The reason for the base/ clear coat paints being so expensive is due to the amount of solids in them. Most all enamels are poly based today and they are broken up into two categories, solvent and water based. On a one part system the base and clear are basically combined into one. On the 2 part system naturally it is separate. The reason the 2 part is so expensive and so much more durable is that the base coat has so many more solids in it and this is what gives you the durability. The base coat will have over twice the solids a 1 part system have. The clear coat is just basically to seal the base coat as well as UV protection. Actually a 2 part system will require less paint then a single system, thus leaving you with a thinner mill thickness which is what you want. The more mill thickness or less solids the paint has makes it chip much easier. After all the gravel roads, tree limbs and all I have only one chip on my buggy and that was from the son hitting my buggy with his hitch while backing up. The only thing I have found to be as durable is the powder coating. When I painted my buggy 90% 0f my time was spent on prepping the surface. As I said prior for the best adhesion the old finish has to be sanded so that after washing the buggy all paint is a uniform flat. Any shinny paint no matter how small will give poor adhesion for the new paint. If you have someone who does the powder coating out your way I would definitely check into it. All you do is bring them the frame where they will usually soda blast it then apply the powder coating. Saves you a lot of time and labor. With a single part system you can figure on about 3 quarts of paint with some left over for later touch ups. The 2 part system you will need 1 quart of base and 1 pint of clear to do an average 2 seat buggy.
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