Need some recommendations for clear coat

[97_teg_se]

So, I am getting my car painted as soon as I buy some clear coat, and have a free weekend.

I am not wanting to go crazy expensive on the clear coat. I was wondering what are some good, cheaper brands, and where i can pick them up?

I want to buy a gallon and i really want to keep the cost around $100.

I have everything else i need to paint the car. I would like know of experiences with certain brands (bad or good) as well as what not to buy.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Countrydave]

Nason select clear. 497-00 its like 85.00 to 90.00 for gallon of clear and activator.

[Countrydave]

And you can pic it up at oreilly's or colormatch.

[97_teg_se]

Is it fairly durable

[ZacCarter]

Nason is good stuff, and a gallon will be more than enough for an integra. Are you baking it on? If not make sure you get the right activator.

[97_teg_se]

No I am not baking it on.

[Countrydave]

Yes its durable. We use it at work and I also use it at the house when I paint.

[Countrydave]

And as hot as it is get high temp activator.

[97_teg_se]

I'm pretty sure you guys have me sold, I thank you for the information, and bid you good day.

[97_teg_se]

I do have another question: would a mid temperature activator suffice? even with the current temperatures being so mother fucking hot?

[Countrydave]

Mid temp would dry too fast to get around the whole car. High temp will stay "wet" longer. I wouldn't recommend something o don't use its inexspensive and good paint.

[97_teg_se]

Thank you again

[Countrydave]

If you have anymore paint questions just pm me I'll answer to the best of my knowledge

[Ashby]

Hey dave have you ever used omni clear on a whole vehicle? Ive only used it on motorcycles and it does really well on that.. Just another option but Im not suee how well it does..


If you wanted to get into some money i love the DCU clear from PPG.. Shits amazing.

Oh and yes get hot activator or your clear will come out dry..

[Countrydave]

I've used omni clear and I wasn't impressed with it.

[Ashby]

Hmm, like I said, it looks good on motorcycles, but that's a lot less to see.

The Nason single stage polyurethane does well for a single stage.. And dries hard as a rock..

[97_teg_se]

Hey dave have you ever used omni clear on a whole vehicle? Ive only used it on motorcycles and it does really well on that.. Just another option but Im not suee how well it does..


If you wanted to get into some money i love the DCU clear from PPG.. Shits amazing.

Oh and yes get hot activator or your clear will come out dry..

Yea, I would like to go with PPG.
That is the brand of paint I'm using.
Its just too expensive, and I couldn't get them to come off a gallon of it at work.
Again thank you for the input.

[Ashby]

No problem, sorry I couldn't be anymore help, I've never sprayed cheaper clear that much...

[alex37211]

we have always used sherwin williams at work and never had any issues with it. We get it for $65 per set (1 gallon+hardener)

[97_teg_se]

Sweet, I've heard pretty good reviews on Sherwin Williams clear too.

[Countrydave]

I have ultra 7000 base clear on my car.

[87porsche_944]

Nason select clear. 497-00 its like 85.00 to 90.00 for gallon of clear and activator.

x2 just cuz my work sells it... lol

[tb94_coupe]

i really like the way nason lays down but if you plan on buffing the whole car you mite have a hard time i used it on a cadillac cts at work and had a hell of a time buffing it but it does cut really good

keystone makes a decent clear and it cuts and buffs good thats what we usually use but if i had to choose and didnt plan on painting it again for a long time i would just wait and buy dcu2002 it is the shizzzy

and always keep in mind most of your cheaper clears dont have very good uv protection so if i was you id just wait and get dcu you dont wanna use dbc base and the use a shitty clear on it

[Countrydave]

I've heard ppl complain about it being hard to buff I've never had a problem with it. But then again I finish everything out with 3000 grit trizac before going onto buffing

[97_teg_se]

i really like the way nason lays down but if you plan on buffing the whole car you mite have a hard time i used it on a cadillac cts at work and had a hell of a time buffing it but it does cut really good

keystone makes a decent clear and it cuts and buffs good thats what we usually use but if i had to choose and didnt plan on painting it again for a long time i would just wait and buy dcu2002 it is the shizzzy

and always keep in mind most of your cheaper clears dont have very good uv protection so if i was you id just wait and get dcu you dont wanna use dbc base and the use a shitty clear on it


I have a PPG DBC basecoat, the shit's like 275 a gallon, for my work, and we get a deal.

So, thats why I figure I can get away with a cheaper clear.

I do plan on buffing the whole car, but I am not doing the buffing.

I am doing all the prep work.

Then, I have a guy that is going to spray the whole car, jambs and all, for $150 and buff the car.

He works at our paint shop, so he is fairly competent.

I appreciate everybody's input on this.

I know a little about paint, but I do not have a whole lot of experience.

[tb94_coupe]

I've heard ppl complain about it being hard to buff I've never had a problem with it. But then again I finish everything out with 3000 grit trizac before going onto buffing
yea we do 1200 to cut then 3k trizac but it just seemed like all it wanted to do was burn and i had the buffer turned down to 1k rpm's idk what it was
I have a PPG DBC basecoat, the shit's like 275 a gallon, for my work, and we get a deal.

So, thats why I figure I can get away with a cheaper clear.

I do plan on buffing the whole car, but I am not doing the buffing.

I am doing all the prep work.

Then, I have a guy that is going to spray the whole car, jambs and all, for $150 and buff the car.

He works at our paint shop, so he is fairly competent.

I appreciate everybody's input on this.

I know a little about paint, but I do not have a whole lot of experience.
you should have got a cheaper base then put a good clear over it your clear is whats gonna need to be good its keeps the sun from fading out your base but im sure it will look fine either way im sure your not trying to make a show car are you?

[Ashby]

If you are using an expensive base and then go over it with cheap clear its not going to look any better.. Your base is just the color and metallics, nothing else.

[97_teg_se]

No, not a show car at all, Its a DD.
I just really need to get some color on it.
It's been primer since I got it.
If I had bought the paint I would have gone with a better clear and cheaper paint, but we are switching to enviro water based paint, and had a bunch of the old DBC leftover.
So, I scored a gallon.
I just didn't want to waste $100+ on that duplicolor paint shop clear.
I hear it sucks balls.so, I figured I'd ask on here.
Thanks everybody again for the input.

[Countrydave]

Ashby no matter what materials you use it is only gonna look as good as your prep work.

And tb94_coupe what compounds/buffing pads did you use? I always use 3m compound and pads. Heavy cut compound usually run the buffer between 3k and 4k rpm with wool pad then swirl mark remover with grey eggshell pad drop it down to around 2k to 2.5k rpm then the blue pad around 1.5k rpm. But key with Nason is cure time I usually let it sit for a couple days before I colorsand n buff.

[tb94_coupe]

Ashby no matter what materials you use it is only gonna look as good as your prep work.

And tb94_coupe what compounds/buffing pads did you use? I always use 3m compound and pads. Heavy cut compound usually run the buffer between 3k and 4k rpm with wool pad then swirl mark remover with grey eggshell pad drop it down to around 2k to 2.5k rpm then the blue pad around 1.5k rpm. But key with Nason is cure time I usually let it sit for a couple days before I colorsand n buff.
i used the 3m also man but i was thinking that the cure time was the problem b/c i cut and buffed it roughly 12 hours after i painted it and it pisssed me off so i let it sit over the weekend and came back in on monday and it buffed a whole lot better

[tb94_coupe]

No, not a show car at all, Its a DD.
I just really need to get some color on it.
It's been primer since I got it.
If I had bought the paint I would have gone with a better clear and cheaper paint, but we are switching to enviro water based paint, and had a bunch of the old DBC leftover.
So, I scored a gallon.
I just didn't want to waste $100+ on that duplicolor paint shop clear.
I hear it sucks balls.so, I figured I'd ask on here.
Thanks everybody again for the input.
yea i feel ya and id def. go with nason for this application

[Countrydave]

Yeah cutting and buffing that soon is a bitch.

[Ashby]

Ashby no matter what materials you use it is only gonna look as good as your prep work.This..