Paint and Body Care

pat455

Actually, we've had lots of discussions on claying cars recently, in this topic and also in Store Bought Waxes (Topic #1038) and Waxes and Polishes (Topic #833).

An easy way to find them is to go to each topic, then use the Search button at the bottom of the page. This will allow you to look for "Responses in Current Topic" containing "clay".

Try it in this topic first - you'll find lots of helpful information on the benefits of claying your car.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

joeb17

I recently discovered two small paint chips, that
reveal the metal body, in the door of my 1999
Honda
CR-V. I am debating whether or not to have them
professionally fixed. If I don't, can I expect to
have rust develop in the door over time? If I
spend the money, will I have the rust anyway? I
am
I better off living with them? Please advise.

butch11

Is the chip all the way down to bare metal and do you see rust-if so you must carefully scrape/sand the loose rust away and kill the rust with a rust killer. Follow directions-I have a silver honda and after killing the rust, take a small artists paint brush and put a bit of silver colored rustoleum on the chip, let it dry and then use the honda touch up paint on top. You may need to put a couple of applications of the touch up paint to fill in the chip.

Having a pro to do it is kinda risky-if they do not kill the rust-you will have bigger problems because they will cover the rust and in 6 to 12 months, you will get a much bigger rust bubble. If you let a pro do it, prepare to pay big. I have been badly shafted by paint shops and will not use them again.

butch11

When buying a new honda a couple of years ago, went back to the service dept to ask some questions about service intervals. Saw a guy off to the side with a spray can of Scotch Guard spraying it on the seats. He was giving each seat surface a couple of shots and the carpeting one pass. Said I-how many cars can you protect with a can-at least 5 he replied.

Let's see-the seat/carpet package at that dealer was $250, took the schlepper about 5 minutes to do a car-labor cost $4, materials $.50 yielding a profit of $241.50 per unit. At this particular crooked dealership, every vehicle had paint and fabric protection.

If you bargain correctly with auto dealers, they should make no more than $200 per unit-if they are to survive, they must harvest something from their other customers. I would suggest some of the dealer protection packages may actually harm your vehicle-particularly the undercoating and maybe the paint protection.

jj434

the paint chip problem is a big one, try going to www.autosupermart.com where they have a article about it. basically i use a toothpick and use a nail file to scrape it down to its very pointy on the end. like a needle, then use a very little amount of paint to just tough the chip area, then do it again for a few times after each time it dries. you should have a perfectally filled paint chip this way. or you can try langka at www.autosupermart.com also.

xwray

I just finished building a carport with corrugated galvanized roofing. I parked my new car under it and a typical Texas thunderstorm rolled in that night. I had yet to calk the seams so the roof leaked like a sieve. I didn't think anything about it until the next day when I got home from work and noticed that the car was covered with spots that actually looked like they had etched the paint...I nearly had a coronary. I figured the galvanizing zink residue and whatever crap that was running down off the house roof had combined to attack the paint. I clayed one of the spots and it looked like it helped a lot but you could still see the outline where the spot had been. I figured it would ultimately work but it would be a *lot* of work and the danger of removing paint/clearcoat along with the spot bothered me. I read somewhere that a 1 part vinegar to 9 parts water solution would remove hard water spots so I decided to give that a shot before the claying. I washed the car normally to remove any dirt and then washed the car using the vinegar solution and then washed the car normally a final time to remove all traces of vinegar. It worked absolutely perfectly...you can see *no* traces of the spotting. Note that if you have applied wax over the spots you will probably have to remove the wax first. Maybe it will work for you...

daverose

If you haven't gone to the recommended sites, claying involves taking detailer's clay, there are a number of brands, Mother's, Clay Magic, in auto supply stores, Zaino (zainobros.com)and others from the Internet, carefully following directions, spraying lubricant that usually comes with the clay, over a small area at a time and rubbing the clay back and forth across the paint. As the clay works through the lubricant, you might hear a soft "shussing" sound as the clay picks up contaminants that regular car wash is not able to loosen from the surface. You have to do it, or see it done, to appreciate how much it "deep cleans" your paint.

charlotte22w

Hi everyone! I have a 98 Eclipse Spyder which is the absolute love of my life I never let anyone else drive it but yesterday my boyfriend's car was blocked in by a moving van and I let him drive my car to class. He has a Jeep Wrangler and is used to a lot of ground clearance, so when he parks he basically pulls up to the curb until his front tires go over it. Needless to say an Eclipse doesnt sit all that high and he got my front bumper stuck on the curb and when he backed up he cracked it underneath. What can been done about this? Can the crack spread up the front of the bumper? It's not noticable unless you look under the car... Can a bodyshop possibly seal the crack somehow?

umchand2

I'm not sure if this is the right topic area to place this but here it goes, I hope you people will respone.

Someone dinged my door and left a dent. It can only be seen at certain angles. When I wash the car the area dries to white color. I think I can fix the scatch, but what do I do about the dent. Can the body shop level it out and make it perfect or do I have to live with it.

ronniepooh

do a yahoo search for DentWorks or Dent Wizard. Paintless dent removal can fix that for you...

bill11770

http://www.dentwizard.com/

xwray

I'm sure many of you have had and may have solved
the same problem I am currently wrestling with. After spending time detailing your car, along comes a cat who jumps up on the hood or trunk and decides to roost there. Their claws may be retracted but the dirt on their paws can still damage the finish. Short of shooting them (even giving that serious consideration), what do y'all do to keep them away. I bought an ultrasonic pest repeller that seemed to work pretty good for about a week but it appears that they get used to it. Is there a repellant that works? What about something like ammonia in a can or something? Anything?

rs_petty

Try a combination of 1/2 boxer to 1/2 bulldog. Best cat getter I have ever seen.

pat455

I also am seeking a solution to that problem (far short of caticide!). Next time I go to my specialty pet store, I'm going to try to remember to ask them.

BTW, two dogs behind the fence 10 feet from the car do not exist in the cats' minds! :-)

Anyone else have any humane suggestions?

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

Sergeich

Leave a huge (size of a cat) chunk of something cats like to eat next to the car. After eating that much a cat would become lazy ad will not attempt to crawl on the car...

rhodyt

I've been getting different opinions from people on when to wax a new car. Some have said you should wait six months others have said up to a year. I would appreciate any advice on this topic.
Thanks in advance!!

graphicguy

Wax your new car immediately. Many, many years ago, it was true that the paint on a new car had to "cure". With new paint and application techniques, this hasn't been the case for quite some time, though.

I would guess that the factory may have already put some form of wax on the car to protect it during shipping.

Now's the perfect time to give your finish the protection it needs to stay looking good. Do this before any polution, acid rain, gets a chance to "etch" into your paint. The protection/wax that comes from the factory or the dealerships usually are inferior to what you can put on yourself.

Strip off the factory/dealer applied "stuff" by washing the car with Dawn (blue) dishwashing liquid. Take it a step further by claying it (go to your nearest auto parts store and ask for "Clay Magic" detailers clay. Then put on a good coat of your preferred wax/polish.

hiattw

Hi guys!
I'm new to the group, so sorry if I've violated the 'rules'! Well, I noticed about 15-20 small bubbles [pimples] on the back of my dak. It's on the drivers side right by the tailgate. Dealer can fix that and repaint the whole panel under warranty. I also have swirl marks that came in the truck from when I bought it. I did not make those. Dealer said they WOULD fix those on an internal ticket. So, I had two options on the swirls. 1) Have them buff it out w/ a 3000rpm buffer or 2) Repaint the ENTIRE truck. I don't want them buffing my car all that much, so I'm going to have them repaint it. My question is this. What's the quality of the repaints? The Dodge dealer has it's own collision center, so they paint the cars there. They have 3 fully enclosed paint booths with the airfilters and baking control. Does it sound good to you? They're giving me a guarantee on the paint from peeling/chipping etc for as long as I own the truck. What would you do. What's the quality of some of these repaints. What should I look out for?

thanks for ALL your help
william

pblevine

Ah,me thinks you need an environmentally safe and kind to animals solution. ZAINO. Yep, this polymer polish to sooo slick that the cat will just slip off. After the first few attempts to stay on your car (and falling off), the cat will just give up!

umchand2

Has anyone used claying product besides the "eraser" one. I can't find that product in my area. Do the others work as good.

joe166

I have never heard anyone claim there was a substantial difference between claying products. Maybe the wetting agent might make a difference, but not the clay itself. Go to any auto parts store and get what you can. Any clay is better than none. I was amazed at the difference before and after. I had never even heard of "claying" before I started reading these forums.

projectzx3

i used mothers brand... it came in a kit 17-18 bucks and it was fantastic. does anyone know what the best thing to use on black body side mouldings to make them shine and keep them healthy looking. its a new car but i want to really clean her up this weekend! thanks

projectzx3

i had never heard of claying before i read this forum. IT DOES WORK! IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME AND PATIENCE! BUT IT IS WORTH IT!

Sergeich

I tried Mothers before Erazer. Erazer worked better for me because it was not as soft as Mothers.

projectzx3

what is the best product for maintaining a cars black body side mouldings. i have used armourall in the past and quite frankly i thought the results were terrible. a friend who has the same type vehicle and basically does nothing to keep it clean has side mouldings that appear newer than mine. any suggestions? also, are there any waxes that won't 'stain' black mouldings? thanks

bmwjoe

I have just purchased a front spoiler for my yet to be received 9-5 wagon and I want to paint it. This is a soft plastic piece that goes below the bumper. I spoke to the dealer about painting it and I should add a flex agent. I forgot to ask if I should prime, or paint right over the plastic. My question is should I prime it before I put on the color coat, or just paint right on the plastic.

A prompt reply is appreciated.

trip3

Does anyone know how to get to a placemark when the post has been removed? I had marked post 322 when last here. Come back today, and the post was deleted. Now I cannot remove that placemark. It is getting frustrating to have two placemarks for one forum in my total list. It is getting hard to find the ones I really want to see.

any ideas?

bobs5

Go to the main page of edmunds, then to "contact us", then to "town hall help".

This will bring up a screen which you can submit your problem.

Make sure to keep a copy of the placemarks you wish to keep just in case your placemark page has to be redone from scratch.
I had a problem that when my placemark page came up it was totally white. very weird

pat455

This post is hidden because it is off-topic. A better place to discuss problems like this is over in our News and Views Conference in either Feedback About WELL Engaged or Talk To The Hosts.

If you placemark a topic, or a message, that is subsequently deleted, it can be tricky to get rid of it. In "Talk To The Hosts" I made a couple of posts explaining my methods of getting rid of a deleted, placemarked topic. The mechanics of getting rid of a deleted, placemarked post should be the same.

If you'd like, you can click here to go directly to them.

Also, if you have no luck, or just don't want to bother, you can email Bonnie Rick and ask her to ask WE to delete your placemark page so that you can start all over.

I hope that information helps you. If you want to discuss this anymore, why don't you post to me in one of the topics linked above, as I say, they are the best places to talk about logistical problems with Town Hall.

Good luck!

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

luckyjdr

I use mothers back-to-black cleaner for moulding and black trim. it works great.

ocd1

Good Day everyone,
I guess I saw someone post a question on this forum a while ago but I saw no responses. So here it goes again. Does anyone have any experience or opinions on the touchless type car washes. Not the I am not going to take the pleasure of washing and waxing and generously pampering, my new 2000 Durango. But is is just a question? Thanks for your thoughts.

umchand2

Has anyone seen that infomercial for the CBX 300 scratch remover. Has anyone tried it, i have a few scratches that I would like to get rid of.

RE:#338
From my experience they just blow dry your car which doesn't do much. you'll still get water spots unless you dry it by hand.

md2002

Has anybody tried that Langka product I have read about here @ Edmunds. I have alot of little chips on the hood of my SUV and I wanted to try and fill them and smooth them out without it looking horrible?

If not Langka then what would be the group feeling on this. Trading in a few months and want to fix these small chips before I trade in.

curt3dfx

Check out this months Consumer Reports, they talk about car waxing products.

wayn1

I don't know about your issue, but my issue is only about the 2000 automobiles. What page is this article on.

butch11

I believe this material and the process of claying is essentially a very mild abrasive. If that is so, I would urge caution-you can easily get swirls in the clear coat.

Anybody disagree

daverose

I've used Mother's and Zaino clays. I have seen no evidence of abrasiveness. In fact, one of the things clay does is make the paint feel smoother to the touch, rather than rougher, and there is no visual evidence of abrasion. However, clay must be handled carefully; if it is dropped, it could pick up grit and scratch the finish. I thought that somehow one of us had done that when I helped a friend "deep clean" his neglected car. When we rinsed it off, there was a pattern on the hood similar to the way we had been claying. My friend took the clay and started moving it across the pattern at a 90 degree angle; the pattern began to disappear as did the roughness we had felt. We just hadn't clayed well enough the first time. I understand that Clay Magic brand has two kinds: blue, which is not abrasive, and red, which is.

ronniepooh

Just read it. No mention of this "Zainos". Reviewed about 1 dozen polishes and waxes. Zymol Cleaner/Wax came out on top, with the Prestone "Bullet Wax" a close second. And 3rd was NuFinish Paste, which is always near the top of the Consumers Reports list. Categories tested were gloss, ease of application/removal, cleaning capabilities, and durability. Meguiars Cleaner Wax liquid, which used to be at or near the top of the list, has fallen midpack these days.

pblevine

There are a variety of 'clays' on the market, and indeed, some may contain abrasives. I've used Erazer and Zaino clays which do NOT contain any abrasives. But as daverose has mentioned, any clay can pick up particals from the car (or ground if dropped) which can act in an abrasive fashion. The 'trick' is to keep your car's surface well lubricated (water and soap) as you move the clay across the surface. And you must also keep folding the exposed clay surface to bury the collected dirt. The effort seems to be worth it as the result is a clean and smooth finish.

The CU review only considered widely distributed 'wax' based products. Polymers, such as Zaino, were not considered for review. I'm not sure why, as many reviewers now consider polymer products to have an advantage over waxes.

jj434

has anyone had long term experience with the buffing cloths at this site, they say they are very soft and but what is better a towel or a cloth? even if the cloth is very soft- i have heard people use cotton diapers, so is this the same and the best?
they are called softouch cloths at
http://autosupermart.com/

jm22

I've tried everyone else throughout the year and the best I found were at http://www.autofanatics.com. Theirs are 3-ply and the softest cotton I've ever felt. Quality company too. Lots of great info.

jjccrv

I would only use a 100% cotton towel to take wax off. If there is any dirt on the surface, hopefully it will go into the nap of the towel. A cloth usually doesn't have anywhere for any trapped particles to go.

brianbos

I just purchased a new honda civic value package sedan and I'm very happy with it. My question is what is the best way to wash and wax the car. I've noticed those circular fine scratches that show up and its probably caused by washing and waxing. So now that my car is new I would like to avoid this problem.

pat455

I am copying and reposting the following from a similar topic:

#0 of 0: (ericschultz) Wed 26 Apr '00 (02:37 PM)

Greetings,

Newbie alert

I picked up my year 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 in mid
November 1999. It's painted Medium Bronze Pearl
Coat with a clear coat finish.

I noticed right off the bat that there was a small
section on the roof that wasn't right. About the
size of the tip of a small flat blade screwdriver.
No paint and there was a divot in the clear coat.
I also noticed several scratches that I didn't
recall seeing before.

I don't take this off road.

Later on, before it made it to the body shop, I
noticed some scratches along the edge of the
radius on the hood. I had just finished washing and drying with a chamois (sp?). Could this cause
scratches?

Well bottom line is that the paint scratches just
by looking at it. The dealer has buffed out maybe
a dozen so far and repainted the roof and the lower section of the door already.

Now to my question.

Has anybody else noticed a problem like this with
Daimler Chrysler products, specifically recent
years?

The district guy is coming to the dealer next week
and I'm taking the truck up for him to look at.

I'd like to get the entire thing wet sanded and
re-clear coated. Is this expecting too much?

Any help would be appreciated.

Otherwise, it's a great truck.

Thanks again!

Eric Schultz

Are there any responses for Eric?

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

daverose

Use high-grade (bath store/dept), made in USA white, 100% cotton (loops and backing) towels to wash (wrap the towel around a sponge), dry, apply wax/polish, and wipe off/buff your vehicle. Wash the towels with liquid soap without bleach or fabric softener, rinsing them twice before you use them caring for them as you use them the same way. Beware of any edge or pattern stitching in the towel, those threads may not be cotton and could scratch your paint; some folks even cut these areas off. All-cotton towels made outside the US are not government-controlled and may contain fabric blended in that will scratch the paint. Shop towels sold in auto stores should not be used on the paint; they could be used for chrome, glass, vinyl, leather, or rubber.

brianbos

Thanks daverose for the info on handwashing/waxing but what about the touchless high pressure wash/wax in those do it yourself coin op places.

blakej1

I am about to buy a new Toyota 4runner. Toyota has something called "Toyo Guard"

Among other things, it adds a paint sealant and an undercoating to reduce noise. It is put on by the distributor. Price aside, what are the pros and cons of this? Can this actually HURT the paint?

The undercoating is for noise reduction. Can this be a negative for the vehicle? I have heard of some coating voiding manufacturers warranty. This is put on by the distributor and is listed on the window sticker. I would assume that this would mean that it was safer than most "after-market" coatings.

Any knowledgeable input would be much appreciated.

joe166

Since the undercoating is put on by the distributor, it is not going to affect your warranty, but I don't think any car made in the past 5 or 10 years has needed undercoating and, in fact, many times undercoating just traps impurities and moisture if it is not properly put on. You don't need it and it is just extra weight. If the car needs it for quiet, look for another car. As to sealant, Southeast Toyota Distributors used to own Polyglycoat and they pioneered add ons that helped the bottom line. It does no harm and was one of the first polymer sealants but there are many on the market now that are as good or better. What you are paying for is the insurance that you get. If your paint fades or whatever they will do something. Read it carefully and decide if you are willing to pay whatever they are charging for that protection bearing in mind that most manufacturers will repaint defective paint and most cars are rust warranted for 5 or more years. You pay your money and you take your choice. If it was my money, I would not take it, but it isn't. It HAS been my experience that if you find a car with that protection on it and you insist that you really didn't want it and won't pay for it that usually doesn't queer the deal. That implies a monster markup, so bear that in mind.

rafiq01

I just got a '00 Civic coupe and washed then
waxed with Turtle wax, but I'm still tired
of having to wipe off the water spots because
I live in a wet area (long island). Has anyone
used that product DURASHINE and had any problems
with it because it would really make life a lot
easier, though I have heard of someone using it
and finding the finish dull a little.

daverose

The concern I read others express is that the high pressure my drive grit into the paint and scratch it. So the caution I advise is aim the water at the body at an angle so you are floating dirt sideways rather pushing it into the paint.