What are these dots in my paint?

[mvolps22]

Hi Mike,

Take a look at the pictures, any idea what this is and if it's fixable?

I clayed a small section and polished with HD speed but it didn't really do anything.



Your thoughts would be appreciated. As far as I know it has never been repainted, after claying and polishing it felt smoother but not buttery smooth.

[luckydawg]

If your talking about those tiny brown specks-- Thats Artillery Fungus

[mvolps22]

Talking about the dots/specks you can see at the perimeter of the light reflection.

[FUNX650]

•ZANG! From here:
-It almost looks like the paint matrix, itself,
is coming undone/delaminating;
-do quite a few other areas, besides the ones
you posted, also have this paint anomaly?


Bob

[mvolps22]

Well that doesn't sound great. I don't have the best light but it's definitely all over my hood and think I saw it on the roof but I'd want to clean and clay a spot to be sure.

[Mike Phillips]

I don't know.

I've seen this before but don't have a great answer.

They are like pin holes THROUGH the paint, not ON the paint.

Because they are through or in the paint, compounding will take off good paint and just uncover more of the tiny pin holes.

My guess is the safest route is to do your normal detailing steps for the paint and learn to live with them or get a repaint or trade-in the car.

[Catmochanic]

What kind of vehicle is it?
Are those marks in the clear coat, or the paint?
I have a similar situation on my Expedition...but I’m pretty sure the finish is not original and they are in the clear coat I believe. I clayed the heck out of it with no luck...after I buffed it out and brought back the luster in the clear coat, I was able to see them easier. The paint feels fine by hand, but with a baggie on I can still feel them. I’ll try and get a picture of it.

[Stormin08]

my guess would be a refinished panel, having a solvent pop or fisheye in the paint that wasnt not caught...then cleared. possibly a solvent pop all the way through...depending on the scenarios above.

[Catmochanic]

Best picture I could get with my phone...they are blurry, but what you are seeing is depressions in the clear that have filled in with product. Easier to see with the naked eye. Wish I had a better camera.

[mvolps22]

my guess would be a refinished panel, having a solvent pop or fisheye in the paint that wasnt not caught...then cleared. possibly a solvent pop all the way through...depending on the scenarios above.

What kind of vehicle is it?
Are those marks in the clear coat, or the paint?
I have a similar situation on my Expedition...but I’m pretty sure the finish is not original and they are in the clear coat I believe. I clayed the heck out of it with no luck...after I buffed it out and brought back the luster in the clear coat, I was able to see them easier. The paint feels fine by hand, but with a baggie on I can still feel them. I’ll try and get a picture of it.

It's a BMW. It's on every panel and when I bought the car I had a pre-purchase inspection done and they noted there was no sign of an accident history so I don't think it's from a respray. I've had the car for four years and this is the first time I noticed it so I have no idea when it happened or how (could have been like that when I bought it I suppose and I just never noticed). The only thing I can think is I park under a highway overpass and maybe something from that fell on my car? Cement particles that ate through but that is unlikely unless a highway overpass is different from a parking garage? I have no idea. Sucks though.