New Guy with a Quick Question: Help Me ID What This Paint Defect Is Please!

**zhp43867** · 12-31-2011, 06:51 PM

Hello, I have been detailing seriously for a few years, and I`ve read many great post and reviews here, but I haven`t registered until now.

I just have a very quick question for the experts out there. I am giving my mom a complementary detailing of her car, and just finished with my clay-ing and Iron-X.

The vehicle is a 2009 BMW 328i if it matters.

It had body work last year on the side of the car where this defect is. I am wondering if this is maybe bad finish work, or a sign of failing or thin clear coat/something else. I captured it as best I could!

It is a very vague area when you see it with your eye, where there is not much reflection.

If it is a problem with the body work or thin clear coat, I don`t want to take my buffer out and make it worse before seeing the body shop.

Cliffs: What is wrong with this paint?

**Nth Degree** · 12-31-2011, 06:58 PM

Hard to tell just from the photos whether it was just bad finishing or poor paint. Looks like uneven coverage either from paint mix not leveling or shrinkage. Could probably be wet-sanded, but you are right to take it back to the shop that did the work and ask them. At least that way if they cause a bigger problem they are responsible for fixing it... again.

**zhp43867** · 12-31-2011, 07:22 PM

Thanks for the very prompt response. Here are a couple pictures with my real camera, maybe they will help a little with deciding what it is. I`d really rather avoid the body shop if possible!

**JohnKleven** · 12-31-2011, 09:20 PM

Looks like poor repaint and possible blend line.

**Rafi** · 01-01-2012, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by JohnKleven

Looks like poor repaint and possible blend line.

I agree. I would take it to the body shop and see what garbage they try and feed you.

**jtford95** · 01-01-2012, 01:39 AM

Z. 1st happy new year. 2nd that looks like something was on the paint when it was painted or a dry patch in the clear. Either way, take it back to the body shop. If it is in the clear coat, it may be able to be buffed out. That is a big maybe. Good luck with it. Keep us posted on what goes on. Joe

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-01-2012, 02:37 AM

Originally Posted by JohnKleven

Looks like poor repaint and possible blend line.

:werd: Hack body shop strikes again!

**zhp43867** · 01-01-2012, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Rafi

I agree. I would take it to the body shop and see what garbage they try and feed you.

Originally Posted by C. Charles Hahn

:werd: Hack body shop strikes again!

The funny thing is this is a pretty high line body shop for my area. Having had experience with this and one other very highly regarded body shop in the area, it seems that if you bring a car in for repair it is bound to go in a least twice, usually three times. They fix the original problem, then screw up the paint or the finish and have to fix it, generally (again) screwing something else up in the process, and finally getting it right the third time. :think:

Originally Posted by jtford95

Z. 1st happy new year. 2nd that looks like something was on the paint when it was painted or a dry patch in the clear. Either way, take it back to the body shop. If it is in the clear coat, it may be able to be buffed out. That is a big maybe. Good luck with it. Keep us posted on what goes on. Joe

Thanks, I will. Happy new year to all!

Time to go browse the rest of this forum. No detailing for me today, the body shop will without a doubt screw it up when they "fix" this. :nervous:

**Barry Theal** · 01-01-2012, 09:17 AM

Thats a blend line for sure. Also looks like they walk the blend back to far from compounding or sanding. You can see here there are still sand marks which can be removed, but the worst part is it looks like the paint was buffed entirely to thin. Looks like they went threw the clear just enough to burn threw. Needs repainted.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-01-2012, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by zhp43867

The funny thing is this is a pretty high line body shop for my area. Having had experience with this and one other very highly regarded body shop in the area, it seems that if you bring a car in for repair it is bound to go in a least twice, usually three times. They fix the original problem, then screw up the paint or the finish and have to fix it, generally (again) screwing something else up in the process, and finally getting it right the third time. :think:

Heh.... just goes to show that being a "high line" body shop doesn`t necessarily mean anything. I`ve seen some guys who are supposedly very good at paint and body work do or recommend techniques I would consider to be "hack work."

Case in point, I don`t feel that there is ever a situation where doing a clear coat blend in mid-panel is proper. It doesn`t take THAT much extra work, time, or material to prep and re-clear an entire panel to go over top of a base coat blend, and it avoids the issues like you`re seeing on that BMW (blend line showing through due to aggressive sanding and/or buffing).

**zhp43867** · 01-02-2012, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by C. Charles Hahn

Heh.... just goes to show that being a "high line" body shop doesn`t necessarily mean anything. I`ve seen some guys who are supposedly very good at paint and body work do or recommend techniques I would consider to be "hack work."

Case in point, I don`t feel that there is ever a situation where doing a clear coat blend in mid-panel is proper. It doesn`t take THAT much extra work, time, or material to prep and re-clear an entire panel to go over top of a base coat blend, and it avoids the issues like you`re seeing on that BMW (blend line showing through due to aggressive sanding and/or buffing).

But I didn`t even buff it yet! Also as I`ve been inspecting other areas of the car it looks like the clear coat is wearing through or failing on the edges.

Oh and on top of that the new paint was marred a lot by my clay, which surprised me because I don`t usually get much marring. Funnily enough- I see no marring on the original paint.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-02-2012, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by zhp43867

But I didn`t even buff it yet! Also as I`ve been inspecting other areas of the car it looks like the clear coat is wearing through or failing on the edges.

Maybe not, but obviously the body shop must have....

Oh and on top of that the new paint was marred a lot by my clay, which surprised me because I don`t usually get much marring. Funnily enough- I see no marring on the original paint.

So the fresh paint is softer than the OE paint... that`s no real surprise, in fact that could even end up being the case with "properly" refinished panels.