Touch up won`t stick

**Brenton** · 02-13-2006, 08:59 AM

Had a nice, black BMW 325 in last week. It had been in an accident or something, and there was a chunk of paint out of the where the trunk lids lands down on the body.
The owner tried a Dupli-Color touch up kit, and it didn`t stick. I went further, washing and drying the car, using a body shop type wax & grease remover. I sanded the area, got out the rust, feathered the edges a little (it is an area we can`t buff mechanically, an edge), dried it, applied successive coats with curing time in between.
Then the guy washed the car with a pressure washer this weak and part of the paint repair popped out.

What do you think is going on?
Some options:
1) I suck
2) I don`t suck, but needed more curing time between coats
3) I don`t suck, but needed a better prepared surface
4) The cold is extended the final cure time, and he shouldn`t hit it with a pressure washer 10 days after (like he did)
5) The touch up kit is not good (I could try a different paint brand, but I typically use Dupli-Color
6) The trunk is still hitting the area when closing or during driving
7) Something else

I didn`t put this as a poll because I actually would like answers.

**tubafeak** · 02-13-2006, 09:06 AM

It`s probably the cold that`s not letting the paint cure. Tell him to take it easy with the pressure for a while, give the paint a while to bond. Also, a primer beforehand might help with bonding, just a thought.

**CharlesW** · 02-13-2006, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by PEI Detail

Had a nice, black BMW 325 in last week. It had been in an accident or something, and there was a chunk of paint out of the where the trunk lids lands down on the body.
The owner tried a Dupli-Color touch up kit, and it didn`t stick. I went further, washing and drying the car, using a body shop type wax & grease remover. I sanded the area, got out the rust, feathered the edges a little (it is an area we can`t buff mechanically, an edge), dried it, applied successive coats with curing time in between.
Then the guy washed the car with a pressure washer this weak and part of the paint repair popped out.

What do you think is going on?
Some options:
1) I suck
2) I don`t suck, but needed more curing time between coats
3) I don`t suck, but needed a better prepared surface
4) The cold is extended the final cure time, and he shouldn`t hit it with a pressure washer 10 days after (like he did)
5) The touch up kit is not good (I could try a different paint brand, but I typically use Dupli-Color
6) The trunk is still hitting the area when closing or during driving
7) Something else

I didn`t put this as a poll because I actually would like answers.

I vote for #4 and #6.
It is quite possible that when the trunk is closed, the gasket compresses enough to allow the deck lid to contact some part of the surrounding metal.
GM minivans do this where the sliding door comes up to the front door n either side. When you look at the doors when they are closed, there must be 3/16" gap, but the gasket evidently compresses enough to allow contact.

I put a piece of body color plastic door edge guard about 1" long where it was damaging the paint. Seemed to work so far.

Another possibility is that the repaint isn`t compatible with the Dupli-Color. My daughter had a Corsica that had a fender repainted and when I tried some touchup paint on a small chip, it actually caused the surrounding paint to lift.

Charles

**Bob** · 02-13-2006, 09:16 AM

If you are doing this outside or in an unheated area it is probably the cold. Or, you did not use a primer...or both.

**glen22** · 02-13-2006, 09:18 AM

I would clean it all up again and heat the area with a blowdryer then apply your primer and heat warm again applying your coats and NO power washers, no nothing for couple weeks. :yes:

**Brenton** · 02-13-2006, 09:40 AM

Thanx for the quick responses.
A coupla things.
1. I did use a primer.
2. I did heat the are between coats.
3. I did it in a warm garage, and it was in the garage all day, plus a couple of hours after the last coat.
4. The Dupli-Color kit was recommended by the BMW dealership.

Another option:
8) I need to tape & paper everything off, sand, and spray paint it.

**glen22** · 02-13-2006, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by PEI Detail

Thanx for the quick responses.
A coupla things.
1. I did use a primer.
2. I did heat the are between coats.
3. I did it in a warm garage, and it was in the garage all day, plus a couple of hours after the last coat.
4. The Dupli-Color kit was recommended by the BMW dealership.

Another option:
8) I need to tape & paper everything off, sand, and spray paint it.

BUT NO POWER WASHER.

**Coastal Eddie** · 02-13-2006, 10:08 AM

From experience I know that if you`re gonna use a pressure washer on a repaint, it`s better to wait for at least a month. Also, IMO paint if not completely cured is a bit more brittle if it`s cold. So I think it`s reasonable to assume that pressure washing that spot after only 10 days was the culprit.