Clear coat failure? Need some expert help, please

[tj98cobra]

I`m detailing this 2004 Acura MDX, pearl blue. The hood has about 15 spots just like these pictured. I tried to wetsand lightly with 3000 grit and followed up with M105 on a Meguairs cutting pad.



Is this clearcoat failure?



Thanks for the help !



http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm256/tj98cobra/IMG_3757.jpg





http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm256/tj98cobra/IMG_3759.jpg

[solekeeper]

Clearcoat failure would peel a big area and be together.. As I`ve seen..



This seems to be something else..

[sparklescarwash]

try 2000 grit but it looks like you are right the clear coat cracking

[Barry Theal]

Don`t sand that!! it will only be worse. What you have there is either a very bad bird etching or Sap etching. There is no way to fix that except for touch up or Respray. It already went threw clear and base.

[dschia]

Can you feel that it is protruding or sinking?

[nyyankees22]

Yeah Barry is right, if you do anything to it its going to make the clear thinner and weaker and it will spread way faster... I learned that the hard way the first time. Leave it alone and just keep and LSP with good UV protection on it to slow it down until you can get it fixed is what I would suggest.

[tj98cobra]

Don`t sand that!! it will only be worse. What you have there is either a very bad bird etching or Sap etching. There is no way to fix that except for touch up or Respray. It already went threw clear and base.



Thanks for the tip. I think I`ll let the owner see it before I go any further. It`s weird it`s only the hood, I thought maybe the heat from the engine was causing it.

[David Fermani]

It really looks like bird bomb damage. It pretty deep too. I doubt you`re gonna fix that.

[Infraggable Kru]

don`t sand, that is acid etching = owner is screwed



only thing that helps is making sure the care is wax regularly to avoid it from spreading

[tj98cobra]

Thanks crew. I learned something new. Thanks a ton...

[imported_DiamondD]

kinda funny for bird doo to do that much damage that fast to a new car i think it might be something else.

[vtec92civic]

that is not clear coat failure that like barry said is from some type of sap or bird poop etching. That went down into the paint and cracked the paint itself.



Only fix for that is a repaint. Clear Coat failure looks much like if someone got sunburned and started to peel

[MarcHarris]

What Barry said.



Sorry to see :(

[Infraggable Kru]

this topic is actually a lot more complex than what most would think. What I`ve learned from searching online,forums, company warranties is the following



Factory Paint warranty

These vary, I found some as short as 1 year, and some as long as 3 years ( bumper to bumper warranty). Some 5 year bumper to bumper warranties exist but do not cover paint for that long.



Many of the paint warranties are similar to rust warranties in that they are "invalidated by rock chips, acid rain and hail which"



Clearcoat Failures

The company will cover these failures if the company does not believe there was owner neglect ( bird poop etching), or any kind of unnatural proccess ( like sanding the clearcoat away, spilling acid on it , etc). Some companies may do a "goodwill" acid rain warranty on a car, but this is not common



Paint Chips

These are actually covered by warranty too, but only if they look like its a defect in the paint ( certain pattern of peeling), and is voided by, rock chips, scracthes, and does not cover if it looks like the owner has hit something



Now with that said If you have car Insurance that also plays a part



Third party liability ( you hit another car)

Your car paint is not covered



Collision

You hit another car, then yes your paint will be covered. Clearcoat failure not covered



Comphrehesive

If your car is damaged by vandalism, acid rain, hail, or anything not caused by a collision the most Insurance companies will cover to respray your car ( you still have to pay a deductible). This one is tricky because if your car is moving is moving, as long as you don`t hit another car, you are covered ( like hitting a pole or a deer)





Hope that helps

[faststrat02]

Wow...I learned something new here today too. The pics above definitely aren`t clear coat failure. and Interesting post above me.



I have experienced CC failure first hand, had the hood and roof resprayed last year. (didn`t happen till car was about 6 yrs old, so warranties were out the window)



Should`ve had whole car done, b/c now my C-pillars, trunk, and quater panels are CC failing...



What kind of car you ask? Black Dodge Stratus R/T 2002. Apparently these things were duds from the factory. The clear wasn`t applied correctly, and Dodge/Mitsubishi doesn`t reconize it.



Very interesting to see/hear other people`s stories also though...