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Matte Paint

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Anyone have experience with Matte? Am not certain if it can be polished, but is it high maintenance? TIA
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Anyone have experience with Matte? Am not certain if it can be polished, but is it high maintenance? TIA
Didn't dig deep enough into this question and found a post by @Robert . Bit concerned how matte will hold up to nicks and parking lot bandits. Was going ceramic coat a new Toyo truck but ended up selling it. Will take a look into Ceramic Pro and GTechniq equivalent or similar products here if I order the gray.
No car wash, no polish , very easy demaged. Not only for kia but for all matte .
It is nice on the car but for me to unsure if it stays nice
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No car wash, no polish , very easy demaged. Not only for kia but for all matte .
It is nice on the car but for me to unsure if it stays nice
Thanks @Liemburg for the scoop, as feared maybe a bit high maintenance for my budget.
I would be interested in learning more from others about the matte finish. The ceramic pro seems like a good solution. Does anyone have personal. experience with this product? Since the matte finish is one of the 3 choices available in the us reservation, I wonder if this will become a hot topic. I was unaware of the matte finish issues.
Anyone have experience with Matte? Am not certain if it can be polished, but is it high maintenance? TIA
I would be interested in learning more from others about the matte finish. The ceramic pro seems like a good solution. Does anyone have personal. experience with this product? Since the matte finish is one of the 3 choices available in the us reservation, I wonder if this will become a hot topic. I was unaware of the matte finish issues.
You really need to be on top of things when it comes to matte paints. If you get PPF though that makes a big difference.

Welcome to the forum @MagKap!


Matte Paint Care Recommendations
Do’s and Don’ts
Do…
  • Practice preventative maintenance – Because matte finishes cannot be polished it is important to put down a paint protectant in order to prevent staining, etching, UV fading, and damage from environmental contaminants. Using Dr. Beasley’s Matte Paint Coating will protect the paint surface, preventing such issues from occurring.
  • Handwash regularly – Regular handwashing is the most effective way to keep the surface clean. We recommend using the two-bucket method, or a handheld foamer to wash the vehicle by hand. A reputable detail shop can also wash the vehicle by hand, but make sure they are using car wash soap formulated specifically for matte finishes, such as Dr. Beasley’s Matte Body Wash.
  • Remove contaminants between washes – If left too long on the surface bird droppings, insect remains, and water spots can bake onto the finish, causing damage to the protective coating and eventually the paint underneath. Using Dr. Beasley’s Matte Final Finish, you can easily wipe away these blemishes as you see them, preventing any damage from occurring.
  • Use clean mitts and microfiber towels – It is important to use soft, clean microfiber towels and wash mitts when caring for a matte surface. Using towels with embedded particles and debris can abrade the surface, causing scratching and marring.
  • Use products formulated for matte finishes – It might be tempting to use standard car care products you already have on hand, but a matte finish is a specialty paint job, and to care for it you need specialty products.
Don’t…
  • Do Not wax or polish the vehicle – Introducing waxes or polishes to the surface can alter the look of the finish. Waxes, paint sealants and ceramic coatings are designed to add gloss to paint finishes. Using abrasive products such as a polishes, glazes, and compounds will cause shiny spots which are irreversible. By practicing proper maintenance polishing should not be necessary.
  • Do Not use polishers/buffing machines – Using a rotary or orbital polisher will damage the finish.
  • Do Not use an automatic car wash – Automatic car washes can damage matte finishes. Mechanized, spinning brushes at automatic car washes cause scratches and abrasions which cannot be removed.
  • Do Not use products intended for glossy finishes – Regular car wash soaps can contain waxes, silicones, and optical brighteners, all of which are intended to enhance the look of the surface. On a matte finish these products will cause the finish to look blotchy and uneven. Avoid quick detail sprays and other cleaning products for the same reason.
  • Do Not wash the vehicle with dish detergent – Dish soaps are not intended for use on paint surfaces. They can dry out the paint and are overly aggressive on protective products. Use Matte Body Wash to wash the vehicle.
  • Do Not use rough cloths – Using terry cloth, paper towels, or other rough materials to wipe or dry the surface can cause unnecessary abrasion on the surface.
General Maintenance Regimen
First Steps – Wash the vehicle using Matte Body Wash. After rinsing off the suds inspect the vehicle for any stains or contaminants such as tar, tree sap, or overspray that did not come off in the wash. If needed, use Dr. Beasley’s Matte Paint Cleanser as a spot cleaner to remove these contaminants so the paint surface is prepped for the coating. Rinse the surface and go directly into applying Matte Paint Coating. Do not dry the vehicle before application. Matte Paint Coating should be applied while the vehicle is still wet. Apply Matte Paint Coating one panel at a time, removing as you go. Once applied the paint surface will be dry and fully protected. Dry the rest of the vehicle.

In Between Washes – Keep an eye on the paint surface for blemishes such as dust, fingerprints, or fresh bird droppings. Remove these with Matte Final Finish and a microfiber towel in order to keep the surface clean between washes and prevent staining. It is recommended to keep Matte Final Finish and a towel in the vehicle to touch up the finish when necessary. More stubborn contaminants such as tar, sap, overspray, or baked on insect remains will need to be removed using Matte Paint Cleanser. After using this product reapply Matte Paint Coating to the affected area as the cleanser can remove the coating in some instances.

Wash Schedule – Wash the vehicle every 2-4 weeks using Matte Body Wash. Your wash schedule will depend on how often the vehicle is driven, as well as weather and environmental conditions.

Coating Schedule – Matte Paint Coating is a durable nanocoating which will last up to 2 years with proper maintenance. If the vehicle is a daily driver, is regularly parked outside, or is exposed to a harsh climate it is recommended to reapply once a year to maintain coverage.
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No car wash, no polish , very easy demaged. Not only for kia but for all matte .
It is nice on the car but for me to unsure if it stays nice
Yeah
Even if you wash at home, you have to check the products you currently have to ensure it doesn't have wax (my current bottle of car wash does have wax - it's specified on the label). If so, you can't use that bottle of car wash soap. The paint scratch part being permanent on matte paint scares me. I usually have scratches on my cars since our car park spots are narrow so anyone that walks by is an opportunity for a scratch whether that's a zipper from a handbag or a pin or zipper from jeans or rings.

It appears it's a good option if you plan to only drive your EV6 occasionally (I guess for EV6 GT owners who may have other vehicles in their garage) or perhaps apply a layer of CeramicPro and pray it lasts for the length of ownership (The top package which includes 4-layers of their protection has a lifetime warranty but I didn't dig into the details as to what that entails).
The above points are all valid. Some other considerations are...
  • Insurance repairs will be higher as its difficult (almost impossible) to spot repair this technology so they will end up painting a full panel or even a complete side.
  • Because of the above the dealers are less keen to take these cars back as they could end up with high prep costs if heavily scratched.
  • Colour mismatch can be an issue so check carefully when you receive your car - bumpers can look darker / lighter than the body
  • Defects in the paint (such as small dirt particles) are more likely as the factory cant polish the clearcoat and won't want to do full resprays. (to be fair matte does hide small defects anyway and make them less visible)
  • Greasy finger prints are a pain and difficult to avoid around door handles.
  • If anything rubs on the matte finish it will gloss up over time.

For info the chip and scratch resistance is the same as gloss but the gloss finish allows polishing to remove fine scratches and the matte doesnt.

If you really want matte as a finish that wont suffer the above they do a good Satin Paint Protection Film "Aero" which is used on Land Rovers Defender - not cheap though!

Hope that helps.
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Nice breakdown Mr G. I had enough panic moments with my bike which admittedly is a stunning blue. It is an absolute pain in the butt to look after separate non wax based shampoo and then specialist protective coating. Fingerprint mayhem, I swear it is the cause of my ocd.
for obvious reasons based on experience we won’t be choosing matte, I will end up in the local asylum. :ROFLMAO:
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I like to polish my car, that's why I didn't go for the matt, (y)
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I like to polish my car, that's why I didn't go for the matt, (y)
There is something very therapeutic about polishing a car. Once every three months and it keeps it topped up.
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Has anyone here ACTUALLY OWNED a car with a matte paint finish?
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The above points are all valid. Some other considerations are...
  • Insurance repairs will be higher as its difficult (almost impossible) to spot repair this technology so they will end up painting a full panel or even a complete side.
  • Because of the above the dealers are less keen to take these cars back as they could end up with high prep costs if heavily scratched.
  • Colour mismatch can be an issue so check carefully when you receive your car - bumpers can look darker / lighter than the body
  • Defects in the paint (such as small dirt particles) are more likely as the factory cant polish the clearcoat and won't want to do full resprays. (to be fair matte does hide small defects anyway and make them less visible)
  • Greasy finger prints are a pain and difficult to avoid around door handles.
  • If anything rubs on the matte finish it will gloss up over time.

For info the chip and scratch resistance is the same as gloss but the gloss finish allows polishing to remove fine scratches and the matte doesnt.

If you really want matte as a finish that wont suffer the above they do a good Satin Paint Protection Film "Aero" which is used on Land Rovers Defender - not cheap though!

Hope that helps.
Thank you for the details. I was planning to place an order for EV6 with Matte grey, now changed mind.
My detailer said the best (and only option he'd do) would be to PPF the whole car. He doesn't do this but he does ceramic coating so he'd be talking himself out of work. Only 3 colours for the UK GT, I ordered grey, I am fairly sure I'll be taking to the dealer tomorrow
Has anyone here ACTUALLY OWNED a car with a matte paint finish?
3 painted so far and 1 stealth wrapped. [Mr G]
You have to handwash your car. Repair scratches by waxing is offcourse off-limits.
That were two things why I did not take it as an option as I am buying the car to use in every day and all weather conditions including driving on dirt roads sometimes.

The metallic red is for 'free'. I would prefer to wrap the car after market with matte. Then you have best of both. Today unique and crazy looks that it hot now. But when this is no a hit of dealer complains during trade in you have a car that is completely unscratched. I believe that it worth the additional investment.. 800 euro off factory around 1800 aftermarket wrapping

Myself I will keep the money in the pocket and will enjoy polishing it in the spring :) when I change from winter to summer wheels
What about touchless automatic car washes that just use high pressure? Safe assumption they will have some wax in the cleaning materials, making them off limits?
I think unless it’s 100% water it’s at risk of being damaged. I see a Korean YouTube vid and the guy out his Mayte grey into a fully auto car wash. Not sure on the damage if any… can’t make out why they say. Looked on to me though.
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