clear coat peeling

It is a combination of the clear coat being applied too thin in some areas as well as applying the clear coat too late in the process, which is a result of using too few painters on a large vehicles and this allows the base coat to set up to the point where the clear coat does not get a good bond.
The only lasting repair is to sand it down and start over with a complete paint job.

My 2008 Itasca has the same problem. My body shop friend told me that the clear coat was probably applied too thinly. I also have it showing up at some storage bin doors and fender edges (actually it's thin paint and no clear coat). It's disappointing.

Most automobiles are painted with robots and the thickness of the paint and clear coat is carefully controlled, not with a guy standing on a ladder with a spray gun just before his break on Friday afternoon.

A real fix is $$$. My friend said that there are DIY 2-part rattle can clear-coat products available, that can help "fix" or more likely slow down the process. There's still quite a lot of prep work necessary and probably unsatisfactory results.

Yes....in and around 2005, the Government changed how paint could be made and sold. The manufacturers went through a time where they adjusted and this was the result. Some of your higher end coaches in that era got a lot more clear, so not as big of an issue.

It's no different when they changed paint for cars. You had a couple of years where many car brands had paint issues.

Many have tried some temporary repairs, including me, but the ONLY way to repair it is to sand it down and repaint. When I finally had mine done, I had them use the lightest color from my paint scheme along the roof line. Even if your sides don't look bad, have the entire roof line done or you'll later regret it.

If you're serious about buying a coach with the damage, it's about $3K to have it repaired. Have them deduct from the price.

Goldencrazy, are you referring to the 3m type protective coating?

if so it wasn't that, as I could see that on the front and it was fine.

This peel went all down both sides of the coach as well as the front

Doug

Yes, it is pretty typical to see a coach of that age with the clear coat peeling (yes, it's clear coat). If the coach was not used full time and is stored out of the sun you are less likely to see this but it is very common. It is also fixable if you talk to a good paint shop.

Are you sure it is the clear coat and not the protectant often sold by dealers as an add-on at purchase?

Dougjpr wrote:
Was looking at a 10 year old coach and noticed what appeared to be the clear coat peeling around the top edges where the front cap and sides meet the roof.

Is this a normal thing to find on a 10 year old coach or is it evidence of something else? perhaps lack of or incomplete waxing, using a poor quality wax or a poor paint finish to begin with.

Coach was a Tiffin with full body paint.

Thanks

Doug

Doug,
This seems to be an issue across many brands. I've seen it in Tiffin, Newmar and Monaco.

Usually it is an indication of a poor quality paint finish. The paint was not put on properly in those areas and the clear coat is separating from the base coat and starting to peel. This may be an indication of overall poor paint quality and this is just the start of future, expensive, problems.