Driplines on Cars

[JHZR2]

The car in question: 2011 BMW 135i Converitble, LeMans Blue.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5114_zpshcca1xxx.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5111_zpsomsrryvc.jpg

Bought it new. Has only ever seen Zaino until I just migrated over to CQuartz UK and the CarPro system. 13k miles. Never seen salt.

For the years it has had Zaino on it, Ive observed funny drip lines. Now, the car does have a bit of an "overhang", which may make water pool and collect funny, but then again, it does it on the bumper too. See the evidence from today's wash.

Perhaps this is an effect of the Zaino?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5088b_zpsbq3lni7l.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5098_zpsgxwfwcqi.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5090_zpsohupq8lx.jpg

After just washing and drying, the car looks pretty darn good...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j317/JHZR2/135i%20-%202/FX1_5099_zpsfwg3pazz.jpg

[Setec Astronomy]

Um...you lost me. Gravity makes water run down vertical surfaces in straight lines. Or are you trying to say that you can see the lines after the car is dry--because you didn't show that?

[DogRescuer]

It needs a light light polish IMO

[JHZR2]

Um...you lost me. Gravity makes water run down vertical surfaces in straight lines. Or are you trying to say that you can see the lines after the car is dry--because you didn't show that?

No kidding that gravity does its thing, but the odd thing here is that water only goes down in those lines that you can see are wet. Water doesn't wet the rest of the surface, and even if I blast the surface with a deluge, it will all revert to those flow lines. So the paint/LSP has selectively gone down those lines/paths for a long time. Any rain, dew coming off, etc. always like that. It's almost like little channels (though flat) where the water selectively goes. And they are consistent. I polished the car, but before you could see that they were always the same in terms of the lines where moisture flowed downward.

In other words, it's not random. These lines are for whatever reason the consistent path that water flowed down.

[Setec Astronomy]

Ok, so you polished that surface and it doesn't do it anymore? We all get drip areas (usually at a panel edge or something) where over time residue will be left, and water will cling to that residue easier than the rest of the surface. Sounds like what you had happening and the polishing should correct it...until it happens again.

[JHZR2]

Ok, so you polished that surface and it doesn't do it anymore? We all get drip areas (usually at a panel edge or something) where over time residue will be left, and water will cling to that residue easier than the rest of the surface. Sounds like what you had happening and the polishing should correct it...until it happens again.

Don't know, only polished it yesterday.

When the car is dirty you can see that where the water selectively "flowed", the dirt is different. And it consistently does this, much worse/differently than our other 6-8 cars that we own.

[Setec Astronomy]

I was just rereading your first post, I don't think the Zaino has anything to do with it. I see you bought the car new, who knows what the dealer did to it on the lot, it may be that there is some hard water staining in those areas that may need some special attention to remove, but in the end is this really a problem, or an just an oddity?

I see the marina in the background, where are you, South Jersey? Shore area? I'm in Essex County.

[JHZR2]

Well I bought the car new, took delivery of it at BMW Performance Center in SC, so it never sat on a lot or saw a dealer...

[heckhole]

Light polish a small area & apply a wax in that area only & experiment washing and see if it comes back.

I've seen this on my own vehicles when I have been too busy to properly care for them to my standards. Seems like contaminants in the wax/finish create these issues.