Road Trek paint replace?

[roadbiker1]

Our 2008 RT (built on 2007 Chev body) is shedding paint off its hood..
big flakes just peeling off what looks like galvanized steel. Have been told of getting the hood covered with a "vinyl wrap" instead of trying to re paint.
Anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by roadbiker1

Our 2008 RT (built on 2007 Chev body) is shedding paint off its hood..
big flakes just peeling off what looks like galvanized steel. Have been told of getting the hood covered with a "vinyl wrap" instead of trying to re paint.
Anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

I would have it repainted. Vinyl wrap is cheaper but won't last as long.

[KurtFranz]

I wrapped mine a year ago as I had the same issue you are having. Does not look the greatest because I am not a professional, but it is passable and provides protection. Mine is white so it was an easy match. Seems to me like the stuff I put on will last a good while, but there are probably different levels of quality with this stuff just like everything else.

here is a write up a did on it. Note that the last picture has a lit of wrinkles, but 90 percent of those went away after i applied some heat.

2002 Roadtrek 190 Versatile - 12/17/22 - Hood Vinyl Wrap - roadtrek190.com

[booster]

The peeling paint issues for all brands is a tough one in that there are too many options that make it hard to decide.


The most sure method for success is to strip all the color coat off by sanding or chemical removal. Then a good bonding primer base and base with clear topcoat. The cost could easily hit over half of the van value, however.


Some shops will say that just sanding off the loose and applying new sealing primer and topcoats is adequate. Many would disagree and say that the bottom layer is still the poorly adhered OEM coating, which is true IMO.


Several have scuffed the rough edges at home and taken off any loose paint and used rattle can primer and paint. Probably visible, but affordable and you do more in the future easily, it should prevent corrosion.


I do my own bodywork and paint so what I would do is irrelevant for this issue as my costs would be totally different.


Tough choice and may hinge more on available budget and van value than finished results.

[KurtFranz]

Originally Posted by booster

The peeling paint issues for all brands is a tough one in that there are too many options that make it hard to decide.


The most sure method for success is to strip all the color coat off by sanding or chemical removal. Then a good bonding primer base and base with clear topcoat. The cost could easily hit over half of the van value, however.


Some shops will say that just sanding off the loose and applying new sealing primer and topcoats is adequate. Many would disagree and say that the bottom layer is still the poorly adhered OEM coating, which is true IMO.


Several have scuffed the rough edges at home and taken off any loose paint and used rattle can primer and paint. Probably visible, but affordable and you do more in the future easily, it should prevent corrosion.


I do my own bodywork and paint so what I would do is irrelevant for this issue as my costs would be totally different.


Tough choice and may hinge more on available budget and van value than finished results.

yeah - i have a part time job touching up all of the new spots using the rattle can after a trip where the paint peels off. I clean up all of the loose paint, sand it up a bit, mask it off and hit it with the paint -no primer. Holding up quite well as it has been tested by full hose pressure three feet away when washing it Pretty soon the entire van will have a nice dull white finish, but it wont peel any more. The protection is the important part and I am not sinking a bunch of money into a 22 year old van......

[booster]

Originally Posted by KurtFranz

yeah - i have a part time job touching up all of the new spots using the rattle can after a trip where the paint peels off. I clean up all of the loose paint, sand it up a bit, mask it off and hit it with the paint -no primer. Holding up quite well as it has been tested by full hose pressure three feet away when washing it Pretty soon the entire van will have a nice dull white finish, but it wont peel any more. The protection is the important part and I am not sinking a bunch of money into a 22 year old van......

Totally agree, and would not say it is wrong at all.


To put it all in perspective, about 4 years ago I did the bodywork and paint on my 96 Buick Roadmaster wagon. It is a big car at 18' long but not high like a van. I did not paint the roof as it had been done sometime in the past, probably from hail damage. I had quite a bit of light to moderate bodywork to do on both front fenders, one door and one quarterpanel. I am slow at getting stuff straight so took a long time. I used PPG second line catalyzed urethane base and clear Omni paint which is still very good paint. I also two toned it so lots of masking. Primer was PPG epoxy which has no second line. I welded up 150 molding holes that were for the removed phony woodgrain and used waterproof filler on all of it. It took me on full winter of working on it probably 20-30 hours a week and I had around $2000 in materials. It is not show quality, but high driver quality as that was the goal. Probably around $9-10 at a body shop, though.


Body and paint work is very expensive unless you can find a bodyman or hotrodder that does side work in their garage, and that is a quite good option. Check out of the main city areas where neighbors won't complain about paint smells and welding as that is where most of it is done now.