Help with Water Etching?

[markp95]

Hi All,

First time poster and detailer! Great Forum. Now to the problem. I believe I have water etching all over my car, 05 Acura RL Black. I attached a picture from this morning. The surface is smooth, but it looks very bad up close. I purchased the stuff below and need some help in what I should do.



ZFXâ„¢ Flash Cure Accelerator Additive

Z-2 PROâ„¢ Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes

Z-5 PROâ„¢ Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches

Z-6â„¢ Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray

Z-7â„¢ Show Car Wash

Z-18â„¢ ClayBar



Porter Cable 7424

2 Low Profile 5.5 Inch Orange Pads

2 Low Profile 5.5 Inch White Pads

1 DA 5 inch Backing Plate



My plan is to wash with Dawn and use the clay bar to see if it removes the etching. I don`t want to do any waxing until I remove the etching. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[awahl63]

You do not have any abrasive polishes...you will need to polish out those water spots.

[markp95]

Andrew,

Thanks. That is what I`m not sure about. I spent a few days reading the Forum and I`m not sure what I should do first. I bought the Z-5 PRO for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches and the clay. Just not sure what to start with?

The Z-5 PRO isn`t abrasive enough?

[phamkl]

I believe Z5 contains fillers for swirls and fine scratches, rather than abrasives.

[markp95]

phamkl,

You are right! Dang. I goofed and got it confused with their Fusion product. I wanted to work it today and tomorrow. I guess I will try and find something local. Not easy to do in Louisiana!

[Brian_Brice]

yeah thats a lot of water etching, how long as it been working it`s way at your clear coat?

[markp95]

VaSuperShine,

Car is 2 years old. I bought it down south and moved to upstate NY. I moved away a year later, but I think the salt and weather had already done the damage. The entire car looks like that photo. I tried really hard to keep it clean and protected, but not much luck!

[CHAOS]

youll definitely need some hardcore abrasives and good pads... my suggestion is if you are looking localy try finding some 3m fine cut or turtlewax rubbing compound.... thats all i could ever find locally and it worked ok

[JeffM]

Dont buy TW compound!



Order some ZPC and work on it with a polishing pad or a med cut pad.

[Danny318]

Yeah you need some sort of polish/compound. I`ve had decent results with optimum hyper compound and polish. you might want to get something strong like HTEC, hi temp extreme cut leveler. you use that with the PC and polish the pain till the water marks are gone. Zaino doesnt really remove or fix anything on the paint, it just makes it look shiny and protects it after you have already fixed it.

[markp95]

Guys,

Thanks. I am going to clay it and order some Optimum. Anything else I should buy?

[JeffM]

Optimum will have bonding issues with the Z5 or Z2 unless you wash after polishing.

[wannafbody]

for deep etching you`ll probably need HTEC and a wool pad with a rotary. Definitly not for a newb.

[markp95]

wannafbody,

Thats what I am worried about. I am definately a newb, but I don`t have much choice. I want to fix the finish, but there aren`t any professionals near where I live so I figure I am going to have to do it myself with some help from you guys.



That last comment by JBM about the optimum having bonding issues is exactly what I need. Thanks JBM.



Should I buy the Zaino Z-PC Fusion? Optimum? Or something else? I think I need to try something that is less abrasive and put lots of time into it. I am worried about getting something too harsh and over my head.....

[imported_smprince1]

for deep etching you`ll probably need HTEC and a wool pad with a rotary. Definitly not for a newb.



Agree ... that is gonna probably take a wool pad and rotary ... and even then some of the deeper stuff might be better left. Hard to tell from a photo, I could be way off.