I am very disappointed in the paint on my 2004 TL as the clear coat is starting to disintegrate and was just wondering if anyone else was seeing this type of issue.
The car was manufactured in late Nov. of 2003 and I picked it up on 12/12/2003. It now has 125K miles on it and has always been outside. However, I live in the moderate climate of the San Francisco Bay and have always kept a good coat of zaino wax on the car.

 

nope no issues here since june of 05 (brand new). weekly washes and babied. outside under a car cover (when at home) or garaged when at work for most of its life until now. currently residing in the garage until fresh paint work has finished curing and proper protection can be placed on it. my paint looks practically brand new (even before the recent roof and front bumper respray-stupid tree branch).

how often were you washing? and coating with zaino? the salt air of SF may have worn at the car. i've owned a 13 yr honda civic in my past and the paint still looked pretty good until i sold it. it lived up in norcal (outside), and in slo cal (with the salt air there, but garaged at home) and eventually driving on the salty roads of No. VA (lived outside). never had issues with that paint (and i was not nearly as anal as i am about detailing a car as i am now).

or the clearcoat...may just truly be going bad. maybe one of our resident paint experts can chime in on this one.

i'm assuming you are the original owner (since you mentioned delivery in late 2003)?

 

San Fran salt killed it! How often did u wash and wax it?

 

Acura paint kinda sucks but not to this extent. I have not seen anything like this on my car. Or any car I have owned. To me that looks like the paint is extremely weathered like you've had it parked in the sun without any protection.

 

By the looks of the pattern it on the horizontal surfaces and prolly caused by fallour of some sort be it salt or chemical.

Zaino as good as it is isn't a saveall. Fallout can settle in areas and moisture can concentrate it to a point where it eats off the Zaino etc and attacks the paint over time.

 

+1 and +2 when you combine salt sea air.
There is higher maintenance when you live by the sea ...
http://www.history.com/topics/alcatraz

 

Thats the clear coat burning up. It started on my 98' Accord. I surprised its happening on an Acura, especially a 04'. You may have alot of acid rain in SF area.

 

I'm in the S.F. Bay Area too (peninsula) and I have no paint issues. I'll admit I wash my car every two weeks and always keep it waxed (sealant in my case) and polished. Seeing your paint is making me very nervous!

 

I live on the west edge of Fremont, 15 miles from the south end of the San Francisco Bay and probably 40 miles from the Ocean across a ridge of mountains so sea salt is not the issue. Acid rain maybe, but there is not much heavy industry in the south bay. The car was washed regularly, but is always outside in the sun.
My guess is that the early TLs might not have had the best paint. And it doesn't sound like anyone else has this issue.

 

I live on the west edge of Fremont, 15 miles from the south end of the San Francisco Bay and probably 40 miles from the Ocean across a ridge of mountains so sea salt is not the issue. Acid rain maybe, but there is not much heavy industry in the south bay. The car was washed regularly, but is always outside in the sun.
My guess is that the early Generation 3 TLs might not have had the best paint. And it doesn't sound like anyone else has this issue.

 

I meant to say East edge of Fremont - at the start of the Sunol grade. And I can't figure out how to delete the duplicate post.

 

It's weird tho, cuz I've seen that on a couple cars and it always seems to be right in that same spot. Do they have Macco in Cali?? Lol

 

Granted the air in Bay area sucks but you still get the Pacific Salt and your wear is a combo of weather, sun, use, abuse, wear, pollution, etc.
The lighter colors reflect more light {should fade less} but I see more paint problems with those colors.

TL might have paint that matches its low grade leather but its a matched set anyway.

 

live on the coast of NC-my tsx spends lots of time parked near the ocean either in NC or Jersey. In NC it gets the garage at home but in NJ it stays outside. Paints looks terrific if you overlook the numerous rock chips. It has been driven in snow in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and many times in Jersey.