There are many factors that go into choosing the best type of paint for your situation but likely the most critical factors are:

• How it looks
• How much it costs
• How long does it last
• How easy is it to use (either as maintaining the finish or actually application of the paint)

Considering these primary factors  we’ll look at the process and most popular products to help you make the correct decision for which product to purchase.

Should I buy Primer?

The short answer is yes. If you are truly looking for the best finish in the end you must start with a good primer or primer system.  We always recommend using a good primer system whenever you can afford to purchase one. This is the first step to making a quality paint job that last so proper selection and proper use of a primer is important. Primer is a

broad category which can be generalized to the following categories:

• Anti-corrosive Primers - prevent metal surfaces from corroding
• Primer Surfacers – designed to fill small dings, dents and scratches
• Primer Sealers – seal off undercoats in preparation for applying color coats
• Adhesion Primers - ensures adhesion to a particular surface (typically metal or plastic)

This may seem like a lot of primers to consider at first but keep in mind that most paint jobs require only one or two of those types for a great finish. Also, many products will function in multiple roles so you won’t need to purchase all those types.  We’ll give more detail on which primers are best in our next section. If the paint on your vehicle is already in good condition (no cracking, peeling, severe gloss loss, fading etc) then primer may not always be necessary. However, you should check with the manufacturer of the paint brand you select to confirm it is recommended for use without a primer.

What kind of primer should I buy?

As mentioned in the above section, there are a lot of primer options available. Choosing the right primer depends on the condition of your vehicle and your quality expectations.  However, we'll do our best to summarize to the best options for a given situation assuming you want a top quality finish in the end.  If you have any bare metal on your vehicle we strongly recommend a 2K epoxy primer. Epoxy primer is generally the best for adhesion to metal and providing corrosion resistance making it the best choice for bare metal areas.  While you may not have bare metal on your car to begin with, some bare metal areas may be exposed as you or your refinisher sands out imperfections and apply body filler to repair dents, dings, and the like. Often only a quart or two is needed to spot prime areas where bare metal is exposed over the entire vehicle. While spot priming may be sufficient, for best results using a quality epoxy primer over the entire vehicle is a safe choice for added corrosion resistance and adhesion. On areas where there are a lot of small dings, scratches or body filler it's a good idea to use a 2K urethane primer surfacer. Urethane primers usually offer better filling and sanding than epoxy primer so a combination of epoxy primer for the adhesion and corrosion to metal followed by a good urethane primer for filling and sanding is the best approach for preparing your vehicle for painting. If your vehicle is in pretty good shape already, (meaning it doesn't have a lot of dings, scratches, flaking etc), a 2K urethane sealer is a great option for providing a good foundation for your color coats. Some paint manufacturers offer urethane sealer in a wide range of colors so you can match the color of your primer closer to the color of your final finish. Matching the color of your primer closer to the color of your final finish reduces the amount of color coats (usually the most expensive part) needed and when those inevitable stone chips or scratches happen they are less visible over a similar color primer than over just a typical grey primer which is commonly used. For primer selection we recommend avoiding lacquer type primers, aerosol or spray bomb primers, and enamel primers due to potential issues with lifting or wrinkling, and cracking long term.

What kind of color coat should I buy?

There are a lot of color coat options available today with varying performance and costs. When factoring in the durability, appearance, and general cost of these various types of product, the best choice is either purchasing a 2K urethane single stage topcoat or a urethane basecoat/clearcoat system. A urethane single stage is a product that provides both the color of your finish and the gloss (how shiny it is) in one product while a basecoat/clearcoat system consists of a color layer (the basecoat) and an additional clear layer (called clearcoat) to provide the final glossy appearance. Seemingly the urethane single stage is the obvious route because it requires only one product to achieve both gloss and color, however, the basecoat/clearcoat approach has some key advantages in the ease of use, and durability aspects.  In fact, despite the added cost and extra steps, a vast majority of all cars rolling off assembly lines today are painted with a basecoat/clearcoat process. Basecoat/Clearcoat offers enhanced metallic and pearlescent application and effect and generally last longer than single stage finishes. Comparing the two I find that in the early years after painting basecoat/clearcoat and single stage finishes may have similar appearance but as time goes on the basecoat/clearcoat finish will require less maintenance (ie waxing and detailing) to maintain the high gloss finish. Costs are higher for a basecoat/clearcoat system versus a single stage system but the overall service life improvements will reduce maintenance cost and likely preserve a greater resale value for your vehicle. Savvy shoppers are finding deals online for basecoat/clearcoat kits that are comparable or even less in cost than many single stage finishes. Other color coat finishes available include acrylic enamel and lacquer types of finishes.  While acrylic enamel can offer some nice finishes with decent longevity, it generally does not last as long as a urethane finish and when you do smart comparison shopping you’ll find the cost differential is not large between an acrylic enamel single stage and a urethane single stage. I do not recommend lacquer finishes unless you are trying to accomplish a period correct restoration of a vintage vehicle.  Lacquer finishes tend to lose gloss faster, and ultimately crack and chip more than urethane, or acrylic enamel finishes.