water etching 1, Me 0

B

Big Lou

New member
Recently I noticed some water etching or at least thats what im calling it. Looks like i got a bunch of short hairs in my paint. Never seen it before till i recently installed some pretty bright lights in my garage.

So i took the plunge and bought a PC and in looking for more info and tutorials i found this site. Having never acually used anything mechanical on this or any other car I was a little leary about going to harsh so i bought a white and orange pad and some PB SSR1 and pro polish thinking that this should be more then enough.

After one pass of the white pad and polish all i had was some really shiny etching. So i bucked up to the SSR1 and the orange pad. After I worked a section I wipe the SSR1 away to reveal very minimal change if any at all.

Since its the most abrasive choice i have i figure id hit it again, then again.. After 3 passes I grab my brand new megs microfiber to wipe away the compound and see that its doing the trick. But, what i failed to realize is that brand new microfiber still had the tag on it and as i look back to see what a good job im doing i noticed a real nice set of fine scratches compliments of my snazzy new towel.

Debating at the moment if i want to go back to the garage and work the SSR1, wait and get something more abrasive or just buy that carbon fiber hood I always wanted. But, i guess that wont help the roof of my car.

/rant off

I'm still learning and except for the tag scratches im acually enjoying the experiance. Any tips suggestions or advise is always welcome.

Lou
 
looks like its rotary time;)

First though I would Clay the paint using a new clay bar and sometign liek glass cleaner instead of a spray wax lubricant. This will allow a more aggresive clay action with the clay. Just a warning, you will get a work out with clay, do a 12" section at a time. When you are finished with a body panel, us your PC and SS2.5 and a cutting pad over the panel nice and slow , then step back and see if your spots are removed.

Some times the hard water spots actuallt etch the paint or clear coat, and I have seen it where they either had to be wet sanded out or the vehicle painted again..
 
The description of short hairs sometimes brings micromarring from a pc to mind, which would explain the fact that you tried a fairly aggressive pad and had no luck. (i.e. the micromarring is just repeating itself).

You may try a finer polish on a microfiber bonnet just to rule that out.
 
Big Lou said:
Recently I noticed some water etching or at least thats what im calling it. Looks like i got a bunch of short hairs in my paint. Never seen it before till i recently installed some pretty bright lights in my garage.
Click to expand...
This sounds more like scratches than water etching

Big Lou said:
After one pass of the white pad and polish all i had was some really shiny etching. So i bucked up to the SSR1 and the orange pad. After I worked a section I wipe the SSR1 away to reveal very minimal change if any at all.
Click to expand...
I would not use SSR1 with an orange pad as it is too aggressive to use with a finishing polish, you would need to use either the Professional Polish or preferably SSR2.5 as mentioned by DKKNE.

Big Lou said:
Since its the most abrasive choice i have i figure id hit it again, then again.. After 3 passes I grab my brand new megs microfiber to wipe away the compound and see that its doing the trick. But, what i failed to realize is that brand new microfiber still had the tag on it and as i look back to see what a good job im doing i noticed a real nice set of fine scratches compliments of my snazzy new towel.
Click to expand...
Be sure to remove tags on microfiber that comes with them;)

Big Lou said:
Debating at the moment if i want to go back to the garage and work the SSR1, wait and get something more abrasive or just buy that carbon fiber hood I always wanted. But, i guess that wont help the roof of my car.
Click to expand...
Your choice really is to either work longer with the Pro Polish, get some SSR2.5 and/or get the new carbon fiber hood, but you'll still need to work on the roof ...
 
Not to be a dissenter & bearer of possible bad tidings here, but what you are describing sounds more like the very early signs of clear coat failure to me - do you have any pictures?? 2003 Dark Grey Metallic ??? - some manufacturers offer a 5 yr. fit & finish warranty - you might be able to get some help there?
 
I need a better digital camera to take pics but i can assure you it isnt scratches. It looks like there was alot of water beads on the car and when the sun dried them out it left small marks. It looks like when the water dried it left a small semi-circle in the paint, no consistant shapes. way to random to be scratches. and the way its scattered over the top it pretty much has to be water that dried and burned, for lack of a better term, into the paint.

its not cuased from the PC, i had these blemishes before i purchaced the PC and had never put anything powered to the finish before.

Ive got some more pads and SSR2.5 scheduled for delivery Friday. Going to get back in the garage with a little patiance and alot of beer and attempt to work out the roof. Ive been able to almost clear up all of the hood with exception to the plastic hood scoop on the hood of my mustang.

I appreciate the responces and thanks for taking time to help me with my project.

Lou
 
Well its saturday. I got my supplies and went to work. I used a Yellow pad and SSR2.5. Worked well. took a couple passes to get it to where it is now but its probably 90-95%. There is still a couple spots where there was some pitting or deep etching that could probably be cleaned up with some more work but im happy with the condition of the paint atm.

Hit the troubled areas with the yellow and 2.5 then went back and hit the whole car with ssr1 and a white pad.

Taking a break atm and plan to go back later and do the entire car with PB's polish. then a coat of megs glaze and finnaly with a coat of nattys.

Should i use a white or grey/black pad with the polish?

thanks in advance for any input or corrections i should make. I'm still new to this phase of paint maintenance.

Lou
 
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