Does paint on bumpers behave different??

[andym]

Hey guys,
I was doing some correction on my fiat 500, used some 1Z green on the hood with LC white pad, and it worked wonders. I'd say about 99% correction achieved. I used the same exact stuff on the front bumper, with the exception of a smaller pad to get around, but didn't get anywhere near the same results!
Any suggestions?
thanx
andy

[Setec Astronomy]

The paint on flexible bumpers usually has a flex additive to keep the paint from cracking as easily as it would when the bumper flexes. The combination of that and a substrate which doesn't dissipate heat as readily as a metal panel usually makes the paint respond a little differently than the rest of the car.

[andym]

I was afraid of that!!
Any suggestions, more aggressive pad??

[Setec Astronomy]

That's a brand new car...what exactly is the defect you're trying to correct?

[andym]

That's a brand new car...what exactly is the defect you're trying to correct?

Its actually a 2009, as I am in Europe! Damn swirls, from an automated car wash that my wife ran it thru!!!!

[Setec Astronomy]

Oh...my advice is to leave it alone--she's bound to do it again!

Seriously, by 1Z green do you mean this stuff? 1Z Einszett Paint Polish Lack-Politur

That sounds like more of a paint cleaner. You might need to step up to something with some abrasives in it, do you have anything else? I'm not really up on the 1Z line and perhaps you have a different range than we do here.

[Mike Phillips]

Besides the paint on the bumper having some type of flex agent in it, I've been told that components like the bumpers and spoilers, any aerodynamic skirting etc. is often times farmed out to other companies and then added to the car at the manufacturing plant.

This can mean that although the color of the components match the color of the car it's very possible it's a very different "paint system" than being sprayed onto the car at the assembly line.

So it's possible the differences are more than just a flex agent being added, it's likely a completely different paint.

I've had good luck just using a medium cleaner/wax by machine and don't get your expectations to high...

[andym]

That's a brand new car...what exactly is the defect you're trying to correct?

Oh...my advice is to leave it alone--she's bound to do it again!

Seriously, by 1Z green do you mean this stuff? 1Z Einszett Paint Polish Lack-Politur

That sounds like more of a paint cleaner. You might need to step up to something with some abrasives in it, do you have anything else? I'm not really up on the 1Z line and perhaps you have a different range than we do here.

Well the fiat has really soft paint, and the swirls were minimal, but it did a great job on the hood! I guess I can attack it tomorrow with some menzerna or 3M. I always like to go least aggressive stuff first.

[andym]

Besides the paint on the bumper having some type of flex agent in it, I've been told that components like the bumpers and spoilers, any aerodynamic skirting etc. is often times farmed out to other companies and then added to the car at the manufacturing plant.

This can mean that although the color of the components match the color of the car it's very possible it's a very different "paint system" than being sprayed onto the car at the assembly line.

So it's possible the differences are more than just a flex agent being added, it's likely a completely different paint.

I've had good luck just using a medium cleaner/wax by machine and don't get your expectations to high...

Can it be that the plastic bumpers dont retain heat like metal panels, therefore dont aid in the product breaking down correctly?

[Setec Astronomy]

Can it be that the plastic bumpers dont retain heat like metal panels, therefore dont aid in the product breaking down correctly?

No, they do retain heat. Plastic has a much lower thermal conductivity than metal. Again, from the description of the product your using, it doesn't sound like there's really any abrasive to break down. It may be that the paint is softer on those panels and got scratched more during the wash. Or, since those panels seem to fade faster, maybe the defects are simply more noticeable. Or again, from some combination of factors, the paint is just different and needs a different technique from the rest of the car.