“Baked In” Bug Stains

[rouxster]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Unfortunately, my weekend warrior go-gettum wore off after a couple of years and I layed off a little from detailing our vehicles every weekend (kids and life in general). But, I think that the initial work I put into the vehicles has helped keep them in better overall condition.

So, we purchased a used white Highlander that has baked-in bug stains on the plastic front bumper. I’ve tried Megs Ultimate compound with an orange hand polishing pad, but that didn’t work too well. I’ve got a a bottle of D105 and D205 and most pads for my DA polisher. Should I try one of those with a certain pad or should I try something else?

Just checking before I do something and possibly ruin the paint or clear coat. Thanks for your help.

[Eldorado2k]

Do you mean M205 & M105?
I’d recommend you start off by washing the vehicle, followed by claybaring it. Then proceed to machine polishing with M205 and a polishing pad such as a Lake Country white flat foam pad. Do it on speed 4.5 on your DA polisher. If that doesn’t remove the stains step it up to M105 with a cutting pad such as a Lake Country Orange flat foam pad or even a Yellow flat foam pad if needed. Same speed, 4.5. That should yield the results you’re looking for.

[dgage]

I bought a used burgundy Acura TL with low miles but it had multiple etchings from birds. I polished them but nothing alleviated them. The clearcoat was etched and not anything to be done short of repainting. Follow Eldorado2K’s recommendation but don’t go too far with 105 or you could burn through the paint focusing on specific areas.

If the polishing doesn’t work, your two choices are to live with it or get your bumper cover pulled and repainted. Unfortunately me entire car would need to be repainted but if it were only a bumper, I would have had it painted. Good luck.

[Eldorado2k]

If the polishing doesn’t work, your two choices are to live with it or get your bumper cover pulled and repainted.

I just re read his post and realized it’s on the bumper. It can be very difficult to remove etching from painted plastic bumpers. Not sure if some of them are fiberglass. Regardless they can be a totally different animal compared to a normal painted panel.

[Desertnate]

The bumpers are often plastic so they will flex on impact. I'm not sure if the paint/primer are different due to the materials.

Are the "stains" actually discolorations or is the clear coat etched by the acidic bug guts? I've just now entered the world of a white car and haven't had to face any discoloration yet, but in previous cars it wasn't uncommon to see bug impact occasionally cause physical damage to the paint that couldn't be removed by polishing.

[rouxster]

Do you mean M205 & M105?

Thanks. Yes, I meant M205 & M105. I must have poured my glass of wine a little too heavy last night. I'll give that a shot and live with the results. Anything will be better than what it is now.

Follow Eldorado2K’s recommendation but don’t go too far with 105 or you could burn through the paint focusing on specific areas.

That's why I was asking. I didn't want to go too extreme and possibly burn through the paint.

I'll keep you all posted, but it will probably be this coming weekend before I can try anything.

[Rsurfer]

They add in a flexing agent for plastic bumpers which makes the paint very soft and thin. Go easy.

[PaulMys]

They add in a flexing agent for plastic bumpers which makes the paint very soft and thin. Go easy.

And....... the plastic bumper/paint cannot take the same amount of heat (abrasion friction) from polishing that a metal panel can.

Like others said, tread lightly.

[Eldorado2k]

Water etching stains on otherwise perfect painted bumpers has caused me a bit of stress on several occasions. There’s not much worse feeling than when a vehicle cleans up nice only to notice water etching streaks running vertically down those bumpers and wondering if you somehow caused them while also finding out they’re virtually impossible to correct. Has anyone else experienced that?

The customer shows up and all I can think about is “damn has he noticed it yet”
The risk you take on when it’s in your hands to take care of.

[Coatingsarecrack]

They add in a flexing agent for plastic bumpers which makes the paint very soft and thin. Go easy.

Thin…. Like a crepe…


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