# Paint Quality on the R35



## bigdoyb (Feb 17, 2010)

Hi, 
I have had my black R35 for 8 months and it is covered in small stone chips, I have complained to Nissan who say its because of the aerodynamic build of the car, it tends to suck any stray stone into the car. YEAH RIGHT!!

Please help, this has got to be rubbish. I am not giving up on this one, for £60k I expect a decent paint quality. Have you had the same problems:

Thanks

.


----------



## EvolutionVI (Sep 6, 2005)

Don´t know anybody who hasn´t paint problems...appart from the guys who wrapped their cars....:thumbsup:


----------



## bigdoyb (Feb 17, 2010)

MY BMW Is ten years old and Black and has a couple of chips buy the GTR is ridiculous about 25 chips, give it time and it'll be bare metal. Nissan has said they will measure the paint depth, but not holding my breath


----------



## londongtr (Dec 8, 2009)

You are being told rubbish by the dealership as you have guessed.

The problem is the clear coat the use is VERY soft - even more so on the Black for some reason. The first thing i did was get it clear wrapped on the front - I felt it was worth the £800 or so it cost, got Robbie from Valet Magic (a sponsor of this site) to do a proper corrective detail before the wrap goes on and it should (fingers crossed) be ok....one small one just up on the bonnet so far.

If you don't mind shelling out the £1,200 or so inc the detail you might want to give Robbie or any other decent detailer a ring and see if they can fix the chips....sometimes these guys CAN do the impossible.


----------



## LiamGTR (Nov 26, 2006)




----------



## Zed Ed (Oct 24, 2007)

Last thing I think about as a GTR owner.

If it matters to you, get a lawyer and the appropriate experts, and make your case.

Or get a nice wrap or respray.


----------



## paul__k (Dec 8, 2007)

I'm afraid the paint quality is without any doubt unacceptable.

I just touched up about 40 stone chips today. Apart from the bonnet and bumper it was also especially bad around the rear wheelarch edges, rear window edge, boot edge.

I do agree that it is the worst chipping paint I have ever seen.

I raised this with the HPC but was fobbed off. Should have got my own independant report and taken them to court.


----------



## Robbie J (Jan 8, 2005)

Japanese cars generally have soft paint, tough one to prove, your car is hit with stones and the paint chips. How are you going to say it worse than other cars?

perhaps you followed a gritter etc, easy defense for Nissan


----------



## WingedBeast1968 (Sep 18, 2009)

bigdoyb said:


> Hi,
> I have had my black R35 for 8 months and it is covered in small stone chips, I have complained to Nissan who say its because of the aerodynamic build of the car, it tends to suck any stray stone into the car. YEAH RIGHT!!
> 
> Please help, this has got to be rubbish. I am not giving up on this one, for £60k I expect a decent paint quality. Have you had the same problems:
> ...


My black GT-R is exactly the same, and it IS crap paint. It is also the crap state of the roads these days. Stone chips used to be "serious", as in, didn't happen very often. These days, it is expected to happen each and every time you take the car out. That's what is wrong. Paint is crap, yes, but if the roads were up to scratch (no pun) there wouldn't be any stones to chip the paint.



la la la la la......boring myself, sorry


----------



## Fuggles (Jul 3, 2001)

With regards the reference to the 10 year old BMW, all older cars have much stronger paint, due to recent laws governing what can and cannot be added to paint. Modern car paint has to be environmentally friendly, have no heavy metals etc. Expect more and more cars to have this problem. That said Nissan use a very soft finish for some reason so this makes it more prone to showing marks.

With technology today I see no reason at all why car companies should paint cars, offer them all in a dark coat finish and then give the customer a colour palette to choose from and then have them wrapped at the production line. This has to be the way forward?


----------



## christer (Jul 16, 2010)

The GTR has more paint on it than my recent Porsches, although I do believe the paint is quite soft. Having said that, whilst I have picked up a couple of very small stone chips in the 4000 miles I have driven since I purchased it 2 months ago, I am very happy so far - or maybe just very lucky. My car is silver, so not sure if the paint is quite as soft as on the black cars?


----------



## waltong (Apr 11, 2008)

The new Ferrari at £160K plus recommends front end paint protection (at a cost) on their website so it's a problem regardless of how much you spend on a car!


----------



## tonigmr2 (Sep 12, 2002)

As John alluded to, the newer paints are water based (kinder for the environment), the older ones are solvent based (harder wearing). So it's a suck it up problem unfortunately.


----------



## ozren (Apr 12, 2009)

One thing also worth remembering - the faster the car, the more damage paint will suffer. One thing is to hit a pebble at 60km/h, totally different at 280km/h... Plus, you will end up driving fast in a car like GT-R way more often than your family saloon - hence more opportunity for mishap.

However it is true all Japanese cars have soft paint - its not only a Nissan issue - ask any Honda TypeR owner and they will also bitch and moan.


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

Get Amourfend for the front of the car or do like I do with the R33 (track day use) and have a re spray once a year. LOL. 

Having siad that, Black is bad for marks, Silver / Gay don't show as much, not sure about bath tub White, but I know why I chose Red (with Armourfend)!


----------



## bigdoyb (Feb 17, 2010)

*R35 Paint Quality*

Thanks for your help, I understand all the soft paint issues but perhaps they should put more paint on the front, and at least put on black primer, where it has not chipped it to bare metal there is WHITE showing. Who thought of that one at Nissan?


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

LOL

I know mate all fronts of all cars are white underneath the colour on top!!

I have thought to myself that this could be eradicated if the "plastic" or what ever material is used was dyed but, Oh no that would cost "them" more money and do all the body shops out of a job LOL (Mr Cynic )


----------



## waltong (Apr 11, 2008)

Steve said:


> Get Amourfend for the front of the car or do like I do with the R33 (track day use) and have a re spray once a year. LOL.
> 
> Having siad that, Black is bad for marks, Silver / Gay don't show as much, not sure about bath tub White, but I know why I chose Red (with Armourfend)!


Oi! It's STORM WHITE! Alfa's and Ferrari's are the only proper red cars! lol


----------



## old_s13 (Apr 6, 2009)

tonigmr2 said:


> As John alluded to, the newer paints are water based (kinder for the environment), the older ones are solvent based (harder wearing). So it's a suck it up problem unfortunately.


if i recall correctly, this only applies to the BASE coat, not the top CLEAR coat. clearcoats are still solvent based. at least thats how it is here in the states (california).

the issue has more to do with soft vs hard curing paints. softer paints will have more nicks but overall be more tolerable. a harder curing paint will be more chip resistant but when it chips, its a big bad chunk of a chip.


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

waltong said:


> Oi! It's STORM WHITE! Alfa's and Ferrari's are the only proper red cars! lol


SCARLET actually !!! LOL


----------



## misters3 (Jun 23, 2008)

FWIW - i know of 2 cars that were rejected from new because of the paint. One posted on here.

And i know of another from here who sold his car recently because of the crap he got fed from Nissan about the front of his car. 

Pure and simple, the car is designed well, but the paint or the protection for the paint (clearcoat) not so. 

I'm like a broken record. Don't buy a black car. I have one and the paint after a year of detailing and 2 bucket method looks like i took it to a carwash on a daily basis. 

If i compare my car to my sisters 2 year old 'Roc which does get washed haphazardly, i'd take the paint on the VW anyday over the GTR.

Good luck with getting a resolution from Nissan, but i fear you'll get nowhere.


----------



## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

sew a custom made coat (not necessarily leather) for your front and attach it for track days.


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

enshiu said:


> sew a custom made coat (not necessarily leather) for your front and attach it for track days.


Yeah, they have those in the USA cant remember the name of them, but it's something to do with a males reproductive parts !!! (or is it TIT ?)


----------



## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

Steve said:


> Yeah, they have those in the USA cant remember the name of them, but it's something to do with a males reproductive parts !!! (or is it TIT ?)


Cotton !!!!!


----------



## Mather21 (Oct 17, 2010)

*Rust spots on paint Black r35 gtr 2010*

Hi 

I bought a black gtr 4 months ago and it has only done 3000 miles 
I noticed when i washed it the other day it has tiny rust spots down the sides of the car , door and rerar arches has anyone else had the same problem ? they are not stone chips because i have other stone chips that are worse and they do not have any rust i also had it detailed in october so im not very happy! :flame:


----------



## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

Your aluminium doors wont rust.....


----------



## bigdoyb (Feb 17, 2010)

*GTR Paint*

no idea about rust spots, but i am going to have front painted next week then I am going to take Nissan to court on the grounds of the paint not being fit for purpose, it will give them some shit, cost them a load of money for the price of Count Court summons and meeting me in court.

If any one has paint issues with their R35 please let me know i would love some ammunition and i will let you know how i get on


----------



## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

Mather21 said:


> Hi
> 
> I bought a black gtr 4 months ago and it has only done 3000 miles
> I noticed when i washed it the other day it has tiny rust spots down the sides of the car , door and rerar arches has anyone else had the same problem ? they are not stone chips because i have other stone chips that are worse and they do not have any rust i also had it detailed in october so im not very happy! :flame:


That will most likely be little flecks of brake pad material which have a high metal content and could rust.
Or did you park or drive through an area where they were working with metal?

Very unlikely you could have rust bubbling through the paint already, especially as already mentioned, the doors are aluminium!


----------



## misters3 (Jun 23, 2008)

bigdoyb said:


> no idea about rust spots, but i am going to have front painted next week then I am going to take Nissan to court on the grounds of the paint not being fit for purpose, it will give them some shit, cost them a load of money for the price of Count Court summons and meeting me in court.
> 
> If any one has paint issues with their R35 please let me know i would love some ammunition and i will let you know how i get on


Drop Need4Speed a PM 

I'll try and look out the names of other people, who've returned their car as 'not fit for purpose' because of the paint.


----------



## bobel (Jul 26, 2010)

Just picked up my 09 black gtr yesterday, and picked up a couple of stone chips on the trip home, car was actually very clean for a 09 when I bought it but I'm booked in for ventureshield anyway just to maintain it as best I can. But the paint does appear to be a real problem, although my last car was a BMW and it had quite a few too. It is probably more to do with the new water based paints too.


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

Yup, black is Bad !!!


----------



## bobel (Jul 26, 2010)

Steve said:


> Yup, black is Bad !!!


But when they are clean there stunning, and I love the stealthy looks


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

LOL, you are gonna have to spend a LOT of time cleaning it. I was told at a very early age by a professional valet to avoid Black, White and Silver cars ! Hence the georgeous RED


----------



## *MAGIC* (Oct 21, 2009)

bobel said:


> But when they are clean there stunning, and I love the stealthy looks


Matte black wrap for real stealth 

Wrapped so many Kuro black GTR's I have lost count and to be honest I cant blame the owners.

Robbie


----------



## bobel (Jul 26, 2010)

Steve said:


> LOL, you are gonna have to spend a LOT of time cleaning it. I was told at a very early age by a professional valet to avoid Black, White and Silver cars ! Hence the georgeous RED


Have to agree love the red myself too but have had a number of black cars now and yep their a bitch to keep clean but for that split second when you've just left the buffing cloth out of your hand and its clean their worth it, mind you two minutes later and you have to start cleaning again,! :chuckle:


----------



## bobel (Jul 26, 2010)

*MAGIC* said:


> Matte black wrap for real stealth
> 
> Wrapped so many Kuro black GTR's I have lost count and to be honest I cant blame the owners.
> 
> Robbie


How much protection does the wrap alone give, I'm booked in for a full frontal ventureshield on saturday but wondering if a full wrap would be more worth while as the cost difference probably isn't that much as the ventureshield is quite expensive.

Not too mad about Matt black though have seen quite a few cars with it and it's kinda worn off me!


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

Yo, I know what you mean as I take my out for a 10 mile drive on Suday and then spend an hour cleaning her !!! (but love to)


----------



## countvonc (Feb 11, 2009)

Steve said:


> LOL, you are gonna have to spend a LOT of time cleaning it. I was told at a very early age by a professional valet to avoid Black, White and Silver cars ! Hence the georgeous RED


Why silver? Easiest colour by far to look after.


----------



## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

cos Silver, Grey (Gay) is as common as muck !!!


----------



## *MAGIC* (Oct 21, 2009)

bobel said:


> How much protection does the wrap alone give, I'm booked in for a full frontal ventureshield on saturday but wondering if a full wrap would be more worth while as the cost difference probably isn't that much as the ventureshield is quite expensive.
> 
> Not too mad about Matt black though have seen quite a few cars with it and it's kinda worn off me!


PM me your No. and I will give you a call in the morning.
I will say now that there is not a big gap between VS and a wrap as we do both.

Robbie


----------



## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

I would rather put a wrap on the front than paint over again.


----------



## geminimeg12 (Feb 16, 2011)

*GTR Color*

Please...no more one of those Matt Black Wrap on any Skyline GTR... No Lime Green Lamborgini look alike color too. 

Color in Random Order:

1. White
2. Black
3. Original Blue
4. Yellow
5. Gunmetal
5. Gold
6. Dark Burgundy/Dark Violet


----------



## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

same problem anyone with black or any colour has this problem.


----------



## Jacey Boy (Apr 24, 2005)

If I buy another GTR it wont be in Black, I still think its the best colour but the paint is terible, I will buy either White or GM


----------



## bobel (Jul 26, 2010)

First proper clean today and can 100% confirm that kuro black really is a bitch, I'm particularly picky and could spend a week with lime prime going over the whole car, but it's only really at a microscopic level so when you stand back it looks fine, but certainly not a colour for perfectionists, Am considering a full wrap now though as I'm booked in for ventureshield tomorrow but will have a chat with the installer first just seems like a full gloss black wrap might be a bit of a waste.

Anyone know how well the gloss wraps stand up to scrapes, and chips, don't fancy a worn look in a couple of months.


----------



## octet (Mar 27, 2014)

Holly thread resurrection 

My white 2010 GTR is with Nissan London West & Renault Orpington after contacting Nissan GB about the rust and corrosion on the doors and the bulkhead in the boot on all welding spots. 

When measuring the paint thickness against a 2015 GTR they had there, we find out the paint on my car was half or a third of the thickness of the newer GTR.

I'll let you know how it goes, if the warranty approves a full respray. If it doesn't it will go down the Court route because this is unacceptable.


----------



## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Where abouts did they measure the paint?


----------



## WingedBeast1968 (Sep 18, 2009)

That must be why they also have an extra 50 horses. To carry the extra paint. 

Let us know how it goes. I've got a tonne of rust too. I hate cars. And I love cars.


----------



## octet (Mar 27, 2014)

Measurements of my car paint thickness here: 










inside measurements from my car, outside measurements from a 2015 GT-R.

The GT-R that Nissan London West measured the paint thickness on for comparison: 










You can see that the areas measured are less than half on my car when compared with a newer car:

Driver door - 108 vs 211 microns
Boot - 147 vs 294 microns
Passenger door - 112 vs 235 microns


----------



## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

I was just thinking the paint on the doors would be thinner on a 6 year old car that's been washed, polished, detailed many times. Plus I would expect them to measure the same colour. 

The door corrosion problem is quite common on early cars around the mirrors. I can't imagine they will approve a full respray though, but good luck.


----------



## octet (Mar 27, 2014)

Leave it with me


----------



## omishri (Sep 23, 2009)

octet said:


> Leave it with me


Any update on this?

I had taken my MY10 to my HPC, as I had noticed what I thought was rust/corrosion at the front of both the rear wheel arches. I have had the car from new and it has always been looked after by the HPC. 
Photos and paint thickness measurements were sent to Nissan about 2 weeks ago.

Have just heard from the HPC today that the claim has been rejected, as this is 'paint failure' and not perforation


----------



## octet (Mar 27, 2014)

omishri said:


> Any update on this?
> 
> I had taken my MY10 to my HPC, as I had noticed what I thought was rust/corrosion at the front of both the rear wheel arches. I have had the car from new and it has always been looked after by the HPC.
> Photos and paint thickness measurements were sent to Nissan about 2 weeks ago.
> ...


Mine is being done, but only the area affected, not the entire car. We need to get all of us together and write to MD @ Nissan GB. I'll get a new thread started pretty soon.


----------

