Bug Etching or Paint Defect?? (PIC)

[topnotchtouch]

Hello all,



The picture below is a very small area on my front bumper cover. The area is a vertical part of the bumper. It appears to me to be etching from bug splats that were not removed quickly enough. It is a 3 year old Florida car so bugs are present pretty much all year long. I bought the car used so they had to have been there when I bought it as I wash and quick detail religiously. I am almost certain that these are from bug splats but, is there any chance that this is from some sort of paint defect?







Thanks

[johnson]

It looks like the previous owners got it repainted at some time. Anyone else?

[xpguy]

i`m not a pro, but i don`t think bug splats would cause those little holes to be that deep? they look pretty deep to be bug splats

[topnotchtouch]

Originally posted by FNG

It looks like the previous owners got it repainted at some time. Anyone else?

I wondered about that too but, the effect is not really prevelant on horizontal surfaces on the bumper, just the forward facing vertical surfaces leading me to believe that it had to be something that hit the paint. I am by no means experienced in this area though and would appreciate any ideas. I ran a car fax before buying the car and there was no record of it being repaired but, I know these things aren`t always documented especially if it was something the dealer did to sell the car.



My biggest concern is that if it is a paint defect or a repaint I need to take it up with my dealer before the warranty expires which is quickly approaching.



Thanks

[Deanski]

Looks more like stone pitting the finish. Unless the paint used was not properly mixed for plastic bumpers. It HAS to be elastic or it starts to crack.



It also be sand hitting the finish and marring it.



hard to reallt tell from that picture. Maybe a better shot on film and use a china marker to circle the areas.



How deep are they? Do they reach the primer?



Whatever it may be, the area looks soft from those small pits.



You may want to look into a paint protection film such as XPEL, ArmorGlove etc after it`s fixed.



My new `03 Lexus SC430 has a different but all too nasty problem, the paint is brittle and stones do not pit, but chip the paint. That`s why I`m now ArmorGloving the hood, front bumper, headlights, side mirrors, side rockers and wheel areas. It`s goona cost me, but I`d rather have it on than having these chipping problems.



If your bumper area was painted, look around it to see any overspray.



Most warranties do not cover "road debris", but I`d still press the dealer to show you a similar car with same marks, and if not, fix the problem on yours. Don`t waste time, get it taken care of soon!



Sorry I cannot give you a better answer without really seeing the area, but if your not happy and your dealer values your business all the more to have him try to make some type of compensation.



Regards,

Deanski

[Labshark]

I agree with the repaint theory,



I would be willing to bet some large bucks that the area was repainted.



Eric

[topnotchtouch]

Originally posted by Labshark

I agree with the repaint theory,



I would be willing to bet some large bucks that the area was repainted.



Eric

The problem is I can`t find any overspray anywhere on the car. Not behind the bumper or in the engine compartment. No one will convince me that a dealer or most bodyshops can repaint anything without overspray



I think one problem is that the pits look worse in the picture than they really are due to the shadowing effect. They don`t go through the clear. The edges have been rounded off as well as I have been over the bumper twice with DACP. Also the area is about 3 times larger than real life as that shiny area where the pits appear is actually only about 1 square inch.

[Black Bird SC]

You`re not going to find any overspray. I good shop can match that paint and paint the bumper cover off the car and not have to blend any other panels. You`d never know it was repainted. You could pop off that bumper cover and look on the inside of it for numbers indicating an aftermarket or Ford replacement bumper. That would be a bit extreme though. Good luck with whatever you end up doing.