Well the spot is just a size of rice and even if the touch-up would shard off it'd be kind of back to sqare one right? Or you think it can be worse then no paint on that little spot like right now?
it's cosmetic, do it, it looks better. there are levelling compounds you can mix in the paint to avoid the "big gob" look, or at least some posters claim so. have not tried it. around a third of the way back in this forum, they were referenced.
if it comes off (less likely than a large area), shoot, touch it up again.
on metal, it's another issue altogether... you want to insure you paint on clean metal or converted metal (3M Rust Avenger pen or equivalent that makes rust into a bonded synthetic, drops a fractional drop to a big one when you push the tip of its pen into the hole, nice dispenser) and do it and put on the clearcoat as fast as you can. otherwise, you get nasty rust blisters.
after all that time and trouble getting that nice swimmably-deep 2-stage paint on your car, worth keeping it up. the body shop guys have airbrushers who do these things as well, and do it almost invisibly, but sometimes they only come in Thursdays. better to drop a small bit of touch-up in there and let 'em chip it back out to professionally repair a hit, IMHO.
practice on a pie tin or something... the touch-up paint brushes tend to either leave nothing.... or half a quart.... with each touch.
I went to a few body shops and most of them recommend not to do anything, as since my car's color is metallic the touch-up color won't match the original well. It'll make it even more obvious. Plus there'll be more chips down the road anwyay...... But thanks for the help!
Has anyone used this place in the past? My 2 week old 2004 Honda Accord has been involved in 2 "incidents" already! Neither involved me driving the car. First, a young man at the dealership accidentaly struck another vehicle in the lot with my 1 week old car. They offered to repaint the scratched front bumper, but I want a totally new bumper, as there is some internal damage I believe (by simply applying light pressure to the bumper where the paint was removed, it makes a squeeking noise - difficult to describe). I've had a less than favorable experience with their sales staff and owner. I've already filed formal complaints with the BBB and Honda of America. Therefore, I don't want them even looking at my car again! I'd be a leper in that place. Second incident occured this week...my car was parked on the street for some reason (I always park in the driveway, but for God knows why I parked on the street this night). The elderly mother of our neighbor accross the stree accidentally backed into my parked car, denting the passenger side of the rear bumper and the metal body panel. What a week! I'm thinking of taking my repairs to Superior Collision Center in Cincinnati. They're a pretty big place, and would like any feedback anyone has. Thanks in advance.
I had my front bumper repainted last week and after a car wash today, I noticed that there are clear coat oversprays at the windows. They are especially noticeable under direct sunlight and feels grainy when touched. I have tried solvent without a luck. Can anyone advise? Thanks in advance.
I've used detailing clay to remove paint overspray from windows. For heavy overspray, the clay approach requires more elbow grease than does steel wool, but the clay is also less likely to scratch trim surrounding the window. The steel wool that the body shops use is 0000-grade.
Run tape and some paper on the trim near the overspray. The steel wool will be your best bet, but be VERY careful around plastic peices. Will take it off in no time, just make sure to keep the area wet also. This was how we did it in the body shops i worked in. Also use VERY fine steel wool. Good luck!
Has anyone ever used the 5 Star Shine products? I thought of ordering their typical package that they offer for $97.50. I heard it's one of the best "waxes/polishes" out there. Has anyone ever used these products before? Also, how can I keep the paint new and clean on my two week old '04 Accord (Graphite Grey)?
I wanted to ask this message board a question. I am obsessed with my brand new '04 Accord. I bought it two weeks ago. The question is: is it harmful to the clearcoat or paint if I just wipe down the car's exterior with water every day after I get home from work? I just want to remove the dust, salt, road grime, etc. I handwaxed the hood, both front quarterpanels, both front doors, the entire section underneath all four doors, and the trunk lid about 4 days ago.
Second question: where can I find this "clearbra" stuff? Can I use it on that section of the car that runs underneath both doors? Can I use it on the bootom "half" of both doors to keep road grime and salt from scraping and scratching the paint because of the snow here in the DC area?
5 Star Shine might be a decent product but the owners are more interested in internet marketing than car polish. There are many top quality, proven, and well known products out there so don't succumb to an internet marketing ploy.
Don't wash with water. If you want to remove light dust, fingerprints, etc., use a California Car Duster and/or a quick detail spray. Both are available at any auto parts store in the nation. Lightly sweep the duster along the car to lift dust and use the detail spray to remove any other crud. Buy some microfiber towels to use with the detail spray. They're much softer and absorbent than cotton terry.
Do a web search for Paint Protection Film. There are many companies selling kits for various cars. You can cut it to any size and shape you want. Look for companies like X-Pel and Invincashield.
what bretfraz said, with the addition of looking in the yellow pages of your area for good detailers. One of them should be able to refer you to someone who is able to do a really nice install for you on the 3M film (which is what most of the companies use for the bras). Or call the dealer where you bought the car; I'm sure they have a company who does it for them, but if you can go directly you can eliminate their commission from your cost.
As far as coverage is concerned, you can cover everything if you want, but it will be pretty expensive. Most kits, cover the mirrors, the headlights, bumper, front of hood. Some people also run it over the front of the fenders, along the top front of the roof. The rocker panels (beneath the doors) isn't a bad idea either. But a good installer can make recommendations and you can get an idea of your budget. JW
I too am obsessed with trying to keep my car clean in the winter here in NJ. I use Armor All Car Wash Wipes and the California Car Duster. If you want, try the car wipes, they are great. They even get road salt off, with about two or three sheets, it still leaves a film, but then I just wipe it with a microfiber cloth and it shines just like its been through the car wash and feels like its been waxed too. The car duster is great too, but need the heavy duty stuff now.
alas, our cars look leprous with salt. this weekend ( expected high 10 ) I am taking it into the car wash and watching from the lobby. not the kind of weather to pay a kid ten cents to lick it clean
I did a stupid thing and left the liftgate up when I closed my garage door, and got a couple inch-long scratches and a small abraded area (a little smaller than a dime). Luckily these are below the liftgate handle and don't show too much, so I think I'll try to touch them up myself. The two scratches go at least all the way to primer. It's difficult to tell if they go all the way to metal or not (I may look with a magnifying glass), so I may put a little primer on them anyway just to play it safe. I plan to use primer/basecoat/clearcoat pens and rubbing compound from paintscratch.com. I won't get a chance to work on this for about 3 weeks, however. Should I put anything temporary on there to protect against any weather, or is 3 weeks short enough that rusting won't be a problem if the primer does turn out to be violated? Thanks.
Has anyone used a Dent Wizard location to repair the dent(s) to their vehicles? I've a small dent (barely noticeable, but the insurance adjusted noticed it) on the passenger side rear quarter panel of my 04 Accord. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I need some help. My Jimmy was parked nearby to a cement plant and was dusted with lime - during a rain. The stuff has adhered like glue, even to the glass.
The local detail shop wants to use some sort of acid followed by clay and waxing.
Its a mild acid and might do the trick. Acids will break the bond between lime or cement. Wash your car first, pour some vinegar on a towel and try it on a small area. If it works, do the whole car. Then rewash it. Would be a smart idea to wax it too as the vinegar will strip any old wax from the paint.
For the first time in many years I went to a pro-detailer that used clay w/lubricant and possibly acid or actually vinegar - did a great job - I was very relieved.
My mother-in-law's Aurora has received a number of fine scratches. She used to work at a GM assembly plant in Janesville, WI, and I guess tht there was some kind of problem which led to metal fragments getting on employee cars - of course, by the time she noticed the scratches (I'm guessing from running the car through a non-touchless wash with the fragments on the car), she's retired...
Is there any issue having a pro detailer try to buff out these scratches, given the pearl-white paint? Thought I'd ask the pros here before checking with a couple of detailers. I still think she should contact GM about this...
I had a shallow, irrgular dent in the hood of my black car. The dent guy came to my office, let me watch while he massaged the dent out 99%, buffed the affected area, and did a bit of touchup where the paint had been scraped. All this for $45! I had forgotten about it until I saw your post. I can only see where the damage was if I look for it.
Pearl paint and buffing is no problem at all. I would contact the plant and ask them if they will do something about it. Im sure they have detailers to clean up cars that come off the line with defects. As far as buffing or anything else...paint is paint. Base/clear tri-coat (base pearl clear) its all the same, they will all be able to be buffed out.
My Navigator's rims are slightly textured and I'm having a very difficult time cleaning the dirt, brake dust, and everything else that's caked on. Can any one suggest a brush that is abrasive enough to clean but not damage the rims? I use PS21, which I really like, but it's not cutting it.
I have a spot on my car that appeared today after parking it in a commercial parking facility. It appears to be a lime or concrete stain that dripped onto the paint after the recent wet weather here.
This spot did not come off with any of the obvious methods - and I do not have any idea what to do next. Ideas? Is there a chemical that will take this off ? Thanks.
Concrete is very caustic and can damage paint beyond repair. Best thing I can suggest is buffing by machine but don't overdo it. If it doesn't lift off you may have to live with it. Any polish that works is abrasive and you don't want to do more than you have to.
Usually an acid will break the bond between the concrete stain and the surface. Try vinegar first, Lime Away and/or CLR. If those don't work try a websearch for solutions.
I have a 2002 black Envoy, and when I was driving on the freeway yesterday, the vehicle slightly in front of me in the next lane ran over a paint can. I swerved and avoided the can, but my Envoy's front end is now two-toned (black and light gray).
Today I was able to clean the paint (it appears to be latex based) off of the windshield with WD40 and a Brillo pad, followed with a strong ammonia/water wash. The windshield appears to have no more paint and is clean. I was a bit worried about the WD40 streaking the windshield, but it came out fine.
Now for the obvious question. How do I get the paint splatters off of the clear coat? I did wheel the finish two years ago with 3M swirl remover, but I don't want to over do it. Should I clay-bar the finish, will WD40 hurt the finish, or is there anything else that I can use.
If it's really latex paint, soap and warm water should do it. You have to be very careful with chemicals of any kind, and you'd be strongly advised to test a part of the bumper that you cannot see before applying anything chemical in nature.
The clear coat on my trunk is starting to check. So why can't I sand it off very gently with a mighty fine wet/dry paper and get down to the original flat color, and then have the trunk re=shot with clear? I should get a perfect color match, right?
What's wrong with my picture, if anything?
body shop insists we have to strip the trunk to bare metal, blah blah blah, for $800 or more.
ever run your hand over fresh color coat after it's catalyzed and dried? it's rough like new jeans; the surface is uneven. part of the job the color coat does is to fill that area in, the rest is to level out on flashing and provide a smooth surface.
I suspect they're saying the color coat will be skinned and might peel, certainly it won't look swimmingly deep.
is it possible that both coats are coming undone from the primer under the checking, something you might not find out until respraying clear? checkered or alligatored house paint is usually shot down to the bare wood.
of course, after sanding the results will be smooth as the smile on a salesman's face. assuming you're not using 34 grit but if you can get past the checking and not get to primer, might as well dilute some clear and mist it on with the old spraygun.
I've heard, and some here have suggested, that airbrushing would be a pretty good and seamless way to patch road rash.
I'm wondering if it's hard to learn how to do for yourself. Does it take a lot of practice so it's impractical as a DIY? Is the equipment terribly expensive so there would be no payback? Is it better to just find a body shop who might do it, instead? Is there someplace online I could learn about this?
I don't want pictures of naked ladies with dorsal fins on my car, just a neat and seamless way to patch the stone chips every year. TIA, JW
but it takes an artist's touch to get the color shot right on the spot. most body shops have an airbrush guy on staff or availiable to them, so they can quote it. that could be a tad pricey for a lot of folks.
also, auto paint is fairly expensive. computerized formulas make it possible to blend many colors from the stock pigments down to a couple ounces of final paint. if you don't have access to a dealer with that equipment, get a pint or half-pint can of paint, some solvent for the paint chemistry being used, and maybe even some "blending vehicle".
the blending additive is really cool. consider you have a bung-up about fist size in the middle of a door in the paint. you've had the color fade, maybe it's a middle blue type of color notoriously hard to match. use the airbrush to put a spot of fresh color over that bald center spot after doing the proper surface preparation, sanding and priming and dewaxing and such. now put some more paint in a standard spraygun, mix in some blend, and thin to specs. spray over that area, and past it a little bit. add a little more blend, stir it up well again, and expand the painted area. repeat until you have essentially no paint in the spray and are shooting blender and thinner.
you may have a color mismatch, but it's in the center, and it oh, so gradually goes back to the rest of the car's color. the results are very hard to tell from hinking around and painting all your fingernails trying to get the perfect color match, assuming you have a body shop's access to all the color pigments in the system. I've seen a mopar blue blended into a GM green on a trunk lid done this way so you can't point at a color change.
this may be a lot more than you asked about, but illustrates that if you have the tools and skills (which I don't) you really can hide the dings. being kind of non-subtle in movement, I do best buying dark colored cars and using the touch-up bottle with a rag of alcohol in the other hand, wiping it all off before it starts drying, until I stop putting ugly blobs on and get the chip filled in right.
I guess that's what I was afraid of ... way too much skill to learn it for once a year then let it "dry up" over time -- I appreciate the detail and I suppose it's best to just ask around to find someone who's good and willing. JW
So, I got hail damage, and so far two estimates. A body shop (good reputation) gave a much higher one than a Paintless Dent Removal operation that's one of many in town for a few months.
One obvious difference is that the body shop says you have to re-rustproof under the dent once it's been PDRd-- but, this only comes out to $30, so it's not the main reason. (But what do you guys think-- does it need to be re-rustproofed after PDR'ing?)
Another possibility is that the PDR guy didn't realize how many parts he'd have to remove, even under the trunk, to get to the metal. The body shop guy looked up my car in a software program that seemed to have every detail, so he clearly knew about these, while the PDR guy just eyeballed it.
Anyway: I don't want squeaks and rattles (or rust) if the PDR isn't done right (with respect to, say, putting parts back on after the PDR), but I do want to go for the best value. So... any thoughts on which is more likely to do a good job, or how I can tell? I will be getting more estimates, btw.
the technique may be good, but there are almost certainly going to be hairline cracks in the paint, and the back absolutely needs to be re-rustproofed. they may or may not have correctly eyeballed the situation and accounted for the labor required; if not, your price is NOT going to be what was quoted.
in my humble personal opinion, a known reputable body shop is the way to go if you give a rip about what the value will be more than a week down the road. it will cost more. it also costs more to have a heart surgeon do bypasses than the guy who babbles under the bridge when he's not passed out.
If the dents can be massaged back into place without the external paint layer being broken, I see no reason why the underside rust protection layer would need to be redone. And, where would squeaks and rattles come from due to dent repair?
Thanks, everyone. The fear I have of squeaks and rattles is not based on any knowledge at all - I'm just thinking about how they have to remove the headliner, interior door panels, the panel under the trunk lid (this car has one, unlike my previous cars), etc.-- I'm speculating that once they tap the dents out, if they remount these parts carelessly the parts could squeak/rattle. But I have no real knowledge of whether this is an actual danger. What do you think?
As for PDR, I spoke today to a guy at another body shop. He said that the danger is that a few years down the line, if PDR isn't done right the paint could start to crack in the hot sun (is this what you mean swschrad?). He recommends that if I use it I get some kind of insurance against the paint cracking (presumably a guarantee, which would mean the local body shop?). Anyone know anything about this?
This guy's shop would use traditional, pre-PDR methods. It would cost three times as much. They don't seem eager for the business; they only do hail damage estimates between 7 - 8 AM, and charge $35 for them. Must have found themselves spending their whole days doing estimates last week.
... I'm thinking you have quite a few little dings in big panels with complex forms and curves in them.
I've used PDR several times myself (not a new guy but one who has been in business in the area for a number of years, btw) but my own opinion would be that it is best 1) on a single or very minor dent, like in a door. When it's on a hood or on the top of the car it is VERY hard for PDR to get it all, and they should tell you upfront that it won't be perfect (back to the question: how do you want the car to turn out!); 2) on a vertical panel which doesn't catch the full light, again like a door panel or the side of a fender, etc. Again, a hood or trunk or car top is asking more than even the best can be expected to be able to accomplish to a high degree of success -- even a top level body shop will have to struggle with this job, if I have the correct picture in mind.
For your area: call the local POrsche club, or an independent mechanic who deals with highline cars, and ask who they recommend for good body work. You may pay more, but it should be a right as it can be. JW
Comments
if it comes off (less likely than a large area), shoot, touch it up again.
on metal, it's another issue altogether... you want to insure you paint on clean metal or converted metal (3M Rust Avenger pen or equivalent that makes rust into a bonded synthetic, drops a fractional drop to a big one when you push the tip of its pen into the hole, nice dispenser) and do it and put on the clearcoat as fast as you can. otherwise, you get nasty rust blisters.
after all that time and trouble getting that nice swimmably-deep 2-stage paint on your car, worth keeping it up. the body shop guys have airbrushers who do these things as well, and do it almost invisibly, but sometimes they only come in Thursdays. better to drop a small bit of touch-up in there and let 'em chip it back out to professionally repair a hit, IMHO.
practice on a pie tin or something... the touch-up paint brushes tend to either leave nothing.... or half a quart.... with each touch.
Second incident occured this week...my car was parked on the street for some reason (I always park in the driveway, but for God knows why I parked on the street this night). The elderly mother of our neighbor accross the stree accidentally backed into my parked car, denting the passenger side of the rear bumper and the metal body panel. What a week!
I'm thinking of taking my repairs to Superior Collision Center in Cincinnati. They're a pretty big place, and would like any feedback anyone has. Thanks in advance.
The left rear bumper corner is crunched in, but there is no damage to the sheetmetal, and the paint is not (yet) broken on the bumper.
How hard is this to have fixed? Am I looking at a new bumper or can something else be done?
Oh - the car is non-metallic black.
Thanks.
Second question: where can I find this "clearbra" stuff? Can I use it on that section of the car that runs underneath both doors? Can I use it on the bootom "half" of both doors to keep road grime and salt from scraping and scratching the paint because of the snow here in the DC area?
Any information would be helpful. Thanks.
Don't wash with water. If you want to remove light dust, fingerprints, etc., use a California Car Duster and/or a quick detail spray. Both are available at any auto parts store in the nation. Lightly sweep the duster along the car to lift dust and use the detail spray to remove any other crud. Buy some microfiber towels to use with the detail spray. They're much softer and absorbent than cotton terry.
Do a web search for Paint Protection Film. There are many companies selling kits for various cars. You can cut it to any size and shape you want. Look for companies like X-Pel and Invincashield.
As far as coverage is concerned, you can cover everything if you want, but it will be pretty expensive. Most kits, cover the mirrors, the headlights, bumper, front of hood. Some people also run it over the front of the fenders, along the top front of the roof. The rocker panels (beneath the doors) isn't a bad idea either. But a good installer can make recommendations and you can get an idea of your budget. JW
The local detail shop wants to use some sort of acid followed by clay and waxing.
I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.
Thanks-
For the first time in many years I went to a pro-detailer that used clay w/lubricant and possibly acid or actually vinegar - did a great job - I was very relieved.
thanks again
Is there any issue having a pro detailer try to buff out these scratches, given the pearl-white paint? Thought I'd ask the pros here before checking with a couple of detailers. I still think she should contact GM about this...
Thanks, in advance,
--Robert
I had forgotten about it until I saw your post. I can only see where the damage was if I look for it.
This spot did not come off with any of the obvious methods - and I do not have any idea what to do next. Ideas? Is there a chemical that will take this off ? Thanks.
Thanks again.
Coke is an old southern favorite to get the greenbugs and slop off cars. it would be nice to rinse afterwards.
I was very happy that the spot came off with vinegar, and the operator of the garage was even more so. ;-)
e
Today I was able to clean the paint (it appears to be latex based) off of the windshield with WD40 and a Brillo pad, followed with a strong ammonia/water wash. The windshield appears to have no more paint and is clean. I was a bit worried about the WD40 streaking the windshield, but it came out fine.
Now for the obvious question. How do I get the paint splatters off of the clear coat? I did wheel the finish two years ago with 3M swirl remover, but I don't want to over do it. Should I clay-bar the finish, will WD40 hurt the finish, or is there anything else that I can use.
Any suggestions from the experts??
The clear coat on my trunk is starting to check. So why can't I sand it off very gently with a mighty fine wet/dry paper and get down to the original flat color, and then have the trunk re=shot with clear? I should get a perfect color match, right?
What's wrong with my picture, if anything?
body shop insists we have to strip the trunk to bare metal, blah blah blah, for $800 or more.
I suspect they're saying the color coat will be skinned and might peel, certainly it won't look swimmingly deep.
is it possible that both coats are coming undone from the primer under the checking, something you might not find out until respraying clear? checkered or alligatored house paint is usually shot down to the bare wood.
I'm wondering if it's hard to learn how to do for yourself. Does it take a lot of practice so it's impractical as a DIY? Is the equipment terribly expensive so there would be no payback? Is it better to just find a body shop who might do it, instead? Is there someplace online I could learn about this?
I don't want pictures of naked ladies with dorsal fins on my car, just a neat and seamless way to patch the stone chips every year. TIA, JW
also, auto paint is fairly expensive. computerized formulas make it possible to blend many colors from the stock pigments down to a couple ounces of final paint. if you don't have access to a dealer with that equipment, get a pint or half-pint can of paint, some solvent for the paint chemistry being used, and maybe even some "blending vehicle".
the blending additive is really cool. consider you have a bung-up about fist size in the middle of a door in the paint. you've had the color fade, maybe it's a middle blue type of color notoriously hard to match. use the airbrush to put a spot of fresh color over that bald center spot after doing the proper surface preparation, sanding and priming and dewaxing and such. now put some more paint in a standard spraygun, mix in some blend, and thin to specs. spray over that area, and past it a little bit. add a little more blend, stir it up well again, and expand the painted area. repeat until you have essentially no paint in the spray and are shooting blender and thinner.
you may have a color mismatch, but it's in the center, and it oh, so gradually goes back to the rest of the car's color. the results are very hard to tell from hinking around and painting all your fingernails trying to get the perfect color match, assuming you have a body shop's access to all the color pigments in the system. I've seen a mopar blue blended into a GM green on a trunk lid done this way so you can't point at a color change.
this may be a lot more than you asked about, but illustrates that if you have the tools and skills (which I don't) you really can hide the dings. being kind of non-subtle in movement, I do best buying dark colored cars and using the touch-up bottle with a rag of alcohol in the other hand, wiping it all off before it starts drying, until I stop putting ugly blobs on and get the chip filled in right.
Thanks in advance
One obvious difference is that the body shop says you have to re-rustproof under the dent once it's been PDRd-- but, this only comes out to $30, so it's not the main reason. (But what do you guys think-- does it need to be re-rustproofed after PDR'ing?)
Another possibility is that the PDR guy didn't realize how many parts he'd have to remove, even under the trunk, to get to the metal. The body shop guy looked up my car in a software program that seemed to have every detail, so he clearly knew about these, while the PDR guy just eyeballed it.
Anyway: I don't want squeaks and rattles (or rust) if the PDR isn't done right (with respect to, say, putting parts back on after the PDR), but I do want to go for the best value. So... any thoughts on which is more likely to do a good job, or how I can tell? I will be getting more estimates, btw.
in my humble personal opinion, a known reputable body shop is the way to go if you give a rip about what the value will be more than a week down the road. it will cost more. it also costs more to have a heart surgeon do bypasses than the guy who babbles under the bridge when he's not passed out.
As for PDR, I spoke today to a guy at another body shop. He said that the danger is that a few years down the line, if PDR isn't done right the paint could start to crack in the hot sun (is this what you mean swschrad?). He recommends that if I use it I get some kind of insurance against the paint cracking (presumably a guarantee, which would mean the local body shop?). Anyone know anything about this?
This guy's shop would use traditional, pre-PDR methods. It would cost three times as much. They don't seem eager for the business; they only do hail damage estimates between 7 - 8 AM, and charge $35 for them. Must have found themselves spending their whole days doing estimates last week.
I've used PDR several times myself (not a new guy but one who has been in business in the area for a number of years, btw) but my own opinion would be that it is best 1) on a single or very minor dent, like in a door. When it's on a hood or on the top of the car it is VERY hard for PDR to get it all, and they should tell you upfront that it won't be perfect (back to the question: how do you want the car to turn out!); 2) on a vertical panel which doesn't catch the full light, again like a door panel or the side of a fender, etc. Again, a hood or trunk or car top is asking more than even the best can be expected to be able to accomplish to a high degree of success -- even a top level body shop will have to struggle with this job, if I have the correct picture in mind.
For your area: call the local POrsche club, or an independent mechanic who deals with highline cars, and ask who they recommend for good body work. You may pay more, but it should be a right as it can be. JW