I believe that most of todays cars are painted this way.  Lay down a base color and clear over the top.  I have been pondering why the clear coat doesn't fade and deteriorate like most of the clear finishes we use.  Can it be used for wood or is the expansion and contraction of the wood the real problem?

Dan, automotive clear coat is simply paint without pigment. 

There are many formulations. But, most are acrylic. There would be no appreciable difference between an acrylic automotive clear coat and many poly acrylics sold for wood finishes.

Dan, the clear coat doesn't fade like Gene, says. However, UV will destroy it, slowly eating away at it until the base coat is exposed. You see it when a car's paint looks cloudy or looks like it is peeling. That is a failure of the clear coat in most cases.

 

With that, said, I have always wondered the same thing. It is an acrylic as Gene indicates. I just wonder if it is a different type and if, like you, it could be used to seal wood.

 

Anybody with knowledge or expertise...@kmealy?????

I have a 2001 Sonoma and the shine on it is still nice.  Wood boats need redone every two years or so I'm told.