HELP! Anything I can do?

[eddie926]

This is the front bumper on my son`s car. The area that I`ve photographed has been washed, clayed, and then given 2 passes with Megs #83 on an LC orange pad with the PC. It feels as smooth as glass, but the paint is a mess like whatever is there is etched or stained into the paint.



Any suggestions or is this just a repaint?



Thanks for any help.

[Neofate]

I can`t tell for sure if that is interior or exterior markings.



Are they rock chips, where paint has flaked? Or is it something on the surface?



It looks surface, but 2D is hard to tell.

[gmblack3]

If you are looking at a repaint, try some wetsanding first.

[NSXTASY]

It looks like Bug etching to me. Splattered bugs leave acid which over time etch into the paint.



If that is what the marks are, some wetsanding may be the only solution short of a repaint. However, wetsanding may thin the paint to an unacceptable level, requiring a repaint.

[Accumulator]

It looks like Bug etching to me. Splattered bugs leave acid which over time etch into the paint.



If that is what the marks are, some wetsanding may be the only solution short of a repaint. However, wetsanding may thin the paint to an unacceptable level, requiring a repaint.

Yep. None of my vehicles have enough clear to withstand the abrasion that`d be necessary to correct that. But two passes with #83 isn`t much, so I bet it could be improved a lot more. Whether that`ll be good enough :nixweiss

[Glossy McGlosserton]

It also reminds me of some clear failure that I had on a 98 Accord, which was dark green. It if were me, I`d try wet sanding and then several coats of sealant. Also do a search for a thread about repairing failing clear coat. I seem to remember that someone did some good work that really was surprising. At worst, you`ll just have to repaint at some point anyway.

[eddie926]

Thanks for the feedback guys.



It`s something on the surface. Not rock chips. If you run your hand across it, you can`t feel a thing. Some of if probably is bug splatter that was left too long. However, a bunch of it just showed up since the last time his car was washed. I asked him if he was aware of driving through anything and he wasn`t. However, I had to borrow his car today, and I think I may have a clue what it is now.



When I was driving, there was a city street crew with a big truck using some kind of water drilling machinery to embed steel framed reflectors in the center divider on the street. It was leaving a slurry on the road that was apparently water with ground up pavement dust. It was all over the road. The car in front of me was spraying it all over me, and my tires were throwing it everywhere. When I got home there was a gray film all over the car that looked just like that. Fortunately I was able to wash it off immediately. and didn`t incur any damage from the incident. So, I`m afraid it may be like a concrete chemical kind of etching or burn, whatever you might call it.



#83 was all I had on hand when I tried to polish it. I need to get some more aggressive polishes. May get some SIP or if you have other recommendations let me know. I have an LC yellow pad too, so don`t know if it might help to step up to the yellow pad with #83.

[Accumulator]

eddie926- I`d rather use a 4" pad than a larger yellow one. IMO a green Cyclo polishing pad is good, but an orange 4" pad is even more aggressive. Aggressive enough that you need to be a little careful. I bet the #83 would behave quite differently on a 4" pad.

[eddie926]

eddie926- I`d rather use a 4" pad than a larger yellow one. IMO a green Cyclo polishing pad is good, but an orange 4" pad is even more aggressive. Aggressive enough that you need to be a little careful. I bet the #83 would behave quite differently on a 4" pad.

Accumulator,



Thanks for the feedback. I haven`t picked up a 4" backing plate or pads for my PC yet. So, a 4" orange would be more aggressive than a 6.5" orange with the same polish?

[Accumulator]

So, a 4" orange would be more aggressive than a 6.5" orange with the same polish?

*OH YEAH*, whole different ballgame. I wasn`t foolin` about the need to be a little careful with 4" pads, I damaged clear with a 4" *polishing* pad, and that`s something you probably couldn`t do witha 6.5" orange pad if you tried.

[eddie926]

*OH YEAH*, whole different ballgame. I wasn`t foolin` about the need to be a little careful with 4" pads, I damaged clear with a 4" *polishing* pad, and that`s something you probably couldn`t do witha 6.5" orange pad if you tried.

OK, thanks. I was under the impression that you couldn`t really hurt your paint with the PC regardless of pad size, so thanks for that info. That`s good to know, because I was planning on getting some 4" for spot treating and for tight areas. I`ll be sure to proceed with caution.