Diesel oil was applied on 3-layer acrylic coating systems with an av. thickness of 139 mu m prepd. by a pneumatic spraying method and on acrylic coatings previously climatically aged for 2 years. The phys. and chem. properties of the acrylic coatings (hardness, water contact angle, roughness parameter, thickness, color and gloss) were detd. before and after the exposure to diesel oil for 336 h. Effect of diesel oil on chem. and phys. destruction of 3-layer acrylic coating systems was obsd. Chem. destruction of surface layers caused their surface free energy increase, especially its polar component. Significant phys. destruction of the coatings (in the form of etched places and increased surface roughness) was obsd. in the case of the coatings which were aged climatically for 2 years before the exposure to diesel oil. Impact of diesel oil caused a significant change of their color, visible with the naked eye.