Frustrated...permanent damage?

[rivaladversary]

Hey everyone, I have a 2010 Black Acura TSX. I use Optimum No-Rinse and Cobra Guzzler MF Towel to wipe the car dry. I use Optimum Opti-seal with the Pinnacle yellow foam pads to seal my car and then a Cobra Miracle MF towel to buff dry. I follow it up with Optimum Car Wax and buff dry with another Cobra Microfiber Towel. I spent countless hours watching videos of proper drying techniques and application of products. However, I have come upon two things that may have permanently marred my car's paint.

Before I go any further, I want to point out that I am a complete newbie when it comes to car care.

When I clay barred my car 2 months ago (with Meguiar's Clay), I noticed that there were water spots I could not get rid of. People suggested that I purchase Meguiar's ScratchX 2.0 to get rid of these water spots. So, I went ahead and bought myself a bottle and used a Pinnacle yellow foam pad to apply it on 3 small sections of my car's hood. This is the unfortunate result...I believe it's called hazing?

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/7467/pic0158.jpg

I had no idea what to do, so ultimately, I just sprayed Optimum Car Wax over it and it seemed to have reduced it from being too noticeable. Did I apply this product wrong or something? I barely used ANY pressure, and I don't think I used too much product. I just simply worked the product in in circular motions for about 10-20 seconds. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this hazing?

Another thing I am concerned about happened today. I used Mother's Clay bar to try to get a water spot off (hell, I just wanted to give it a shot) and it resulted in grief. The Clay bar glided through the paint no problem but when I wiped it off, there was streaking. I was deathly afraid because I could not get it off. Thinking to myself that clay barring would also strip the car's paint sealant and car wax, I just used Optimum Car Wax over it with a Cobra miracle towel to try to hide it and hope that it would go away over time. Unfortunately, there is still some light streaking. I tried to take a pic of it but I can't capture it on my camera.

What the heck am I doing wrong? Is there something I can do? I am so paranoid now with the polishing/clay barring step.

[loudog2]

Get a dual action polisher, pads and various polishes. This will make everything good. Scratchx can leave marring. You have a acura/honda which are notorious for soft paint. Also, claying can leave scratches and swirls too. That's why people usually do it before polishing it. And yes claying does remove your wax/sealant.

[rivaladversary]

is there a way i can remove this stuff by hand?

will the streaks eventually disappear?

[rivaladversary]

is this hazing supposed to happen after using scratchx 2.0?

[Midnight1700]

Not to worry! It's probably not as bad as you think. Without having to invest in a lot of products, try using Klasse AIO. You can probably get a way with a hand applicator, or if this doesn't work, you can alway try the focus pads on a drill.

[rivaladversary]

people are saying that a finishing polish will do the trick? any recommendations that i can get at autozone or something?

[James K]

If you are shopping at AZ then look for Meguiars Ultimate Polish.

[Midnight1700]

people are saying that a finishing polish will do the trick? any recommendations that i can get at autozone or something?

I'm not sure about AutoZone because I don't have a store neer me to say for sure. But, I know that some NAPA stores carry a pretty good supply of bodyshop/detailer supplies. The NAPA store neer me has a complete automotive finishing area that even does custom paint mixing for autos. Hope this helps.

The problem with doing this kind of correction is that when you are done correcting the areas you're talking about, you'll find more to do, and the next thing you know you doing your entire car! :buffing:

[sulla]

I barely used ANY pressure,

You need to apply 15 lbs of pressure... measure with a scale and see for yourself how a 15-20 lbs pressure is like

I am willing to bet that you didnt work the product hard enough that the color of the haze is almost as thick as when you started..since you didnt work it hard enough the product dries prematurely and you are stucked with 'hard to buff dried unworked polish' for the lack of better term

You are supposed to put enough pressure and work the product until the whitish liquid turns into almost transparent in color

to confirm my bet work that area again with scratchx 2.0 but now use enough pressure and enough working time untill the polish turns clear the residue should buff easy and your paint should be clear and shiny after buff.. if you still didnt get it try spraying WD40 or 50% diluted water and IPA mix on the haze and buff it with MF towel those should clear the haze..

By the time you work your whole hood you should tire your whole arms out and wish for an easier way to do this.. I will echo what others have said here..invest in a DA..unless you are scottwax with powerful hands that could beat a machine you will save more time and get more enjoyment buffing with a DA..

Oh btw if WD40 doesnt do the trick..make sure your applicator pad is clean and you use either a foam app pad or mf app pad..I've come accross people who thought using red carpet that work well with glass will work equally well on paint :doh:

[rivaladversary]

that could be the reason why. i did not use much pressure and i certainly did not give the product enough time to work it in. if i decide to try it out again, should i clay bar the area again to remove the paint sealant and wax or can i just go ahead and apply scratch X over the paint sealant/wax?

is there also a way where i can isolate these hazing spots so that if i were to try to correct them that i am not spreading more of the product on my hood?

[Setec Astronomy]

You need to apply 15 lbs of pressure... measure with a scale and see for yourself how a 15-20 lbs pressure is like

Whoa whoa WHOA. 15 lbs is the recommended pressure for applying to a DA polisher that has a LOT more surface area and is more evenly distributed than YOUR HAND on an applicator. Rivaladversary, PLEASE don't do this.

First of all, where are you located, perhaps there is a member close to you that can help out. Second, Scratch-X has gone through a number of different versions, some o them use diminishing abrasives, which have to be broken down, etc., so it's not really the easiest product to use. I'd suggest you try to find some Meguiar's Ultimate Polish in a local store like Pep Boys, Target, or Wal-Mart. This product has non-diminishing abrasives that don't need to be broken down like your Scratch-X may. Make sure your surface and applicator is clean. You don't have to remove any wax that's on the car before polishing, but you will need to re-wax after.

[rivaladversary]

thanks everyone for the help. i live in san francisco and sometimes i feel like i should just spend the 400 bucks and get the car paint corrected by a professional (During the first couple of months after buying my car, my dad offered to "care" for my car while i was busy working, applying for grad school, and taking teacher exams, which resulted in swirl marks and light scratches all over my car).

regardless, i am gonna go pick me up that ultimate polish product. do you think it'll remove the hazing that's been on the car for about 2-3 months now? i looked up product and it seems that i can at least hand apply it fairly easily.

what should i do after i polish? should i wash the area again and then apply paint protection?

[Setec Astronomy]

You shouldn't need to wash it before you reapply your paint protection as long as you washed it well beforehand (which you should).

I can't think of any members in the SF area right now.

[akimel]

The hazing you are seeing is nothing for you to worry about! Hazing will often occur when one is using an abrasive polish to remove scratches and swirls. It's just an inevitable consequence of scratch removal, especially on softer paints. With the right product and technique it will be easily removed. The trick, of course, is finding the right product and figuring out the right technique.

Ultimate Polish may well do the trick for you. I haven't used it yet, but it's supposed to be lower on the abrasive scale and is designed to remove hazing left behind by Ultimate Compound and ScratchX. Also, use a foam applicator. (Unfortunately, you may have to order them online--I cannot find them locally, though I've been told that boating supply stores will often carry them.) I have found that microfiber applicators will often mar soft paints. I have a black Honda--the paint mars just be looking at it! After you wash the car, do a test spot with the Ultimate Polish, maybe 18"x18". Work the polish into the test area and then buff off. You might even want to then clean the test spot with a 50/50 IPA/water solution, which will remove all oils and allow you to see the paint clearly. If the hazing is still there, try it again. If the hazing is gone, then proceed to polish the rest of the car. It will be hard work, since you are working by hand, but you will love the results. Good luck!

[rivaladversary]

i'm a little hesitant with the IPA/water solution mix because I believe Mike posted about this a while ago. We both know that Acura/Honda paint is super soft, but I suppose just following the dilution that Mike suggested will be okay.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/31183-how-mix-ipa-inspecting-correction-results.html

fortunately, I have like 4 applicator pads that came with the Optimum Opti-Seal I purchased. Now I have to find Ultimate Polish; I don't see it much at the stores I go to.