Anyone else tired of "Patina"?

I am pissed at those TV car shows that have promoted "patina" as something positive. I don't get it. It just seems like a way for car hucksters to overprice a car that would otherwise need restoration. I especially don't get the monkeys that clear over surface rust.

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinions of what looks good, but I am tired of looking at crappy overpriced cars touting patina. IMHO, if you are too lazy to do a decent paint job on the car, don't price it like you did...

Whoa. Whoa. Back up. What the berkeley is a "patina"?

The only problem I have with it is that any one can throw some white walls on any old piece of E36 M3 and suddenly it's a 'rat rod'.

Then there's the argument on how the word is pronounced. I'm siding with the BBC's Top Gear, of course, but others may not.

And can we start an argument about how to pronounce "Porsche"? That also sounds like fun!

I love patina. My '67 Volvo oozes character, in many places with the formation of patina. From outside appearances the car is bone stock (and aside from computer controlled fuel and ignition, that's not far from true). I like cars that look like they've served their time and are still being put to good use on the road, old cars don't have to be "restored" to be useful.

False patina, on the other hand, is stupid. Putting a coat of matte clear over rust, if it's pretty significant amounts, isn't so bad as it keeps the car honest but you can still wash it or drive it in the rain without the thing leaving rust streaks in the driveway or disappearing in just a few years. IMO, it makes a car seem like less of a trailer queen rather than more, as the owner won't be afraid for it to get wet. Any time I see cars in nearly bare steel without E36 M3loads of surface rust, it's obvious they don't get used and turns me off big time.

Cars are made to be used. Most people are afraid to let pretty cars get used. I think that was the original attraction to cars with patina, to show off their survival, character, and allow practical use. Sure, it also saves a ton of time and money on paint. The "rat rod" and similar fake patina stuff is garbage and IMO a fad that will go away soon (before coming back about 30 years later).

Bryce

Does that mean the cracked paint and rust on my old van makes it worth more? Hooray!

Yea. I just looked at my Ranger. I'm pretty sure it qualifies as a patina.

I don't think patina should cost extra, but there are certainly instances where I'd rather obtain a car with so-so original paint than whatever respray the PO decides to do...

I guess it's like most "improvements" that way. I just mostly want everyone who owns a car before me to keep their dang hands off of it outside of maintenance, which they should preferably have done by a quality professional.

I love old, unrestored "survivor" cars and all the stories the dents, dings and faded paint tell.

I hate rust and artificial patina that people add to make their cars look "cool". I saw a hot rod over the weekend that had been painted red, then had random areas sanded back down to primer or bare metal. It looked like a blind chimp had been doing bodywork on it. Bleh!

Spoolpigeon wrote: The only problem I have with it is that any one can throw some white walls on any old piece of E36 M3 and suddenly it's a 'rat rod'.

?

There's another way to pronounce it?

One of the Hot Rod mags had a car of which they were touting the patina, and then they explained that the guy painted rust on a fiberglass body.

Here in the NE we call it rust. I think it is a southern "thing" as cars south of the Mason-Dixon line generally don't have it.

I can go either way. Like everything else donw rite it is cool cone poorly and it is hideous.

I found a 37 ford coup sitting in the woods behind my house up in the woods. I am assuming it is probably from the original owner of the land that had the apple orchard that was my entire neighborhood up until the late 1950's. I was thinking of taking the body (covered in patina - aka rust) and setting it on a Ranger chaise I have. Don't try to make it perfect just drivable. A fun summer cursing around town car.

I'm tired of the whole patina deal as well. Worn paint on anotherwise good condition car is one thing, rust covered with clear coat is another.

tl;dr

original survivor with sun baked paint = awesome

fiberglass car with airbrushed rust = retarded

it all boils down to authenticity. Intentionally creating "patina" is always a fail. Tending to the greasy bits on an otherwise unrestored survivor to get it on the road (safer/faster/lower/etc.)... will always be cool.

When it's intentionally added, it's an ugly lie.

This is a brand new guitar:

It depends. I've seen some really cool older trucks that look great with some wear and faded paint. Of course, they are not all rotted out and nasty. When people intentionally fake it... well, that's just stupid.

The "patina" on my Trans Am makes me want to vomit, LOL. That has rust holes, mismatched body panels, and someone replaced the nose with an aftermarket one in the early 90's that somehow shrunk and got wavy, and all the paint peels off in chunks. No one wants to see that, and if they do, they should have their head examined.

Not yet, but I suppose I may get the urge to paint it sometime.

It looks considerably worse close up, BTW - the rust and dents seem to disappear when you photograph it.

I don't get paying EXTRA for it (paying extra for an original car with minor wear but no restoration, that I can understand) and faking it is kind of lame. But there's something fun about a beat up old truck - you don't have to worry about scratching the paint if you haul a bunch of bricks or whatever with it.

I prefer "desert pinstriping". Had plenty of that on my Samurais and Cherokees.

Don't people try to fight rust the whole lives of the car while living in the Northeast? And now people want buyers to pay more for these signs of rot and decay? Yea no thanks. Give me something that's been properly repaired/fixed. I don't want your lazy matte clear job - cars have character in the way they were built and perform.

The crap these stance guys and VW guys to add rust to their perfectly good cars baffles me.

It's only original once.

So, leaving the door dings in my other wise very respectable, 207500 mile, 1994 325is M-tec can/will increase my already inflated self applied value of the car. Yes, I will call it "patina".

There's a guy at a car show locally. He drives an untouched Air-cooled Pierce. It's barely got any paint, leather upholstery looks really weathered, nothing has even been degreased.

I told him it's the best car in here, because it was. It's like a time capsule and I love it. The owner thought I was crazy. And that's because he doesn't think the LACK OF PAINT ADDS TO THE VALUE!!!! (Because it doesn't)

Shut up, my laziness is trendy now.

I knew a guy who took an angle grinder to his new steel toe boots and the knees of his jeans to make 'em look old.