A method of making a coated metal article comprises (a) forming a hardcoat layer on at least a portion of a surface of a metal or metalized substrate by physical vapor deposition; (b) forming a tie layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen on at least a portion of the surface of the hardcoat layer by plasma deposition; and (c) applying an at least partially fluorinated composition comprising at least one silane group to at least a portion of the surface of the tie layer.