[KimMacph]

So I've had my cx-3 about a week and took it on a bit of a mini road trip to go skiing, put on about 1000km on it.

It already has small chips in the paint.. They are very small, clearly from rocks. I've never owned a Mazda before, is this normal?? Seems pretty crazy that the paint would already be chipping..

 

[SonicBoy]

It doesn't take much during the winter with the extra salt/sand on the roads to cause paint chips especially if driving on the highway.

I don't believe the paint is any thinner than on any other car.

Best approach is wipe the area down with a good cleaner and touch up the spots with Dr. Color chip.

If you're more advanced and have the tools, you could always try the Mazda touch up paint with clear coat and then try and wet sand and buff the area.

 

[anchorman]

You can't avoid it if there is grit on the road although the handbook does recommend staying out of their "chip exclusion zone". I've got a little one one on the bumper but luckily none on the hood (famous last words). I would get a genuine touch up and touch it in with a cocktail stick. I tend not to bother with the lacquer.

 

[KimMacph]

That's what I was afraid of.. These chips aren't even on the hood, the hood and nose are fine, they are on the doors. The car has a spray zone (see photo) that gets peppered with rocks and salt on the highway. Just as an FYI for everyone! Not much you can do about it I suppose.. Might need to get some mud flaps

 

[DJ9999]

Thin and chipping paint has been a long-standing complaint of Mazdas. Its partly due to their eco-friendly waterborn low VOC paint and application process they use.

 

[Cyclone1410]

Thin and chipping paint has been a long-standing complaint of Mazdas. Its partly due to their eco-friendly waterborn low VOC paint and application process they use.

Not just Mazda either. Honda is another manufacturer to use a similar paint which makes it susceptible to chipping.

 

[Trixstar]

Mazda is just as bad as other manfacturers. Subaru has a problem with their paint, honda, hyundai, you name it. Gone are the days of good paint.

 

[Vipre77]

Not just Mazda either. Honda is another manufacturer to use a similar paint which makes it susceptible to chipping.

Add Subaru to that list, too.

Edit: Guess I should have kept reading! Trixstar beat me to it.

 

[Cyclone1410]

Mazda is just as bad as other manfacturers. Subaru has a problem with their paint, honda, hyundai, you name it. Gone are the days of good paint.

The only exception from my experience has been my Ford Mondeo. It has done a lot of highway driving, dirt roads (we use it for camping duties towing a trailer), and all things in between yet does not have a single paint chip. My CX-3 though has several with less than 3000km on the clock and only two highway stints.

 

[Richmond Corpus]

Yeah the paint is thin.. I have a rock chip on corner and nose of my hood.. I also got another by my driver door jam and was able to cover them with the OEM touch up paint.. I expected the quality of the paint to be more durable like my 2002 Chevy Trailblazer, that paint job was a tank and never got chips on the side of the vehicle.. First rock chip gave me night mares, now it's a normal thing now and learned to live with the blemishes..

 

[KimMacph]

Yeah the paint is thin.. I have a rock chip on corner and nose of my hood.. I also got another by my driver door jam and was able to cover them with the OEM touch up paint.. I expected the quality of the paint to be more durable like my 2002 Chevy Trailblazer, that paint job was a tank and never got chips on the side of the vehicle.. First rock chip gave me night mares, now it's a normal thing now and learned to live with the blemishes..

Yup it's too bad... I'll be grabbing one of the touch up paint pens soon. Can you tell where you've touched it up? I've never actually used one before.. And I assume touching up the chips will help slow things like rust down?

 

[blitzebill]

I'm not impressed with the finish on this car. Many surfaces are rough to the touch even after a wax.

I'm going to ask the dealer about it.

 

[DJ9999]

I'm not impressed with the finish on this car. Many surfaces are rough to the touch even after a wax.

I'm going to ask the dealer about it.

Have you done a clay bar treatment? IMO, its not something we should have to do to a brand new car but they do pick up particles and containments during shipping.

TBH, I'm not overly impressed either. I have noticed a light ring of cloudiness about 8" in diameter on the hood that was noticed after the 1st wash. Only noticeable in certain light conditions.

 

[blitzebill]

Have you done a clay bar treatment? IMO, its not something we should have to do to a brand new car but they do pick up particles and containments during shipping.

TBH, I'm not overly impressed either. I have noticed a light ring of cloudiness about 8" in diameter on the hood that was noticed after the 1st wash. Only noticeable in certain light conditions.

Never done a clay bar on a car (rhyme intended) in my life, and shouldn't have to on a new one, as you said.

Maybe in the spring.

 

[Craigh]

I have found the paint to be fairly good.

I noticed that inside the doors is certainly not as good as in previous models and does not have the same level of gloss etc.

That may just be with soul red as it is a more complex paint process an the door arches may have been not covered the same way.

However the body paint seems fairly consistent. I have done some paint correction with a duel orbital on various areas for blemishes (dealer and delivery inflicted) and it has come up very well. certainly did not seem thin or patchy at all.

 

[mikflores]

After installing the mudflaps, the sides of mine have remained a lot cleaner. I'd reccomend that as an option. They still don't help with the back getting crazy dirty anytime it's wet out. They look good too, though!

 

[Geezer]

I have the flaps too and yesterday I drove on a muddy road. When I was finished, I had a two-tone car in the garage. The entire car from the front grille to the back hatch is Soul Red, but the back hatch area is a nice muddy brown - and that, unfortunately includes the lens of the backup camera making it impossible to use.

So, my question is, does anyone have a solution that would prevent the buildup of crap from collecting on the rear surface area?

 

[remorej]

Can you link where I can purchase the touch up paints? Or are they sold through the dealer?

 

[DJ9999]

Can you link where I can purchase the touch up paints? Or are they sold through the dealer?

You can buy via the dealer. I like to shop online so got mine via Mazdagear.com

 

[cstone]

Claybar is recommended especially for new cars. A car will likely be exposed to more contaminants under conditions that allow them to become embedded in the paint during the tail end of manufacturing and shipping the car than it will see in any other comparable period of time.