Name of and method to remove 'ghost streaks'? Cause?

Marc Hufnagel

Marc Hufnagel

New member
I'm sorry I don't know a better way to describe what I am seeing.



I just got a new 2013 Infiniti, Moonlight white which is an iridiscent color in the sun. After washing I was drying it with some Megs QD and a mf cloth and saw various rounded shapes and what appear to be perhaps water streak remains on the paint.



Once the panel or area was totally dry these are not visible.



No body work has been done but I'm at a loss as to what these are any why they are only visible when the panel is still slightly wet? I tried several ways to get pics of this but failed.
 
tom p. said:
DDA, are U referring to "holograms"?
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No, these are clearly visible streaks down the side panels, visible when wiping down with a drying towel or using some QD on an MF and cleaning it. I know what swirls, tiger stripes and such look like, never seen this before. I'm going to try some 205 and MF finishing pad or black foam I think. I've already citrus stripped, iron-x and clayed. I've not left anything to dry on the surface.
 
You need HD Exorcist with a "puffy white" pad :P





Sounds like drip marks, could be caused by water dripping from trim or mirrors, or any chemicals used at the dealer, acid rain, etc.
 
I am going to try the 205 tonight, but I actually got a pic of some of them:



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Don't get all agressive with polishing, etc, just yet.

Do a simple test, since I doubt you own a heat gun, but would assume you have a hair dryer, give this a try first.

Wet the areas when you see them with IPA (plain old rubbing alcohol) and allow it a minute or two to set there.

Then take the hair dryer and lightly/slightly apply the warm air of the dryer to the area which you put on the IPA and watch to see if they go away then.

Let me know, and if it works, then I will explain why it worked and what may be causing the concern.
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Don't get all agressive with polishing, etc, just yet.

Do a simple test, since I doubt you own a heat gun, but would assume you have a hair dryer, give this a try first.

Wet the areas when you see them with IPA (plain old rubbing alcohol) and allow it a minute or two to set there.

Then take the hair dryer and lightly/slightly apply the warm air of the dryer to the area which you put on the IPA and watch to see if they go away then.

Let me know, and if it works, then I will explain why it worked and what may be causing the concern.
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I actually have a heat gun and will try this. I presume it's something that can't be polished away if this works?
 
If it works, I'll explain. I doubt very much if polishing is going to be the answer, at least for more than a few hours.

If the concern is as I think it may be, the concern will continue to be there, it will come and go.
 
Ron Ketcham said:
If it works, I'll explain. I doubt very much if polishing is going to be the answer, at least for more than a few hours.

If the concern is as I think it may be, the concern will continue to be there, it will come and go.
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I'll try but a bit depressing as this is a brand new car :(
 
Ron is the paint expert, but I once prepped a new car (also white) and had something on it that kind of looked like that. Polishing it worked.



Damn Dirty Ape said:
ok thanks. Kind of wondering about the ipa and heatgun issue too. Too late tonight to see what that does and means.
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Thomas Dekany said:
Ron is the paint expert, but I once prepped a new car (also white) and had something on it that kind of looked like that. Polishing it worked.
Click to expand...





I'll get to check the IPA thing here in a couple of hours. I'll report back.
 
Well as luck would have it all the IPA has been used in the house and no one told me, or better yet replaced it. So I thought why not try the 205 and a white pad. All the streaks and images are gone for NOW, dried the car put it in before some storms roll through and will check again with some QD spray tonight and tomorrow. Hope they do not come back like was thought they might.



I'll post back tomorrow after I see what happens. Right now I'm pretty happy with it and preparing to put some Hydr02 (Carpro) on it this weekend.



thanks for the advice you all gave, hope I don't need more.
 
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