Paint Damage

Discuss all aspects of Car Care / Detailling etc.
Post Reply
Grumpyjohn1957
ALP
ALP
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:53 pm

Paint Damage

Post by Grumpyjohn1957 » Sat Sep 10, 2022 11:14 pm

Using a car as a daily covering a lot of miles means paint damage is inevitable. One has to accept this, but it makes it no less disheartening.
Depending on grime levels I occasionally give the car a snow foam followed by a DI water jet wash with full valeting being reserved for winter road salt weeks or special occasions.
With autumn fast approaching I decided it was time to give her a “proper wash”, paint inspection and a quick wax/EGP application around anywhere looking a little dull.
Her flanks and hind quarters are good, the front bumper looked a tad flat and felt gritty to the hand, so I reached for the DA polisher.

Mistake! What a mess.

In addition to paint chips the polishing compound revealed a lunar landscape of dings in the actual ABS, some quite deep.
Being dark coloured paint, the dried white compound contrasted as it filled in the craters highlighting every imperfection. It took a subsequent eternity of finger rubbing with cloths to get the now dried compound out of the holes.

The Alpina front splitter is an absolute chip magnet due to its size and proximity to the ground, it also seems to cause debris to deflect upwards and splatter the bumper. My G31 530d did not suffer like this despite being used for the same journeys. Very strange.

To anyone buying a new car or having a full paint correction I say, if you value your car then PPF or similar the front!

Too late for me, the only way out is a respray, I guess.

First image shows the flanks: Was filthy to start, soaked in Sno foam, DI water jet washed, microfibre wiped to dry.

Second image: Polishing compound in the dings.

Third image: After an age of finger polishing and tooth brushing.

Fourth image. Stuck in the NSF displaced radiator! (It would have been a quick end). Need to remove front wheel and part of arch liner to be able to extract. Uck.
Flanks.jpg
Flanks.jpg (371.55 KiB) Viewed 527 times
Polish.jpg
Polish.jpg (242.65 KiB) Viewed 527 times
Scrubbed.jpg
Scrubbed.jpg (199.36 KiB) Viewed 527 times
Displaced Radiator.jpg
Displaced Radiator.jpg (198.33 KiB) Viewed 527 times
John
2019 G31 B5 Biturbo Touring #336 - Sophisto Grey
(Brunhilda)

Post Reply