twobears Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I am thinking of buying a red car, after mainly having blue ones, but am wondering if red paint still fades over time? I know it always used to but has it got any better nowadays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Single stage paint, yes. Any car that's lacquered won't noticeably fade (until you remove a badge or sticker a decade later at least). As far as I know, no manufacturer has used single stage paint for about two decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I know the pigments used in paint back in the day was different to today's paint so I googled it to see what I could find out.... Pre-1980s cars used heavy metal (cadmium) based paints which lastest really well but were banned due to toxicity. However, Japan kept using them for a few years after everyone else stopped. In the 1980s and 1990s European car manufacturers used fugitive organic reds which were basically rubbish. In the late 1990s Ciba developed a new lightfast red which everyone has been using ever since. It's almost as good as the old cadmium reds and a lot less toxic. So new red cars should be OK unless left in equatorial sun for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 What happened to Stanley, have you fallen out of love with him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobears Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Thank you everyone I know from Googling that newer cars aren't meant to fade but I saw a 2004 plate in red today and it was definitely faded or at least its bonnet looked lighter than the rest of the bodywork. I suppose it could have had a different bonnet fitted or maybe it actually had faded? Couldn't really stop and ask the driver as we were going round a roundabout at the time. Still love Stanley and now that my daughter has left home and taken Fiona (her Fiesta) with her, Stanley has taken up residence under my version of the "Zed Shed". Can't bring myself to call it anything else as I still miss Mr Zedders. I only have him on a two year contract though - expires in September - and the car I have my eye on currently has a year's waiting time so I am trying to make a decision, hence the colour query as the potential new car does come in blue (my preferred colour for cars normally) but it's not a very exciting blue and the two reds on offer look quite appealing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 My Renault Clio of 2004 vintage had faded quite a bit. Had "L" plates on it for a couple of years when my daughter was learning to drive and when removed you could see the difference quite clearly and no amount of polish would make any difference. There was a Chilli Red 350Z I used to see almost every day that had faded quite badly too, however I don't think it was cleaned that often . Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimboy2 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) When I used to lurk on the evo forum there was always complaints of red cars turning pink Edited June 12, 2015 by jimboy2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 ...the car I have my eye on currently has a year's waiting time so I am trying to make a decision, hence the colour query as the potential new car does come in blue (my preferred colour for cars normally) but it's not a very exciting blue and the two reds on offer look quite appealing I wouldn't worry about it and I'd just get the red colour car if that's what you really prefer. I've had two red cars which were both faded but, ....one was a 1992 Rover 214Si and the other a 2003 Honda Civic Type R. Neither of which are really modern cars imo as even the newer of the two is over 12 years old now and neither of them were bought new. I'd wager half the problem being the way the previous owners look after the cars. I know you like your cars twobears so I'm sure you'd wash it regularly, keep it garaged when possible and generally look after it. I wash my car weekly without fail and also wax the car regularly so if I'd have owned either of the two red cars I've owned from new neither would have been faded half as bad as they were when they came into my ownership imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crb Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Yes..... But they do look very good 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 As above agreed., The only issue that could arise is, should any panel having had new paint since manufacture, from an accident to a scratch repair, if the proper procedures have not taken place then this issue could arise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 (edited) All paint colours will fade to some degree with UV exposure, its just a case of some colours and pigments being more susceptible than others, as said pigments have come on a lot with recent paint development, so the amount of fade is far less than of older paint technologies. Edited June 13, 2015 by Tricky-Ricky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dugg90 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) Just don't get an old vauxhall, don't think I have Eva seen one that is still red lol Edited June 14, 2015 by dugg90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobears Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Thanks everyone Not a Vauxhall fan so definitely won't be getting one of those, red or otherwise GM, you are right that I love my cars and want the best for them but I am very lazy when it comes to cleaning them Luckily, MrTwoBears enjoys wielding the clay bar etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) Thanks everyone Not a Vauxhall fan so definitely won't be getting one of those, red or otherwise GM, you are right that I love my cars and want the best for them but I am very lazy when it comes to cleaning them Luckily, MrTwoBears enjoys wielding the clay bar etc My 2002 red vauxhall looked alright Edited June 14, 2015 by coldel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobears Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Not the car for me coldel but it looks very shiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 GM, you are right that I love my cars and want the best for them but I am very lazy when it comes to cleaning them Luckily, MrTwoBears enjoys wielding the clay bar etc If you do get a red car as long as someone gives it a good wash & detail then it's all good, ...just make sure you flutter your eyelashes at MrTwoBears regularly then to keep that red paint work looking at it's best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 My 2002 red vauxhall looked alright Think how much better it would have looked if it weren't so faded though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilMH Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My last Alfa was red - no problems with that My 1992 Toyota is red and that is now light pink So the moral of the story is - buy an Alfa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My 2002 red vauxhall looked alright Think how much better it would have looked if it weren't so faded though... Its called character 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 My brother-in-law had a red punto. He had it for about a year before he washed it. When he did finally wash it he surprised that it looked pink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 (edited) It's UV damage that causes it. Not cleaning a red car would probably help it not to fade (certainly help not to notice it if it did) Edited June 15, 2015 by ilogikal1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 yes my POS octavia is fading, Damn car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Well my Celica has been repainted at some point...can I safely assume that lovely new coat of paint wont fade as long as it was done in say the last 10 years? (given the previous comments about new paint not fading?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Well my Celica has been repainted at some point...can I safely assume that lovely new coat of paint wont fade as long as it was done in say the last 10 years? (given the previous comments about new paint not fading?) my 2006 octavia is blood pink yet my mazda of the same year was blood red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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