Is the Original Factory Paint of a Car Important?
2 Answers
Original factory paint is very important as it primarily protects the car body from corrosion. The original paint refers to the paint used when the car leaves the factory. During the car body painting process, different stages use different coatings, forming distinct layers. On the car body steel plate, there are four paint layers: the electrophoretic layer, the primer layer, the base coat layer, and the clear coat layer. A significant difference is that the original factory paint is a high-temperature paint, baked at least at 130 degrees Celsius, resulting in stronger adhesion of the coating. In contrast, the repair paint used for touch-ups is typically baked at around 80 degrees Celsius, with much weaker coating adhesion. This is because the original primer is applied in the factory's paint shop by immersing the entire car body in a paint bath and attaching it through cathodic electrophoretic deposition—a process that cannot be replicated after leaving the factory. The primer used in touch-ups is usually a post-phosphatization coating, incomparable to the original factory primer, and the application process is vastly different.
The original factory paint is absolutely crucial for someone like me who frequently goes on road trips, as it's applied in a dust-free environment using high-tech spraying techniques, resulting in an even coating with strong adhesion that provides long-term rust and scratch resistance. Paint jobs from small shops, on the other hand, often develop bubbles and fade, leading to rust issues within a year or two, which can be a major headache. Original factory paint also significantly impacts resale value—buyers are willing to pay thousands more for a car with well-preserved paint. I make it a habit to regularly wax and protect the paint, avoiding oxidation and discoloration from sun exposure. Once scratched, repairs are expensive and often subpar, so it's far better to take good care of it from the start. In the long run, this saves both money and hassle.
