. Matte paint looks nice new, but I'd be concerned over the longevity.

[zeduffman]

I found this video pretty interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZUzvhhyGR8

I don't think matte paint is for you if you're thinking about polishing it.

[MysteryLemon]

This thread worries me that no one here actually knows what Polish is or what it does.

You don't use polish to clean a car, nor do you get polish in car shampoo.

[rehab71]

I thought most matte finishes were wraps, that how we did ours at work?

[Don1]

No, IIRC, it is unfinished paint, hence the don't polish advice.

[Meltham Terrier]

I alway thought that they used a basecoat and lacquer system like they do for standard metallics and added a matting paste in to the lacquer mix before they apply it. This is the way it was done in the 90 s when I worked for a paint company.

The higher % matting paste the lower the gloss level , so you could have a semi gloss or a full Matt finish.

[Meltham Terrier]

I alway thought that they used a basecoat and lacquer system like they do for standard metallics and added a matting paste in to the lacquer mix before they apply it. This is the way it was done in the 90 s when I worked for a paint company.

The higher % matting paste the lower the gloss level , so you could have a semi gloss or a full Matt finish.