Paint and Body Care

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Comments

  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Let us know how it turns out. It took me about 20 tries to get it satisfactory for me. If it doesn't look good, you just remove everything with the leveler and start over.

    If you have a clearcoat paint, you may want to also put a layer of clear over the color when you are done.

    again - Good Luck!
  • rich310rich310 Member Posts: 34
    I have a 3 year old white Subaru Forester. Most of the car is bright white. However the "white" area of the bumpers is made of plastic. It has started to turn yellow. I've noticed this problem on other white cars also. I jsut purchased a white Olds ALero. I want to avoid this problem on my new car . Any ideas on how to keep the bumpers on the Alero bright white? Any ideas on how to retrun the white color to my Forester?

    Thanks for your advice.
  • olegphilolegphil Member Posts: 30
    Hi!

    I've purchased the Erazer clay. They don't accept credit cards directly. Something whent wrong when I attempted to follow their link to a 3rd party credit card payment processor, so I had to send them check after receiving the product and the invoice.

    Yesterday I've tried this thing. I'm really satisfied with the result, though it rquired a lot of elbow grease. I was claying car first time. It looks like it's a work for an anal-retentive type. Though I takes some level of anal-retentivenes to be bothered about those tiny brown spots on my car's paint, that bothered me enough to seek advise here ;-)

    They recommended to work on small area ot once. Given my previous paint care experience using wax-cleaner and stuff like that, I though the "samll area" would be like fender, door, half of the hood, etc. It appeared I had to work on 6"x6" or 8"x8" areas to get good results. I have completed the work with one 2oz piece of the clay.

    I wonder, if claying a car is always so tedious job? Does the size of a clay bar matter, i.e. is 4oz bar easier to use than 20z bar? How Erazer compares to other brands of clay? I saw Dura-Glo clay in the JCWitney catalog. They give 8oz of clay for the same price as 4oz of Erazer.
  • dkaseadkasea Member Posts: 1
    I'm considering purchasing a new 2000 Chrysler 300M that has had some hail damage. The dealer is using a paintless dent repair method to remove all the dents (about 15). What should I look for to see if I will have problems in the future with paint peeling off, etc.? I plan on keeping this car for about 10 years.

    Thanks!
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    This is a very common problem on late model light-colored cars. The problem is that the paint and the urethane rubber interact, and it discolors the paint. So far the only action seems to be to needle the dealer until they agree to re-paint it.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Most important thing to look for will be very small cracks in the clear coat. A lot of Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) people leave cracks that can breakdown the clearcoat and cause rust to form later. Before you take the car, inspect it closely. Maybe even have a body shop painter many times, just have to be careful and hope they look it over for possible cracks. BTW I used to be in auto body and Ive seen Id done correctly do a good job.
    Tom
  • hayrigonhayrigon Member Posts: 6
    I have a '00 silver Mazda Protege
    My car was parked under a tree last week
    and it was covered with some residue from
    the tree and lots of bird droppings.
    I washed the car within 2 or 3 days of this,
    but yellowish spots are still
    visible even though I tried very hard to clean
    them with hot water and car detergent. It seems
    like this thing has penetrated into the paint
    and I do not know how to clean it!
    It is very frustrating ..the car is just a
    couple of months old! any suggestions ??
  • olegphilolegphil Member Posts: 30
    Couple weeks ago I was asking the same question, received answer and tried the solution. If you scroll 30-40 messages back, you can see the track of the entire deal and make jugement for yourself.

    Good luck!
  • newgradnewgrad Member Posts: 25
    Hello...I've recently purchased a new SUV and while I enjoy washing it to keep it looking like new, I find that sometimes I'm short on time. I've recently discovered a "touchless car wash" that uses high pressurized water to clean your car instead of those brushes. The car wash is at a Mobile gas station. Do you think it is a good idea to take my SUV there every once in a while? And what about the hot wax that is applied after it's washed? Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks!!
  • theresa11theresa11 Member Posts: 58
    Any suggestions what I can use to clean the yellow spots left from bugs on my new white car? Also, any suggestions on what to use to clean the windows (they are tinted)? Thanks.
  • ladyinblack1ladyinblack1 Member Posts: 1
    Help! I purchased a brand new 2000 VW Cabrio on June 5th, Black. 3 days later I noticed pin head size bubbles in the paint. Called the dealer, they got another Black Cabrio from another dealer to replace the hood. When I went in the replacement cars hood was in worse shape than mine. Just then a transporter pulled in with a 2001 Black Cabrio on its tail end. They pulled the car off and I personally removed the protective white masking and the hood was perfect. The dealer removed my hood and replaced it with the 2001 hood. Now 1 month later the same problem has started over again. And I noticed spots on the fenders and the trunk. Anyone else having a similar problem. I have a meeting next week with a rep from VW. The car is garaged, never been rained on. Use McGuires hand wash with 100% cotton USA towels, the works. I am at a complete loss as to what could be causing this. Any ideas or info will be most appreciated.
    Thanks, Jeanette
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Odds are its a problem at the factory with how they are putting the paint on...not letting it dry throughly enough before adding clear coat, or not prepeing the metal and the oils are boiling through when hit with hot sun. ive been a body tech a while and seen it a few times, but cant say i have worked on many VWs. but id start there
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    Have you tried "detailer's" clay?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    newgrad -
    Something HAS to touch your car to wash it, and in this case is is high pressure water. It will grind all the dirt on your car into your paint before it slides off, and the high pressure can damage window seals.

    In addition, the detergent is so strong in car washes (To clean in one pass) it will blister your skin, and will strip every bit of wax off your car.

    Regular car washes are even worse, as the pads grind the dirt from the previous cars over your paint while they strip your wax. If you have a nice car that you care about - PLEASE don't take it anywhere near a car wash (or pressure washer).

    If you wash it yourself weekly, it only takes a few minutes and your paint will thank you, especially when it is resale time.
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Also watch out because some car washes reuse the water-if you live in the salt belt-this will just push the salty water into the cracks and crannies. Had a car wash owner manager in MN tell me they "filtered the salt out". Upon hearing this I told him he had brown eyes for reasons other than heredity. I would not let them put on wax-this will just seal in any dirt left on the vehicle.

    In the winter I use the DIY wand washers, rinse only to get off the salt. Yeah high pressure water probably does some damage but salt will give your vehicle religion.
  • zulezule Member Posts: 7
    Looking for suggestions. I own a 93 Camry V6 waggon. No problems until now. Paint on passenger side mirror is pealing off. Should I replace mirror cover or go to a body shop to paint ?????


    Thanks
  • saxologistsaxologist Member Posts: 4
    What's the best way to remove sap from pine trees? It's making a real mess out of my brand new car!

    Thanks,

    reelsole@yahoo.com
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Get a good car clay with lubricant, and it will remove the sap without damaging your paint. I have heard good reports about Mother's, Erazer and Zaino clay. After claying you must re-wax you canr with a good wax or polyer finish such as Zaino.
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    Another way to remove pine tree sap is with Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil, which can harmlessly remove many things from car paint, fabric, and leather, as well as in other areas beside car surfaces.
  • kbeckerkbecker Member Posts: 17
    I put my brand new 2000 Stratus SE through my regular car wash a few months ago, and the metal strip under all four windows discolored, turning purple and green. My friend has a Plymouth Breeze and it's the same. Is there a cleaning product out there that will take out the funky colors?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    This is further proof of the harshness of car wash soap, one of the reasons you should NEVER take your car to a car wash!!! If it discolors metal, think what it is doing to your paint! Do you think there is any wax left after that chemical bath? A couple more years down the road, your nice car will look abused.

    Some chemical in the detergent has reacted with the anodize or clear coat on the trim. You may need to replace it. You could try treating it with wax or some products with silicones to see if it can bring back the finish. Good Luck!
  • newgradnewgrad Member Posts: 25
    Thanks automophile and butch11...looks like I'll be washing my baby by hand! Didn't realize that pressurized water could do damage! Good thing I checked here before I went to one...
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Pleased that you understand, and care about your car. Now - please use a car wash, NOT a houlsehold detergent to wash your car. Before switching to the Zaino product line, I used Turtle Wax "Zip Wax" car wash for many many years. It won't strip your wax, and even adds a little wax of it's own while cleaning your car.

    The most important single thing to car maintenance is to do it regularly, NOT just when the car is dirty. I vacuum, clean the windows, detail the interior and wash both our cars every weekend, whether they "need it" or not. Since there is usually little to do, it goes really fast, and the cars always look great! If you let your car get really grungy, you will keep putting it off further and further. Just DO it!
  • kbeckerkbecker Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for the advice, automophile. I called my car dealership, and they said that this is a common problem, and that they've replaced the window trim for quite a few Stratuses under warranty. I'm going to try the wax first, and then bring my car in. Might as well since they would have to order the parts.
  • newgradnewgrad Member Posts: 25
    Hey--that's the same kind of car wash that I use--ZIP Turtle Wax Car Wash--and I think it works great! Never, never would I use household detergents like Joy...that would be a crime against nature!? I'm definitely going to have to get into the habit of washing my SUV once a week because you're right, it makes it easier than letting dirt keep piling up!!! Two questions for you Automophile (if you don't mind)?! One, what do you use to wash your cars? I use a bone-shaped sponge and chamois to dry it with. Two, do you wax your cars each time after you wash them? I've heard mixed advice on it. How often should you wax your car? What is a good wax to use?

    Thanks again!!!
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    A good wax is Zaino. It's not really a wax, it shines nicely and it lasts long - there is no need to wax it after every wash. Check out the Zaino Car Care topic for more info.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    1) Wash Mitt - I feel the softer the better, so the mitt cannot force any grit into your paint. I found some genuine sheepskin wash mitts at Costco and bought a cart-full - they are great for washing and for polishing the car! They are really soft and can be washed when dirty.

    2)Wax Frequency - Since you are using good 'ol Zip wax, there is certainly no need to re-wax after washing. Even Carnuba wax should last about 2-3 months between re-waxing.

    3)What to use - After 30 years of happiness with carnuba based products (Eagle One, Mequiar's, 3M, Wax Shoppe) I have changed to the Zaino polymer products as mentioned by pjyoung above. I don't want to sound like an ad or to open a can of worms, but I feel they are far superior to waxes. The shine is much better, dirt, bugs, sap, etc. doesn't stick and the time between re-polishing is much longer. Please go to www.zainobros.com and to the Zaino topic here for much more information.

    Also for some first hand results see: http://www.geocities.com/newwestd/Zainoat3mo.html
    and
    http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/7501/Feb.html

    Have Fun!
  • desmchandesmchan Member Posts: 9
    I just found a 1/16" deep x 4" long scratch on the plastic front passenger fender flare of my new 2000 suburban. The scratch done by the sharp corner of my old garage door arm.

    After taking a close look at the scratch, I am confused. Is it possible that the paint can be on the back side of a clear plastic? It is because the end of the scratch look like a crack in a clear plastic. However, someone said the fender flare from the dealer part department is unpainted black.

    Is there any good suggestion of how to fix the scratch of this depth and nature.

    Desmond
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    It is probable that your flares are molded of solid Black plastic. Sometimes plastic crystallizes when it fractures - giving that appearance. If they bolt-on and it really bothers you - replace it. Otherwise, there is no easy way. To fill it and repaint is probably more costly than replacement. Good Luck!
  • gladicheckedgladichecked Member Posts: 93
    is too alkaline for washing car. But sometimes, using Dawn (or other grease cutting) detergent will help get bug stains out. Most bugs are acidic in nature.

    I haven't tried the Zaino product yet, but plan on trying their product when my current supply runs out. I use Meguiars Car Wash, Gold Class Clear Coat Liquid Wax, and Endurance Tire Protectant Gel. Meguiars is the best I have ever used, but I have read so many testimonials on these forums praising Zaino, I am going to give it a try (got my curiosity going).

    Has anyone else used Meguiars Endurance tire gel? It is by far the best tire care product I have ever used. Looks great and lasts much longer than other products. How is Zaino's tire protectant compared to Endurance?
  • gladicheckedgladichecked Member Posts: 93
    the "big 2" wax and polish forums...quite entertaining. I will understand if nobody responds to my questions in post 595...lol!
  • rich310rich310 Member Posts: 34
    I have often heard that white cars are the easiest to keep clean. I have two white cara, a 3 year old Subaru Forester and a new Olds GL3. I find that both cars get very dirty very fast. Any easy ideas on how to keep them clean.

    Also I 've noticed that there are a coupld of car waxes that come in colors (white for white cars, blue for blue cars etc)> Does anyone use these. Do you recommend them on white cars.

    Thanks for your help.
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    I use Zaino on my white 300M. It seems to keep the hood, roof and trunk cleaner. White cars look good from a distance, even when they're fairly dirty. But up close, all bets are off. I resorted to splash guards to help keep the sides cleaner - my 300M tends to really throw stuff up on the sides. The mud flaps help a lot.

    Don't know about colored waxes, but with so many differing shades of red/blue or even white, I'd be leary of them
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    I second what pjyoung has said about Zaino. My car is white and seems to stay twice as clean as it did with waxes. The finish is so slick, perhaps the dirt just blows off? Also, it may be that it has less static cling.

    I have tried them, and colored waxes are just a scam. They make ABSOLUTELY no difference. The stuff in the cracks is still white! Also - they are usually poor quality waxes to boot. If you want to use wax, use Eagle One or Meguiar's gold. If you want the best, easiest finish, use Zaino.
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    i recently took delivery of a brand new Maxima(white). always wondered if it was a hard color to keep clean and avoid discoloring for the long haul (yellowing). but i do see plenty of white color vehicles on the road so i thought i just drop by this board and see what everyone who has a white vehicle what they suggest to keep it looking clean (besides washing it once a week).
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    kyleknicks -
    You are halfway there to keeping your car looking good - washing it every week so that dirt and stains cannot work their way into the paint. I live in So. Calif., and prefer a white car as it stays much cooler than darker cars. White also looks cleaner most of the time, except for beige colored cars that NEVER seen to look dirty.

    Now that you have a nice new car, treat it to a clay job to take off all the dirt, grime and pollutants (YES- even on a new car) and leave the paint ultra-smooth. Go to www.erazer.com for the full story. Erazer is one brand - there are several. Then - after proper claying and washing, apply a good wax or polymer finish to the car. I have started using the Zaino polymer the first of this year, and believe that it is the best shine and protection you can get. Go to www.zainobros.com for more info, and check into the very active Zaino forum here for lots of advice and happy users.

    With that kind of protection and regular cleaning, your white car will stay white as long as you have it.

    ONE possible problem area is the urethane rubber bumpers. For some reason, the urethane can interact with the paint, and cause slight yellowing over time. This has been metioned on many different makes of cars. Perhaps they have solved this in newer cars. If it does happen, only a re-paint can fix it.
  • erasburyerasbury Member Posts: 7
    While attempting to remove what I suspect are watermarks from acid rain from my Alfa Romeo, I decided to try Meguair's Body Scrub. While it's been slow going, it is slowly removing the stains. It is also leaving the bare paint extremely slick.

    I had to have another car clayed a couple of years ago to remove railroad dust. The car had sat about 20ft from the Long Island Railroad for over a month. The surface felt like sandpaper. The clay did an amazing job.

    I most certainly wouldn't use the Body Scrub if the car had imbedded railroad dust, but the Body Scrub sure seemed to do everything clay could.

    Has anyone else used this stuff?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    I ahve never used it, but it does sound like a type of rubbing compound, perthaps very light, like a polshing compound or glaze. The difference is that clay does not take off any paint, and the coupounds do. I guess sometimes this is what is needed!
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    I agree that colored waxes are a waste, and claying is good. After trying zaino though, i think it's a waste of money, and indistinguishable from things like meguiars. I did 1/2 my car in each and no one could tell the difference in the two halves, then or months later. It just took a lot longer and cost a lot more.

    For polymers, i'd sugest nu-finish, or even better, the 3m products.

    dave
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    anyone used this?? i remember someone on the maxima board saying they love this product. then i saw the informerical last nite for it but the demo on tv seemed a little fake. just wondering if anyone's used this stuff and how did they like it. 2000 white max - kyle
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    I have used it and it kinda works. You won't want to intentionally key your hood like they do in the ad, but for very minor scratchs, it seems to do the job (kind of like polishing compound). If there is any depth at all to the scratch, it might help a little, but it won't get rid of it.
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    You might want to take a look at the posts in this archived topic: GS27 Scratch Remover.

    As I recall, the comments were mostly less than positive, but you can check it out yourself.

    I've never tried it.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    You are the only person I have EVER seen in thousands of posts on several forums that says that they see no difference with Zaino. Something's wrong here.
  • vmannvmann Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any recommendations for the best way to clean a white vinyl 1999 VW cabrio top? I heard it's best to just use soap, water and a scrub brush. Any advice would be appreciated!
  • daverosedaverose Member Posts: 233
    The perception of the initial results is a personal and subjective thing, so I don't have a problem with that. The biggest problem I have with the declarations is "It just took a lot longer ... ."

    To go from being a casual car caretaker to doing all that is recommended to get the best results with Zaino can be a little overwhelming. However, the recommendations are equally applicable to all other products: from use high-quality towels to wash, dry, apply product, and wipe off, to starting the initial use of a product by washing with Dawn, to claying. It is my recollection that the three steps of the Mother's products I used before I found Zaino had wiping off product after each step, while the core of the Zaino process, applying the Z1 PolishLok followed directly by applying Z2, or Z3, or Z5 WITHOUT wiping off the Z1, makes the Zaino process considerably shorter. Go figure.
  • vernlewvernlew Member Posts: 87
    I have seen several posts, one similar to this one, another one proclaiming Malms as a superior product...why do you think something is wrong?, just because someone has an opinion about Zaino products, other than utterly spectacular results? Please just state your opinion about your results with a product, Zaino or otherwise, let everyone else form their own opinion. I BELIEVE Zaino is probably a very good product, but I am growing tired of all the posts challenging a negative comment about Zaino...I don't recall seeing the same type of vigorous challenges when someone make a similar comment about another product. In reality, IMHO, most premium "auto waxes" will probably produce very good to excellent results for MOST people. We are NOT talking about GREAT differences in any one area.
    Vern
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    I have seen other negative or didn't see a difference posts. How many of the 'fans' actually did 1/2 the car in each, and then asked 3rd parties to tell the difference? Fact is, it's easy to get caught in hype. Beleive me, I tried zaino on a patch too, and thought it was the best thing in the world, and might be on boards supporting it too, if I had not tried the 1/2 and 1/2 test. That was after i went a week after doing my zaino section and couldn't find it anymore. I will admit that maybe i did something wrong, but i sure felt like i followed directions exactly.

    daverose: true, it's probably the same time if you do z1,z3,z5 but I was trying to be a good boy and do several alteranting layers of z3 and z5 as was reccomended.

    I really liked meguiar's gold--seemed to do a great job on my cars. m3 scratch remover really workd but takes tons of time to do right. But it leaves a glassy surface, it's great.

    dave
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    From posts in other forums it is obvious that you are anti-Zaino, but still can't figure out why. I do notice that you do take a lot of time and space to deprecate Zaino wherever possible, though.

    Regarding dhanley's so-called "test" - there has never been any doubt cast that Zaino lasts MUCH longer than any carnuba wax, something that the "test" seems to deny. Now, I KNOW I had to re-wax our cars every 2-3 months with Meguiar's, 3M, Eagle One and other waxes to keep the shine and beading, and I KNOW that it has been 6 months with Zaino and they still look and bead great. Sorry dhanley - I ain't buying it.

    If anyone out there is in any doubt, just go the the Zaino forum and read all the postings from new and satisfied users. dhanley has been the only one that I can recall over the last 1-1/2 years that I have been reading it that didn't see any difference. THAT is why I switched.
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    hi, i've read in prior post of some sort of leather cloth that soaks up water after you wash your car.... it starts with a C... ? well.. my question is, i saw this manmade leatherish cloth material at a department store. is this as good as the read thing?? anyone know anything about this product? thanks
  • joe166joe166 Member Posts: 401
    it is a french word and real chamois are quite expensive. There are several alternatives, but some synthetic chamois are quite satisfactory. There is also a product called the absorber which is kind of like a synthetic chamois and works well. The best, in my opinion is a 100% cotton towel, which means made in USA as labeling is not as strict in other countries so those "100%" cotton towels might have synthetic materials and scratch the surface.
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