micro scratches with rust?

[wolfe]

My car is just 3 days old, and it's rained a few times since I picked it up. It's done just 50 miles of highway driving in dry weather.



Today I noticed when I looked at the paint very closely, there appears to be many tiny little scratches, around 2-3mm long, the thickness of a human hair or less and with a little orange/brown staining around the edges. They feel kind of rough to the touch.



I tried a little meguiars scratch X on them, and it removed the staining but I still see the tiny little scratches.



I have no idea what caused these, I'm almost positive it wasn't me. My worst fear is that the scratches are through the clear, paint and primer and the staining was rust forming on the metal panels beneath. They are present on the trunk lid, roof, hood and front wings.



Is there anything else this could be, and are there any over the counter products I can use to fix this or at least make it better? Or should I just go and tell the dealer?



The car is metallic silver, if metallic paint makes a difference.



Thanks

 

[Accumulator]

That's gotta be disconcerting on a new car!



My first thoughts are:



1) you oughta look at the spots with magnification and see what's really going on.



2) they might be ferrous deposits (e.g., "rail dust") on top of the paint/shallowly embedded in the paint. These rust, causing stuff like what you're seeing. Very visible on silver, as you've discovered.



3) clay might work but an acidic decontamination system such as AutoInt's ABC is made for that kind of issue and works better in my experience.



4) if it *is* a zillion breaks in the paint with underlying corrosion on the metal I'd demand a new car. But I somehow doubt that and think it's most likely what I mentioned above (actually, I'm *VERY* certain that it is, it sounds like a classic case of rail dust from transporting the vehicle).



5) I'd be hesitant to let the dealer mess with it as most don't know what they're doing, but the AutoInt ABC decontamination system is approved by the major car manufacturers for dealership use on problems like this.



You might check out the AUTOINT WEBSITE where they discuss this sort of thing and describe their ABC system.



If it were my car, I'd inspect with magnification and use ABC, claying while the "B" (the acidic step that dissolves the rust/ferrous contamination) is dwelling on the paint. Then I'd clay, polish, and wax/seal. I'd be pretty confident that *that* would solve the problem.

 

[wolfe]

Thankyou so much for the advice. If it's rail dust that would be great. Well not great but way better than it being the actual body which is rusting.



Is there any cheaper alternative to the ABC decontamination system? It does sound great but those look like some huge bottles it comes in, and at $60+shipping that's quite a bit. Although if that's going to do a much better job than a clay bar it's worth it. Will it thin or weaken the paint at all? The car is a mazda3, which I've read is notorious for thin/easily scratched paint.



I take it that's a product I won't be able to find in a local car parts place?



Thanks again, I'm headed out to try and inspect it more closely.