In this Guide
A paint job makes the first impression you get from a car, so it’s only too obvious how important it is to have a well-painted vehicle. A car with a good paint coat will make you look professional, grab attention, and even have a higher resale value. But to get the best look for your car, you need to get the best automotive paint! However, all the different automotive paints available on the market make choosing the right product quite difficult.
To help you out, we’ve selected and reviewed the best automotive paint you can find. Whether you’re looking to repaint your whole car, cover up rust, or just touch up some faded areas, we’ve got you covered. You’re sure to find exactly what you need amongst our recommendations.
Make sure to read our handy buying guide at the end of the article, where’ll give you the inside scoop on how to choose the best automotive paint for your ride!
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Best Automotive Paint Reviews
1.Rust-Oleum Automotive Paint
- Use on any vehicle to achieve a durable, professional finish
- Stops rust Acrylic lacquer formulation provides protection from the elements
- Dries to the touch in 30 minutes and covers up to 50 sq. ft.
- Long lasting, durable Gloss professional road resistant finish
- For maximum benefit and protection, use complete system of Rust-Oleum auto body paint products: primer, paint and topcoat
This long-lasting paint will protect your car from the elements and from rust.
The Rust-Oleum is our favorite automotive paint if you’re planning to paint your whole vehicle. It’s easy to apply, fast-drying, and very durable. This long-lasting paint will protect your car from elements and from rust. Although this paint is quite affordable, keep in mind that repainting an entire car can still get a bit pricey.
Pros:
The Rust-Oleum automotive paint offers excellent protection for your car. The acrylic lacquer formula is designed to prevent rust from developing and to protect the metal from the elements. Plus, the finish is road-resistant, which means that no matter how many dirt roads you’ll be driving up and down, the paint won’t take a hit!
This high-quality paint is also durable. The glossy, professional finish will have your car looking brand new for years to come.
The acrylic lacquer formula is designed to prevent rust from developing and to protect the metal from the elements.
You’ll love how easy it is to apply the Rust-Oleum. It comes with a ready-to-spray system so that you can apply it to your entire vehicle easily and quickly. There are no recoat limitations, so you can decide whether you want to do one or several coats. Plus, it has a quick drying time – in about 30 minutes, the paint is dry to the touch. This means that you won’t have to worry about little bugs getting stuck in your new paint job, although you should wait a bit longer before applying a second coat.
Of course, beauty isn’t everything, but you’ll be happy to know that the Rust-Oleum paint leaves a beautiful gloss finish (gloss paint is always easy to clean!), even without polish. You can use a bit of polish after a while, though, to get an even brighter shine!
Cons:
One can of this paint covers areas up to 50 square feet, and you’ll need several of them to do your entire car. This can get a bit pricey!
2.Dupli-Color General Motors Automotive Paint
- Fit type: Vehicle Specific
- Flash point: -104 degrees_celsius
- PROFESSIONAL
- Ideal for large touch ups, color matching vehicle accessories, motorcycles, etc.
The Dupli-Color General Motors is our top automotive paint for touch-ups, as the brand offers exact-color match paint that will suit your vehicle.
The Dupli-Color General Motors is our top automotive paint for touch-ups, as the brand offers exact-color match paint that will suit your vehicle without making it obvious that there’s been some tinkering about. This spray paint is easy to use and fast-drying, so the application will be a no-brainer.
Pros:
The Dupli-Color makes picking the color for touch-ups super easy. You won’t need to spend hours comparing paints, as they have the exact paint your car came with. The brand has color tested each paint and had it approved by the original manufacturers to make sure it’s a perfect match for the original factory finish.
If you worry about finding the exact match paint, don’t! Dupli-Color has taken care of that, too. They categorize their car paints by the name of the different paint brands. If you don’t know or remember the name of the original paint brand, you can always get this information from the original seller or manufacturer.
The brand has color tested each paint and had it approved by the original manufacturers to make sure it’s a perfect match for the original factory finish.
Since the Dupli-Color will match your ride’s color perfectly, it’s ideal for touch-ups. You can hide any chip or scratch with this spray paint, and no one will notice!
Last but not least, this spray paint is quite easy to use. It comes spray-ready and doesn’t take more than a coat to fix any car blemishes.
Cons:
The spray head of the Dupli-Color may be a bit fragile. Some users have found that they need to clean it after about a minute of use to prevent droplets from getting into the spray stream.You might want to buy Krylon or Rustoleum instead, if you want to know the difference just click here.
3.Rust Bullet Automotive Rust Inhibitor Paint
- PATENTED - Awarded two United States Patents
- LOW PREP - Little to no prep required! One step, multiple coat process, apply directly over surface rust or clean metal.
- DURABLE - UV resistant - no topcoat needed - will not fade or crack. Does not contains: zinc, chromates, or other heavy metals
- EASY APPLICATION - Apply with brush, roller, or spray
- MADE IN THE USA - Rust Bullet, LLC was formed February of 2001 in Reno, Nevada, where our Corporate Offices still operate.
Whether your ride is iron or steel, this paint will keep it protected from rust, sun rays, and scratches.
We’ve been saving the best for rust (excuse the pun), and that’s the Rust Bullet Automotive Rust Inhibitor Paint. The Rust Bullet is durable, versatile, and easy to apply. It doesn’t require a primer or a topcoat, so you can use it for touch-ups, painting, or repainting jobs without. Best of all, it delivers excellent protection for your vehicle. Whether your ride is iron or steel, this paint will keep it protected from rust, sun rays, and scratches.
Pros:
The Rust Bullet is very durable, and it won’t fade or crack over time. The formula of this automotive paint contains metal which makes it a strong, resistant protective coat. At the same time, the paint is thin enough to allow for easy application.
In fact, Rust Bullet offers easy and versatile applications. You can use an hvlp spray, a brush, or a roller to paint or touch up your vehicle. It doesn’t require a primer or a topcoat and can be used as a stand-alone protective coating for both iron and steel car frames. Plus, it can be applied over painted, unpainted, or rusty surfaces (after a good scrubbing). Keep in mind though, that it requires a minimum of two coats.
It doesn’t require a primer or a top coat, and can be used as a stand-alone protective coating for both iron and steel car frames.
Although it’s tough, this paint leaves a smooth finish. The metal in the formula will make your ride shine more than ever before!
We keep mentioning protection – so let’s get into it a bit more. This durable automotive paint provides protection against the elements since it’s UV resistant and road resistant (impervious to scratches and chips!). Most importantly, it acts as a rust inhibitor. You simply scrub down the rust and paint over with the Rust Bullet. At the very least, it will slow the development of rust.
Cons:
In several cases, the rust has come through this paint regardless. Make sure you scrub it well enough first and then apply at least 2 coats of the Rust Bullet.
Conclusion
The best automotive paint for repainting your entire vehicle is the Rust-Oleum . This paint offers great value for your money, as it’s durable, protective, and provides a beautiful gloss finish. It will keep rust from developing and protect your car from wear and tear at the same time. Plus it’s really easy to use, as it comes spray-ready and has a quick drying time.
Our top recommendation for touch-ups is theDupli-Color automotive spray paint . This brand will provide the perfect color match for your original factory finish, so you won’t have to worry about your car’s paint job looking uneven. This is the ideal automotive paint if you want to hide scratches, faded spots, or chips on your ride.
The best automotive paint for dealing with rust is the Rust Bullet Rust Inhibitor . As the name suggests, this paint is designed specifically to prevent, eliminate, or slow down the development of rust. In addition to rust prevention, this paint also offers great protection against UV rays and the elements in general. You can use this paint on a car in any condition (painted, unpainted, rusty) or of any metal (iron or steel). Plus, the application is quite easy, since you can choose whether to use a spray, brush, or roller to repaint parts of your vehicle.
How To Choose The Best Automotive Paint
Now that you’ve looked at our top recommendations, you may still be wondering which automotive paint is the best choice for your ride. Read on to our useful tips so that you can choose the best option for you!
Utility
What automotive paint is best for you depends on what you need it for. It makes a difference whether you’re repainting your entire vehicle or just touching it up.
If you’re going for a brand-new paint job, we recommend the Rust-Oleum. It offers good value for your money, as it’s high quality, durable, and easy to apply.
It makes a difference whether you’re repainting your entire vehicle or just touching it up.
If you just need to touch up some scratches on your car, the Dupli-Color is your best bet. You’re sure to find a perfect color match and it will cost less than repainting the whole vehicle.
If you specifically need something for dealing with rust or better protection in certain areas of your car, you’ll like the Rust Bullet. It will keep your car protected and it will keep rust to a minimum.
Budget
While all our recommendations are affordable, you’ll definitely need to spend more money if you’re repainting the whole car rather than just touching it up. If you’re on a tighter budget and there are only a few chipped areas on your vehicle, a spray paint like the Dupli-Color will get the job done for less money.
FAQ
Q: What is the best weather to apply touch-up paint?
A: The best weather to apply touch-up paint is about 70°F with 50% humidity. Colder or hotter weather can affect the results of the colors, and cause blotches, discolorations, or bubbling, as well as uneven texture. If the weather conditions aren’t close to optimal, try applying the paint in a garage. When the weather outside is hot and humid, use an AC in the garage and get the job done in the morning or at night. If the weather is cold, paint outside on a sunny day or get your garage heated. Always avoid painting in direct sunlight or wind.
Q: Can I use touch-up paint on my washing machine or other home appliances?
A: You can use touch-up paint on your washing machine or other home appliances, yes. Since they’re also made of metal, the paint is suitable. So if you have some automotive paint left over, you can put it to good use! The only issue would be getting the color to match.
Q: Are there any special chemical cleaners I should use before applying the color coat?
A: There aren’t any special chemical cleaners you should use before applying the color coat, but more generally, you should definitely thoroughly clean the area in question. Begin with hot water and soap. Afterward, use a solvent-based cleaner, such as a grease remover or wax, to ensure that the base is free of contaminants and ready for a new coat (1).
What’s Next?
Hopefully, you were able to find the best automotive paint for your ride amongst our recommendations. At the very least, now you should have a better idea of what you’re looking for! If you want to get more information about each product, follow the title links to learn their in-depth specifications, current prices, and customer reviews.
While we have you, you can find our reviews of the best interior paints here, to get the best look for your home, too!
