My Scirocco in Rising Blue has one large chip on the bonnet but nothing else noticeable. If I recall, whatever caused it made quite a thud on the bonnet. VW paint is relatively hard compared to Honda's, my mate's R type looks like someone has taken a shot blaster to it.
When did VW change to water based paints? Somewhere between MK5 and MK6 i'm guessing - water based paints of all types are generally softer than their solvent based counterparts. There are plenty of people who say solid colours get a lacquer coat but i've never seen any official conformation this is true. If it is, then why:-
1. Do metallics/Pearls cost so much more for just a bit of powdered Aluminium/mica in the mix?
2. Are they still called solid colours?
3. Do you get metallic touch up kits that come with base coat and lacquer, but the solid colours come with just the basecoat touch up pen? (I actually think you can buy a pair of pens with one being lacquer, but you can also buy the solid on it's own).
The lacquer coat of most paints and varnishes are solvent based.
I can see why they would put a clear layer on solid paints, for UV protection in preventing fading etc, but the old argument for metallic paint costing more than solid paint was the 2 coat process. I do think that metallic paint costs are a piss take and all the car manufacturers just charge what they can get away with. Would VW charge £250 for White if it wasn't in trend? VW Germany used to charge a little extra for Tornado red (about 130 Euros as I recall) and it just so happened to be a really popular colour over there. Now not only do they not charge for it, but they don't charge for pure white either whereas it costs us £250.
It does seem odd that you can't get any confirmation from official sources that solids have lacquer, maybe if they do confirm that solid paint goes through the same process as metallic paint then they'd also have to admit that metallic paint option is a rip off. I'm surprised it hasn't been asked of them why the UK pays £250 for pure white whereas every other Eurozone country gets it free if they choose it. They can't really justify "market differences" like why UK might get more standard spec than another country or like an option that is chargeable in all areas varies in price from zome to zone. A free option extra in one country should be a free option in all the other countries.
Checking out other Euro countries:-
Germany: All solid paints are free
Netherlands: All solid paints are free, Urano grey is unavailable
France: White is free, black and red are 260 Euros, Urano grey is unavailable
Spain: White and red are free, solid black and Urano grey are unavailable, metallics are 470 Euros
Portugal: All solids are free, metallics are 333 Euros
Austria: All solid paints are free, Urano grey is unavailable
Couldn't get Italy to work
There are some other oddities - you can only get 5 door GTD if you choose DSG in Spain.
