Hi Tony,
Ever saw how well vinyl stands upto hail storm and fire? They fade too.

I dont think Paint stands up any better to Fire....and I have never
seen hail travel upwards and damage soffit...:-)

I'd rather pain than having vinyl siding. IMO, they look Ugly. Only
reason they use so much vinyl is, cost.

I think painting is much cheaper than vinyl if you are only
considdering painting one time versus installing vinyl. That being
said, I believe the reason vinyl is so common is because of its low
maintenance upkeep. As a home and the owner ages, it gets harder and
harder to climb up a ladder and paint. Try hiring someone to paint and
see how much it costs. I agree that some vinyl houses are ugly, but so
is clapboard. My main home is brick, and I wanted to go all vinyl on
the trim and soffit so I wouldn't have to paint every other year.

Take Care
Pat