Water spots on Wolfgang Uber ceramic- how to remove?

[DetailDrivenEugene]

I did a paint correction and ceramic coating on an 03 ebony pearl Audi RS6 in December. Client called today stating he had washed the car, gotten sidetracked, and let the water dry on the car.

i went out today to inspect it. WG Detail spritz had no effect. Tried some Fuzion wax, knowing it can be applied over Uber ceramic, still no luck. I did a test spot with WG finishing glaze.......melted the spots with very little effort.

my question is, is this method safe for the coating, or is there something else that would work better? I tried to stick with
the least aggressive approach, and the glaze says it is water based, so hopefully I’m on the right track.

Thanks,
Bobby

[Rsurfer]

Try some white vinegar.

[DetailDrivenEugene]

Try some white vinegar.

Will this effect the coating?

[Rsurfer]

Will this effect the coating?

Do a test spot first.

[FrankS]

How did you apply the WG Finishing Glaze?

[DetailDrivenEugene]

How did you apply the WG Finishing Glaze?

By hand, using a soft microfiber towel. It really didn’t take a lot of pressure or rubbing.

[Rsurfer]

By hand, using a soft microfiber towel. It really didn’t take a lot of pressure or rubbing.

Although it's called a glaze, it's really a finishing polish with fine abrasives which will remove the coating.

[FrankS]

Although it's called a glaze, it's really a finishing polish with fine abrasives which will remove the coating.

As Rsurfer mentioned, it is a finishing polish with fine abrasives.

It's hard to say whether all of the coating was removed. A firm polishing with a polishing machine would mostly likely remove that coating. Some pro-grade coatings need to be sanded off but WG Uber is not one of those.

Since you did it without of lot of pressure, you most likely removed some of the coating, the top portion, but it's hard to say. A lot of variables are involved, such as how thick the coating was applied, etc.

Even if you go the chemical route, like a water spot remover, or vinegar as Rsurfer mentioned, it will affect the coating somewhat. You can inform the customer that the coating should be reapplied to be on the safe side.

I think those are things that need to be mentioned to the customer when applying a coating...that it needs to be maintained properly and it's not a once and done type of thing. I'm guilty of that in the past, and now try to make it clear to the customer the maintenance commitment involved.

[DetailDrivenEugene]

As Rsurfer mentioned, it is a finishing polish with fine abrasives.

It's hard to say whether all of the coating was removed. A firm polishing with a polishing machine would mostly likely remove that coating. Some pro-grade coatings need to be sanded off but WG Uber is not one of those.

Since you did it without of lot of pressure, you most likely removed some of the coating, the top portion, but it's hard to say. A lot of variables are involved, such as how thick the coating was applied, etc.

Even if you go the chemical route, like a water spot remover, or vinegar as Rsurfer mentioned, it will affect the coating somewhat. You can inform the customer that the coating should be reapplied to be on the safe side.

I think those are things that need to be mentioned to the customer when applying a coating...that it needs to be maintained properly and it's not a once and done type of thing. I'm guilty of that in the past, and now try to make it clear to the customer the maintenance commitment involved.

I am always very clear about the aftercare with the customers. This guy knows he dropped the ball. I’m just trying to find the best way to fix it for him. I appreciate all the input.
Others are welcome to chime in as well.

[FrankS]

I am always very clear about the aftercare with the customers. This guy knows he dropped the ball. I’m just trying to find the best way to fix it for him. I appreciate all the input.
Others are welcome to chime in as well.

Good to hear you're clear about the aftercare with your customers, didn't mean to imply that you didn't, just sharing my thoughts.

I would say the least aggressive method to fix the problem would be to use a water spot remover (or vinegar) and see if that works. It may affect some of the hydrophobic properties of the coating but at least it won't be removed.

You can always top it with a wax or sealant afterward to give it added protection.