Paint damage/correction advice please (like bird poo).
Discussion
I have just washed my daughters two month old black VW (not metallic) and after drying it I have noticed all the horizontal bodywork (so mainly the roof and bonnet) is badly marked.
The only way I can describe it is like when I had bird poo on the bodywork after returning from holiday that had been there for a long time – and once the poo was removed, the bodywork had almost an acid etched mark into the paint.
On the VW these marks range in size from tiny up to small fingernail size – but there are thousands of them!
Anybody have any ideas what has caused them? (I am certain it’s not vandal damage)
I tried rubbing an area with a fairly soft rubbing compound and it made no difference. I have a dual action polisher that I will get on the job, but any suggestions which products to try and use would be appreciated.
The only way I can describe it is like when I had bird poo on the bodywork after returning from holiday that had been there for a long time – and once the poo was removed, the bodywork had almost an acid etched mark into the paint.
On the VW these marks range in size from tiny up to small fingernail size – but there are thousands of them!
Anybody have any ideas what has caused them? (I am certain it’s not vandal damage)
I tried rubbing an area with a fairly soft rubbing compound and it made no difference. I have a dual action polisher that I will get on the job, but any suggestions which products to try and use would be appreciated.
Thanks for the responses.
The car is nearly 3 months old and I am the first owner (though technically second owner cos it was a pre-reg car with 100 miles on the clock)
The car has now done 450 miles.
And I am an idiot – it is in fact metallic black!
The car is not garaged but is kept on a secure gated drive.
It has only been driven once in the wet.
It is not parked under trees.
I doubt it is anything to do with rain as my other two metallic black cars parked next to it have not suffered the same issue and these marks won't polish out by hand.
I have washed the car twice using a recognized foaming wash and dry it using detailing towels.
Benjis – thanks I will take it back for an inspection as I hadn’t thought it could be a warranty issue with the paint.
I am about to try and get some pictures to post.
The car is nearly 3 months old and I am the first owner (though technically second owner cos it was a pre-reg car with 100 miles on the clock)
The car has now done 450 miles.
And I am an idiot – it is in fact metallic black!
The car is not garaged but is kept on a secure gated drive.
It has only been driven once in the wet.
It is not parked under trees.
I doubt it is anything to do with rain as my other two metallic black cars parked next to it have not suffered the same issue and these marks won't polish out by hand.
I have washed the car twice using a recognized foaming wash and dry it using detailing towels.
Benjis – thanks I will take it back for an inspection as I hadn’t thought it could be a warranty issue with the paint.
I am about to try and get some pictures to post.
Could they have been there before and you've not noticed them? I'm wondering if that might be why it was pre-registered.
I guess you won't know what they'll say until you ask but based on various customer service interactions with VW they'll either say there's nothing there or you've done it. When I was examing daughter's silver Golf on collection the salesman said he was glad we hadn't chosen black as it comes with scratches mixed into the paint.
As it happens she had a magic black (metallic) SEAT Ibiza before the Golf and it was a bit of a nightmare for picking up marks and fades from bird poo but it never had anything like what you're describing.
In your case I think I'd be minded to have a trusty body shop or detailer look at it and see that they think.
I guess you won't know what they'll say until you ask but based on various customer service interactions with VW they'll either say there's nothing there or you've done it. When I was examing daughter's silver Golf on collection the salesman said he was glad we hadn't chosen black as it comes with scratches mixed into the paint.
As it happens she had a magic black (metallic) SEAT Ibiza before the Golf and it was a bit of a nightmare for picking up marks and fades from bird poo but it never had anything like what you're describing.
In your case I think I'd be minded to have a trusty body shop or detailer look at it and see that they think.
No – it was definitely not there when I bought it. I inspect my new cars closely.
It also certainly wasn’t there last time I washed and dried it – I am really careful with my washing regime and like many who will read this detailing sub forum I’m rather particular regarding my cars and notice the slightest blemish!
I am not exaggerating to say the whole of the roof and bonnet (to a slightly lesser degree) of covered.
It also certainly wasn’t there last time I washed and dried it – I am really careful with my washing regime and like many who will read this detailing sub forum I’m rather particular regarding my cars and notice the slightest blemish!
I am not exaggerating to say the whole of the roof and bonnet (to a slightly lesser degree) of covered.
BenjiS said:
It could be water spotting that someone else mentioned. This is nothing to do with your washing, it’s calcium and other minerals in the rain hardening onto your paint when water sits on the car after rain and evaporates in the sun.
Any chance the car was ceramic coated from new? I had mine done when new, and it didn’t cure properly so after a couple of rainfalls I got spotting that looks very similar to your picture.
My detailer had it back, polished off the ceramic and re-did it with wax this time as I didn’t trust the fancy Gyeon ceramic a second time.
I doubt very much the dealer paid extra for a ceramic coating - if so, it was never mentioned or sold to me as a benefit/extra.Any chance the car was ceramic coated from new? I had mine done when new, and it didn’t cure properly so after a couple of rainfalls I got spotting that looks very similar to your picture.
My detailer had it back, polished off the ceramic and re-did it with wax this time as I didn’t trust the fancy Gyeon ceramic a second time.
Your photo looks very similar to my paintwork though.
Difficult to say without seeing in person, looks like some form of either calcium or acid rain etching or possibly some sort of fall-out / airbourne contamination.
It's not parked under or near a tree which has had its blossom blown off on to the car when wet?
A detailer local to you should be able to rectify without issue.
Or you could give something like vinegar a go on a microfibre - excellent on hard-water deposits.
cheers
Chris
It's not parked under or near a tree which has had its blossom blown off on to the car when wet?
A detailer local to you should be able to rectify without issue.
Or you could give something like vinegar a go on a microfibre - excellent on hard-water deposits.
cheers
Chris
Summit_Detailing said:
Difficult to say without seeing in person, looks like some form of either calcium or acid rain etching or possibly some sort of fall-out / airbourne contamination.
It's not parked under or near a tree which has had its blossom blown off on to the car when wet?
A detailer local to you should be able to rectify without issue.
Or you could give something like vinegar a go on a microfibre - excellent on hard-water deposits.
cheers
Chris
Next time I wash it I will try vinegar.It's not parked under or near a tree which has had its blossom blown off on to the car when wet?
A detailer local to you should be able to rectify without issue.
Or you could give something like vinegar a go on a microfibre - excellent on hard-water deposits.
cheers
Chris
Failing that, I have ordered some 3M Fast Cut Plus which I will try with my dual action polisher.
If neither sort it, I will take it to VW to inspect or get a detailer to try and remedy it.
I was at a main dealer today doing a bit of work. The Valeter called me over and asked me to take a look at a new A5, black, with contamination in the paintwork. It looked like water marks. Fast cut plus extreme on a rotary with a compound pad moved most of it. Some sections required a wet flat. I see a lot of contamination/fallout or whatever else you may call it. It’s surprising what can land on paintwork and claw its way onto the lacquer. Bird lime is easy to explain to customers. Most of the rest, is anybody’s guess.
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