I'm fixing a car for a friend and painted a bumper, fender and door the other night. Base and first coat of clear went on so good that I hated putting on more coats. I know the odds I guess.It's beautiful! I see no reason to paint a solid color base/clear. It's impossible to tell the difference if both are cut and buffed to the same level. It's just more passes with the gun and a bigger chance of runs, drips and errors.