Mystical_Ice
08-27-2007, 03:36 AM
Basically here`s what happened. I`ve got a 5 or 6 week old Cadillac CTS-V. Black exterior. Paint was flawless on it. I had planned to get a clear bra on all leading edges installed, so i took it to a body shop close to the house to get a scuff in the bumper, and several light (very light... you couldn`t feel them with your fingernail) scratches in the hood removed. 2 or 3 of them.
I picked the car up last week and this is what i noticed (see attached pictures).
Took it back to them the next morning. They said that the reason it`s like that, is because it needs to be waxed. I told them that when the shop installs the clear bra, they REMOVE the wax, and if they remove the wax, the swirls are going to show up again... that wax isn`t designed to cover swirls, it`s designed to make the car`s finish shine. waxing the swirl marks (halos apparently they`re called) is a band-aid to the problem.
Anyway, so even after waxing, the swirls are still there. They say the only way to get rid of them is for me to bring it back so that they can 3000grit wet sand it. I`m a member of the cadillac forums, and everyone`s told me to not let them back at the car if that`s what they intend to do, as that will get rid of whatever clear coat i have left.
By the way, i noticed the `swirl marks` extend right onto the tail lights (which also have the light scratches on them). i guess they didn`t even try to avoid them... just buffed right over the lights. *shakes head*.
The shop that`s going to be installing the clear bra said that it`s unacceptable (as did all the cadillac forum members). I was told by that shop (i respect the two owners a lot) that it is possible to buff out the scratches, but it`s extremely time-consuming, probably would take ~10 hours to do, and would definately require an orbital buffer, as opposed to a high speed rotary which obviously caused the swirls in the first place.
I`m going to talk to the shop tomorrow, but i doubt that they`re going to settle for anything less than 3000grit wet sanding the car, which i don`t want to happen. The guys there are total idiots (their head painter hardly speaks english... i had to `act out` what the problem was to him) and i`m wary of taking it back, as i`ve lost confidence in their work.
This car`s my baby, and i just want it back the way it was a week ago. If this shop refuses to pay for the work, that`s fine, but i don`t want them to do it. If i have to pay it out of my pocket, then so be it. At the same time though, i can`t afford to spend a fortune getting it looking perfect again. I`m a full time college student, and this car took me years of saving up to get. I`ve got no buffer to spend from now. Please someone help me out to get my car looking spotless again. When the sun hits it i want to see the sun reflecting in it`s finish, not halos.
The complete story is located here:
clear bra :) - Page 3 - Cadillac Owners (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-series-forum/115340-clear-bra-3.html)
for those of you that want to follow the drama/saga from start to finish.
I picked the car up last week and this is what i noticed (see attached pictures).
Took it back to them the next morning. They said that the reason it`s like that, is because it needs to be waxed. I told them that when the shop installs the clear bra, they REMOVE the wax, and if they remove the wax, the swirls are going to show up again... that wax isn`t designed to cover swirls, it`s designed to make the car`s finish shine. waxing the swirl marks (halos apparently they`re called) is a band-aid to the problem.
Anyway, so even after waxing, the swirls are still there. They say the only way to get rid of them is for me to bring it back so that they can 3000grit wet sand it. I`m a member of the cadillac forums, and everyone`s told me to not let them back at the car if that`s what they intend to do, as that will get rid of whatever clear coat i have left.
By the way, i noticed the `swirl marks` extend right onto the tail lights (which also have the light scratches on them). i guess they didn`t even try to avoid them... just buffed right over the lights. *shakes head*.
The shop that`s going to be installing the clear bra said that it`s unacceptable (as did all the cadillac forum members). I was told by that shop (i respect the two owners a lot) that it is possible to buff out the scratches, but it`s extremely time-consuming, probably would take ~10 hours to do, and would definately require an orbital buffer, as opposed to a high speed rotary which obviously caused the swirls in the first place.
I`m going to talk to the shop tomorrow, but i doubt that they`re going to settle for anything less than 3000grit wet sanding the car, which i don`t want to happen. The guys there are total idiots (their head painter hardly speaks english... i had to `act out` what the problem was to him) and i`m wary of taking it back, as i`ve lost confidence in their work.
This car`s my baby, and i just want it back the way it was a week ago. If this shop refuses to pay for the work, that`s fine, but i don`t want them to do it. If i have to pay it out of my pocket, then so be it. At the same time though, i can`t afford to spend a fortune getting it looking perfect again. I`m a full time college student, and this car took me years of saving up to get. I`ve got no buffer to spend from now. Please someone help me out to get my car looking spotless again. When the sun hits it i want to see the sun reflecting in it`s finish, not halos.
The complete story is located here:
clear bra :) - Page 3 - Cadillac Owners (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-series-forum/115340-clear-bra-3.html)
for those of you that want to follow the drama/saga from start to finish.