LexusPia

Need some expert advice from you guys. My wife has a white color ES300 and it was parked in a parking deck next to a demolition site. Her car was coated with construction dust until she moved it to another more remote spot away from the dust. The other day after washing the car, I noticed one entire side of her car (the side facing the demolition site) had debris (like ground pepper) imbedded into the clear coat and I could feel the grits when I rub my hand over. I tried using road tar removal compound without much luck (remember the whole side is "imbedded" with the grits). I wanted to try polishing compound but afraid it may actually rub the grits further into the paint thus making it permanet. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to remove the imbedded grits without removing the clear coat and damaging the paint? Thanks.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Pia,

I'm moving your post to the detailing forum. I don't have time to write a proper response, but do advise you to search this forum for how to use a 'claybar' or 'clay'.... that's what you'll need to do to get the stuff out of your paint. Use LOTs of lubrication.

picus

Sounds like it's bonded, not exactly embedded. Either way, give some detailing clay a shot. You can get some at just about any pep boys. Using it is easy, just flatted it out and rub it on the surface of the paint while using a water/soap or quick detailer lubricant. Here is a good "how-to"

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html

Good luck!

superpats

another how to. http://store.premiumautocare.net/howtousedecl.html

Milla...

I have bug hits in my front bumper that I have neglected for some time , and once I got the detailer to clean it up he showed me how the bug guts etc actually settled into my clear coat and because of it it would not come out via the clay stuff. I watched this guy slave on my bumper trying to get it out but to no avail he even used a compound with an orbit thing, and nothing. The bumper was smooth to the touch and shiny to the eye but they were still there. He said the only thing that will actually get it out is the use of a rotery (sp) it wasn't such a big deal to me so I said forget it. My point is if the clay doesn't work go to the orbit thing if that doesn't work then the rotery.

superpats

I wouldn't reccomend using a rotary buffer unless you have experience. An orbital buffer would be safer to use with a medium cutting pad.

Milla...

Thats why I leave all that stuff to a detailer.

picus

Well, the op is "lucky" because unlike bug guts, dust doesn't tend to etch or embed itself into paint, so he *should* be able to get most of it out with clay. If not then definitely look into employing the expertise of a detailer. Good luck!

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

maybe he can very very very gently sand the clear coat spots with 2000 grit sand paper (wetsanding of course) and then polish it off?

Guitarman

It sure sounds to me like the paint is etched from the acidic bug gut remnants. I see it all the time, it's not something IN there, it's something that is NOT there, the "something" being clearcoat that has been eaten away or discolored from acids. All the compounding and polishing in the world will not remove what isn't there to begin with, or has been damaged irreperably.

This is why you can never leave bugs on your paint for more than a couple days at most. This is also why dealerships that sell used cars have a guy come onto the lot and respray the bumper(s). Bug damage is probably the most prevalent repair work on bumpers next to rock chips and such.