Are you trying to find automotive primers among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling automotive primers on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 12 hours of research and did 27 automotive primers tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best automotive primers you can buy today
- Filler and sandable primer is suitable for use on wood, metal and fiberglass surfaces
- Oil based 2 in 1 paint with Stops Rust formula saves time and provides rust resistant base coat for cars, trucks, and other vehicles
- Covers up to 10 sq ft and dries to the touch (and can be recoated) in 10 minutes
- Filler and sandable spray paint fills minor surface imperfections and sands smooth
- Provides superior top coat adhesion and flat finish yields a smooth surface when sanded
- The hi-build formula fills in minor imperfections
- Sands smooth for the ultimate finish
- 2 in 1 Primer features an advanced spray system that allows you to spray at any angle
- A comfort spray tip with wider finger pad
- Stops Rust formula
- High Build Urethane Primer
- Great adhesion
- Fast Dry
- Easy Sanding
- Provides a durable, professional finish to automotive surfaces
- Acrylic lacquer formula goes on easily and comes ready to use
- Dries to the touch in 20 minutes and covers between 40-50 sq. ft. per quart
- Provides a touch, road-resistant coating that withstands everyday wear
- Usable in auto body spray systems
- Custom Shop – DTM Series High Build Urethane Direct to Metal Primer Surfaceris a 4 to 1 Mix Ratio high performance primer specifically designed to be used DTM (Direct to Metal) . DTM Series Primer contains an advanced resin technology system that offers superior adhesion to Bare Metal, Steel, Bare Aluminum, Fiberglass, Gelcoat, Body Fillers and many properly prepared Rigid Plastics and sanded OEM Finishes.
- DTM High Build Primer is Lead and Chromate Free and its formulation contains a rich blend of Anti-Corrosive additives to achieve maximum defense against rust and corrosion while adding the benefit of outstanding adhesion. DTM also offers easy High Build Properties and is a fast dry product. Easy to Sand in as soon as 3 hours
- Custom Shop – DTM Series Primer is great as a DTM primer with an easy 4 to 1 Mix Ratio. And a low 2.1 Voc that can be used Coast to Coast
- DTM Primer Surfacer is Available in Primer Gray with 1-1/4 Quart and 1-1/4 Gallon kits available. Great for Automotive and Industrial applications. DTM is compatible with and can be top coated with most Automotive Paint brands like Custom Shop, Restoration Shop, PPG, House of Kolor, Valspar, etc.
- Custom Shop DTM High Buid Primer Surfacer offers superior sanding characteristics and excellent Topcoat Gloss holdout. Allow prime 2-3 hours drytime before sanding and topcoating.
- European style multi-function 3 in 1 direct-to-metal primer
- High build urethane primer with 4 to 1 mixing ratio
- Excellent opacity and hiding power
- Can be air dried, low baked or I.R. cured
- Primer is perfect for small shops and DIY car enthusiasts
- Easy-to-sand
- Excellent resistance to sand scratch swelling
- Simplified mix ratios
- Finish 1 is a value product line offering surface cleaners, undercoats, factory package acrylic enamels and clearcoats
- Part number: FP410-4
- AUTOMOTIVE PAINT PRIMER – Dupli-Color Filler Primer features a high-build automotive formulation capable of filling deep scratches and minor imperfections.
- SANDS EASILY - This Dupli-Color paint is fast-drying, sandable finish allows for easy feather edging while providing a smooth and rust resistant surface that promotes top coat paint uniformity.
- IMPROVES TOP COAT ADHESION – Featuring an EZ Touch Fan Spray Nozzle, this vehicle paint primer ensures maximum coverage for a long-lasting finish. It’s dry to the touch in 30 minutes and can be handled in 1 hour.
- IDEAL USES – Dupli-Color Filler Primer, from the automotive primer series, is a car spray paint ideal for both interior and exterior applications, specifically metal, fiberglass and wood surfaces.
- DUPLI-COLOR PAINT – Since 1938, Dupli-Color has been the trusted brand leader in providing easy-to-use, innovative, products to restore, restyle and protect vehicle appearance.
- Fits: Primer Primer
- Works on automotive metal, aluminum, urethane and plastic
- Sold each
- 42013 SEM High Build Primer Surfacer Gray - Part#42013
- Custom Shop – KEP Series Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer / Sealer is a 1 to 1 Mix Ratio high performance primer specifically designed to be used DTM (Direct to Metal). KEP Series Primer contains an advanced resin technology system that offers superior adhesion to Bare Metal, Steel, Bare Aluminum, Fiberglass, Gelcoat. Body Fillers and most properly prepared Rigid Plastics and sanded OEM Finishes.
- KEP Epoxy Primer is Lead and Chromate Free and its formulation contains a rich blend of Anti-Corrosive additives to achieve maximum defense against rust and corrosion. It also offers excellent salt spray resistance and is a fast dry product.
- Custom Shop – KEP Series Epoxy Primer is great as a DTM primer but also can be used as an excellent sealer for all single stage Urethane and Basecoat Clearcoat. If used as a sealer add 1/2 part of XR70 or UR70 reducer, topcoat or basecoat can be applied in 30 minutes. Using KEP allows for excellent topcoat gloss holdout.
- Available in Gray, Black and White in 1 quart kits, 2 quart kits, gallon kits and 2 gallon kits. Great for Automotive and Industrial applications. KEP is compatible with and can be top coated with most Automotive Paint brands like Custom Shop, Restoration Shop, PPG, House of Kolor, Valspar, etc.
- Lays down super smooth with an Easy ( 1 part to 1 part ) Mixing Ratio allows for more precise mixing, no induction time needed before application. Pot life is 4 hours once mixed. Custom Shop – KEP Series Anti-Corrosive Epoxy Primer is a 2.1 VOC lbs/gallon product that can be used coast to coast.
- Use to help highlight low points, scratches, and pinholes on automotive surfaces prior to painting
- Stops Rust formula adds surface integrity and inhibits corrosion
- Dries to the touch in 5 minutes and can be fully wet or dry sanded
- Exposures imperfections when applied over primed surfaces to ensure a smooth final finish
- Features any-angle spray technology for application even upside down and a wide comfort spray tip
- Exceptional weather and corrosion resistance
- Sand-able to create a smooth surface for your basecoat
- Dries fast to a hard, durable finish
- Durable resin resists cracking and chipping
- Compatible with other paint brands once dry and sanded
- Fast activating primer hardener for fast application
- Developed for a variety of automotive and marine applications
- Light grey color for easy coverage
- Easy 4:1 mix primer with optional 5-10% reduction with 0 voc reducer (SMR-0075)
- Can be used as a primer and a sealer
- Great adhesion to Steel, Aluminum, Fiberglass, Body fillers and Existing finishes
- Lays down super smooth at 4:1 or with optional 5-10% 0 voc reducer (SMR-0075)
- Excellent adhesion and corrosion resistance
- AUTOMOTIVE PAINT PRIMER – Dupli-Color Sandable Primer is an all-purpose, fast-drying primer that can be sanded to a smooth finish to help achieve topcoat uniformity.
- SANDS EASILY - This Dupli-Color paint is great for smooth fill-in of surface cracks and imperfections and is effective on both painted and unpainted surfaces.
- IMPROVES TOP COAT UNIFORMITY – Featuring an EZ Touch 360° Fan Spray Nozzle, this vehicle paint primer ensures maximum coverage for a long-lasting finish. It’s dry to the touch in 30 minutes and can be handled in 1 hour.
- IDEAL USES – Dupli-Color Sandable Primer, from the automotive primer series, is a car spray paint ideal for both interior and exterior applications, specifically metal, fiberglass and wood surfaces.
- DUPLI-COLOR PAINT – Since 1938, Dupli-Color has been the trusted brand leader in providing easy-to-use, innovative, products to restore, restyle and protect vehicle appearance.
- Ideal for use on metal, wood and fiberglass surfaces
- Stops Rust oil based formula protects surfaces from rust/corrosion and improves topcoat adhesion
- Dries to the touch in 10-15 minutes and covers between 40-50 sq. ft. per quart
- Fills in minor scratches and surface nicks to leave a smooth, paintable surface
- Do not use of surfaces that will come into direct contact with heat or temperatures exceeding 350°F
- Fits: Primer Primer
- Works on automotive metal, aluminum, urethane and plastic
- Sold each
- 42013 SEM High Build Primer Surfacer Gray - Part#42013
- 1 Gallon (3.8 Liters) Can of GRAY - Custom Shop Premium Self-Etching Acid Etch Primer. Gray primer color. It etches and primes bare, rust-free metal in just one step.
- Premium Self-Etching Acid Etch Primer is a ready-to-spray, self-etching primer with tremendous adhesion and flexibility properties. It provides excellent adhesion to the following properly prepared substrates: steel, aluminum, fiberglass, previously painted surfaces, wood, and some plastics.
- It's a super primer with anti-corrosive properties, which makes it ideal for use over bare metals such as aluminum and steel. It’s a perfect primer for fleet and OEM manufacturers.
- This coating is fast drying and is sandable after 60 minutes. It also improves color holdout, gloss retention and has excellent inter-coat adhesion.
- Ideal for use on properly prepared truck beds before the application of truck bed liner coatings. This primer works excellent under all major brands of truck bed liner coatings like Custom Coat, UPOL Raptor, and Gator Guard.
- 1 Gallon (3.8 Liters) Can of Custom Shop Premium High Build 2.1 VOC Acrylic Lacquer Primer Surfacer. Gray primer color. Mix Ratio is 1 to 1 with RSP XR Reducers for 2.1 VOC California Compliance or RSP LT70 Lacquer Thinner for National Rule Compliance.
- High Build 2.1 VOC Acrylic Lacquer Primer Surfacer is a premium, lead-free primer surfacer that provides outstanding build for fast filling without shrinkage when used as directed. It can be easily sanded, wet or dry, to a fine feather-edge and offers excellent adhesion and color holdout.
- It provides excellent adhesion over properly prepared substrates: metal, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, previously painted surfaces, epoxy, and self-etch primers, body filler, glazing putties, and more. It’s an ideal primer for automotive vehicles, fleet, industrial products, and OEM manufacturers.
- Restoration Shop and Custom Shop have been providing innovative Premium Quality products you can trust in the Automotive Paint Industry since 1974. Our products are proudly Made in the U.S.A., and we formulate, manufacture, and distribute our products throughout the USA, unlike many competitors.
- Our superior coating products only use the highest quality ingredients, which allows our customers to consistently achieve high-quality professional results on their Painting Projects!
- Custom Coat 1K High Build Primer - Grey - 12 ounce Spray Can - provides a High Build Primer Surfacer that is a flexible acrylic surfacer for priming steel, aluminum, fiberglass, SMC, and urethane painted surfaces in an Easy to use aerosol spray can.
- Provides superior adhesion, Excellent filling properties, Works on flexible or rigid substrates
- Easy to sand, Topcoat with most Automotive Paint refinish topcoats
- Flat fan high atomization nozzle offers a large fan pattern and excellent coverage
- Versatile: Automotive High Build primer that can be applied over many sustrates
- SPRAY PAINT PRIMER - Dupli-Color Adhesion Promoter improves adhesion of enamel and lacquer top coats to all surfaces, including plastic, chrome, fiberglass bumpers and aluminum trim molding.
- FAST DRYING – This Dupli-Color primer is easy to apply, dries quickly, and can be buffed to a brilliant smooth finish. It’s dry to the touch in 20 minutes and can be handled in 1 hour.
- IMPROVES PAINT ADHESION – Featuring an EZ Touch Fan Spray Nozzle, this vehicle paint primer ensures maximum coverage for a long-lasting finish.
- IDEAL USES – Dupli-Color Adhesion Promoter, from the automotive primer series, is an all-purpose clear primer paint ideal for both interior and exterior applications.
- DUPLI-COLOR PAINT – Since 1938, Dupli-Color has been the trusted brand leader in providing easy-to-use, innovative, products to restore, restyle and protect vehicle appearance.
How to choose a good automotive primers
Does the idea of finding a fantastic automotive primers make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in automotive primers. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top automotive primers products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top automotive primers on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top automotive primers brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top automotive primers based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the automotive primers were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good automotive primers, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your automotive primers.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting automotive primers for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our automotive primers. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what automotive primers should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on automotive primers.
