I have noticed that the majority of people here shoot PPG. Up til now, I have never heard of anyone shooting PPg because everyone where I am (well used to be) shoots Dupont. I also see a lot of other brand names paint coming up with discussion with some local restorers.

What type are you shooting and why?
How does cost compare?
and finally,
Are there any brands of paint to avoid at all costs.
I plan on shooting Dupont Red that is a Chrysler color. I had a 97 Dakota with it and it was the brightest red I've seen to date.

From my perspective, most of the major paint company products are essentially the same...in the long run. Each one has it's little quirks, procedural differences, etc. Generally, those differences are apparent only to an experienced painter.

The price for similar products from the different paint companies is pretty close to the same. It has to be. Otherwise, they wouldn't be competitive. When comparing price, you must also consider the cost per "sprayable ounce" factor. Just because one brand costs $30. more per gallon doesn't necessarily mean it's the most expensive. After adding any reducers, catalysts, etc can affect how the "sprayable ounce" comparison comes into play.

Usually, the final choice of what brand to use is determined by how convenient the jobber is and how good the service is regardless of the brand. There's always someone who makes the determination based on whether the jobber's rep likes Fords Vs Chevys or similar subjectives.

Beware of most anyone who tells you that the brand they use is the very best on the market. They are probably full of doo-doo regardless of what their favorite brand is. The same goes for anyone who say a certain brand is the worst in the world. I'm referring to brands here, not lines of paint within brands. There is a difference there.

Your observation that many people on here use PPG is correct. It appears to be just a fluke of coincidence. I've noticed that when someone has a question on paint procedures, they will frequently get a PPG specific answer instead of a generic answer or specific to the brand that the questioner is using. A frequent example of that is some people on here recommend to always use epoxy primer. That's cool if you are using PPG, but doesn't necessarily apply with some other brands. For example, DuPont has an epoxy primer, but for the average job, it isn't one of the recommended steps in the process.

The point is that some people answer questions based on what they know...or think they know. If they painted a car with RM StarRock 20 years ago and it worked OK, then the odds are that brand is what they say is the very best and will answer any and all questions based on what they know about RM StarRock. The answer may or may not be applicable with today's paints. Beware of answers you get on the internet regardless of whether the subject is paint, sex or whatever.

Over the years, I've used just about every brand and type of paint on the market today and some that are no longer being marketed. I've had problems with some products. Sometimes the problems where of my own making, sometimes it was the product. I've had very good service and tech support from some and practically non-existant from others. With all that said, I've primarily used DuPont products for almost 15 years along with some Sikkens, Spies Hecker and Sherwins Williams. It's been almost 20 years since I've used PPG. DuPont has some products that I will not use, but there are others who will say those same products are good.

To sum it all up, the quality and price of different brands when comparing similar products within the different lines is about the same. However, if you ask 100 painters which is best, they will usually name a specific brand/product. Sometimes their answer is based on intelligent, objective reasons and sometimes it is purely based on ignorance, subjectivity and personal whims.

Was that more than you wanted to hear? smile.gif

Dupont here. Why? because thats what my local supplier always sold. I'm comfortable with it and know the systems well.Not to say PPG is not good.The closest PPG supplier is thirty minutes from me,very expensive to the DIY'er not very helpful,and they have the 'PPG rules,all else is junk' attitude.Now the PPG store by you may be nice ,helpful guys.All the big companies make comparable products,most use the same chemicals and raw material and even buy from the same suppliers.Remember,chemicals don't know what brand they are.There may be small differences in each companies products that sway people,but they are all similar. For example I love Dupont Chromabase,it dries very quick, so in a production shop you can move it right along.RM Diamont basecoat takes forever to dry!In a production situation you dont want to twiddle your thumbs for thirty minutes waiting for your basecoat to flash.But thats just me, to someone else Diamont may have qualities that are more important to them and outway all the others.It depends on who sells what in your area. Its the paint store that you should be more interested in and what kind of service and advice they can give you. I also notice that PPG stores here sell ONLY PPG. My Dupont store sells Dupont,5 star,Sikkens and some others so you have some choices.

From my general concenses PPG seems to be the most popular, as seen from most shops I've been in and body-shop oriented forums.
I shoot Dupont for the most part, I have since day one. It's what I know and familiar with. The supplier/jobber makes a great difference too, knowledgeable helpfull staff could sway me to different possibilities also. The supplier I deal with sells both Dupont and PPG, but Dupont being their primary.

The biggest thing to consider when buying paint or should say deciding which company would be manufactor support in YOUR area.

Not all areas offer the same support. Sure that paint store might sell that paint but how does the MANUFACTOR support it?? A couple of years ago we went from S-W to PPG because of this reason, NO SUPPORT. I was there 3 years spraying S-W and the saw the rep TWICE, thats only cus we asked him, otherwise a rep would have never been there. No with PPG I see the rep almost every week. Because of that support I can the see the difference in the final outcome of our paint jobs tenfold. If I have a problem I can get my questions answered, were before I waited weeks!!

LIke the others have mentioned all prices are fairly close. You dont think the guys at PPG, Dupont, S-W aint talking backing and forth seeing whos selling what for what!

Ive been a PPG fan since I learned to paint, thats why I like PPG. Ive gone on to spray Dupont, Sherwin Williams and Sikkens but always prefer PPG because I KNOW the products. I know what I can do and cant do.

If you are trying to find out whos the "BEST" good luck let us know when ya find out. Every painter will have his or her prefernce just like how you state yours "FORD SUCKS", and thats no different then painters.

The closest supplier to me is 20 miles away. They sell and provide me with very good support for the PPG line. I have primed and painted a few small sections of my car with their guidance and feel very happy with the result. I will be spraying the entire outside of the car all on the same day of course (cortez silver). If this store supplied Dupont, I would be shooting Dupont and following Dupont's procedures I'm sure. ;)

To find a lot of one brand here on the forum is a little strange to me being we are from all over the country. To find one brand more poplular in a town, that is simple, they are the jobber who have marketed their product better.

As a paint rep, I would work in one town where there wouldn't be a single PPG shop! Then another town PPG would be in most every one! It all depends on how strong the jobber is who wants to sell their product in that town.

Heck, I sold a very uncommon label Martin Senour in my area. I get on the web and find people all over that Martin Senour is all they know and every shop in town uses it. It is ALL about how the brand was marketed.

I agree with all the other posts. What are better blond or brunettes? What is better F0RD's or Chevies, it depends who you ask.

I know one thing, people get opinions based on soem strange stuff. Some guy will have a bad time with a product he uses that one time ten years ago and now that brand is junk. He will "work with" problems with his "favorite" brand till the cows come home though. graemlins/clonk.gif

They ALL will provide you with a good product if you are talking same "technologies" and quality level.
There are a few stand outs from Europe, that I have to admit. But the support is usually not good from the company so they may be counted out because of that.