Most durable paintwork on mainstream car?

Depends on what you classify as the "best." In terms of hardness, typically the Germans have the hardest clear coats which are harder to mark but also longer to correct. The likes of VW/Audi/BMW/Mercedes typically are a Medium on the harder side or hard in general. Japanese paints tend to be soft so mark easy, correct well but perfect finish is time consuming. PSA group and the likes of Ford/Volvo tend to have a nice medium paint to work with.

Finish wise, some of the best looking paint with regards Orange Peel/Defects I've seen has surprisingly been from cheaper brands such as Dacia. Mercedes has some of the worst paint finishes I've seen.

j@utis wrote: »

I have in mind which ones keep their shine the longest without any special care. I've noticed some cars look dull even if they're only couple of years old but others seem to retain their shine for many more years.

It all depends on wash routine to be honest. A 6 month old car that's been machine washed or brush washed once a week will have severely worse paint than one equally as old but has been hand washed with a good mitt, 2 buckets with grit guards and a good drying towel.