2017 CX-5 Soul Red Crystal Metallic

Back in the 90s Japanese manufacturers switched to waterborne low VOC paints that aren't as chip resistant. In the 2000's US manufacturers switched too. IIRC German manufacturers are still using solvent based paints that have more chip resistance - the auto industry there has great sway over government regulation. Of course, if you're in the US and need your car repainted they'll may do it with waterborne due to EPA rules making it difficult to find high VOC paints.

http://www.carwashmag.com/home/arti...portant/50ccc58b06e22de4793695e9e28efd60.html

Mazda switched to water based painting technologies around 2009. I have found that the new paint is not as durable as the solvent based paints from the 70's-90's.

Here is Mazda's link to their painting technologies.
http://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/env/other/paint_tech/
 
Washed the car tonight. Not as bad as it sounded. Just a couple dings.
 
Does this work? Does that office at Mazda really help to resolve issues like this? That would be an awesome lead!
 
Hmm... This is disconcerting. I recently noticed chips in the hood of my Soul Red Crystal Metallic 2017 CX5 and I'm not happy to hear it may be a paint flaw...
 
I was in the motor industry all through the 70s, 80s & 90s before the introduction of modern paint technologies and cars were much worse for stone chips than they are now. Not only that but the metal underneath wasn’t treated like it is now so it almost immediately started with ugly spots of rust. We had big fleets of company cars and anything over about a year old was peppered with stone chips and rust spots with very few exceptions.

People are very critical of modern paint but certainly in Europe, most cars had metal or black plastic bumpers/fenders and if you tried to bend and flex a painted version like a modern painted fender, the paint would just crack and lift straight off. It’s astonishing just how durable these modern paints are.

It’s up to each of us to decide how close to get to the vehicle in front but I’m sorry, if you can hear bits of debris hitting your car from something in front, you are too close to it. What is harder to avoid is anything that comes from a vehicle coming towards you.
 
Hmm... This is disconcerting. I recently noticed chips in the hood of my Soul Red Crystal Metallic 2017 CX5 and I'm not happy to hear it may be a paint flaw...

It isnt a paint flaw, that is nonsense. Paint doesnt chip on its own but you dont always hear what chipped it. There is guidance in the owners manual about what causes chipping and the paint chipping zone at only 56mph is 50m/164ft. That doesnt mean you mustnt get that close, it means that if you do you are in the area where debris from the vehicle in front is still in motion and if you are unlucky, something will chip it.

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It’s up to each of us to decide how close to get to the vehicle in front but I’m sorry, if you can hear bits of debris hitting your car from something in front, you are too close to it. What is harder to avoid is anything that comes from a vehicle coming towards you.

That semi that was dragging a cloud of debris behind it was so far from me, it was ridiculous. You could have fit 10 cars between us. It isn't always a case of following to closely. s*** happens.
 
That semi that was dragging a cloud of debris behind it was so far from me, it was ridiculous. You could have fit 10 cars between us. It isn't always a case of following to closely. s*** happens.

10 CX-5 lengths is 150 feet. The quote from Mazda above says chip range at 56 MPH is 164 feet. So your idea of a ridiculous following distance is less than the recommended distance.

I also agree with Anchorman, is that if you are following closely enough for rock chips to hit you, you are at risk of hitting more dangerous things from that vehicle.
 
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Hmm... This is disconcerting. I recently noticed chips in the hood of my Soul Red Crystal Metallic 2017 CX5 and I'm not happy to hear it may be a paint flaw...

Yep, I just hit 2,000 miles on my new 2017 Soul Red Crystal Metallic CX-5, and I already have five major chips on my hood. I definitely do not tailgate. I had a Jeep for 10 years, without a single chip on it. How do I already have five major chips after two months on my CX-5? What's odd is they are all on my hood, and nothing near the grill, where you would expect more chips from rocks and debris on the road. The leads me to believe their is a defect with the paint on the hood, especially since so many people have issues with paint chips in this area. I encourage everyone with this issues to contact Mazda customer service, to pressure them to address this defect with their paint.

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Yep, I just hit 2,000 miles on my new 2017 Soul Red Crystal Metallic CX-5, and I already have five major chips on my hood. I definitely do not tailgate. I had a Jeep for 10 years, without a single chip on it. How do I already have five major chips after two months on my CX-5? What's odd is they are all on my hood, and nothing near the grill, where you would expect more chips from rocks and debris on the road. The leads me to believe their is a defect with the paint on the hood, especially since so many people have issues with paint chips in this area. I encourage everyone with this issues to contact Mazda customer service, to pressure them to address this defect with their paint.

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Unfortunately you really can not compare todays VOC compliant paint to the paints of the past. In order to meet environmental regulations, paint has changed majorly in its formulations over the last 10 years... Perhaps a better comparison would be to try looking at a 2017 JEEP with similar use and mileage? (I would be curious...)

My 2005 Toyota Prius metal hood is riddled with chips, and probably is ~75% BLACK paint from the factory, and 25% speckled white with chip marks from stones, while the painted plastic bumper remains without a chip.(bang)
 
I noticed a little chip on mine yesterday. I think tailgating does have a detrimental effect and I occasionally do it especially when I’m preparing to overtake but I also hear the odd ricochet when a car passes me coming the opposite way. At the moment we’ve got nothing but Atlantic weather system after Atlantic weather system so I’ll put something on it when the weather changes. It’s galvanised so it won’t rust so it won’t take any harm. Whether you’ve got a Mazda or a Bentley, if you don’t leave it parked inside a garage, it’s going to get stone chips just like your going to wear your tyres out. I don’t like to see them but I don’t get upset about them either.
 
Unfortunately you really can not compare todays VOC compliant paint to the paints of the past. In order to meet environmental regulations, paint has changed majorly in its formulations over the last 10 years... Perhaps a better comparison would be to try looking at a 2017 JEEP with similar use and mileage? (I would be curious...)

My 2005 Toyota Prius metal hood is riddled with chips, and probably is ~75% BLACK paint from the factory, and 25% speckled white with chip marks from stones, while the painted plastic bumper remains without a chip.(bang)

Good post (not the bit about your chips!).
 
If some of you guys think the paint is thin, take it to the dealership body shop and have them use a paint gauge that can determine thickness of the paint. I would be surprised if it was found that the paint was thin. The problem most likely is that the shape of the car makes it more prone to getting hit with stones at an angle that allows the paint to be struck harder rather than the stone glancing off the paint. Just a theory mind you. And all it takes is following a truck one time that hits several pot holes, that the truck may have been used for landscape or construction etc. Every time it hits something, a small rock falls from the bed and ding!, 1 chip.
 
our soul red '16 CPO only had a few chips on the hood when we got it...after about a month (of the wife) driving, there were a good dozen or so and small clusters of them on the front fenders just beyond the headlights.

I have noticed that she likes to be within 1-2 car lengths at freeway speeds. I believe this is the cause for the increased numbers of paint chips.

A CLEAR BRA IS A MUST ON SOUL RED PAINT. From new, these things really need the added paint protection and dealers should install it on EVERY car across all models. They are cheap and help preserve the fragile paint that seems to be on every Mazda.

My 13yo VW seems to have much more durable paint, so maybe Mazda could learn a thing or two from VW.

Also, if you get a clear bra, have a 6 inch strip installed ABOVE the windshield. You will not believe the chips that are possible up there too. Best of Luck.
 
We have far worse roads here in Aus than in the US.

Had my Soul Red CX5 for 18 months now, no chips on the hood, nothing noticed on the bumper last time I washed it.

Had a pearl white CX5 for 3 years prior to that, had a couple small chips in the bumper, nothing more or less than what would be expected.

The worst damage from rocks is always when the vehicle throwing them up is oncoming. Most often we find that here on gravel roads or when roadworks are involved.
 
We have far worse roads here in Aus than in the US.

Had my Soul Red CX5 for 18 months now, no chips on the hood, nothing noticed on the bumper last time I washed it.

Had a pearl white CX5 for 3 years prior to that, had a couple small chips in the bumper, nothing more or less than what would be expected.

The worst damage from rocks is always when the vehicle throwing them up is oncoming. Most often we find that here on gravel roads or when roadworks are involved.

Seems that some people have this issue, and others don't, which is why I believe this is a defect related to how the paint is applied to the hood. I've looked at many pictures across other forums about this issue, and there are striking similarities. It most cases the chips are clustered, two or three chips near each other on top of the hood. Many others are experiencing issues of the paint chipping on the edge of the hood, near the latch, an area which would be nearly impossible to be hit by a rock. Everyone experiencing this issue should contact Mazda.
 
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My 2015 Soul Red CX-5 looks like someone shot it with a shotgun along with a cracked windshield! We clean it everyday after my wife gets home and each day is a new chip! I've only had it for two months and it has 50 more chips than my 1985 Mercedes or my 2001 BMW. I'm thinking there is a defect in the paint or Mazda uses less paint to keep the weight down. I'm not to happy right now with my purchase between that and the oil consumption...
 
I agree with you. I'm from MI and I bought mine just 3 months ago.

I dont know if its the paint, or the roads or I am just in love with the sould red and giving a lot of attention while cleaning washing and waxing that I have noticed chips on my car as well.

I cant remember how many I had in my previous car since I didnt pay any attention as much as this one. They were all used and 1 was a lease..

I have noticed about 3 - 5 chips so far.... I know 2 were because of rocks because I can see a small dent. I can tell for sure this is less chip resistant. I did get some touch up paint not OEM so I am afraid to do the touch up.


I dont mind the chip if it wasnt for the exposed steel plate and rust issue it would cause in long run since I am thinking of keeping this one. Will post pics later
 
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