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DanandBetty · 05-24-2015, 11:57 AM

The 1st owner of my Monaco coach bought Perma Plate for it. Let me be clear: The Perma Plate is out of warranty. The coach is 8 years old and the warranty was for only good for 5 years.

One of many reasons we settled on this particular coach back when we bought it was the new look of the paint. It shined like a fresh wax job. It has stayed that way the last couple of years that we've owned it.

Very nice! However, last year on the rear cap started some small blister looking spots which have begun to spread over a larger area. Now there is peeling on the clear coat. Its looks like leprosy has set in and is getting worse. I checked with a body and paint shop which estimated around $7000 to strip the rear cap down through the paint and re-paint it. That's without the nice Monaco graphic which I really like. They said there's no other way to remove the Perma Plate because it is supposedly bonded to the paint (obviously not in the places that are peeling).

There seems to have been a lot of RVs coated with this product back in 2002 - 2007 that I've read about in old posts. There must be folks who've had problems with it over the years. Has anyone had similar experiences with Perma Plate peeling? How can I repair this at a lower cost? Other than warrenty what was your fix? How much did it cost?

Thanks for any help you can give me....

falconman · 05-25-2015, 09:38 AM

I don't think your peeling issue has anything to do with Permaplate, that dealer applied coating probably wore off long ago unless you had the rig stored inside. What your experiencing is a failing clear coat, typical of a rig in that age, mine included. It usually appears around the upper edges of the caps and side walls. The only way to keep the repair cost down is to limit the repaired area. It all depends how far the peeling has progressed. I would not suggest just applying more clearcoat, it will not last. It needs new paint followed by clear. It's a system that helps the layers bond together.

deandec · 05-25-2015, 10:00 AM

Agree with Falconman's post.

Read the PermaPaint reviews. Most feel the product is just a Dealer scam to collect lots of money for a wax job equivalent. Protection likely wore off before the first year anniversary.

Clear coat is a paint, and it is releasing from its bond to the base coat paint.

I began having the problem on my @15 year old rig which sits in the sun. Still dealing with it and learning to paint with auto paint five years later.

DanandBetty · 05-26-2015, 04:59 PM

thanks for the comments guys. I don't know anything about this product so when I saw how thick the peals were i just thout that was it. I didn't know that clear coat was applied so thick. Dummy me. Well..I guess what I've learned is to haul out a ship load of money and have the rear cap re done. Thanks again.

One more question..how to strip paint??...sand blaster?

deandec · 05-26-2015, 05:15 PM

I believe you can sand away the clear coat that needs to be replaced. I have used 600 grit automotive sand paper and an electric random orbital sanding machine to do so.

If you have accomplished the clear coat removal and smoothing of the surface and still have base coat firmly attached, you can paint over the old base coat with new base coat (color) and then re-apply clear coat.

I have used PPG's Deltron base coat paint in that manner and it has been good for 2 years. The paint specs say it will adhere to other base coat paints.

If you remove the old base coat paint in some spots, you should then apply primer in those areas before applying the base color coat.

I am an amateur, so seek more professional advice before proceeding on the above concept.

DanandBetty · 05-27-2015, 12:03 PM

deandec: Thanks again for your post. You've caused me to think like I should have been thinking from the start. That is: why can't I just do the paint repairs myself? I was thinking of the whole rear cap needing painted which is more than I can do without a shop for the work, plus applying a new graphic painted on to match the original. Now I'm thinking that I can "spot repair" (sorta). I could sand the affected areas and do exactly like you're describing. I bet I can find a paint shop that can match the color for me. Hmmm, I remember painting an old VW bug with my son years ago when he was in high school. We needed a project to work on together. I had a big garage then and an air compressor. The short of it is that we did a good job on a complete paint job including some dent repair. In addition to the canned paint I bought, the paint shop mixed "touch up" paint in two rattle cans for future repairs if needed. Now there's an idea for spot repairs. Maybe I can get clear coat made up in rattle cans also. Some wet sanding for overspray, several color coats, finish with clear coat and job done. I'll study the problem a little more and then decide an approach I can afford. Thanks again...

falconman · 05-27-2015, 01:38 PM

You can try it but I wouldn't expect the repair to last more than a year or two. There are plenty of posts on others doing that with mixed results, usually in ends up in a re-do. Once you reach the base coat it's a gamble if any new clear top coat will adhere in the long run, especially a rattle can. They have newer clears in 2K that are supposed to be better but not for a long term fix. Further, if your base coat is a metallic it will next to impossible to get a correct color match. The particles lay down evenly when first applied. It would take an expert or a lot of luck to get a good match. I've some experience in painting cars and my rig has the peeling paint along the roofline. I don't have the space or the tools any more to do it right.

TaterTot · 06-29-2015, 10:32 AM

I have exact same issue with my 2002 National RV Dolphin. I called Perma Plate and via my VIN they told me it was applied new in 2002 and in 2003 an extended warranty was sold until 2008, so no help there. Mine has flaked off going down the road like a snow storm if you are behind me and in the rain water forms blisters under the clear coat.

I have shown it to some body/paint shops and they assure me it isn't going to hurt the structural integrity, its just ugly. Well, I am old and ugly too so I am inclined to save my money and live with it. Thoughts?

Dave

deandec · 06-29-2015, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanandBetty

deandec: Thanks again for your post. Maybe I can get clear coat made up in rattle cans also. S..

I have used the Spraymax 2k rattle can clear coat. It is about $23 per can which seems to cover about 8 sq ft with 2+ coats.

Dutch Star Don · 06-29-2015, 02:59 PM

"DanandBetty".....Monaco has had an issue for years with the paint, typically the top of the caps and side rails peeling off (clear coat going bad). I had an 05 and after a few tries to extend the paint life, I gave in had the entire roof line repainted. I had them start just above the running lights. I also had them use one of the lighter colors in the paint scheme. My coach had three colors that rolled over the roof. I had them do all the repair in one color which looked nice (factory).

With all that said, we have a friend who has a 2007 Cayman. His was the first one I've seen where something other than the roof line went bad. His rear engine doors started to peel.

Sooooo....check the rest of your roof. You can do bandaid repairs to the paint, but the only real fix is to have it professionally repainted. You might think about leaving the paint scheme one or two colors and forget the swirl.