Peeling paint

So I have a white 06 Xterra that is trying to shed it's topcoat at a record pace.

A buddy of mine has been trying to convince me that white paint is more likely to peel than other colors because of the specific solids used to make the paint white.

Can anyone back that up with some real data, or is this a myth?

Me thinks this is just a rumor.

I didn't think it was a problem anymore, but the early 90s cars had some seriously bad problems with white paint about 8-10 years after manufacture. I always heard it was due to some sort of chemical incompatability between top coat and primer after the 1989 EPA requirement to use the low VOC paint. Look up "white paint disease" and you'll find mention of it for Mopars, Mazdas and Fords at least.

my disco has some peeling paint, on the areas where it was hit and repaired before I bought it. I need to replace the fender and hood with proper (used)pieces

I can tell you Ford Performance White is known for that, but I can't give you any info on specific paints.

White Dodge Neons, White Chev pickup trucks...Clear doesn't like to stay, and the color goes too. Red doesn't seem to peel, but blue does. The clear on my daughters purple 98 Neon is going away on the top corners. In the mid 60's, there was a light blue that would just kinda disappear within 10 years, and the big three all had that colour. Even light blue Volvos would do it eventually, and that was a base/clear paint.

Its always something...

I'll have to look into "white paint disease" when I'm a little less distracted. This might be what he's referring to. I'll definitely look I to it before I paint/repaint my white cars.

I was always told this had more to do with contamination in the paint or between layers. (typically overspray dust kicked up in the booth) Over using tack tags and cars sitting too long between primer and paint when the plants shut down without proper prep considering the delayed schedule etc.

(I took auto body classes at a trade school over my high school summers, and remember the a Ford factory training video talking about prep work and contamination causing this even if they didn't directly say "this is why our paint peels")

Regarding the Xterra, my google-fu seems to indicate the 06 models are prone to peeling regardless of color.

I have a 99 GMC -black and and a 2000 Sunfire - red. Both were extremely well taken care of with washing/polishing/waxing and both had peeling paint eventually (clear coat). The Sunfire a big sheet peeled off while were were driving down the highway.

I have a co worker that just traded a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 - red - his clear just started to peel.

Mine were all on hood - roof areas.

Makes me wonder about the clear coat used. I can't expect the paint to last forever, the sun takes its toll eventually.

White BG chassis mazdas do it to the point that excellent condition, well maintained runners can be found for near scrap value.

The worst seemed to be those early Plymouth Neons in that periwinkle blue color. I remember as a kid seeing those, and they were usually more primer than paint.

Crown Vics are notorious for wasted white paint. So bad that it's nearly universally refered to as Cancer White.

Silver and metallics used to have a real problem holding clear. A paint rep tried explaining the science behind why and how they fixed the issue but lacked the attention span to absorb any of it.