Pad picking up paint

[Noamtasini]

Was rotary polishing my 2003 original Metalic Grey paint Miata(I'm presuming original, as I'm the third owner) yesterday, and noticed paint transfer on the wool pad.
Was it resprayed and not had its final clear coat applied?
Is the clear coat just "dead" after 19 years and 110,000 miles?
I'm 99% positive I didn't burn through with these light passes.
I don't hover .. Speed at 3.. A few skips and wabbles that come with the territory of the rotary.. Can't think of anything else. 🤔
Very strange.
Thsnks for your guidance..

[dgage]

Is it by chance single stage paint? I’m not enough of an expert on single stage paint but we do have some in here with more experience.

But if there were a clear coat, you should definitely notice an area outlined with no clear coat vs a painted area with clear coat.

EDIT: Just did a search for Miata gray metallic single stage and apparently Titanium Gray Metallic is a single stage paint based on the Google results. So there’s your explanation. Mike Phillips has a few articles on single stage paint and polishing. Add “site:AutogeekOnline.net” to search the site from Google as it usually gives better results than the forum search.

[BlackCarBlues]

What pad and compound were you using? Also, is it possible you’re seeing clear coat or maybe the pad is just picking up contaminants? Can you post a picture of the pad?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PaulMys]

:Picture:

[Noamtasini]

I wonder if it really is a single stage without any clear on it?!
In 2003 nonetheless? ��
Buff and Shine uro-wool pad with Aca 500.