How to Repair the Auto Body Paint on a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse

The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is notorious for having paint that faded even after less than one year off the dealer's lot. The problem areas are the hood, roof and trunk, where the paint is constantly exposed to UV rays from the sun. The paint will lose its clear coat, thus becoming look dull and faded, with a chalky feel to it. Since all colors of the 2006 Eclipse were metallic except for the Real Red and Kalapana Black, you will need professional paint, not a touch-up spray can. To repair the auto body paint on a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse you need some basic skills and experience in working with paint.

Instructions

1

Place several layers of automotive masking tape along the edges of the damaged paint, to outline it. If painting the hood or trunk lid, place the tape along the fenders next to these areas to protect the fenders from sandpaper scratches.

2

Sand the surface of the painted area in need of repair using 320-grit sandpaper on a dual-action sander. Move the sander evenly over the surface of the entire panel being repaired. Sand until the panel is smooth and dull, free from all of the clear coat and most of the base coat of paint. It's okay to see primer and bare metal in some areas.

3

Wipe the panel with wax and grease remover, as well as a towel, to remove the dust, fingerprints and old wax contaminants from cleaners off the panel. Let the remover evaporate for a minute before moving on.

4

Spray a thin coat of primer over the panel, moving the spray gun or can left-and-right, not up-and-down. Let the first coat dry for 30 minutes. Spray the second coat and let it dry for one hour.

5

Sand the dried primer, using 600-grit sandpaper and water. Keep the sandpaper soaking wet while sanding the primer smooth. Repeat this using 800-grit sandpaper and water to fully smooth the rough surface. Remove the masking tape and rinse the panel, allowing it to dry completely.

6

Apply new masking tape along the edges of the panel, but add paper to completely cover the fenders or surrounding area to protect them from over-spraying. Wipe the panel with wax and grease remover and a clean towel.

7

Spray the base coat of paint onto the panel, holding the sprayer 12 to 16 inches from the surface. Move the sprayer left-to-right, overlapping each stroke by 50 percent, to make sure the coat is even. Let the paint dry for 10 minutes before applying the next coat. Use a total of 3 to 5 coats of paint.

8

Add clear coat paint within one hour after applying the last coat of base color paint. Use the same spray techniques with the clear coat paint as with the color paint. Let the final coat dry for 24 hours before handling the surface. Remove the tape very carefully, but while the paint is still wet, so that the tape doesn't get stuck on the surface.