Etched water spots. help

I

imported_Tex Star Detail

New member
OK...not a good day for me.



picked up a black expedition with horrible water spots.

Nothing is getting them out.

PC w/ Orange pad and Yellow pad (edge) with light, medium, and aggresive polish (removes 600 grit scratches) and it does not budge.

Move to a rotary w/ polishing pad with, again, light meduim, and aggresive polish. Made it a little better, but still there.

Tried all the tricks of the trade. Nada.



I haven't done alot of water spotted cars, but the ones I have done, came back nicely. This one on the other hand.....PITA.



I worked the passenger side fender for 30 minutes and like I said, nada. Some spots cleaned up nice, but the majority stayed.

The hood of this beast is aweful. You can feel the spots.

So, is this a job for a rotary with heavier pads? i used a polishing as astated before. Or is this a wetsand job to say the least? I do not do wetsanding, so I should pass this down the road? I quoted 125 for the exterior buff...
 
Did you give clay a try ? What about a decontamination kit such AI's ABC Car Wash System ?
 
yea, clay and all. Did not use a decon. kit.

I did however, use a product from my distributor called Surface Clarifier. Acid was for water spots on paint. Did not do a thing. I imagine it is a job for wetsanding......
 
maybe some 3000 grit and a rotary will do it....or maybe CLR washing, or even a cutting pad on the rotary or a wool pad...i just saw you only used a polishing pad, why not cutting pad??
 
toyotaguy said:
maybe some 3000 grit and a rotary will do it....or maybe CLR washing, or even a cutting pad on the rotary or a wool pad...i just saw you only used a polishing pad, why not cutting pad??
Click to expand...



I didn't have a cutting pad for the rotary at the time. Will also try the CLR, diluted down.
 
Chris,



Try the compound with a cutting or wool pad @ 1500-1800 on the rotary, be careful.



-if that doesn't work



If you are comfortable with sanding, try 3000 grit, then the above procedure.



*Keep in mind, not all water spotting can be safely removed.



Greg
 
I wouldn't think that a 3 step compounding and polishing process would eat through the clear to go through the paint, but to be sure I always have my customers sign a waiver that says I am not liable for any damage caused by correcting defects such as water spots, and deep scratches. Area dependant, $125 is much too low in my opinion. You are saving this customer from having to repaint or other more costly methods (wetsanding) so I think $200-$250 is more like it; granted you can repair the panels.



-Shaun
 
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