Brand new Mercedes and orange peel

[uumode]

From my observations of cars in showrooms, it seems most new Mercedes Benz come standard with fairly high levels of orange peel paintwork - even S Classes. The AMG GT on the other hand didn't have orange peel.


Here are some cars in the showroom, observe the grainy reflection on the paintwork on this car, compared to the reflections from the headlamp glass/plastic

Note the grainy reflections on the paintwork compared to the chrome trim in this car

Quality control issues or the new standard of painting cars?

 

[stwat]

Wow, that's shocking !

 

[Markjames]

I saw the same paint effect on a tenorite grey c class in Ashford Mercedes a couple of weeks ago. Thought it may have had something to do with the artificial light but really didn't look right.

 

[HB]

Our new E63 has orange peel everywhere. But our 2004 W211 never had any.

 

[martyz]

It's water based paints and the drying process that causes it.

 

[renault12ts]

It's water based paints and the drying process that causes it.

Surely orange peel has always been there? I remember Golfs in the 70s which had it.

 

[martyz]

Surely orange peel has always been there? I remember Golfs in the 70s which had it.

that was a paint application problem(poor technique).Later water based paint
is prone to shrinking when dried or baked,causing the same orange peel.

 

[Little Lofty]

I don't think its the paint as all manufactures use water based and have done for many years now, the orange peel is usually in the clear coat not the actually colour. It's simply down to poor technique, often by the robots that paint many cars today. Some are better than others, BMW are probably the worst I've seen, my last car was a Jaguar and the paintwork was great, my MB is pretty good also.

 

[Blue Moon]

I don't think its the paint as all manufactures use water based and have done for many years now, the orange peel is usually in the clear coat not the actually colour. It's simply down to poor technique, often by the robots that paint many cars today.

Correct

Unlike previous posters 'guesswork' it has nothing to do with the use, or application, of water based paints. The "standard" factory finish orange peel finish is indeed in the clear coat, and is simply a by product of mass painting / production. Sadly, robots are unable to adjust fluid flow, air pressure etc themselves without manual human intervention.

Bizarrely, it is actually quite difficult to replicate the finish if doing a repair, as with a good painter, the repair will invariably be better than original. If it is a major issue, which many people actually can't see unless it's pointed out, the 'peel' can be polished out, but it is a laborious process, and therefore it costs.
Hope this helps

 

[KennyN]

I noticed that on a new , dark blue, S class in the showroom a few months back .

If it were my £70k + i would not be a happy chap, but until the initial purchasers start rejecting their new cars on the paint finish then they will keep pumping them out with sub standard paint jobs.

Kenny

 

[keejoonc]

Yep, was in the showroom last week and noticed this on a brand new S500.

 

[martyz]

Correct

Unlike previous posters 'guesswork' it has nothing to do with the use, or application, of water based paints. The "standard" factory finish orange peel finish is indeed in the clear coat, and is simply a by product of mass painting / production. Sadly, robots are unable to adjust fluid flow, air pressure etc themselves without manual human intervention.

Bizarrely, it is actually quite difficult to replicate the finish if doing a repair, as with a good painter, the repair will invariably be better than original. If it is a major issue, which many people actually can't see unless it's pointed out, the 'peel' can be polished out, but it is a laborious process, and therefore it costs.
Hope this helps

No "guess work" on my behalf,essentially if a robot can spray a top coat without orange peel,why can't it spray a clear coat without it?
I was told by a painter of high end cars that water based paints shrink
in the drying process that some manufacturers use,made sense to me.

 

[Druk]

Never mind orange-peel, there are lots of places on my 212 that have primer showing. Inside door checks, around door and bonnet hinges, the top few inches in the engine bay.
At first I thought the thing had had a poor respray but an experienced Merc painter tells me a lot of them are like that and because it's a dark colour it shows up more than with the ubiquitous silver.

 

[lordlee]

My R230 has a glass like clear coat on it

Those pics however are absolutely shocking - I'll check my next door neighbours S500 tonight as that's an MB Press car.

 

[Red C220]

I noticed that much peel on the E63 Estate that's on show in Brooklands on the first floor.

I thought it was awful on a car of that value.

I've just ordered a car with Designo Mystic Blue paint (at a large premium) and this is one of things I'll be checking when I collect the car. Considering what I'm paying for the option I won't accept orange peel at a visible level like that in the above image.

 

[chrisdean]

If you're shown a brand new car in a showroom and it has orange peel then so be it if your new car arrives like that you have nothing to complain about, conversely if your shown immaculate paintwork then that is what you should expect on your purchase.

 

[reflexboy]

Lexus seem to mange a superb, orange peel free finish with their cars. Next time you are near a Lexus dealer, check out the finish. It's outstanding. Mercs are awful now. My R230 was good, my current W212 is better than most but still a little peely

 

[uumode]

Infinity too are orange peel free.

 

[MD5]

If you're shown a brand new car in a showroom and it has orange peel then so be it if your new car arrives like that you have nothing to complain about, conversely if your shown immaculate paintwork then that is what you should expect on your purchase.

This would be my fear. I recently had a brand new C class courtesy car, and couldn't believe the standard of paintwork. If I was ordering a new car, I would want a written guarantee the paintwork was orange peel free.

I remember the pride that MB took in the quality of their cars when the W201 190 was introduced, and a feature was made that no matter what model you purchased, each car went through the same paint process, and they are still around to testify to this.

 

[Alex225]

My understanding of it wasn't that it's the paint but that it's had too much applied, usually it's the lacquer that's the cause.

Something you can wet sand and polish out. Unless of course it's in the paint as well, in which case you can only reduce it and that's the best you'll get.

Friend of mine (possibly reading this!) had the job of removing orange peel on a new M5 and it transpired it was in the paint and lacquer. Looked a lot better but only able to reduce it by 50% not eliminate it completely.