If your clear coat is visibly blistering and peeling off, can you repaint only the clear coat?

Question

do you have to sand the whole thing down stripping the paint off as well and start all over?

I went to earl schebe for an estimate and that is what the worker told me, however I was able to scratch off some of the clear coat with my finger and not remove any

of the paint?

What is the deal?

Answer 1

Car's paint is usually protected by a layer of colorless paint called "clear coat." With the passage of time, this clear coat wears off, even in small patches, this leaves the car paint fully  exposed to the sun. If you are lucky to detect the patches early, you might be able to repaint the clear coat only. If the clear coat has been off long enough that the base color is faded or damaged, you'll have a lot more work to do. Having a professional refinish the car is best if you have little experience painting cars.