My wife is ordering her Clubman this weekend (we'll be a 2 MINI family)
She asked me a question that I was not sure of. Besides looks, is there any advantage to metallic paint vs the standard no-charge colors? I know it looks nicer and shines up really nice but otherwise is it more durable in any way?

 

I think you will be happy with either. I've not heard of ANY paint issues with metallic versus non. I never even thought of it that way to be honest. We picked the color we wanted and didn't think twice.

Donna

 

Aside from lightening your wallets by $500 - there's no advantage to metallic paints in terms of durability

Get the order in soon.

 

too bad the non-metallic is only available on three colors.

they might as well just add the $500 into the base price and call it a day...

 

In darker color non-metalics, scratches show up much more readily.

I'm sure it's just a matter of time before someone posts that the metal flakes in the metallic paint add weight that will adversely affect performance of the car.

 

When you watch the factory tour video on the website, and see the robots painting the body, it makes you realize how the paint color is simply dictated by what nozzle the robots uses. Then to think they charge $500 for really the paint product alone is crazy. But since people pay it they do it. There should likely be an extra cost, but $500 seems steep.

 

A very high number of other car manufacturers charge more for metallic - check out Volvo for starters.

Go with what your checking account can handle and what you like - is my advice.

Love your comment LynnEl!

 

As is the case with many things, I didn't pay for metallic paint because of how it gets on the car; I paid because I like the look once it's on there. When I go to the dentist, I can assure you I don't pay for a filling because I love the drilling, smoke and assortment of tools they force into my mouth.

 

Very well put!

 

If I'm not mistaken, there's a very big difference between standard paint and metallic -- clear coat! Standard paint is sprayed on and that's it. When you wax, that's why the pads turn the color of your paint. Metallic paints are sprayed, followed by a coat of clearcoat. That clearcoat not only protects the pigment, and adds depth, but it makes the paint much more durable and longer lasting. Double check me, but if the standard paints don't include clearcoats, metallic is money very well spent (take a look at any standard red car and you'll quickly see what I'm talking about -- especially if they haven't been waxed.)

 

I'm pretty sure that all paints receive a clear coat these days. But I'm sure someone with real knowledge will chime in soon

 

Uh? All modern car paint finishes are water based and use clearcoat. All my MINIs (Except the Clubman) have had solid finishes and not once there has been any "paint transfer"to my waxing pad during polishing. Probably you have vivid memories of old Enamel paint finishes from yesteryear. We opted for metallic paintwork in the Clubman as we wanted to get Hot Chocolate. But generally, I am not a big fan of metallic finishes. Why? The biggest reason metallic finishes are a headache is when it comes to fix minor chips and scratches. It is extremely difficult and nearly impossible to match the little metal flakes in the paint to those in the surrounding paint area. metallic paints are harder to match and re-sprays tend to look darker than the rest of the car. If you get a metallic finish, bear in mind these points. Any paint professional will tell you the same. Metallics are beautiful until you have to repair them. For easy of scratch/chip repairs, solids can't be beat. the most forgiving colors in my experience are Pepper White, Chili Red and solid Jet Black (no longer offered). Paint chip repair on any of these is much, much easier and less noticeable than on a metallic finish. Having said this, however, after applying Meguiar's NXT on that Hot Chocolate paint, really makes it well worth the extra expense. Will my next MINI have a metallic paint finish? I am not sure, unless, MINI has some killer metallic paint options at the time that will make me abandon my allegiance to Chili Red.

 

You are wrong. I think you are confusing solid paint colors with Enamel car finishes that haven't been offered in decades! My Chili Red MINI indeed has a very lustrous and hard clearcoat as any other MINI with a metallic paint finish. Whether you select solid or metallic paintwork, both of these are WATER BASED paints and in combination with the hard clear coat MINI uses = Extremely prone to road stone chip damage.

 

I also applied Meguiar's NXT to my 3 year old Chili Red MINI and you have to wear sunglasses because the car is so shiny, people ask me if I just bought it.

 

i prefer non-metallic paint. nowadays every car out there has metallic or mica or pearl paint. solid colors look cool