Please Help. I`m frustrated with my paint

[Cuspid]

OK. Picture are uploaded on Photobucket (Thank for that tip). Here is the link.

Pictures by Cuspidman - Photobucket


To answer some of the questions:

1. They are not stone chips.

2. I didn`t notice this on the paint until I had track lighting spot lights installed on my garage to help me with detailing the car. When the spot is shining on the car, you can see it in the reflection of the spot lights. Now that I know they are there, I see it in the sunlight on bright days.

Thank you again.

[southerndetail]

I am willing to bet someone at one time used an acidic wheel cleaner on or around your car. When I worked at one of the local detail shops that is all they used, they also sold used cars that they would clean and sell. On almost all of the cars was pitting just like this, could not feel them, or remove them( did not try to wetsand).

[flash gordon]

Maybe it is a repaint. Can`t say 4 sure but if you can`t feel them, and they are smooth with surfface my next guess would be a clear coat/paint deffect.Man... I can understand your frustration Good Luck...anybody else?

[Beemerboy]

Is this in one area of the car or all over?


and is it over the engine area??

I uploaded one of the pics...up close that looks like its something in the clear coat..a containment of some sort...I saw something very similar to this on a new Nissan I was working on red in color.

It doesn`t appear to be in the paint IMO....you might be able to wet sand but it really depends on how deep they are into the clear


Any chance this car was repainted??

I`ve not worked on a lot of Ferraris but I do know they have excellent workmanship in the paint area...

[Cuspid]

I can see it on the front, rear and tops of doors...any horizontal surface. Its not evident unless there is a bright glare on the paint, so it doesn`t show up on the vertical parts of the car. But I am a characteristic of my cars paint.

[dr_detail]

Looks exactly like the type of damage left by jacaranda trees, or a parasitic type of leaf burrower found mainly in sycamore, elm, maple, pecan, and oak trees. Basically the small deposits drip on the paint, and if not corrected in a timely manner the sap and/or proteins in the excretion dry subsequently etching the paint. Usually the contaminate washes right with little to no effort but leaves behind this type of damage. If this is the case, (and under a 10x loupe inspection they are clearly innies), the surrounding surface area will need to be polished down to the level of the base of the etching. This, most times, can be accomplished with a light to medium compound and a rotary polisher, else it may need to be color-sanded. I do not think, however, this type of damage will be removed with the use of a DA. If you are confident in your skills using such a tool (rotary polisher), go for it. Keep in mind though the damage caused by a small mistake in unskilled hands could be quite costly. I would strongly recommend you take your vehicle to a couple of professionals in your area for a closer examination, and if this is the problem -- have them do the work.

[Beemerboy]

I can see it on the front, rear and tops of doors...any horizontal surface. Its not evident unless there is a bright glare on the paint, so it doesn`t show up on the vertical parts of the car. But I am a characteristic of my cars paint.

That`s telling me that something could have fallen into the clear...OR...the sun might be causing specks...


That`s just based on the fact that its on the top parts of the car only...


Again you any idea if this cars been repainted?

That would be evident in the door jambs, engine hood areas

[flash gordon]

Run it by a couple 2 or 3 quality body shops and see what they may think about it(DO NOT LET THEM KNOW YOU`VE BEEN SHOPPIN IT.Let them come up with there on therory) However if they repair it you may not see tha speckels any longer but you will probally now be facing SWIRLZILLA as 99.9% of body shops are not detailed orientated.Please keep us posted cause your problem has now become mine.

[Beemerboy]

Looks exactly like the type of damage left by jacaranda trees, or a parasitic type of leaf burrower found mainly in sycamore, elm, maple, pecan, and oak trees. Basically the small deposits drip on the paint, and if not corrected in a timely manner the sap and/or proteins in the excretion dry subsequently etching the paint. If this is the case, (and under a 10x loupe inspection they are clearly innies), the surrounding surface area will need to be polished down to the level of the base of the etching. This, most times, can be accomplished with a light to medium compound and a rotary polisher, else it may need to be color-sanded. I do not think, however, this type of damage will be removed with the use of a DA. If you are confident in your skills using such a tool (rotary polisher), go for it. Keep in mind though the damage caused by a small mistake in unskilled hands could be quite costly. I would strongly recommend you take your vehicle to a couple of professionals in your area for a closer examination, and if this is the problem -- have them do the work.

That`s something that I hadn`t thought of...but he can`t feel it on the surface...that`s why I keep thinking its in the clear.

the plastic baggie on your hand would allow you to feel a bit more

[Troy@Protekt]

I am willing to bet someone at one time used an acidic wheel cleaner on or around your car. When I worked at one of the local detail shops that is all they used, they also sold used cars that they would clean and sell. On almost all of the cars was pitting just like this, could not feel them, or remove them( did not try to wetsand).

Dr. Detail could be right but my bet is the same as southern details. I think it`s pitting do to an acid (probably wheel acid). Too hard to tell how deep they are from the pics but I`m sticking with my original suggestion and that`s to have a pro that is familiar with correcting paint problems look to see if it can be corrected.

[holland_patrick]

could you tell us where your at.. maybe someone who lives close can help

[Cuspid]

I`m in Indiana. Any pros here from indiana?

[Poorboy]

I would have to agree there is contamination in the paint. I don`t think polishing or wet sanding will do anything but make them more prominent. If you can`t live with it, then you may have to consider repainting, and it won`t be cheap

[blk45]

[Cuspid]

Blk45,

Thanks for posting my pictures!