Please Help. I'm frustrated with my paint

Looks exactly like the type of damage left by jacaranda trees, or a parasitic type of leaf burrower found mainly in sycamore, elm, maple, pecan, and oak trees. Basically the small deposits drip on the paint, and if not corrected in a timely manner the sap and/or proteins in the excretion dry subsequently etching the paint. Usually the contaminate washes right with little to no effort but leaves behind this type of damage. If this is the case, (and under a 10x loupe inspection they are clearly innies), the surrounding surface area will need to be polished down to the level of the base of the etching. This, most times, can be accomplished with a light to medium compound and a rotary polisher, else it may need to be color-sanded. I do not think, however, this type of damage will be removed with the use of a DA. If you are confident in your skills using such a tool (rotary polisher), go for it. Keep in mind though the damage caused by a small mistake in unskilled hands could be quite costly. I would strongly recommend you take your vehicle to a couple of professionals in your area for a closer examination, and if this is the problem -- have them do the work.
 
Cuspid said:
I can see it on the front, rear and tops of doors...any horizontal surface. Its not evident unless there is a bright glare on the paint, so it doesn't show up on the vertical parts of the car. But I am a characteristic of my cars paint.
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That's telling me that something could have fallen into the clear...OR...the sun might be causing specks...


That's just based on the fact that its on the top parts of the car only...


Again you any idea if this cars been repainted?

That would be evident in the door jambs, engine hood areas
 
:cool:Run it by a couple 2 or 3 quality body shops and see what they may think about it(DO NOT LET THEM KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SHOPPIN IT.Let them come up with there on therory) However if they repair it you may not see tha speckels any longer but you will probally now be facing SWIRLZILLA as 99.9% of body shops are not detailed orientated.Please keep us posted cause your problem has now become mine.:cool::fart: :dcrules
 
dr_detail said:
Looks exactly like the type of damage left by jacaranda trees, or a parasitic type of leaf burrower found mainly in sycamore, elm, maple, pecan, and oak trees. Basically the small deposits drip on the paint, and if not corrected in a timely manner the sap and/or proteins in the excretion dry subsequently etching the paint. If this is the case, (and under a 10x loupe inspection they are clearly innies), the surrounding surface area will need to be polished down to the level of the base of the etching. This, most times, can be accomplished with a light to medium compound and a rotary polisher, else it may need to be color-sanded. I do not think, however, this type of damage will be removed with the use of a DA. If you are confident in your skills using such a tool (rotary polisher), go for it. Keep in mind though the damage caused by a small mistake in unskilled hands could be quite costly. I would strongly recommend you take your vehicle to a couple of professionals in your area for a closer examination, and if this is the problem -- have them do the work.
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That's something that I hadn't thought of...but he can't feel it on the surface...that's why I keep thinking its in the clear.

the plastic baggie on your hand would allow you to feel a bit more
 
southerndetail said:
I am willing to bet someone at one time used an acidic wheel cleaner on or around your car. When I worked at one of the local detail shops that is all they used, they also sold used cars that they would clean and sell. On almost all of the cars was pitting just like this, could not feel them, or remove them( did not try to wetsand).
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Dr. Detail could be right but my bet is the same as southern details. I think it's pitting do to an acid (probably wheel acid). Too hard to tell how deep they are from the pics but I'm sticking with my original suggestion and that's to have a pro that is familiar with correcting paint problems look to see if it can be corrected.
 
I would have to agree there is contamination in the paint. I don't think polishing or wet sanding will do anything but make them more prominent. If you can't live with it, then you may have to consider repainting, and it won't be cheap :(
 
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I still say that is paint contamination from under the paint ...I don't think sanding or polishing is going to fix it :mad:
 
To me that looks like solvent pop. happens when you hammer on the clear and don't let it flash off in between coats. If it is solvent pop it is not correctable short of a repaint.
 
:cool: Sounds like you don't have alot to lose at this point.I say take it by "BODY SHOPS" see what they say.What kinda guarantee?maybe let them do test area so u can see whats up(if they think they can eliminate speckles) Also my thought what better car to say was your first to run a rotary on:eek:"02-Ferrari 5,000mi."Rotarys are not as hard to operate as many think they are. &W/PROPER PADS/PRODUCT & a little skill you can acheive amazing results...:cool::headspin:headspin:headspin:dcrules P.S. Indiana huh,tell ya what...2 tickets on start/finish line for INDY 500 in May and I'll make road trip with my arsenol.:cool:
 
I have the same type of pitting on my hood of my Suburban, I noticed mine after sap from a maple tree fell on the front of my truck and sat in the sun.
 
Looks like pitting to me, but some of the areas you listed are not usually prone to such a thing...at least not from road debris.

A magnifying glass would help. :D
 
I have been thinking about it and I dont think they are cause be sap. They are too uniform and they are just way too small. Sap would never disperse to be this small.

With that said, It is definitely not worth me repainting the car. I am the only one that would ever notice it and only in certain lighting. It is just irritating and if it could be sanded out, I'd have it done.
 
Cuspid said:
I ahve been thinking about it and I dont think they are cause be sap. They are too uniform and they are just too small. Sap would never disperse this small.
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That's why I was thinking it was something that got into the clear at the time it was sprayed on.

Few more questions

Have you parked this car under a tree?

Had the car detailed?

Did you notice this right after buying the car? or something that you think just started to happen?


I know this seem like a lot of questions but its hard to tell from the pics that you've posted...if I could see this car in person..would be no issue telling you what would work or have to be done
 
No problem. I don't mind answering your questions.

1. Car is parked indoors. Has it ever been parked under a tree...sure. At some point

2. The car has been detailed.

3. These "defects" may have been present since new. I didn't notice until I installed eighteen 75W spot lights (track lighting) in the garage. Ironically, I had all those lights installed to help me detail the car. It might have worked too well!


Only the most discerning eyes would notice these. It was hard to capture in those photos. Most people here wouldn't even notice unless they were looking and it was with direct light shining down on the paint.


Thanks for the response!
 
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