Protecting paint when clear coat is gone?

**suprachica79** · 03-31-2011, 10:02 AM

Hey guys, I need some advice.

My girlfriend's car is a 95 celica with seriously neglected paint and a roughed up body. I looks like the previous owner(s) never washed it at all and it has major sun damage. I don't plan on bringing it back to life because the clear coat is gone on a large portion of the car, and the only way to fix this paint is to repaint it. I'm more concerned about protecting what paint is left so we don't lose anymore of it.

I've tried to lay some wax down on it before, but on the portions that are missing clear coat, it pulls the blue paint out and turns my foam applicator blue which I feel like is working backwards. These are the products I have, if anyone can give me a recommendation on the process I should take, I'd really appreciate it.

Megs gold class wash
Megs UC
Megs UP
Megs UQW
Optimum Opti-Seal
Collinite 845

Like I said, this paint can't be saved, not looking to remove scratches from a car that has more dents and fading paint than a 2 cent hooker, just looking to prolong any more damage it may take. Thanks in advance for the advice guys

**CEE DOG** · 03-31-2011, 10:13 AM

I have a similar situation with my Green SL. CC failure. I am going to be doing a review on Cquartz in a little while (been sitting on my shelf for months) and in part of it I'm going to apply the Cquartz to part of the area and not the other and see if it helps slow the failure. It probably wont because at this point the clear coat is damaged to the point where it is peeling off. Therefore when it peels off whatever else you put on it is just going to peel off with it. However, getting to the point... I think your best bet to protect the paint underneath the clear coat is to maybe use Optimum OptiCoat 2.0 or the Cquartz. Be sure to contact the company directly and explain to them what your doing to get your specific questions answered properly... Or maybe Chris and Avi will pop in and say a word....

**embolism** · 03-31-2011, 10:13 AM

There are articles on here about using Meg's show car glaze number 7 for feeding single stage paints. Sounds like parts of your gf's car now fall into that category.

Not sure how the transitional areas will look but if you are trying to get a richer look on the areas without clear then the glaze's oils can only help. After that, lock them in with the Collinite...

**suprachica79** · 03-31-2011, 10:27 AM

Yeah, I'm not even looking to make the paint look richer, I think it is far beyond that point, I don't think that's possible at this point. I just want to keep what is left on there so that it doesn't start rusting. I'll try and take some pictures to give you guys an idea of what I'm talking about.

Of course I just placed a small sampler order from a competitor's website last night where I could have gotten a small bottle of the #7 glaze on the cheap lol

**CEE DOG** · 03-31-2011, 10:51 AM

Like I said if you want to protect the best options are likely coatings.

**Flash Gordon** · 03-31-2011, 11:15 AM

Best thing you can do at this point is keep it washed good to prevent rusting

**suprachica79** · 03-31-2011, 11:36 AM

I'll have to do some research on Cquartz and Opti-coat as I'm not too familiar with them, I do know they are fairly pricey so I'll have to figure out how much I really want to spend. Thanks for the advice guys

**SeaJay's** · 03-31-2011, 12:29 PM

The coatings are actually no too pricey if you are willing to do them yourself. For enough to your gf's car you probably only need 10ml, so your talking about $30 for the CQuartz or around $50 for the Opti-coat.

But like CEE DOG said I'd talk to the manufacturer's first to ensure that you can put this on the car.

**embolism** · 03-31-2011, 12:32 PM

you can also do this is if you plan on keeping it and want a project

My "rustoleum $50 roll-on paint job" - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

**suprachica79** · 03-31-2011, 12:41 PM

Yeah, I've seen that paint job idea since I had ideas of boosting an older del sol or crx with a good body and bad paint lol. Her problem is that the body of the car is in terrible shape as well, dents everywhere, and with the mileage it has, there really is no way to justify doing any major body work. This car will get her through the rest of college and maybe a year after until we both find good jobs to pay for our student loans lol

SeaJay, I thought the cquartz was more expensive than that so I may take a harder look at that for only $30, that could be really worthwhile. Thanks