Q: How can I stop the paint chipping on my car from killing its value?
I'm planning on trading in my 2006 Honda Pilot later this year and I am concerned about how the condition of the paint will affect the vehicle's value. The clear coat has been flaking off and is missing in big spots on places like the hood. Is there anything I can do that will help to increase the value of my vehicle without costing me a ton of money? It’s a fairly new car with only 62,000 miles.
The clear coat is a final coat of clear paint which helps protect the color coat on your vehicle. This coat is exposed to many environmental conditions like sun, acid rain, bird droppings, and bug damage. The exposure can cause the clear coat to wear off in places, lose its adherence to the color coat, and start flaking off. The only fix is to remove the clear coat by wet sanding until the top color coat is exposed. You can then choose to either just buff and wax the color coat until you trade your vehicle in, or have a new clear coat put on. I would recommend getting a quote for the paint work, then compare the vehicle’s value as is and in a repaired condition to determine if the repair is cost effective.
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