Another orange peel thread
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 820
From: SUFFIELD CT USA 2023 C8 CORVETTE UN-MODIFIED FINALIST
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Another orange peel thread
Saw a Laguna Blue C7 tonite, first one in my hometown, looks like it was an October delivery. It pulled into a convenience store and parked, the owner was not around. It was under the harsh kind of lights that show everything. There was mild to moderate orange peel on almost every panel and I noticed that my 2010 Accord ( DD ) had better looking paint! But I do not think this car would have looked bad in daylight or most normal lighting. I have a guy who could do a lite wet sanding and buffing ( color sanding ) for a few hundred bucks if it was mine! My point is easy quick fix and it would be perfect! No it shouldn't be necessary but most normal production cars have some orange peel. If this car was waxed with a mild cleaner wax every month like mine are it would look much smoother by summer and this may be why my 3 year old Accord looked better! 
Ps. I almost forgot to mention the car was gorgeous and snapped my neck around when it made a pass around the parking lot before it parked. I was going across the street and drove back to admire it, missing a chance to congratulate the owner!
Ps. I almost forgot to mention the car was gorgeous and snapped my neck around when it made a pass around the parking lot before it parked. I was going across the street and drove back to admire it, missing a chance to congratulate the owner!
Last edited by BPHORSEGUY; Nov 15, 2013 at 09:13 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 221
Likes: 2
This whole orange peel thing is funny to me - before I saw all the threads about the horrible orance peel on C7s I never really noticed it much - but the last few months I've been paying attention. I have looked closely at my 2012 Inferno Orange GS - it's there but you really have to look hard for it - so I checked the wife's new Tahoe - Black Granite Metallic ( I think that's the color) and if you look really close there is some peel on it as well. Granted both vehicles have been clay barred and kept clean and waxed, but I think the high amount of metallic helps hide it. BUT - the absolute worst orangle peel I've seen ???? A new black Mercedes - it was absolutely horrible !!! And since I've been paying attention to it I would have to say that as a brand Mercedes has the worst orange peel I've been seeing. About the only vehicle I haven't noticed it on is my '11 Silverado truck - the white really hides it well!!!!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
To think of all of the cars that so many of us have owned that we don't know whether or not they had orange peel so we don't even know whether or not to be retroactively dissatisfied. Potentially perfectly justified dissatisfaction gone to waste. And I'll bet THEY know that 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,089
Likes: 256
From: Venice, CA
Every new car has orange peel - even Ferraris, saw a new FF with much worse Orange Peel than on any of my Corvettes. Its pretty much inescapable as modern paint just does not come out smooth the way the old lacquer based paint did.
Having said that there are degrees to the acceptable levels in the Orange Peel on a new car in 2013. If there is excessive OP or inconstant levels it means that something is not being done right.
Having said that there are degrees to the acceptable levels in the Orange Peel on a new car in 2013. If there is excessive OP or inconstant levels it means that something is not being done right.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 907
Likes: 27
From: The Woodlands TX
Yes, all cars have orange peel...From what I've seen tho, the C7's are far worse than any other new car I've seen and it was the first thing I noticed on the first new C7 I saw. I noticed it and thought to myself how bad it was before I even knew it had become a known issue or before anyone was posting about it here.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 820
From: SUFFIELD CT USA 2023 C8 CORVETTE UN-MODIFIED FINALIST
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
To date I have seen 14 or 15 C7's and I don't think orange peel is any more an issue then with most new cars! To be honest though 11 or 12 cars were GM demos and could have been buffed out!
Last edited by BPHORSEGUY; Nov 15, 2013 at 10:17 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,352
Likes: 9,631
From: Lawton, OK
C7 & C8 Events Correspondent
Tech Contributor
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year (track prepared)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
I don't know the physics of why some cases of orange peel are worse than others, nor do I care to know, but here's an example of what is likely the worse any of you have seen. But I do know that BG has been working relentlessly to make sure fit and finish is as good the very best possible. Many issues, if not all, have already been completely remedied. As for me, I have absolutely no regrets having bought a first year C7.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 710
Likes: 338
From: Houston, TX
^ I'm too **** to not have something like that buffed out.
I don't have a C7 yet (I plan to next year). The car I have now is 4 months old and it has some pretty serious orange peel on the doors and side panels but it's not as bad as it was when I first picked it up.
I don't have a C7 yet (I plan to next year). The car I have now is 4 months old and it has some pretty serious orange peel on the doors and side panels but it's not as bad as it was when I first picked it up.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
This is not true. McLaren goes to great lengths to ensure their paint finish is perfect -> http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/04/...laren-mp4-12c/
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
This is not true. McLaren goes to great lengths to ensure their paint finish is perfect -> http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/04/...laren-mp4-12c/
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
This is not true. McLaren goes to great lengths to ensure their paint finish is perfect -> http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/04/...laren-mp4-12c/
and now back to the discussion...
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,352
Likes: 9,631
From: Lawton, OK
C7 & C8 Events Correspondent
Tech Contributor
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year (track prepared)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 817
Likes: 34
The orange peel on my VY is minimal. I am actually very pleased with the paint. There is one spot where there is some scuffing of sorts but it's out of site so it doesn't bother me. It's where two panels come together and it looks like they rubbed at some point.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 907
Likes: 27
From: The Woodlands TX
My 2008 JSB C6 has minimal orange peel... actually none that I have seen but I'm sure it's there if I look hard enough. However, the C7's I've seen, it pretty much jumps out at you and is very obvious. Wonder why it's worse on the C7's?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 171
From: Vancouver Island
Witin reason, paint perfection is low on my list when I buy a car, i can look past a little orange peel. I agree that some of the early C7's have sloppy paint jobs. That can be corrected, I'd be interested to know if the plant is still cranking out shoddy product or not. I'm guessing they're not.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,352
Likes: 9,631
From: Lawton, OK
C7 & C8 Events Correspondent
Tech Contributor
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year (track prepared)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Witin reason, paint perfection is low on my list when I buy a car, i can look past a little orange peel. I agree that some of the early C7's have sloppy paint jobs. That can be corrected, I'd be interested to know if the plant is still cranking out shoddy product or not. I'm guessing they're not.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...post1585431972
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 171
From: Vancouver Island
I posted this yesterday...the entire car looks just about perfect!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...post1585431972
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...post1585431972
