GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Tried to search online, not finding much. I have the 2005 Vibe, Salsa color. Paint is badly peeling (like clear coat is coming off) on the rear of the tailgate/roof. Has anyone had any success getting Manufacture/Dealer to fix this? Probably difficult, since Pontiac is gone. Anyone have ideas?

This is the closest thread I've seen that's similar to your question. At least no one suggested you have your roof replaced .
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Anyway, it's going to be difficult/impossible to have GM pay to repair your pealing paint, just based on the fact that the car is 9+ years old. Lots of things can happen to a car in that amount of time.

Once the clear coat is gone, there isn't much that can be done to fix it, other then sand it down, and start over.
The quality of the fix is going to vary depending on your budget. Here are a few options (these are not the only options).

1. Call around to local repair facilities (collision shops), ask for quotes to prep, color match, and repaint the damaged areas. Ask them if they do the paint in house, if the say they do ask to see the paint facility. If the actual paint work is being outsourced, then they will likely charge you too much.
2. Call MAACO (or similar). Ask for quotes for prep, color match, and repaint. Their prices are generally lower than standard repair facilities. Because they are trying to get the job done as quickly as possible.
3. DIY Plasti Dip - https://www.dipyourcar.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
4. DIY Rattle can.

If you need to have the roof repainted, a good shop around here would charge between $500-700. If it's just the little "spoiler" at the top of the rear hatch (not an actual spoiler, but the metal bit over the hatch glass) I'd estimate $200-300. For the whole rear hatch, probably like $400-600. This would include color-matching and blending into neighboring panels. You could also have the whole roof painted black or something for the same price as if you did it in salsa red, which is what I did when my hood flew open, smashed my windshield, and badly dented the front of the roof panel.

You can also go the plastidip route. I would even tentatively suggest a vinyl wrap (you'd have to probably sand the peeled spots first, then there'd be the risk of rust if any bare metal were exposed if moisture got under the vinyl), but I don't know enough about vinyl-wrapping to be able to recommend it.

As for Pontiac's demise affecting the cost/possibility of repainting, I don't know of any repair shops that actually use factory paint. They usually just color match with DuPont and other brands.

Make sure you go to a good shop. My gdad's car was in a wreck, and they took it to a cheap shop...some of the paint is already peeling off less than a year later, to BARE METAL, and they didn't even disassemble parts before painting them. You should be able to ask to see previous work, look for any signs that rubber linings etc were left on and painted together with the metal bits.

When winter ends, I'm going to dip my roof, to protect my repair from the snow shovel incident. If I have to spend $40 or so every 5 or so years, it will be worth it.

Also have a 2005 and the clear coating is starting to peel along the passenger side roof rails. I tired some touch up clear coat (brush style) it worked but left a little streaking due to the brush. Think this summer I will use 2k then 3k grit sand paper to rub out the affected areas and try feathering some spray on clear coat. Even it it is not exact it will look better then the bubbled edges of the current clear coat.

'03 here, the roof is in terrible shape. The clearcoat is on its way out, bubbling up all over the place. Chipping in others. A good bit of the roof immediately adjacent to the hatch is just primer. Pop the hood and the paint is also flaking off the fenders. Only a matter of time until the entire car goes from Neptune to Primer Grey!

GM wasn't much help when these cars were practically new and under factory bumper-to-bumper warranty when it came to paint concerns. The paint on all Vibes currently is covered by a UFO warranty (U Fricken Own it.)

Just an update from a few years ago. I finally got around to repainting. The car got pretty bad, roof , hood, front bumper and rear deck was all peeled off. Also a little on one of the window ledges. So just had them sand to metal, then repaint and re clear coat everything that faces upward, cost me $1300.
Did not repaint doors or side of fenders. Hopefully that paint will hold up for a few more years.

Is there anything I can do on the doors ontop of the clearcoat to strengthen it so it wont peel up?
I also bought 4 Konig alloy wheels at the junk yard.