paint looks hazy on hood and trunk

[93mr2red]

I have a 93 red mr2. It has the original paint. The car is in excellent condition except the paint has a hazy look on the hood and trunk. Any suggestions for what to do? What products to use? Should I apply these products by hand or use a rotary polisher? I do not want swirl marks or webs. Please help!

[Rob Tomlin]

Sounds like you have some oxidation.



I would use a polish like Poorboys SSR2.5 with a polishing pad (if that doesn`t work, move up to a cutting pad) on a Random Orbit buffer like the Porter Cable unit, then follow up with Klasse All in One to clean up the paint.



Finish with a good sealant and/or wax.

[93mr2red]

Thanks. I have never used a buffer before. Is there anything I should be careful of? Do I move it vertically on the hood and then horizontally?

[jfelbab]

I`ve had very good results on my red 91 MR2 using Meguiar`s Medallion Paint Cleaner (MPPC) to remove the oxidation. It is primarily a chemical cleaner and doesn`t remove much of the single stage paint. I follow this up with Meguiar`s Show Car Glaze (#7) and then with two coats of NXT Tech Wax.



Here is what it will look like.

http://homepage.mac.com/jfelbab/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2004-10-23%2010.39.29%20-0700/Image-CC51C434251911D9.jpg



More pics of my MR2 here. (http://homepage.mac.com/jfelbab/PhotoAlbum7.html)

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally posted by 93mr2red

Thanks. I have never used a buffer before. Is there anything I should be careful of? Do I move it vertically on the hood and then horizontally?



Do a search on the subject of the Porter Cable polisher. Autopia has a great tutorial on it.



You really would have to try hard to make a mistake with this polisher.

[Rob Tomlin]

Here`s the Autopia link regarding using the PC polisher:



http://autopia.org/kb/index.php?page=index_v2&id=38&c=root

[93mr2red]

I did go to a car detailing store. They sold me 2 products. I am not sure they are going to cut through my oxidation and give me the show room shine I want. I would like to get your opinion on these products while I can still return them. I sure do not want to waste my time using inferior products.



They recommended I use a pre cleaner first. They recommended Duragloss 652 pre cleaner no. 2



They said to finish up with Duragloss clear coat polish 111.



Thanks for the link on using a buffer. Well written article with great pics. Helped me out alot!!



On the MR2 pics....is that the original paint? Looks Great!

[jfelbab]

Original paint except for the rocker panels and the side molding. The car has 130,000 original owner miles on it. It runs as good as it looks.



Have no experience with, or information on, Duragloss products. I really like Meguiar`s MPPC for oxidation removal though. The neat thing about MPPC, is that besides removing oxidation well, it also cleans grime embedded in the pores of the paint. It brings the color back to the original color. If you have swirls or other blemishes I`d polish them out with Speed Glaze (#80) using the PC and a polishing pad at speed 5.



There are a lot of good products in the market. Find something you like and learn how to use it properly. MPPC and #7 can be used either by hand or by PC. If you haven`t used a PC or rotary buffer before, I caution you to use care around the edges of any seams. Single stage paint is not as hard as clear coat and you can buff through the paint easily, especially on a 12 year old finish. Be sure to get some painters (blue) tape and tape around these areas and do them by hand after the rest of the car is buffed. Areas around the headlight covers and edges of the nose piece, for example, are likely to be thin. The wing and engine lid are others. Tape off the black vinyl and rubber areas to keep your polish and wax off of them. Some products will stain them.



You are probably beginning to see oxidation on your tail lights too. Get some Meguiar`s PlastX for them and they will look like new.