The company prepped it with a self-etching primer that they use for aluminum and plastic along with some special sauce that they use. Flaking hasn't been a problem - the paint doesn't really 'flake' off, it just kinda wears out. Its hard to explain but it doesn't come off in chips per-se. For the most part the paint has adhered, but notice what happens for anything that flexes or moves - the dip bunches up, seams, or cracks - that's where the wear starts to happen (along with the parts I man handle constantly).