Is this clearcoat failure?

[ferguscan]

Hi all,

I have this patch on my trunk lid. It's about 2 inches in diameter:


IMG_1031.JPG by ferguscan, on Flickr

There is also the tiniest emergence of the same thing at one of the ridges on the hood.

No sign of it anywhere else one the car.

Is it clear coat failure? Can I do anything about it? Remove (or even minimise) it with sanding/polishing?

Or does the panel simply need to be re-sprayed and that's that?

EDIT: by the way, the paint "feels" fine on that patch. No peeling or change in texture.

Thanks,

Stuart

[swanicyouth]

Yes it is. Get it repainted is all you can do.

[BobbyG]

To Autogeek Online!

Yes, this is clear coat failure.

Since you're seeing it there I'd check several other areas especially those horizontal surfaces that spend many of their days broiling in the hot sun...

[umi000]

It sure looks like it. Polishing it will only further thin what paint you have - might look a little better for a few days, but it'll just go back to what it was, or even worse. One thing I have read on a forum somewhere, though, is where a detailer used Opti-Coat on a panel with clear coat failure - he left part of the panel uncoated, and the difference in the coated vs uncoated area a year later was massive.

[ferguscan]

Thanks very much everyone. So what's the best way to stem the tide, and prevent it from getting worse? I heard OC 2.0. Would regular man's waxes and sealants also work?

Thanks,

Stuart

[tuscarora dave]

Are you positive that there's a clear coat on that paint? To me, looking at the photo it looks like single stage paint. If it is single stage paint with no clear coat then it certainly couldn't be clear coat failure. Do you have any kind of polish on hand? If so then take a white cotton towel or a light colored applicator pad and vigorously rub some polish onto the red area of the paint and tell us if the towel or applicator turns red.
I've seen on many occasions where patches of heavy oxidation will form on single stage paint. If it is single stage paint, that spot of oxidation may be removable. Do that test and get back to us on it.

[Mike Phillips]

Is it clear coat failure? Can I do anything about it? Remove (or even minimize) it with sanding/polishing?

Or does the panel simply need to be re-sprayed and that's that?

What kind of car and what year?
Does the car sit outside exposed to the sun a lot no days? How about in the past?
Limited to the horizontal surfaces?

If the answer to the last three questions is yes, then it's likely clear coat failure and there's nothing you can do except learn to live with it or repaint.


The majority of all new cars manufactures since the 1990's come with a clear coat finish, there's a few models that do come with single stage but most come with a clear top coat.

But just in case Dave might be on to something, here's an article I wrote that shows you how to test for a single stage paint job.


How to Test for Single Stage or Clear Coat Paint

To test for a single stage paint, try to find a light colored or white polish if you're working on any kind of pigmented paint. If you're testing white paint then try to use a polish with a color to it and a dark colored cloth, (so you can confirm that you're removing white paint and not just seeing the color of the paint).



Use an ample amount for plenty of lubrication as you're going to want to push firmly if no oxidation is present as was the case with the finish on the classic car.







Confirmed, we're working on a single stage paint... also note the heavier accumulation were my fingers pressed down with the most pressure... this is because you can exert more pressure to the small area of your finger tips than you can with your entire hand, you can use this to work for you or cause problems depending upon what you're trying to do...