I used to swear by basecoat/clearcoat from the big brands only

Had a job last month on a 2010 F-150 that needed a blend into the cab corner. Shop owner handed me a gallon of a no-name brand from a local supplier in Phoenix. I figured I'd be reclearing it in a week. 30 days later it still matched and laid down fine. I might have been wasting my money on Sikkens for basic solid colors. Anyone else get surprised by a cheaper paint line?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan_rodriguez13d ago

$350 a gallon for the no-name stuff vs. $700 for Sikkens, and now I'm looking at my spray booth like I've been the sucker this whole time. @oliverbailey you're telling me we both got burned by the same cheap paint trick? I laid it on a silver Ford work van last week and it flattened out like glass, no orange peel at all. My buddy at the body shop next door laughed when he saw the can, but then he ran his hand over it and just walked away quiet. Maybe the big brands are just selling us on the name and a fancy sticker.

oliverbailey16d ago

Told my wife I saved money on paint and she asked if the truck would look like a two-tone within a month. Guess who ate their words when that cheap stuff laid down flatter than the OEM finish. Now I'm just mad I spent the last ten years paying for the expensive stuff.

angelafisher15d ago

Hold on, "laid down flatter than the OEM finish"? That's a bold claim, @oliverbailey. I'm genuinely shocked that cheap paint can actually look better than what came from the factory. Usually that bargain stuff peels off like a cheap sunburn after one car wash. So you're telling me it's actually smooth and shiny? That's wild. Now I'm second-guessing every can of expensive paint I've ever bought for my own projects. Feels like we've all been getting played by the paint companies this whole time.