I was washing my car today when I noticed a couple things. First, I found a 2 1/4 inch scratch on the top of the trunk. When I run my nail over it, there is not much of a valley. However, it is very noticeable. How do you know when a scratch is too deep to buff out? (this is when I wish I had a digital camera)

Secondly, I was involved in a minor skirmish a couple months ago. The front bumper cover was replaced, along with the left front headlight assembly and a few other bumper area parts. All in all, it was pretty minor. In any case, I noticed today when washing the car the headlight that was replaced fogged up at the bottom during washing (I haven't noticed during normal driving in the rain). I probably know the answer to this already, but would you all go back to the body shop who performed the repairs to have them check it out? By the way, I didn't notice any water within the headlight housing.

Lastly, is it just my car, or is the paint pretty easy to chip on the CL's? I have the silver, and it's got way too many small chips for a 8 month old car.

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2001 CL-S, Silver Satin. Soon to include Comptech headers

 

They say a scratch is too deep if you use your finger nail, and feel that it is scratched.

 

There aren't many really cruddy things about this car other than the wheels, the rattles, the stereo speakers and the paint.

In my opinion, the worst is the paint, because it's the only thing you can't (practically speaking) do something about. I guess you could get a completely new paint job if you have money to burn, and don't care about your resale value plummeting; otherwise resign yourself to a monthly (weekly?) session with touch up paint. If you want to make the best of a bad deal, invest some time and money into the Zaino process.

It's a real shame too, since colorwise, I think Acura's satin silver is maybe my favorite of any car's silver, but the quality of the paint job is just plain bad. There were flaws in it that I noticed the first time I waxed the car, and way to many chips, like you said, so soon into the game.

Another thing that bugs me about the paint, is all the crowing in the dealer's take away brochure about how scientifically wonderful the Acura two stage paint process is. I looked at my old '95 Integra brochure, and in that one they crow about the THREE stage process. The paint was better on that car, much better. They should have just shut up about the paint when they decided to go cheap on us.


[This message has been edited by Water Rabbit (edited 01-07-2001).]

 

I just looked at a brochure I have from the 1995 Legend and they advertise a 23-STEP paint process, which includes 4-coats and 4-bakes.

The quality of the paint on my Legend Coupe was impeccable.
Not so for the CL.

Shawn S





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>>> 400+ posts on h/a.net <<< >>> 550+ posts “freak” on the “old” acura-cl.com <<<

2001 CL Type S - NAV - San Marino RED / Parchment - Spoiler - 35% Tint - Roof Visor - PIAA Lamps
GOLD Emblems & Grill - V1 w/remote - KICKER ZR-360 w/(2) 10" Alumapro Subs - Shine by ZAINO
For Pictures see: PAGE 1 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 V1 & SUBS

 

I wonder what it would look like if I got mine repainted down the road but the same color. Do you think it would look good?


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2001 Acura 3.2 CL Type-S
San Marino Red/Ebony/Navi/Spoiler/Nose Mask/Mud Guards/Wheel locks/
Comptech Springs & Filter/PIAA 1969/20% Tint/Acura lettering removed/
12in Sub with AMP/Dynomated Trunk/Sub control under dash/
Clifford G4 Solaris Alarm

 

Depends on the paint job I guess, but you'll have a hard time when you sell it, convincing anyone that the car has not been in an accident.

 

i think only the rl and nsx get the multy step paint anymore, and from what i understand to get the car spayed over again in same color in a factory or better job is like a 3500-10000 job depending on how many clears, and how much they have to take it apart

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2001 acura cl type-s
comming soon
2000 accord v6 sedan
1997 4runner
1992 camaro
1993 volvo 850

 

Water Rabbit,
Does Zaino really protect the paint as much as it shines it to an immpeccable finish?



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- Kvit -
2001 CL-P Blue Sub 6
*Polarg BlHybrid M-6 Road lamps
*Polarg BlHybrid M-14 Turning Signal/M-4 Side Markers next
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...725&a=10358832

 

It gives the nicest, longest shine I've ever got. With just six months of experience though, I can't honestly answer your question.

 

so-what's the paint process for our car, one coat and a quick blow dry?? when did acura start moving backwards in the value department? starting to make me p*ssed off-i finally can afford a pseudo-luxomobile and the car i get is serious skimpy on the paint and materials -- plastic bowling-ball 'wood' accents, plastic 'chrome' door handles, plastic 'brushed chrome' shift gate (already scratched) and now, low-grade paint -- i had small chips in my bumper before i finished the damn break-in period!! WDF??

sorry, guess i need to go for a quick drive to remind meself -- maybe i'll come across a fisher-price IS300...

 

I have a '99 CL and the brochure carefully explained how there was some 25 step process (something like this) to apply the paint...I don't notice any difference in quality from my previous cars...who knows.

 

The 2001 CL brochure just says: “multi-coat & multi-bake process”.

Shawn S




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>>> 400+ posts on h/a.net <<< >>> 550+ posts “freak” on the “old” acura-cl.com <<<

2001 CL Type S - NAV - San Marino RED / Parchment - Spoiler - 35% Tint - Roof Visor - PIAA Lamps
GOLD Emblems & Grill - V1 w/remote - KICKER ZR-360 w/(2) 10" Alumapro Subs - Shine by ZAINO
For Pictures see: PAGE 1 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 V1 & SUBS

 

The 2000 TL Brochure says: “33-step, 2-coat, 1-bake process”

I know, I know…I have too many brochures within easy reach of my PC.

Shawn S


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>>> 400+ posts on h/a.net <<< >>> 550+ posts “freak” on the “old” acura-cl.com <<<

2001 CL Type S - NAV - San Marino RED / Parchment - Spoiler - 35% Tint - Roof Visor - PIAA Lamps
GOLD Emblems & Grill - V1 w/remote - KICKER ZR-360 w/(2) 10" Alumapro Subs - Shine by ZAINO
For Pictures see: PAGE 1 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 V1 & SUBS

 

It does not suprise me at all. Now a days it's all about trying to make something as cheep as possible and pass it off as quality. MASS PRODUCTION!! is all I can say.

Acura saved a hella amount of flow by giving us ALL plastic shift gates, 2 stage paint, and rattles, but we still gave them our money, right? Either way they are not going to make any more money off us by giving us QUALITY parts. Think of it from a designers/production cheif's Point of view.




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Since when did Multi mean 2? It should state
Couple coat & Bake process

Hehe



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And what exactly is a step. 1- Think about painting car. 2- Put paint in machine, 3- Put on mask. Thats multi-step already...


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Please rear end me in my Accord, so I have to buy a Type-s