1BadTitan

So I picked up an IS250 at the end of the summer and now I'm ready to get this neglected paint fixed. Its the Smokey Granite Mica. It has water spots, but I've never come across spots like this. I wash the car and it looks good, until the sun hits it and looks like it was never washed, the hood trunk lid and roof are the worst. It looks like it air dried 100 times over. I have used Meguirs Ultimate compound, tried a vinegar bath to strip to bare finish, I even tried using some polishing compound on a RA palm buffer. No the finish is shining, but in the light there are outlines of where the spots were. I cant feel them, but I can see them. The paint feels smooth.... Almost like its under the clearcoat. What will get this outta my paint? The car felt very rough like the paint has been long neglected, I want to make her shine.

dagwag77

Have you clayed the car? Claying will help pre-polish to remove the embedded contaminants from the paint. The Detailed Image detailing guide is a great place to start: DI Clay Bar Detailing Guide

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like some very bad water spot etching...

If left unattended on unprotected paint, hard water or acid rain can do some awful damage. It is not uncommon to have to resort to wetsanding to remove these defects, followed by a series of compounding and polishing steps.

With that being said, you have to decide if it is worth the potential risk of compromising your clear coat, or living with the remaining defects.



Check out this post for some more product recommendations and tips.

-Zach

1BadTitan

I was hoping it didnt get to that point... After the spot I was working, even though the spots were still visible, I couldnt feel them. Maybe clay will get it.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

If compounding does not remove them, clay will not remove them.

It seems you need a basic understanding of some of these detailing steps....

Washing removes loose dirt and debris from the surface. Afterwards, however, there are still bonded contaminates that remain.

Detailing clay removes above surface bonded contaminates. It is a non-abrasive that will not remove swirls, scratches or other defects. It simply removes bonded contamination. It is crucial that the surface is thoroughly washed and decontaminated before polishing. If there is any dirt or contamination remaining on the surface, you risk the chances of it becoming caught in your polishing pad and scratching the surface.

Compound & Polish are liquids that contain various abrasives in them. These abrasives work to remove a layer of paint in order to eliminate surface defects such as swirls and scratches. Severe defects may require wet sanding prior to compounding and polishing.

Now the paint needs to be protected. A wax, sealant, or ceramic paint coating should be applied to protect your paint from the elements. If you do not protect your paint, you risk further damage from water spots, bird droppings, bug guts, industrial fallout, UV rays, etc.



Sometimes you may experience water spots that are not remove during washing. These spots must be taken care of before they begin etching your paint. A water spot removing product like CarPro Spotless Water Spot and Mineral Remover is a great item to have available to you.



Hope that helps.

-Zach

PondScum

I was lucky. The SGM IS 250C I picked up for my wife had bad water spotting when viewed under fluorescent lights in the garage, but they were actually less visible in direct sunlight. So I polished it just enough so it looked perfect outdoors, but if examined closely in the garage, you can see the roof still isn't perfect. But I no longer care what it looks like in the garage, with my nose 6" from the paint. Maybe a few years ago I was OCD enough to want to polish it out completely, but I'm getting better now.

1BadTitan

I feel you man... I would be satisfied with that. I'm gonna buy some stuff and play some. Its already a mess, it can only get better.

1BadTitan

Thanks for that... I understand what all of it does, I just wonder if my technique is lacking a bit. I need some new pads for my polisher, I bet that and the Meguires Ultimate Compound will do the trick.

crosseyes

I would suggest to wash the car, clay, use a paint cleaner like mothers step 1 followed by M105 and M205 lastly seal it.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Meguiar's UC is actually not very aggressive as far as compounds go. This product is geared towards the average DIY car owner who simply wanders to the auto parts store in search of something to "make their car shiny".

A product like Meguiar's M105 paired with a Meguiar's Micrfiber Cutting Pad would produce much more cut than Ultimate Compound.

As you mentioned, technique is also critical. Slow arm speed, heavier pressure, and high machine speed will all lead to more cut.

-Zach

PondScum

Using the paint cleaner there makes no sense. The M105 is far more aggressive than the Mother's Paint Cleaner.

crosseyes

The reason for using the paint cleaner is to follow the least abrasive polish. Yes you are right M105 is the most abrasive polish that Megs has. But some time paint cleaner could do magic with out using M105.