Anyone else got a crap factory paint job? Mine (WRC Blue 03 STi) is flaking off everywhere (bonnet, scoop, front bumper) and it's starting to give me the sh@ts. Is there anything I can do to forestall the inevitable? I'm already waxing with Meguiars and I thought I was taking care of it.

Is the coloured wax products any good for small chips?

You sure its not had a re-spray???

Thers not a lot you can do tbh i am guessing when you say flaking off you mean the laquer....

Just to add the best thing you can do if its just the front is have the front repsrayed properly in an "oven bake" enviroment

nah, I'm not sure. I checked out the accident history before I bought it, but that's no guarantee I suppose.

I might have to look up some of the guys mentioned in the paint sticky. The missus will not be impressed with another big bill related to the car though. It's fortunate that I like it so much, otherwise it'd be out on its ear!!

Thats the missus you're talking about, obviously!

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Perhaps front bumper and bonnet have been resprayed from stonechips ? Around the flaked area, what colour is the undercoat?

Factory finishes shouldn't react that way for a 6 year old car.

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MY04 STI Forester - v7 STI TMIC, Blitz Nurspec cat back.
MY98 'wannabe STI' GT Forester

Run your fingers around the edges of the boot, bonnet and doors if it feels rough I put money on it that its had a respray.

I've always believed the factory paint job on the Wrx's to be terrible, i've had 2, both WRC blue and both seem to get easily stone chipped, but never had an issue with flaking paint

My 02 wrx scoop is flaking like crazy!! its WRC blue too

The clearcoat on my MY98 has had a few issues.

At different stages during the cars life, I've had to respray the rear spoiler and then all the plastic pieces on the bonnet. The clearcoat just started cracking and peeling starting from when the car was about 3-4 years old.

The paint in some areas is also quite thin meaning that it's exposed the undercoat in some edges, notably around the boot, and underneath the plastic roof gutters..

I've also always used Meguiars or Autoglym products too.

It's just pot luck I suppose.

She's a bit of alright

under the flaked area it's white. There's heaps of chips through the white to the metal, but I think I'd know if I was hitting heaps of stones. Looks pretty thin in places.