2011 Subaru Outback questions

[damaged442]

My parents have the above mentioned vehicle in Graphite Gray Metallic. Since they have had the car, every time they have washed it, it leaves the worst water spots I have ever seen. I have not seen anything like it on any other vehicle. It doesn't matter if you wash the car in the sun, shade, light, dark, hot, cold. It doesn't matter if you keep it wet or dry immediately after you wash. It doesn't matter what water is used, well or municipal.

This past week I was up visiting them, so I figured I'd see what I could do with their car and make it look a little more appealing.

First, I hit the wheels with Sonax. My kids were most amused by this and called my father to come out and see his wheels bleeding.

After a 2BM wash with Mr. Pink, I dried and went to town with a clay bar with Meg's QD. With 68K on the odometer, there really wasn't much in the clay. I was pretty surprised. The paint itself was pretty clean. The water spots still remained, however.

Next up was some XMT360 with my PC with white LC CCS pads. I was able to remove the spots at this step and was left with a very impressive shine. Two coats of 845 later and the paint looked better than it did when they bought the car.

The questions:

1. Has anyone else seen this kind of spotting behavior with Subaru paint? It was very peculiar. I realize this kind of question is worthless without pics, but I did not have my phone with me.

2. Now that the paint looks good, it makes the gray plastic trim all over the car look pretty beat. They live in the Adirondacks in NY and they deal with a lot of salt/sand mix that has annihilated the trim, especially the rocker trim and the bottoms of the doors.

I'd like to get the trim looking a little better for them. Any suggestions? I thought about hitting it with 845 too, but I held out and figured I'd ask all of you first. I can't believe how much plastic is on this car!

Thanks in advance!

[BrandonS]

I have owned 3 subarus an 11,12, and 13. I have not had that color but all three where different and never had a problem. I wonder if the water spots are old hard water spots that become visible after you clean it. Grey and silver can hide some until perfectly clean. I would do a 3 step and finish with a sealant. Find out where they park. Maybe they are getting sprayed by sprinklers somewhere. I am assuming you have used the water on other cars you used to wash. I have done some cars that have terrible spots because they have bad water and they let their cars get sprayed. You may not have to go more aggressive than something like megs 205 but you may need more. I just did my wife's white legacy with ubercompound and it looks better than the day we bought it. Good luck

[reeeko99]

We have 5 Soobs in our family. I've not seen that issue.

Nothing a good polish and quality LSP can't cure I'm sure.

I've had really good luck with Duragloss 501 for cleaning up the paint, removing any spotting, deep cleaning, and then topping with Collinite 845 or 476.
I like 476 a little better, more depth and gloss vs brightness.
Apply it thin and don't let it haze for very long and it will remove just fine. I always use a damp applicator. Do one or two panels at a time.
You should get 4-6 months out of that combo.

As for the black trim and roof rack. I've used various products but mostly settled on Poorboys Trim Restorer applied in multiple coats over a cpl of hours or days... For the roof rack, I settled on getting 3 good coats over a cpl of days allowing some curing in between coats. Then apply one coat as touchup after a month so of weekly washing.
The roof rack will really soak of the TR, so apply light coats and work it in.
My 2011 Outback looks pretty good using TR.

[BillE]

Black Subby here...in a quick answer, no.

Caveat: Due to the hard water here, getting ALL of the water off is the trick. Using some sort of 'drying aid' really helps. When I live in Seattle, never a problem, but there the water was a soft as a babies toosh.

Bill

[damaged442]

Thanks for the responses! I appreciate the input.

Now, I will just see if the spots return. It took some effort with the PC to remove them. Overall, I am impressed with the XMT360. Smells nice too!

I use both 845 and 476 often on my vehicles, and gave Dad a bottle of 845 to replace his can of Rain Dance fom 1976. He only lives about 45 minutes away from the Collinite factory in Utica, NY, so he takes a little pride in using the local stuff! I'm waiting for him to want to take a little road trip down and stop at F.X. Matt Brewery along the way.

Hard to teach the old dog new tricks, but I am trying. He was still reaching for an old terry cloth towel, when my ten year old daughter told him to throw it away and use the microfiber! She even showed him how to fold it!