Auto body repair & detailing: auto refinishing, paint mfg, paint manufacturers

Question
I have questions about the clear coat blending/melting agents that are avaialable on the market from Dupont, Sherwin Williams, etc... They claim they can make a seamless clear coat blend, but the paint manufacturers (even some of the same ones that make the cc blenders) won't guarantee the paint if the clear has been blended.  According to them the cc must be taken all the way to the nearest edge - even if that means wrapping over the roof and down the opposite quarter panel. What is the truth about the CC blenders?  Some say they will peel and fail in a short time (6 months to a year), some say they will leave a halo, others say they are fine to use. Is blending clear coat at a sail panel when replacing a quarter panel a legitimate repair or should that clear coat always be taken to the nearest edge, even over the roof and down the other quarter?

Answer
Hi Bob,

Clear-Coat blender is a product that is a product that is not recommended or guaranteed as you have already found out. The reason it is made is because the paint mfg. know that body shops have been blending clear-coat anyways so they are try to produce a product that will aid in doing those blends.

As far as the product failing, it's not actually the product that fails but the clear-coat edge that has been blended down and melted in. Depending on the clear-coat quality will determine the longevity of the repair. As for the halo issue, if the product is used correctly it can actually help with haloing.

For a paint mfg. guarantee clear-coat must always be sprayed to the edge of the panel. In some car models a small repair on a quarter panel will involve clear-coating the quarter, the roof, and the opposite quarter panel. Unfortunately many insurance companies will not pay a body shop to do the repair correctly so that either leaves them 1) footing the bill for the rest of the correct repair procedure, 2) Blending into the sail panel, 3) or passing the cost of the correct repair on to the consumer over and above the cost of the deductible. I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.