Mine is 2003 Sports with black color (exterior). I am planning to order Zaino and wondering my SUV has clear coat paint or regular paint?.

I read some where long time back that black paints don't comw with clear coat?. Is that true?.

Any input is welcome.

Thanks.

I think ALL automotive paints today are clear-coated, but not 100% sure on that.

That's what I also thought. But again, in 2000 friend of mine bought Lexus IS300 black one and Lexus claimed that is not clear coat. I too did some search and it all says black is not clear coated.

I don't know whether that has changed say for eg in 2003 4Runner or later editions....?

the Toyota web site is not clear on it either. Zaino's will be fine on it though.

That's what is my problem! - Zaino has two types of polishes one for clear coat and other for regular paint. Don't know which one to choose.....?#$%^$?????

Does the truck have clear? Y_E_S YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!

I just wet-sanded and polished out a scratch last month, there is definately clear coat on our 'runners.

Toyota/Lexus is one of few manufacturers that still use a single-stage paint process on certain colors. They aren't too specific about which models/colors do have a clearcoat either. I know the IS300/MR2 Spyder people have found that some black and yellow cars aren't clearcoated, so it is possible for them not be clearcoated.

Here's a response I got from Toyota, it's pretty vague:
You can try rubbing the paint with a light abrasive polish to see if any paint transfer occurs. If it does, then you've got a single-stage, if not, then it's clearcoated.

You have to be careful.

I have a black 97 toyota Supra. It does NOT have a clear coat (thank God).

However, only certain colors of that year do have clear coat. Matter of fact most do. I think red, black, and white are colors without it.

So, it depends on the color, not just the year and model.

As far as Zaino goes? I used the clear coat stuff for mine and it worked fine. A friend said the non-clear coat works better but I got some, tried it, and didn't see much of a difference.

As far as the quality of Zaino? OH YEAH!!

I believe our Runner's have a clear coat also. My '04 black Subaru WRX did NOT have clear coat and when buffing the car with a white cloth it was very noticable (paint transfer).

I don't get this when buffing the Runner so I would say YES, we have a clearcoat.

I am planning to take my 4R tomorrow to dealer and ask them. Will let all you know what they say........

I am the American Technical Director for the major supplier of topcoats to Toyota America. Our parent company is the major coatings supplier to Toyota/Lexus in Japan.

In America, only white does not have a clearcoat. To the best of my knowledge - the same applies to Japanese manufactured Toyotas.

Black does have a clearcoat.

Now that we're all pretty sure our 4Runner's have a clear coat over the paint (except for the white), which is better?

Clear coat or no clear coat?

Does a clear coat make the paint last longer? Maybe more resistant to weathering (fade) and scratches?

Without a clear coat is it possible to get a better, or glossier, shine due to the oil in the paint?

I never really understood the difference between having clear coat or not, other then the paint showing on my cloth after buffing my WRX (and I always hated to see that, looked like I was basically rubbing the paint right off the car).

There are several reasons why automotive OEM topcoat technology is predominately basecoat/clearcoat today.

The topcoats have many functions: provide color/hiding, gloss, durability, weather resistance, etc.

In going from monocoat to two-coat processes, it is easier to engineer the coating system to provide maximum performance properties. When topcoat were all monocoat, it was always a tradeoff between hiding and gloss/protection. The more pigment in the coating, the better the hiding but usually at the expense of gloss. This was not much of an issue with solids colors, but more so with metallic and pearl systems. Monocoat systems are also more prone to color transfer - what you see on your rag after polishing and waxing. The clearcoat alleviates this problem.

The popularity of metallic and other effect colors has especially led to the two-coat sytem. We wouldn't be able to achieve some of the colors and effects popular today in a monocoat system. The special effect pigments in the basecoat have to "orient" themselves a certain way to provide the "flip/flop" effect we all like. By having the basecoat provide color, we can load up more in the basecoat and use the clearcoat for gloss and extra protection over the effect pigments. It is important to have the aluminum pigments "covered" with a resin matrix in order to provide durability.

Air quality regulations have also contributed. For the past fifteen years there has been a greater emphasis on higher solids/lower VOC (solvent) formulations. It is more difficult to apply higher solids coatings and maintain high gloss and DOI (distinctness of image). Many of today's basecoats are now waterborne which helps with lower VOC emissions, enabling the solvent-based clearcoats to remain somewhat lower in solids for appearance.

There are some drawbacks to the BC/CC systems. The clearcoats result in higher gloss and better appearance but make acid rain etching more noticeable. The complexity of an extra coat also makes for somewhat harder and more complex application. Deep scratches down to primer or substrate are still as noticeable, but more shallow scratches only through to the clearcoat are now more visible than in monocoat systems. Of course repairs are also more complex and costly. Well engineered basecoat/carcoat systems also present more challenges as far as compatibility and application.

Excellent read Gromulus, thanks! So light scratches are more noticable when you have a clearcoat (if they are through the clearcoat)?

Also, with my WRX it was a Black Metallic Pearl so from straight on it looked black but at an angle it had a goldish flake to it. It was definately monocoat though because of the paint transfer I was experiencing.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Solice
[B]Excellent read Gromulus, thanks! So light scratches are more noticable when you have a clearcoat (if they are through the clearcoat)?

Yes, unfortunately. Also more noticeable due to the higher gloss and DOI.