I have heard from a couple different people that the '03 EVOs did not come with clear coat. Is this true?

 

Some colors do not have a clear coat. I know Red does not, and I have heard different info on white and blue. I think even after 03 red was lacking clear. Not a big deal,, the famed phoenix yellow on Integra Type Rs lacked clear as well.

Clear or not, Mitsus paint quality is below par.

 

far below par!!! ^^^

im afraid to sneeze or cough around my car for fear of damaging the finish

 

I believe the non-metalic colors do not have clear. I have seen different reasons for this but, I understand it makes the car about 15 lbs lighter without the clear.

 

They do have clear. I had to redo mines because it started peeling.
My only warranty repair.

 

I know for sure the metallic coloered paint had it.

 

Silver definately 100% does have a clear coat. The sad thing is that the factory paint is far better than any aftermarket paint.

 

Almost all cars come with clear coat. Weather it is a one stage or two stage paint job. I don't know of any cars that don't come with a clear coat factory. They all have clear on them. It is just that it is not as thick as one done in a shop. Factory paint is thin,but is more durable than what a shop can do because the factory paint is actually bonded to the metal.

 

^^^ the non metallic colors DO NOT have clear.

 

If a car is painted in single stage it would weigh just about as much if not more than base clear. Factory paint is the same as some aftermarket paints. The factory just puts enough on to get it to cover and lay down sweet. For production they dont want to wait for the first coat to flash then spray it again only to have the first coat suck back the second and make it look like an orange. Aftermarket paint is about millage and uv protection for longevity. On my last custom paint job I painted an old 59 MGA and used three coats of uno ( single stage ) then three coats of clear. It not only looked like a swimmng pool, but it will last a long time. If the color is solid with no metalics you dont have to have a clear coat becase single stage has a shiny gloss when it drys. with base coat you have to have a clear coat because base coat drys to a matt finish. I use to shoot single stage nason with metalic in it, but you couldnt really buff it and if you diddnt shoot it right it would look like crap.

 

You guys can bicker all you want, I know from body shop experience the Red Evos (03 for sure) do not have a seperate clear coat, period.

 

All factory paints have a clear coat.... THE differences are ......some acrylics/urethanes have a clear built in the paint, and hence forth do not need to be applied atop of the color. Other clears need to be applied after the paint. Otherwise...the paint will have a "flat" color appearance.

 

i have never heard of any car come out from the factory doesn't have clear coat. If it really doesnt then the factory paint wont even last a year. So all car comes with clear coat from factory. is just not thick enought for most of you

 

That wasnt the question. He asked if it has a clear coat, one like 99% of the other cars on the road. I dont think he knew enough about paint to go into the fact Rally Red is a single stage paint with clear mixed into the paint itself.

Heres a question, have you painted a Rally Red Evo? Lets not even go that far, have you tried to wax one with typical wax? You end up with a red hue to your wax applicator. Red from Mitsu is a single stage, and has no seperate clear coat like a typical paint.

 

Hmm, this has been argued many times never resulting in a definite answer it seems...

I have an '05 RR Evo. Haven't had a red hue on my wax applicator...