Originally Posted by cheshirecat

That may have been the case before manufacturers had to change their paint to conform with environmental regulations, but it is simply not the case now.

The orange peel phenomenon plagues entire ranges of brand new cars from many manufacturers due to the requirement that they use non-toxic paints that don't atomize or cure as well as older paint blends.

Couple that lower-quality paint with the thinnest paint layers that the manufacturer can get away with and you'll see orange peel. It happens on many volume manufacturers from Ford to BMW.

Other manufacturers such as Porsche, MB, Audi, Aston Martin, and other higher-end/marquee brands tend to experience less orange peel due to more liberal application of these newer paints which are usually water-based.

Technique can only go so far when your materials and cost need to meet a certain specification.