Green Honda Accord with small clear coat issues

[frosty]

My sister in las has a green accord. It's not the new body style so I'm assuming it's probably a 2000 to 2003 model.

It doesn't look as it it's ever had wax. On the trunk there is a golf ball size spot where the clear coat looks to be failing. There's another spot on the roof. The paint is so rough when you run your hand over it, it feels about like 500 grit sand paper or rougher.

I told her she needs to wash it and wax/seal it to try and salvage the majority of the paint and take the car to a body shop and have the clear coat on the two panels sanded down and recoated.

I offered to seal it for her. The hood even though it's clear coat looks as it has oxidation. I plan to wash it, clay and then try Opti seal AIO I just received with a white or orange pad. I'm going to tape off the sections where I see the problems building. They aren't peeling or anything as of yet. My thoughts are even if something flakes the problem has to be fixed anyway.

The reason I'm going to use my 3403 & the AIO is to try and remove oxidation and dullness in the rest of the paint.

My question is, anybody see any issues with trying an orange pad and Optimum Opti Seal for this situation. An alternative would be Megs #205 & and an orange or white and then Wolfgang Deep Sealant 3.0.

I'll probably get the car tomorrow. Unfortunatetly I don't have any pix of the present condition to share.

Any thoughts?

[ziggo99]

Hit it with #205 first. If possible, run to Wal-Mart or Target and pick up a bottle of SwirlX or UC and use that. But if not, 205 has more cut than Opti Seal and it sounds like it needs it.

[Rsurfer]

Do a small test area first with a white pad and then move up if necessary. Good Luck and take some before and after pictures.

[frosty]

Hit it with #205 first. If possible, run to Wal-Mart or Target and pick up a bottle of SwirlX or UC and use that. But if not, 205 has more cut than Opti Seal and it sounds like it needs it.

I actually have a bottle of UC I just received. She just wants it washed and wax. I told her I'd spend a day on it and see what I could do with my new toys and test some products. As rsurfer recommened I was going to take the hood and do a small section with the Optimum and a white. Go to an orange and see where it's at. She wouldn't care if the swirls or scratches were removed. I'd just like to try and get color back to the car.

I have a follow up question to anybody that has used the Poli-seal. Does it take 12 hours to cure like some of the other sealants?

Thanks

P.S. Thanks rsurfer, I'll definitely get some pix. Main reason I'm offering to do it. :)

[Mike Phillips]

On the trunk there is a golf ball size spot where the clear coat looks to be failing. There's another spot on the roof. The paint is so rough when you run your hand over it, it feels about like 500 grit sand paper or rougher.

The reason I'm going to use my 3403 & the AIO is to try and remove oxidation and dullness in the rest of the paint.




Like rsurfer posted, definitely do a Test Spot or two, it kind of sounds like a good candidate for overall clear coat failure.

Clear coat paints will oxidize but in most cases the paint will completely fail instead. Oxidation is topical and can be fixed, clearcoat failure is the entire clear layer going bad and cannot be fixed.

Two threads,

The practical differences between single stage paints and a clear coat paints (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/21924-practical-differences-between-single-stage-paints-clear-coat-paints.html)

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/21216-power-after-shots-created-before-shots.html)



Good luck!


:xyxthumbs:

[frosty]

Like rsurfer posted, definitely do a Test Spot or two, it kind of sounds like a good candidate for overall clear coat failure.

Clear coat paints will oxidize but in most cases the paint will completely fail instead. Oxidation is topical and can be fixed, clearcoat failure is the entire clear layer going bad and cannot be fixed.

Two threads,

The practical differences between single stage paints and a clear coat paints (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/21924-practical-differences-between-single-stage-paints-clear-coat-paints.html)

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/21216-power-after-shots-created-before-shots.html)



Good luck!


:xyxthumbs:

Thanks Mike!!!! My wife had a 96 black eagle talon many years ago. Before we met she never washed it and eventually the paint was kind of like what this one is now.

After a while chunks started coming off so I've seen it fail over time. Same car she drove 30 miles with a busted radiator hose and was wondering what the steam was coming out from under the hood :) So paint job would have totalled it

Anywho, the two places I see seem like the first stages but 99.9 % of the other car looks like a good clean up and seal would help it.

My thoughts are taping around the couple of spots just to make sure I don't go over them. The part I'm not sure is safe to assume is where the panels with no visible failures would be suseptable to a machine causing the clear coat to come off.

I'm going to start on the panels that have the damage so just in case something does happen, it will be to something needs repairing anyway.

I'll post some pix of it when she brings it by.

[frosty]

Ok I got some pix.

Hood, Roof, Trunk and then far shot of the hood. Actually little worse today than I remember.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/ClearFailHood1.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/ClearRoofFail.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/ClearTrunkFail.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/uploads/24452/FrontLeft.jpg

[longdx]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Honda CC issues. There seems to be a tendency of Honda paint failing quicker than other vehicles. Polish the area within reason (least aggressive first and protect). It will eventually need a repaint.

[frosty]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Honda CC issues. There seems to be a tendency of Honda paint failing quicker than other vehicles. Polish the area within reason (least aggressive first and protect). It will eventually need a repaint.


I'm not that familar with Honda but I think maintanance has something to do with this one as well. Rubbing your hand across the paint feels like 500 grit sand paper or something. The swirls are worse than a test fender I took a brillo pad too last night.

The pads for my Flex 3401 are supposed to be here tomorrow. I offered to do it to do some experiment and get some pix. I'm contemplating trying my 3401, Megs 105, CCS Orange pad and then their 205 & a White pad just to see what it can do. Or just do the Poli-Seal with an Orange or white with it.

Was going to start this afternoon but a friend brought his acura and we fixed the headlights. Got to get the pix together for a post on that. :)

[frosty]

When to say when? First this thing was so nasty, it took 2 hours to clay bar. If I were charging and the paint wasn't already with problems, I probably would have to use 3 of the Meg's clay bars that come with they're retail kit. I couldn't work but about 30 seconds before having to knead and clean the clay.

So next I decided what the heck, I'm going to try my rotary & Meg's 105 in a small place. I'm getting rid of the haze and the paint is shining but a lot of swirls and scratches you can't feel with a finger nail still exist. I've thought about breaking out my purple wool but then again, if somebody were paying, I'm almost thinking this needs wetsanding then 105 & 205. I'm going to speed up and go over it with the #205 and then the all in one just to try it. FYI. The Megs #205 really does do anything for the blemishes as they are so I figured the AIO wouldn't either.

I think I could get more out with a ton of time. I guess this a 90's something model with 175k miles. I'm starting to wonder if some of the things I'm seeing is under the clear coat.

For this car and who I'm doing it for, claybar and wax alone made it shine 100% better. I'm just tinkering now but the question that still nags me, if this was somebody paying how far would you go. I'm thinking this age, condition of the paint etc I should just do as I orignally planned, used the AIO with my 3401 and called it a day.

But scratches drive me nuts so just experimenting to see what it would take. However, since it's not my car and the condition probably not going to get anymore agressive.

Would appreciate some input from any pro's out there.

Thanks

P.S. I'll post some pix's tomorrow when I'm done and hopefully the sun is out. Also, I know this car has clear coat problems. My questions above are for a car that is in this shape swirl & scratch wise with the signs of clear coat failure.

[frosty]

After spending a ton of time experimenting, came to the realization alot of the stuff I was trying to get out was under the paint. Not much use to post any pix. The paint that's left is shiny but so are the chips and scratches. :)