Try this site ..

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...detailing-122/


Lots of good information and would be a better place to discuss.


Salim

 

The hood is still in very good condition from what I can see, the clear coat on the sides and roof is already gone so there is very little chances of bringing that back but with a lot of patience you could probably bring the hood back to new if not better than new condition. If you want to try and restore the hood you'll need a few things the first, depending on how much money you want to spend is going to be a rotary buffer or polisher, you will want one with a foam pad, or you could go to autoparts and get the headligt restoration kit that has a mini buffer that attaches to a drill, I started off with the latter but now use a full size buffer, the second thing is Meguiars Compound it comes in a black bottle with a red car on the front it will work miracles on paints. The third is Meguairs Ultimate wax paste it comes with a rag and applicator.
To start you will want to wash the hood then get whichever tool your using then apply dime size amount of compound on the mini buffer or a generous amount on the full size one, then work at a slow speed at first in vertical lines up and down the hood, you will want to make sure you keep enough compound on the hood so that it doesnt dry up and burn the paint, you will want to maintain a good film on the hood just shy of getting a thick layer of compound over the hood, you will pick up on the tecnique as you work at it. Make sure to keep the buffer moving and dont press hard just apply very gentle pressure, once you think you have worked at it long enough wipe it with a terry cloth and you should hear a squeaking as you wipe this means youve removed all the wax and opened the pores of the clearcoat and allowed it to be resurfaced, the scratches should be greatly reduced if not gone, if they dont appear to have changed try and go over them a little more agressively with the buffer, it actually is very hard to burn paint if you just keep the buffer moving. Once you are satified with the appearance you will then want to wipe it with a microfiber cloth to remove all fingerprints then apply the wax according to the directions and it should be one of the smoothest, softest things youve ever felt.

 

There is no fix from that there is no paint left to fix. A respray is your only fix. Insist on a decent brand of paint like De-beers no plug intended or a similar factory grade. Yes paint whole car you wont match rest of car dont do a touch up job in order to save your already carbonised paint A polish would fix some of the surrounding areas but it will also highlight all the damage.

 

If I were to do a respray, how much (estimate) would you thing it'll cost me around? It's really bugging me like crazy. Especially since it's a LEXUS.

 

Really debating about a MAACO paint job. The one around my area seems to be a good one from all the reviews I read. 5/5 stars on every comment from 26 customers.

I went in for a quote and he showed me some of his paint jobs that were done and they looked really good. Guy quoted me $693 for a whole repaint with the clear coat and 2 year warranty.

But now I want to know if this will be good on the long run or not ...

decisions, decisions ...

 

My personnal experience with MAACO is getting dated. I had my Mercedes-Benz 220D from 1975-1995. I think your personal observations are more important than stars or comments by others.

Even expensive repaint jobs have some flaws. But, if you are happy with the look of his work, I say go for it. I don't think they use inferior paint, and you should be good for 5 years if the RX is kept outside and longer if it is garaged.

I used the MAACO on Eisenhauer Ave. in Alexandria VA.

 

Thank you for your input Bob! Yeah, the one I'm going to is in Sterling, VA.

Will save up some $ first. Kinda in debt at the moment :/

 

In your case, you dont have any body work (denting) but you do have an edge. So in your case you have some prep work and then taping-blocking (to prevent over-spray).

Other than quality of material, you are really dependent on skill of the worker.

For the materials, I would prefer going to some shop that your local Lexus dealership recommends.

For the skill, you my get a good artist at any paint shop. But a skilled artist (who has a proven history) can only be found at high-end shops. That does not mean a novice can never beat a bad job of a skilled person's worst job. This is where or how much you want to gamble comes in.

Salim