New to car detailing. Need Help!

[xlikwidx]

Hello. I drive a 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I myself have taken good care of it, but unfortunately the original owner did not. I love taking care of my car but I only know basics when it comes to taking care of your car (wash+wax). I won`t be able to get a new car for at least a year due to financial reasons and I`d like to make this car look the best it can.



On the roof and trunk of the car the paint looks to be faded, cloudy, and whitish (the car is maroon, so you can imagine how ugly it looks). I`m not sure what it is from, but I am assuming it`s sun damage. Along the side of the car there is some white paint (possibly a sideswipe?). Is there an easy way to get that off without hurting your car`s paint job? Lastly, does anyone know a way to restore headlights and make them uncloudy. I`ve seen commercial products, just don`t know if there is a simple diy fix.



Any help with any of the three questions would be appreciated. I just hope I can fix these problems without the need of a professional. Don`t have too much money to work with so any diy stuff is great. If you have any questions or need more info just ask, maybe I can get pics if needed.



Thanks in advance. :grinno:

[xlikwidx]

Alright, well tonight I made a discovery. It takes care of the biggest problem, but also introduces a new one. Tonight at work I was on break and was thinking about things i could do and I was looking at the cloudy areas on the roof and trunk. I ran my hand over the area and felt it was grainy. So I brushed it and I saw more paint, and I did it again and saw dust. Then I scraped it with my fingernail and discovered its just a really thick layer of wax on the car. Apparently the original owner liked to wax the car, a bit too much in fact.

I feel kinda stupid for not realizing this before, but for once i`m glad to feel stupid and have a cheaper fix.



Now my next question is, what is the best way to go about removing extra wax? My other questions about removing paint from the sideswipe and cleaning the headlights still stand as well.



Thanks in advance again and sorry for the long posts.

[the other pc]

Hi xlikwidx, welcome to Autopia.



Ahhhh. Ummm. Errr. Geez, I really hate to be the one to break the news to you. But that’s not wax. That’s your paint. It’s the clear topcoat disintegrating and exposing the basecoat.



The only way to fix it is a new paint job.



Sorry about that.





PC.

[xlikwidx]

Isn`t there a way I can salvage whats left? I mean there is still color underneath the white areas. Can`t I remove all of that and put on a new clearcoat or wax overtop of it to protect it?



Also, I`m pretty sure it is wax. I looked closely on the roof and noticed swirl marks from the last time I waxed.. well waxed over top of this crap and added on to it.

[the other pc]

Can you post pix?





PC.

[xlikwidx]

I`m heading to work now, I`ll see if I can find a camera to use. And I didn`t mean to sound rude on that last post, but I just could have swore it was wax.

[the other pc]

Oh no, you didn’t sound rude at all. I know you’re just concerned about your car.



It’s just that you initial description sounded like clearcoat failure to me. But that could simply be my misinterpretation of the wording.



If the stuff is a fine powdery residue that comes off and leaves a bright, hard shiny surface then it probably is just wax residue that missed being wiped off.



If it peels or flakes off and leaves a colored patch with a matte appearance behind it’s clearcoat failure.



Without seeing it, I’m guessing.





PC.

[xlikwidx]

Alright, well I managed to get some pictures. Took them with my cellphone so they`re not the best quality, but my cellphone does have a decent camera so they`re good enough.



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0061.jpg

This picture shows the damage on the trunk. It didn`t look like this before, it was almost pure white. I rubbed out the circle by hand when I thought it may be wax.



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0062.jpg

Same as before with a different angle. I also scratched that little design in with my fingernail, so that`s what it looks like underneath.



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0063.jpg

A close up of the roof.



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0066.jpg

When I scratch this is what it looks like. Just some white dust. No peeling or flaking.



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0065.jpg

This is the white paint from the sideswipe I was asking about. Is there a way to remove this yourself?



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/xlikwidx/Photo0064.jpg

Finally, this is what the rest of the car`s paint looks like. I haven`t washed or waxed it in a bit because I was disgusted with the white stuff. But you can still tell it`s shiny.



I did talk to my dad and he said he had this problem with his Pinto he used to own. He said he thinks its paint oxidation and with a little rubbing compound I could get rid of it and I could just wax over it. I`d still like to know what all of you think, you`re the pros.

[xlikwidx]

Oh, I just thought of something else. Don`t know if this has any relevance. Yesterday when it was raining I noticed the areas that are covered with white, just became milky, but they were clear and I could see through to the paint.

[Setec Astronomy]

Wow, that roof and trunk stuff kinda looks like CC failure, but kinda not. I would hit it with a paint cleaner (Meg`s DC1 or something else OTC) and see if it starts to look more like the rest of the car, or if it starts to look dull as The Other PC noted.



Then you can use that same paint cleaner to remove most of the paint from that sideswipe, it will make it a lot less noticeable.

[xlikwidx]

Alright, I`ll give that a shot. I should be able to find that fairly easily right? I know the local Walmart has some Meg`s products and I`m assuming maybe an Autozone or something else would.

[Setec Astronomy]

My Wal-Mart has gotten really crappy with the detailing supplies, so I`m not sure they will have it. Not sure about AutoZone but Pep Boys should have it. It`s Deep Crystal Step 1 paint cleaner; it`s got the solvents you need to get that paint transfer and (hopefully) oxidation off. Perhaps someone can chime in with a similar OTC product in a different brand to give you an alternate.

[the other pc]

Man, that really looks like clearcoat failure.



You`ll know for sure when you use the paint cleaner on the areas where the white meets the color. There`ll be a definite boundary that won`t go away and the color below the white won`t get as glossy as the color on the sides of the car.





PC.