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  1. #1
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    Pitting in Coating

    Experts-
    I have an Opti-Coat Pro Plus coating on my car, and had some wicked water spotting on it. I tried to chemically remove it, but to no avail, so on to the mechanical removal. Starting with the less aggressive option, I used a DA with Optimum Hyper Polish and a Rupes yellow pad. I was pleased that they came off without too much effort, or having to move to MF pads/cutting compound.
    But upon inspection, I see a lot of pitting in the coating that wasn't there before polishing. They are pretty small, but they're all over the areas that were polished. I've never seen pitting in a coating and wasn't sure if this was typical, or I have something "special" happening, so I thought I'd ask the experts here. Any ideas what's happening?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    My guess is that you have almost polished through the ceramic coating. A ceramic coating often filling the valleys in the paint. So you get a flat surface and the gloss comes up from that. So when you polishing and gets almost through and maybe through on the higher spots in the paint. It can be looking almost like you have wet sanded the paint. Just a guess though. A more simple answer can be that the water spots has etched through deeper in the coating and caused the pitting look.

    How long since did you get the coating applyied?

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  4. #3
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Could also be little chips in the paint. Lots of flying debris out there

  5. #4
    Super Member The Guz's Avatar
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Coatings don't pit so I would lean that it is on the painted surface. Do you have any photos that could help us see what you see?

    Also you should have taken it to your opti-coat installer. Polishing has compromised the coating so you are going to have to re-coat.

  6. #5
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Thanks for all of the replies!
    I had it coated about 5 months ago, so still pretty fresh. As far as level of polishing I performed, I went super light. The lighter swirls came out in the process, but the deeper scratches are still there, so I really don't think I took much off at all. I also don't think it's road damage since the adjacent panels don't have the same pitting. If removal of the OCPP is required, any idea how difficult that is going to be? Anyone removed it before?
    Thank you guys very much for the guidance!

  7. #6
    Super Member rlmccarty2000's Avatar
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Let me get this straight. You are polishing a 5 moth old Pro level coating to remove swirls? If that is correct then what you are trying to do is impossible. The only thing I know that will help clear up marring and scratches is something like Essence Plus with NO abrasives.

    Some pro coatings say they have to be sanded off. You can try a heavy compound like Menzerma 300 or 400 if your current polish is not working. If it was me I would contact the installer.

  8. #7
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Quote Originally Posted by rlmccarty2000 View Post
    Let me get this straight. You are polishing a 5 moth old Pro level coating to remove swirls? If that is correct then what you are trying to do is impossible. The only thing I know that will help clear up marring and scratches is something like Essence Plus with NO abrasives.

    Some pro coatings say they have to be sanded off. You can try a heavy compound like Menzerma 300 or 400 if your current polish is not working. If it was me I would contact the installer.
    Thanks for the reply, rimccarty2000!
    Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to get rid of the swirls, just using that as a reference for the amount I had polished out. I was trying to get rid of the water spotting. The amount of swirls in the paint is ridiculous. I've taken great pains to treat my black paint gently, and the body shop that had it "washed" it for me. Not sure with what, perhaps gravel?
    I'm going to take it back over to where it was originally coated (great guys, amazing work) since they have to recoat the panels that were repaired. I sure hope the old coating doesn't have to be removed. I can't imagine that level of grinding on my car.
    Appreciate the help!

  9. #8
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Here are a couple of pictures of the car.
    This is a section that hasn't been polished yet:
    Pitting in Coating-img_4975-jpg

    And here is an are that is polished, with all of the pitting. It almost looks like I used a linty towel.
    Pitting in Coating-img_4982-jpg

    It's kind of tough to really see it in these pictures, but it's kind of a mess.

  10. #9
    Super Member PaulMys's Avatar
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    How were all of those awful swirls introduced to the coated surface?
    It is no coincidence that man's best friend cannot talk.

  11. #10
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    Re: Pitting in Coating

    Quote Originally Posted by PaulMys View Post
    How were all of those awful swirls introduced to the coated surface?
    I know, right! The body shop that repaired the side did that all in one shot.

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