Paint lackure

Sid_the_Squid · Unread post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 08 Jan 2011, 12:30

Hi is it possible to repair peeling paint lacker?
I just saw a nice xantia only thing which put me off is the paint peeling?

Can this be fixed cheap?

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 08 Jan 2011, 12:50

Don't think it would be possible to do a localised repair to lacquer, the whole panel would need to be rubbed down and a new lacquer coat applied.
One of my mate's is in the car body trade, I'll ask him when I speak to him next.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 08 Jan 2011, 12:57

The clear coat peeling like sunburned skin will need to be flatted right off.
I cannot see any successful attempt to spray new lacquer working as the
different stepped layers will always show. I read of these 'smart' repairs
where any discrepancies in the paint are rubbed taken back with rubbing
compound and repolished but never seen the reslts myself to comment.

Is it not worth considering a replacement good identically coloured panel
whilst cars are still available in yards / breaking on ebay etc before their
supply dries up or are the areas peeling the bodyshell itself?

Xantiaman Gareth could have the answers, it's what he does.

Andrew

Sid_the_Squid · Unread post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 08 Jan 2011, 13:15

Thanks Andy & HDI
Sadly its not a panel its the roof by the drivers door. Real shame as the rest of the car is just what I want.
Yes it looks exactly like sunburn skin, very off putting

'96 1.9TD (without ECU)
full Citroen service history, serviced 'by the book' with new belt and clutch.. but of course being serviced by the book, the LHM is dirty and it needs two rear spheres, and a regular service. If this lacker problem had not been present I would have not hesitated to buy, but I can deal with scratches and scrapes but this just looks so ugly.

Any more advice would be appreciated, I made the guy an offer of £550 but he wants 600+, I said I'll let him know need to research fixing this issue first.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 08 Jan 2011, 13:26

i havent been in the paint trade for quite a few years now, but i would think the only answer is the fully re/spray the roof,

because in the proccess of trying to just re/laquer it you will need to rub the hole roof down, and doing this you will almost certanly rub through the paint/colour coat,

regards malcolm

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 08 Jan 2011, 13:35

Roof is the best panel it could happen to though, very convenient break lines for the repair so it should be almost invisible.
You would be looking at around £200-300 for a proper job though.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Jan 2011, 13:53

Or a 70's-style vinyl roof?

I'm gone

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Jan 2011, 14:55

myglaren wrote: I'm gone

For making suggestions like that Steve, you're lucky to have survived a ban

Sid,

Shame to discount the car on a cosmetic issue. Get in touch with Xantiaman (Gareth) for his opinion... What he does not know about paint is frankly not worth knowing...

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 08 Jan 2011, 16:11

The lacquer edge needs feathering back, and you will not be able to preserve the basecoat by doing this, so depending on the panel and where it is, the whole part will need painting.

I have done a lacquer repair on the edge of a roof before, came out fine but it is better to strip it back as far as possible as there is a chance it will peel again, due to the substrate being applied incorrectly (no drop coat) or the lacquer has been mixed incorrectly, for example.

A lot of cars around 15 years + suffer from lacquer peel as eventually the hot/cold cycle through its lifetime turns it very brittle, french cars seem the worst for this..

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 08 Jan 2011, 16:38

You could make it a coupealike and spray the roof a two tone contrasting colour
like the previous owner of a silver Activa I have where the silver base had a
graphite charcoal metallic roof:

[apologies for the poor quality picture - it was getting dark. Yes the car is on
high and no, the wing wasn't damaged by me but in fact was being replaced
when I took the picture. Aaaand the rear wheel is a steely with late s2 trim]

yep, the door frames into the roof were also painted along with the back D
pillar and across the body coloured leading edge of the tailgate. So any panel
renewed in the original silver would stand out against the adjacent graphited
panels...

potentially done with rattle cans but a nice quality finish and shine so could
be a pro job - it takes some getting used to but I do kind of like it although
the rear pillar is the nicest design styling feature of a Xant saloon so it's a
shame to break it up.

Andrew

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Jan 2011, 17:31

How does the lacquer fare in other climates - input from Australian and Scandinavian extremes may be interesting. Or even France.

I have definitely seen quite a few non-French cars with this disease - mainly Fiestas and Astras.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 08 Jan 2011, 20:11

My 405 is "Gris Magnum" and it's pharked, paintwise.

IMO the basecoats were too thin, and not of a good composition. Topcoats also on the thin/nondurable side as well. The base crazes, and breaks up the clear.

At least on a 405, you can carefully break the clear "shell" and strip off the basecoat with thinners, leaving still-good factory primer. Not sure if this is feasible on later bodies.

Nearly bought a black CT hatch with stuffed roof paint. Had I gone through with the sale, I'd have painted the roof white, like a Mini.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 09 Jan 2011, 12:01

Steve wrote
"mainly Fiestas"

is this how they get named fesster's

regards malcolm

Unread post by **Skull** » 03 Feb 2025, 13:25

Old thread but seems suitable:

The recent cold weather has really given my sAXo roof…. dandruff lacquer - it was already patchy but the cold spell has really made it brittle so I plan a rattle can touch up after removing all of the lacquer on the roof up to the roof trim, the car isn’t cosmetically pretty but this is a bit too much to bear …..she’s nearly 30 so not too bad ..
Before:

: Skull’s - I didn’t know you had dandruff !

I don’t think Head & Shoulders will work, I’m wondering if a ‘gentle’ heat gun session will help finish off the separation of the lacquer …..then a light rub down and see how much base colour is left ….

Unread post by **Skull** » 19 May 2025, 15:42

Well I finally got around to doing the job on my sAXo ... I rubbed down to 600 grit and rattle canned it, it's not perfect but WAY better to the casual observer.
Before