I love my truck, but I must admit if there is one thing I can definatly complain about (so far) is the cheap paint / clear coat job. I have gotten to the point as where no matter what I do I can almost be sure I will have a new scratch or chip in the paint at the end of the day. I am tired of buffing out little blemishes and dabbing touch up on small chips. I have just bought some red colored wax to help me cover the bogus stuff. By the way, why cant the factory use a primer that is similar in color to the finish color? Every mark I get shines a nice WHITE spot. I guess I should have bought a white truck. It seems as there is little to no clear coat to help protect the paint from the onslaught. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just lucky? Or maybe there is a better way to protect the truck? Or better yet, I could just have the whole thing sprayed in that smooth colored Rhino Liner!

 

I think it was certain years that have a difference. I have a '96 ram that is black, and even with my neglect, the paint just Shines whenever I wash/wax it about once every few months. There are soooo many small blemishes, but whenever the truck gets detailed, you would think it was a brand new coat of paint from 5 feet away.

 

Katoom,

If you think youre truck is bad....check out the third gens...pitiful to say the least.

 

It doesn't seem very consistent, but I'm not sure what the variable is. I've had three 2nd Gens, a '95 (Flame Red), a '98 (Black), and my present '02 (Silver), and the '95 and the '02 both have had excellent paint jobs. The '98 was like the first poster described, easy to scratch and chip, plus very noticeable when it did. I know the '02 was built in Mexico, the '98 in a US plant (St. Louis?) and I'm not sure about the '95.

 

I hear you KATOOM,

I got the garnet color (Maroon color). The nose of the truck is white spotted from rock chips. I've tried the red color wax. What a waste... it last for a short time and back to being spotted white again. The only way this will stop is that Idaho no long uses gravel for the roads! Mag Cloride is even worst on the paint and body of the truck! As for the color coat being thick... LOL I've rubbed the color off the driver side door on the edge with my hand. (This is over a long period of time of grabing the edge of the door!)

Not much you can do about it...

 

Just be happy you don't have a pre '97 where it has to be taken down to bare metal to correct the inferior primer issue.

 

My 95's paint is flat PITIFUL, but NONE of it has come off yet. I just is fading badly, and rough as a cob, like someone has sanded on it with 40 grit sandpaper.

Chris

 

my 01 and my 99 both have awful paint ...if you look at the truck wrong it's scratched ..................

I usually try to keep mine covered in a protective layer of mud most of the summer

 

My paint is in great shape. I neglect the heck out of it too. I never wax it but I do keep it washed. Road grime seems to play hell on paint when it's left on there. I do have plenty of rock chips on the lower rockers but that's thanks to big tires and a lift. I expect it there.

 

strange. thats one of the strong points i have found on mine. 1 96 and three 01's and paint has been great. all the care mine gets is a weekly wash and waxing at out local 'NO touch" drive thru unless it is real bad then i take it thru our local drive thru car wash with the brushs

 

Crazy as it may be, my 98.5 was just waxed for the first time last week. It is white with grey on the bottom. No complaints here.