Dodge Charger- water spots

[thrownout27]

Afternoon,

I have a 2012 Dodge Charger with a red finish. I have some type 2 water spots and wanted some advice. I own all 3 LC hybrid pads, all 2.0 Meguiars pads, a Meguiars DA, Pinnacle swirl remover and finishing polish, m105 & m205, and a few other items. What is your guess on how we'll do. I am brand new to this and hope to not have to go with sanding or wool pads. Any other recommendations?

[Rsurfer]

Afternoon,

I have a 2012 Dodge Charger with a red finish. I have some type 2 water spots and wanted some advice. I own all 3 LC hybrid pads, all 2.0 Meguiars pads, a Meguiars DA, Pinnacle swirl remover and finishing polish, m105 & m205, and a few other items. What is your guess on how we'll do. I am brand new to this and hope to not have to go with sanding or wool pads. Any other recommendations?
If your paint doesn't need polishing, use a water spot remover (acid) to remove the water spots without removing clear coat. If you need to polish anyway, use the least aggressive first (test spot).

[Mike Phillips]

If your paint doesn't need polishing, use a water spot remover (acid) to remove the water spots without removing clear coat. If you need to polish anyway, use the least aggressive first (test spot).


Ron do you have a specific brand of acid water spot remover you recommend as well as how to use it and any safety precautions if it contains Hydrofluoric Acid?


:dunno:

[Mike Phillips]

Afternoon,

I have a 2012 Dodge Charger with a red finish. I have some type 2 water spots and wanted some advice.





Type II Water Spots are the worst kind...

Type II Water Spots are actually crater etchings in the paint by something corrosive enough to physically eat or dissolve portions of your car's clear coat finish.

If they are deep, then removing them 100% could leave you with a very thin layer of clear paint and factory paint is already too thin from the start.


As for using acid to try to remove water spots, a little Googling will turn up a lot of information on this topic,


Here's one such thread posted back in 2005

Water spot removal with HF acid (http://www.autodetailingnetworkforums.com/post/Water-spot-removal-with-HF-acid-555228)




10 or 12 years ago, I used to recommend that very process.

However, as time progressed, started to see "some" metallics, under the clear, "darken".

Talked with my people at PPG, DuPont and BASF regarding the process and how good it worked, but why was I seeing some of the metallics darken.

They literally cringed, told me that the acid, even if flushed, had already "attacked the resin system" of the clear, and that, depending on the environment the vehicle would be subjected to over a couple of years, would likely see the clear starting to "cloud", which is the main indicator of the clear "falling apart" due to the resin system no longer being "tight".

Most are aware of how dangerous HF is to humans, and most have seen what it does to the more robust "acrylic or polyester powder clears used on factory aluminum wheels.

First, we see the wheel get a "cloudy" appearance, then as time progresses, we observe small hairline "scratches" start to appear.

That's the clear breaking down.

And that is on a very robust powder coat clear!

What do you think the end result, over time will be to the vehicle less robust resin system clear?

Ketch




Go to Google and do some searching using the below search string...


HF for removing water spots
or

Hydrofluoric Acid for removing water spots

And see what you find...

I'd probably stick to trying to do some machine polishing and if the water spot crater etchings are deep, perhaps be open to living with them versus trying to remove them 100%.



:)

[Caleb@ImpeccableImage]

I have some type 2 water spots as well and they suck! I have just learned to live with them. I removed them the best I could with the megs da kit. It looks a million times better but there are still some left. Just do the best you can.

[Bill220]

Maybe try CG Water Spot Remover first? It worked on my car but the spots were there for only a short time.

Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover, glass polish, metal polish, mineral spot remover (http://www.autogeek.net/chemical-guys-water-spot-remover.html)

[thrownout27]

Would you guess that DA polishing will do SOME correction though?


Type II Water Spots are the worst kind...

Type II Water Spots are actually crater etchings in the paint by something corrosive enough to physically eat or dissolve portions of your car's clear coat finish.

If they are deep, then removing them 100% could leave you with a very thin layer of clear paint and factory paint is already too thin from the start.


As for using acid to try to remove water spots, a little Googling will turn up a lot of information on this topic,


Here's one such thread posted back in 2005

Water spot removal with HF acid (http://www.autodetailingnetworkforums.com/post/Water-spot-removal-with-HF-acid-555228)




Go to Google and do some searching using the below search string...


HF for removing water spots
or

Hydrofluoric Acid for removing water spots

And see what you find...

I'd probably stick to trying to do some machine polishing and if the water spot crater etchings are deep, perhaps be open to living with them versus trying to remove them 100%.



:)

[Rsurfer]

Ron do you have a specific brand of acid water spot remover you recommend as well as how to use it and any safety precautions if it contains Hydrofluoric Acid?


:dunno:

Mike, Rocky Mountain and Mark V Splash are ok, but MX7 for paint works the fastest. As with any acid, wear gloves and eye protection. MX7 contains Ammonium Bifluoride and Phosphoric Acid. I wipe it on with a sponge let it sit for a minute or two and rinse. I don't recommend MX7 for paint to be used on glass as it could rainbow. Use Duragloss Nu-Glass #755 or if it's etched into the glass, use Car Pro's Ceriglass.