Paint and Body Care

jj434

hi has anyone seen the surluster wax, has anyone tried it? i have seen their ads and am wondering if it is any good and how long it lasts. i found this at http://autosupermart.com/

estimated99

i bought a new car about 6 months ago (before that i could care about waxing my car) and ive never ever waxed a car before -- i bought a tin of BLITZ WAX and need to know the proper way to apply it --- a panel at a time or the whole car --let it dry or hurry and wipe it away --how long for each step etc... also ive been told to check and make sure that my cotton towel is actually not a poly mix and to do this i was told to burn the corner to see if its a clean or smokey burn--id appreciate it if someone could real quick go through the steps to waxing a car and talk --i probably wouldnt think it a big deal but ive heard more and more storys of mishaps that can happen whats the worst that can happy? thanks for the help

daverose

I've previously read in a Town Hall topic that light oxidation could be remedied with 3M Foam Pad Polishing Glaze. Along that line, what should one use on heavy oxidation?

ataie

I have two spots on front of the my hood where the clear coat paint has peeled off (about 1"x1"). the light blue metallic paint underneat is good.

should I just put some clear coat paint on this or what? the touch-up paint from the dealer comes with a separate clear coat as well. they are in the nail polish format.

any idea???

joe166

There is no way you can touch up your clear coat with a brush from a touch up container and have it come out OK. Unless you are Mr. Magoo and then you probably would not have noticed the problem in the first place. If your car is relatively new, check with the dealer to see if there is a hidden recall concerning the paint. It is most unusual for paint to fail like this on modern cars. Those brushes which come with touch up paint are useless. For the size of nick which you can succesfully touch up, you should use a toothpick. For anything much larger, you will probably need a body shop. That is just my opinion, but I think you would do just as well to paint the whole car with a roller from the hardware store as to try to touch up your clear coat with a brush.

ataie

that sound pretty harsh. the car is 91 Mercedes, and no way I would paint the car for two quarter size damage to clear coat. from the spot it looks like somebody maybe used a harsh cleaner to remove the bugs or something from front of the car.

again, any chance of using the clear coat touch up from the dealer, then wet sanding, etc. to smooth the surface and blend with the original?

we already know how Joe feels about this.

rs_petty

I think you are going to have problems blending in any new clear coat with the old. The only way I know to do it well is with spray. You might want to try a small hobby air sprayer (compressed air can and small gun). Prep the area first by wetsanding not after you've sprayed. Use a rubbing compound after to blend. Your results will depend on how much work your willing to put into it or try again if it doesn't work the first time. There are lots of books on painting and touch-ups, but I'd say it is an art and experience thing, not just a matter of following steps. Your choices as I see it are either take it to a body shop and let them do it, or spend some time reading up on painting, spend $100 bucks or so for supplies, and take a long weekend to learn. Are you sure that '91 has a clearcoat?

jwilson1

I know you don't want to hear it, ataie, but Joe was right (if harsh). If it were mine I'd take it to a good body shop (the adjective -- good -- is important) because they'll be able to get it right; with a 91 there has been considerable fade so they're going to have to be careful to do a match and will probably redo the entire hood and blend it in with the panels that meet it.

I did this about two years ago with an '89 with a damaged trunk and the results were excellent: painting cost, about $250 at this particular shop.

Take care.
Joe W>

ataie

I'll take a to a paint and body shop to get their opinion. it is only on the hood, and yes it's clear coat. I was able to peel a little piece off the paint, and it's clear coat. it seems even Mercedes didn't want to spent too much time and effort doing a good paint job, and had to cover it with a clear coat.

Last time I had this problem it was on a 1988 Volvo 240D (bought in 1990) the clear coat around the air vents by the hood and around the windshield were peeling off.

dodgeomni

Can anyone advise on what products or procedure to use in cleaning old auto glass that has been neglected - water spots and generally run down condition. Soap and windex does not seem to help.Would really appreciate any help - thanks

joe166

I found a product at a Pep Boys or Discount Auto Parts (I don't remember which), which is called Windshield Cleaning Compound. It comes in a tube and seems to be a very mild rubbing compound which if used properly does not cause that halo effect which comes from "polishing" compounds. It requires wetting of a clean windshield and then it cleans it really well and washes off. It is made by Pylon Manufacturing in Deerfield Beach FL but has on the tube a logo for "Wiper Mates". It also has a label with "Strip It" on it. It is a black tube 3.5 oz and I can reccomend it highly.

I have also used Zaino window cleaner which seems to be a mild abrasive in a polishing suspension and works well too, but you have to order it by mail and with the freight it is not worth it unless you are going to order a bunch of stuff.

Look for this, I bet this or something just like it is available. Just make sure you follow the directions as I am sure you could really start polishing an eyeglass prescription if you were not careful and that would mean you are stuck for a new windshield or you can't drive at night with the craze lines that could be formed. I have used both of these products a few times with no problems and they really do clean up not only the water spots, but the wiper lines and marks.

corolla2000

Joe16 is right in my opinion about window cleaners with abrasives -- they will work very well at getting film and water spots off, but misuse could potentially be damaging.

One other thought... Have you ever tried using straight white vinegar on your windshield. It should cut through water spots pretty easily. You could then follow up with a basic window cleaner like Windex, 3M, etc. By doing this you will save money over abrasives (though Zaino is great) and won't run the risk of damaging your windshield.

My two cents..

corolla2000

I'm considering buying a California Water Blade at my local Costco. It is designed like a squeegee -- you run it across your car's surface to dry the vehicle. It is supposed to be three times faster and more effective than using a chamois or towel. It is also supposed to have considerably less drag than chamois or towels thus creating less potential of adding fine scratches to the paint.

Does anyone have experience with or thoughts on this tool? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

pat455

Hello corolla2000 - there's been some recent discussion of this product over in Zaino Car Care Experiences. If you want to check it out, click on that highlighted link and look at the last ten or so posts.

I have one myself. It is useful to a point, and the blade itself won't scratch your car, but there is the risk of getting something trapped between it and the car surface which can cause a scratch. And you still have to go behind it with a towel.

Others may chime in here, but meanwhile you can check out that other topic for some other viewpoints.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

automophile

If nothing has been done to your car yet to remove the paint spots - try car clay - it is really good for overspray removal.

If they want to "color-sand" your car, it may be OK. The paint will be ultra-shiny, this is done for show car finishes. Howeverm the clear coat will be thinner.

Try the clay, Good Luck!

rogjoy

Rec'd my Zaino order today, however the claybar wasn't sent. I really need to start the process 5/27 to take advantage of the long weekend to finish my van. I wonder if the Maguire's clay at the auto parts store is basically the same thing.
What is a claybar anyway? The salesman at the store described it as a liquid in a bottle and I pictured it as a bar of clay that I would lubricate with Z7. Can any of you old-timers enlighten a beginner on this? I'd really like to hear from someone before I get started in the a.m. so thanks in advance!

rogjoy

I have rec'd Z1,2,5,&6 and wonder if I should avoid getting any of them on the black plastic trim on the front grill and rooftop of my Odyssey. Also can they all be used on the alloy wheels?Thanks for all your help.

dhanley

I got clay with my zaino order( which I returned as snake oil ) and later got claybar. Clay bar is substantially gooier and feels stickier than the zaino stuff and has a special spray to use just with the clay. OTOH, it's actualyl more expensive. When I clay one section of the car I can definitely feel the car's paint is rough in one area, and smooth where it's been clayed.

dave

automophile

Sorry that you felt Zaino was "Snake Oil". I wonder if you gave it a proper trial?

I am a car fanatic for nearly 40 years and have been detailing cars on the side since I was a kid. I try EVERYTHING, and I am EXTREMELY skeptical of new "magic" finsihes and waxes. After a year of watching the comments in the forums, and seeing the results, I ordered a full set of Zaino and used it properly, over 2 weekends on our 3-year old Accord.

The results were, and still are like nothing I have ever seen. The shine is "hard" - I have never seen wax reflect so clearly, with such detail. It has now been 3 months, and the water beads like it was just applied. Bugs don't stick and come off with plain water. Please check out the photos at:

http://www.geocities.com/newwestd/CarPage2.html
AND
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/Feb.html

to see what Zaino can do. AND - Here's the best part - it lasts! While my very best all-day glaze and wax job would look great for a while, it definitely fades after 2 months, maximum. The Zaino shine just keeps going and going! You may be shooting yourself in the foot with this.

I am not associated with Zaino in any way - just a converted skeptic.

98monte_ls

I bought the Meguiar's Clay and it worked very well, using their own bottle of whatever-that-stuff-is to lubricate the surface. The bar really does feel like a little bar of clay. Meguiar's comes in a box with a bottle of the stuff and a bar, seperately wrapped. But what bugs me is they don't sell just the bar, if i have some liquid left over but need a new bar.

automophile

The "Lube" that comes with the clay is usually the maker's quick detailer spray, so you may be able to use it between waxes as a quick touch up.

Spray it on, rub, buff. (Check instructions, though)

Also - better to have too much than too little!!!

goodwin

98monte ls
meguiars does sell just the clay bar but i've had a hard time finding it in my area. my local c.a.p. store carry's it but only 2-3 bars at a time.

dhanley

Yes, I did give it a fair trial. 1/2 the hood zaino, 1/2 regualr wax. Asked several friends who did not know which half was which to tell the difference. No one could. After 4 months, theu have work the same. The pictures do not impress me--my car shines like that after I wax it too. I think a real skeptical thing to do would be to do a part with each and let observers who don't know which is which try to discern which part is better. Otherwise, people tend to trick themselves. I do it too, which i why i did my little test. At first I was very psyched about it.

dave

automophile

Thanks for describing your test - But:

How many coats of Zaino? It is the only polish I've seen that gets shinier after multiple layers. Wax never did this for me. With the first layer, Zaino was no better than good wax, but after 2 or 3 easy layers, the gloss really came out. There was a huge difference between one and 2 layers.

How about over time - say 3 months later - is the wax side still shinier?

dhanley

1) clay
2) Surface loc layer
3) 2 layers each of swirl mark remover & polish
4) That spray polish ( z6? )
altogether 7 steps.

And, yes, 4 montls later now they look pretty much the same. Note that i'm not saying the wax was better, just no one could tell the difference. I note the zaino side beads water a bit better now. If you are really impressed with zaino I would suggest trying the 3m stuff. It seems awfully similar.

dave

automophile

Thanks dave -
What 3M stuff did you use? I am open to trying it.

tzup

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A CAR AND FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH WET (YELLOW)HIGHWAY LINE THERMOPLASTIC PAINT. IT WILL SCRAPE OFF WITH YOUR THUMB NAIL, BUT THERE IS SO MANY SPOTS IT WOULD TAKE FOREVER. I TRIED BUG AND TAR REMOVER WHICH PROVED TO BE A WASTE OF TIME. I ALSO TRIED RUBBING COMPOUND WHICH ALSO DID NOT WORK. ANY IDEAS? THIS IS A 1994 CAMARO WITH CLEAR COAT. THANKS

dhanley

I used the scratch and swirl mark remover. I was really impressed with it's performance. They sell hand glaze as well. It should be at pep boys or napa auto parts. I am curious to see if it has similar effects for others, so if you do try it, let me know!

dave

ejy

Try detailing clay. Mothers, Meguires, Erazer, Zaino, and more all have one - it works great on overspray. For more info on clay, scroll up in this topic.

ejy

I had an 'un-friendly' back his F-150 Super Cab into my parked car while it was neatly tucked in a Mall parking lot. Any idea how I can disguise this? The bumper is plastic and that is an indentation in it. Total real width is about the size of a US 50 cent piece.

rogjoy

Does anyone have info on using the California Car Duster (sold at Costco) to remove surface dirt from Zaino'd vehicle? Noticed it's got paraffin wax in the fibers. Wonder if any have words of wisdom on this product. Thx.

automophile

Been using the Duster for a long time, and so have a lot of others on the Zaino forum. Basically, it works great, and so does the mini-duster for cleaning the dash. For proper use:

DON'T push down. The fibers do collect dirt that can possibly scratch. Try to hold the Duster so that just the yarn is brushing your car, not the weight of the duster.

DON'T use it when the car is hot. Some of the soft wax may melt out of the yarn and streak the car - not bad, but annoying.

DON'T use it after it is filthy - get a new one! The makers say you can use it forever, but they probably don't like a Zaino quality finish on their cars!!!

DO use it at the end of the day, before your car gets dew on it (if kept outside). That way the dirt will not get stck on to the car.

DO use it lightly -if the dust doesn't come off easily, it is time for a wash.

Have fun - JON

koury

I've recently purchased one, and for anyone who has a dark colored car (mine is black), it is a godsend. Particularly this time of year (pollen in New England is horrible), it takes the place of frequent washings. My car can literally be covered with pollen within an hour after washing; a two minute touch-up at night as automophile describes, and it looks freshly washed.

Follow the directions: before using for the first time, let the duster sit open on a newspaper. This lets excess wax drain away.

koury

Buy the Dash Duster as well...it gets into places a rag can't!

markz2k

I have a question for the experts here. I'm in the process of buying a new 00 Accord EXVL. They just received the car from Honda last friday. I went to look at it friday afternoon, and it still had all the factory protective packaging still on it. Came back Sat for the test drive, and during prep the rear bumper has been badly scraped. Right on the top edge in the middle, about a 6-inch wide scrape. It's VERY obvious, and you can see the black material underneath. It apparently happened during prep, because there was definitley no damage when the fleet rep and I looked at it Friday. He was told it happened sometime during that night. (It was prepped Sat. morning)

Obviously, they will repair it, but I'm concerned over the quality of the repair. Even if I can't tell that it's been repaired now, will it be visible in a year or 2? He has told me they'll replace the bumper cover if I'm not happy with the repaint. But, they still have to paint a new bumper cover, so what's the difference? I haven't accepted delivery yet, so I can still walk away. However, I got a good price and like the car otherwise. (Provided they fix the rattle in the rear deck) My concern is can a dealer do as good a job on paint as the manufacturer? Especially long-term durability?

His allocation sheet doesn't show anymore of the same model & color coming in anytime soon, and I can't wait for a long time for a new one. The color is Signet Silver, by the way.

All opinions are wanted, what would you do?

joe166

If there is any part of your car you would want repaired by a dealer it is the bumper. That is made of a different material than the body and it usually fades differently anyway so it would be not unusual to see your car in a couple of years with a slightly off color plastic part. They can certainly match the color now if they know what they are doing and if they paint as little as possible it should be all right. Having said that, if I had my druthers, I would druther they got me a factory painted one, but this would not break the deal for me IF I liked the look when I inspected it VERY CAREFULLY before accepting delivery.

markz2k

Thanks Joe166. I'm going to ask them to replace my bumper cover with one from another new Accord. At least it would be factory paint that way, instead of a dealer-painted bumper. If they can't prep a car without damaging it, what are the odds they can fix it correctly? (There was at least one other customer there picking up a Signet Silver Accord that was unhappy with the finish. His had a smaller, but very visible scratch on the front bumper.)

If I do have to let them paint it, will I have to worry about long-term durability? Is the paint going to chip/flake/peel/crack on the bumper that they repainted while the rest of the car looks good?

joe166

No, you shouldn't have to worry if they have any skills at all. The only worry is that they do the preparation right. They MUST make sure there is no evidence of the repaint. That means they have to paint to a logical masking point and then make sure everything is removed from within that area. You will not lose any value if no one can tell it has been repainted and anyone can tell if the tail light lens has over spray on it or if a chrome strip near or on the bumper was masked badly and shows some overspray. (Sorry, I don't remember enough about your car to comment on specifics.) Your best bet is to tell them to fix it and do it right with a maximum of care and then just look at it with a very jaundiced eye. If you don't like it or if you think it is evident that it was repaired, try for the switched bumper or walk away. I doubt that they will switch bumpers for you. Very few dealers will cannibalize one car for another. It means you have two cars that have been worked on. That would mean they may have to disclose the damage to the buyer of the other car and since you already know about the damage, that might cost them another sale. Make them put their money (labor for the paint job) where their mouth is. They would have to fix it to sell it anyway, wouldn't they? An alternative is to find the finest custom paint shop in your area (not Earl Scheib or whatever his name is), and see what the cost to repair this perfectly is. Then ask the dealer to discount that from the price and take it there. The downside is if you do this your recourse in a while will be that shop, not the dealer. I vote for the dealer work. You will be surprised at how well a talented painter can blend a paint repair. Notice I say a talented painter. My wife had some very minor bumper ding repainted at the Lexus dealer and it looked like my cat had done it with a spray can. It had runs in it and although the car is white, which didn't seem to be all that hard to match, it was slightly off color. I refused to pay the $270 they wanted and they agreed it was really crappy work. I wouldn't let them "try again" as they wanted to. I subsequently rubbed it out several times and it is now satisfactory. For $270 it stunk. For free it was not bad and 99% of the people will never notice it since it was way low in the front left below the parking light. That low it is really hard to see if the color is wrong or if it is reflecting the road or driveway. On my car I have had other dings fixed and defy you to find them. It depends on the painter. Some are really good, some stink. It is an art, not a mechanical operation.

automophile

Joe is very correct. The dealer can fix the scratch so it is invisible - this is done all the time by good body and paint shops.

My gorgeous Pearl White Millenia S was damaged at 2 weeks old - I was devastated! My local body shop repaired and repainted the trunk lid and fender perfectly. Until I sold the car 3 years later, it was still undetectable, and I am very critical.

JUST - don't accept it unless it is perfect!

markz2k

Thanks for the reply's from both of you. I looked at it again today, and while it is very visible, it's not as bad as I first thought. (It's a bit shocking to see your $25K purchase damaged before you had a chance to use it!) It doesn't seem that it should be too difficult to do it right. I would think matching the color on a brand-new car would be pretty easy, it just rolled off the truck Friday! When it's done, I'll examine it very carefully. (And my rep knows I'm very picky about it, and won't buy the car from him if it's not perfect.) I'd imagine he will apply pressure if necessary to get it done right the first time, cause there will be no 2nd time!

automophile

I just saw an article about a New Zealand company that is producing "Bumper Skins" - Custom molded clear plastic skins to cover our painted bumpers for protection from nicks and scrapes. Interesting!

andykong

This question maybe off topic. I apologize for that, but I can't find anywhere else to post it. I was hit by another guy who just didn't see me. My car's front driver side was damaged. I'm not sure if they can replace that piece of metal sheet, or just correct it to original shape. Since my car is still new(10 months old), I really want it to be fixed to original shape and color. My question is can it be done? and should I go to dealer's body shop or the one insurance company recommend.
Thanks for any response!
andy

joe166

You should get recommendations from people who have had body work done and send the car there. Most insurance companies will send you to a body shop where they have enough clout to influence what is done. Either they get some concession from the shop or a cheaper price or worse. They will not usually be up front about this and they will not openly object if you insist on using your choice. They may only pay them what their chop shop would charge, but if your guy is any good he will document exactly what is needed and then your insurance will go along. I would just rather have the body shop working for me than the insurance company, no matter who is writing the check. You will undoubtedly get into the crack involving whether your company will pay for original equipment or require your car to be fixed with after market parts or maybe even used parts some of which are equal in quality, but some of which may not be. They are certainly cheaper. Your policy will dictate which parts they use. You can't insist on original factory parts if you have been paying a premium based on the cheapest parts available. See your policy and read it carefully. At least ask about where the parts are coming from for the repairs. Also look into "diminished value". This is a concept that some insurance policies (and some state insurance departments) permit. It means that since your car will always have the stigma of having been in an accident it will affect the residual value of your car so you may be entitled to be paid for that in addition to your repairs. The real answer is that this is a complex question which you MAY need an attorney to resolve, but try talking to your agent (not the adjuster whose job is to get it fixed as cheaply as possible). The agent may be able to explain everything to your satisfaction. The size of the accident (from your description) is not enough to justify seeing a competent lawyer. The kind who will see you for $50 bucks is not usually worth seeing unless you have a prior relationship with him or her. Good luck.

andykong

Thanks for your help joe. As you said, my accident is relatively simple. Damage is small. I just want to get my car fix right. Accident is not my fault. I think I can choose any body shop I want. right? I don't want more trouble.
thanks again
andy

joe166

Unless you have a very different policy, you can always pick your own shop to do the work. I suppose if a particular shop had a fraud history with your insurance company they might be able to argue that they were "blacklisted" with them and make it stick. That is unusual and given other types of unusual exceptions, you can pick anyone you want, but you would only be reimbursed for the "reasonable costs of repair".

rellik01

I have a 2000 Grand Caravan Sport with color matching bumpers. I was recently hit in the rear and it will be necessary to replace the rear bumper cover.....I was wondering if it is possible to order a replacement bumper from Dodge already painted as I know this is a difficult item to paint correctly.

joe166

Even if you could, I would doubt very seriously that they could predict exactly how much your car has faded in the weather since you got it. Only a true artist, or a competent painter in a good paint and body shop can get the right paint and add something he thinks will match your paint. I don't think they sell prepainted parts. That would be a logistical nightmare to stock.

dmgstewart

My apologies if this question has been asked before - I tried to do a search, but the keywords I used didn't come up with any matches.

Any suggestions on how I remove the white residue caused by an inept wax job? Some weeks ago I washed and waxed my car. At the time I thought I had buffed off all the excess wax, but it is now very apparent that I failed miserably. There is quite a bit of white wax residue all over various spots, and it's quite tough to remove.

Any suggestions on how I can remove it, other than a wet cloth and an enormous amount of elbow grease??

Thanks in advance,

Mike

andykong

Thanks joe
andy

automophile

Use some "Instant Detailer" spray. It should help remove the wax more easily than just elbow grease, and makes your car even more shiny!