WHICH Brand Has The BEST Paint In The Auto Space TODAY? Name Your Top 3!

The reality is that very basic cars have amazing paint. Granted they cannot keep up with the sprays we do on our flips, but that is to be expected.

I'm getting a new company car next week...Genesis baby!

I'd have to say that the current top brand is Mercedes. When a company's silver paints look great, they're doing something right. But, their whites really are impressive and their blacks are super rich. I can't speak for their durability, though.

Next would be both Audi and BMW. Not much really distinguishes one from the other. But, I can say I was very disappointed with the durability of the paint on my previous Audi. It was very easy to scratch, even with the slightest of effort.

I'd say two companies that disappoint a bit in the area of paint are Hyundai and Mazda. They have two of the handsomest, best-styled sedans on the market in the Genesis and Mazda6. Yet, anytime I've seen either of them, in any color, they both just look rather dull. Maybe they're both TOO handsome, perhaps? But I attribute it to the paint jobs. I'd be willing to pay an extra grand or two for decent paint job on either of these cars (but I'd also wait for better engine choices..haha)

You will definitely see a difference in paint quality between a Mercedes or Porsche level product and a Hyundai or Toyota level product, but you should get something for shelling out the price of 5 cars for 1.

Because one of the enterprises I oversee is a body shop that restomods vintage cars, I've come to know what ti look for in a paint job and I am impressed by how good average cars are.

If Hyundai wasn't trying to present an alternative product to the premium brands, then maybe I'd agree with you. But the fact remains that the Korean maker is trying to do just that. And I'm not comparing S-class paint quality to Genesis-level paint quality. I'm comparing C-Class to Genesis and, to me, there's a definitive contrast.

I can see your point as it applies to Mazda. But, even still, the paint quality on Fusions and Accords appear much higher than on the 6.

@cidflekken I'll keep you posted on Genesis paint quality. The Genesis will be my next "company" car. My dad sold his Veloster to a friend and decided he liked my Fusion--which has excellent paint for a $25K car--and wanted me to find him one, so I brokered a deal. The Genesis I'll probably get is a black on black V8. There's also an Equus, but it's a new 2014 and I see no point in driving a car that is about to be replaced.

I do see Mercedes vehicles up close and personal and yes the pain quality is quite nice, but the Genesis is not lacking in that department at $56K.

I'd be interested to hear your take, MD. Two of my friends have the V-6 Genesis, both white, and when side-by-side with a white 5 Series or C-Class or even my white 435i, they don't stand out to me. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean the quality of the paint is bad, it just means the shade of white might be the reason, or it needs metallic..... or something. And Genesis in other colors, i.e., black or charcoal, never stand out either. Like I said, it might be because the car is so handsomely styled to the point of being almost too subdued and not flashy, so that might be the true issue.

@cidflekken

Hyundai hasn't quite found its design language yet for the Genesis. The last one was an amalgam of styling cues from elsewhere and the current one inexplicably was styled to look like a giant Sonata. The Genesis is a handsome car, but it doesn't have the wow factor of a C Class let's say. Subliminally, you may see your friends' Genesis sedans and think Sonata.

I spend a lot of time at a body shop where we flip muscle cars, old pickups, and some esoteric things (a few TVRs, a couple of Jensen Interceptors, and an Iso Grifo) and I now look at paint jobs differently. I can see why a Mercedes costs more than a Ford, but I am happily surprised by how good the quality is on very affordable cars.

I looked the black Genesis over very carefully because black is just asking for trouble as a color and the spray is really good. If I do wind up taking it, I'm definitely putting on black wheels.

Actually, I've grown really fond of the Genesis and do not relate it to the Sonata. The Genesis truly is a very capable luxury car and it deserves tons of respect. I just wish they built in more spirited driving dynamics into it. Even though the Sonata and Genesis share styling queues, the Sonata looks Passat-bland to me, while the Genesis is pretty striking, almost pulling off a 6-Series Gran Coupe look. Having experienced it first hand, I now view the Genesis as a premium offering vs. the lower end of the Hyundai lineup. I just wish they built a 10-inch shorter version to really go after the 3/C/A4 at a more reasonable price point. If they did, they could really have a game-changer, IMO, similar to what the G35 once was, but is no longer.

Some of the unique colors on Lexus like the Rainwater blue, White Pearls, new RC Orange etc. are quite amazing.

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