Isn't that we can't sand tri-coat Ivory Pearl?

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drtech

New member
I have an Ivory Pearl G35 and got a scratch on my trunk. The body shop wet-sanded it for me, the scratch is less obvious now. However, the area sanded has lost the metallic flakes layer. And, the body shop guy said Ivory Pearl can't be sanded because it will take away the clear coat which is the metallic layer. He also said the dulled area can't be restored. I just want to see any expert can verify this. I really want to restore the metallic coat back.



Thanks.
 
If they wetsanded all the way through the clearcoat then yes there is nothing that can be done to restore the affected area other than to have it repainted. I am assuming the scratch was fairly deep and probably went past the clearcoat layer since you said it is still visible, although to a lesser degree than before. I would think the bodyshop would be liable if they did in fact sand the entire clearcoat layer away.



On the other hand, if they just leveled the clearcoat down a bit to reduce the appearance of the scratch, it should be fairly easy to bring back the gloss with a 2 or 3 step compound/polish application.
 
pearlescent paints get their pearl from layers of different clearcoats so-to-say. If the top layer was removed while sanding, then it's gone forever which could explain the loss of metallic flakes.



You're more than likely going to need to get it repainted...which unfortunately isn't cheap with a pearlescent paint job.
 
Well if the body shop is the one that screwed it up it looks like it's on their dime to fix it properly. If they went through then they should fix it.
 
drtech, that is serious BS what the bodyshop told you. Any paint can be polished/restored. Period. However, when the damage is serious (deep scratch), then you have to touch up the affected area (fill the valley of the scratch), and then re-level it to a perfect finish.

Proper wetsanding will NOT remove the clearcoat, just a small surface layer of it. Butcher's method however can ruin an otherwise perfectly repairable finish in mere seconds. And yes, a dulled area CAN BE restored.



If the metallic particles were in the clear, the paint would feel rough. If they sanded away the flakes, means that they already destroyed your clearcoat + your basecoat (where the metallic particles were suspended). Conclusion: THEY have to refinish the whole panel, but the car is not original any more, so that sucks.



But I recommend you to take good quality macro & closeup pics and post them here. Maybe the damage is not that serious.
 
A pearl is a TRI COAT finish. A base layer, a pearl effect layer and a clear layer. Some car manufacturers do tint clears, like Honda on some older reds.



Sounds like BS to me also, the guy must have sanded too hard and went through.
 
AFAIK, the pearlizing compound is mica, the hiding material is particulate aluminum. The mica has nice rainbow-like refractions. When you paint classic white pearlescents, the white pigment is usually titanium. This newer combination of the three types of compounds in the desired pearlescent finishes, requires only a two-coat system.



Speaking of classic tri-coats, the mid coat is usually a very thin pigmented (color or pearlizing additives) layer, which covers the solid, metallic or mica base coat.
 
If you're going to have it repainted anyway I would try to polish the dull paint out. If it doesn't work (I think it will) then you're going to have it repainted anyway so no harm done.
 
Thanks for all the information. I will try to get the photos for you guys to take a look at my situation.
 
I have taken some photos of how it looks right now. See if touching up is necessary.











(Click to go to Webshot and "full size" on the right-hand top corner)



I hope that the photos can provide a good understanding of the situation.



Thanks for helping, guys.
 
the infinity IP is a tricoat paint. it is very hard to match, and you will need a shop that can blend it with the adjacent panels. even the factory paint looks different on the metal vs plastic parts
 
A good body shop would not attempted to fix it - simply because the scratch is too deep. It looks like a classic nail catcher, so it is a permanent fixture, but a perfect candidate for touching up. Now this chance is gone.
 
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