The Jazzmobile is 10 years old this year.

The clear top coat is "bubbling" up in many spots. (Usually horizontal surfaces.) If I touch it, it cracks and flakes away. (I know, don't touch it then, right?)

Anyone else seeing this? I searched the forum, but maybe didn't use the right key words.

 

Nope... My 2007 isn't doing that.

Many clearcoat failures start at one of those "Auto Detail" shops that buff the cr@p out of the paint with a high speed buffer. Heats up the clear and causes future failure... But it looks great when the guy takes your money.

 

Don't park so close when you go to the fire scene.

Sorry. Couldn't resist a little firefighter humor.
Honestly though. Don't recall anybody posting about factory clearcoat peeling.
If it's been repainted, then I would put the blame on cheap products used.

 

Not many complaints about it. Any chance it was done after the factory? Used to be too many auto car washes would do it, but they improved the water based paint formula since the 80's.

 

No, George, I park outside the hot zone when I go POV.

It could be some prior-to-my-ownership collision repairs, Don. It's the front bumper, hood and rear bumper. (All horizontal surfaces.) No bubbling on the roof, though.

 

I think that’s your answer, previous to you owning it those surfaces might have been resprayed, to touch up stone chips, bumper bumps and scrapes

 

That does sound like el cheapo cover up.

 

I had the clearcoat peeling on my LT and asked some paint guys about fixing it with a respray and they said "not no, but HELL NO!" It was just on the horizontal surface of the front bumper.

Someone else's problem now!

 

The paint on my Neon is original. It was fine until I had it detailed, and then drove it to - can anyone guess? South Central Texas(Bay City, in August), where the clear coat started peeling horribly. The car was about 12 years old at the time.

So what Greybeard says is true. The spots that the detailer worked a little harder on, were the spots that turned to Shiitake mushrooms. Sorry, but your weather in summer/fall is horrible!

 

Toughie has some major clear coat fade BUT only on the hood and passenger side but not the top. When parked outside in this Arizona sun for 12 years those things tend to happen.