In this paper, we compare the practical adhesion measurements of alkyd, vinyl, epoxy, and polyurethane paints on cold-rolled steel using the pull-off and three-point flexure tests. It has been shown that (a) in the pull-off test, the ultimate load and ultimate strain values depend on the stud area. During trimming, cracks are created within the system which are responsible for a large decrease in the parameters measured. On the other hand, it is impossible to differentiate between the failure initiation and the failure propagation zones; (b) in the three-point flexure test, the area (W) subtended by the load/displacement curves corresponding to samples with and without stiffener does not depend on the bonded width or on the substrate compliance. After carrying out such a mechanical test, it is also possible to discriminate between failure initiation and failure propagation using appropriate tools for observation, such as scanning electron microscopy, and for analysis, such as electron microprobe analysis ...