Paint problem. need help/advice

[svtmc-g]

Hey guys. My Cobra is white. The previous owner didn't like to wax much. Paint looks GREAT 'till you get up close(while waxing). The paint surface has tons and tons of those little bitty bumps. Like there's dirt under it or something. Hard to explain. If you run your fingernails over it you can hear each little bump catch you fingernail. There's literally hundreds per square foot. I used a good meguiers paint cleaner(to also help with swirl marks)and it did nothing to those damn bumps. I believe white is notorious for this.(had a white truck and another car as well) Will the Zaino clay bar fix this? What should i use. any help would be greatly appreciated! :(
Matt

[sssvtcobra]

I suggest that you wash your car with dawn dish liquid soap (that removes all the old build up of wax, polish, paint cleaner, etc.). Then use a clay bar treatment. The clay bar will get rid of any sap, pollen, water spots and stuff like that. I couldn't beleive how well it worked. After that use a paint cleaner/swirl remover, then a polisher, then a protecting wax. I did that to my '01 after I bought and the paint surface was SMOOTH! And it shined like crazy, it had the wet glossy look to it. at the car show that I entered it in afterwards I had people asking me if it was new, it look so good. I had to tell them it had 30K, just to see their mouths drop :D

I used all Meguiars stuff. Just because you don't have to order it.

Hope this helps.

[svtmc-g]

it gets rid of all that stuff? even if it seems baked on?haha I use all meguiars as well. I washed it with dish soap(does it have to be dawn only?)I did the 3 step deep crystal treatment(cleaner, polish, carnuba) and it almost totally cured my swirl problems but not those pesky spots.
matt

[03ZINCSVT]

The only other thing that is an option is take it to a paint and body shop and have it wet sanded and polished. Or just polished.....

[cobrabitn]

Seems like I heard someone say something about using vinegar, not 100% sure though? :scratch:

[svtmc-g]

I'm not making pickles here pal! :crazy:haha j/k
That's interesting. Knowing my luck, I'd try the vinegar and my car would somehow ALWAYS smell like vinegar!!haha I know it's impossible, but my life sometimes goes that way!! It is a mild acid after all! :scratch:
I'll start with clay bar and end at the body shop if i have to.
Matt

[RF Cobra]

Seems like I heard someone say something about using vinegar, not 100% sure though? :scratch:

50/50 mix of distilled vinegar and distilled (i.e. purified, not tap) water removes the pesky water spots once the wax has been removed. :thumbsup:

[sssvtcobra]

I don't know excactly what kind of bumps you have, but on my '01 I had some rough bumps as well and after I did all that I mentioned above the paint surface was as smooth as a baby's butt. :thumbsup:

[svtmc-g]

I'm gonna try the clay bar. The bumps are hard to describe. You can see them as well as feel them. They're like single specs of dirt that have become one with the paint, and they're EVERYWHERE.
I CAN remove them one by one with my fingernail. That'd take a year or two.haha I took a picture but i don't know how to post one here!! you can see them in the pic.
Matt

[Aaron94]

The clay bar should cure your problems. The zaino product is excellent, but mequiars is also pretty good.

I do auto detailing, and would recommend the zaino products. There is some comparable stuff out there availiable to detailing professionals, but you will not find it at autozone. The zaino products are a bit pricey, but very easy to work with compared to regular off the shelf stuff.

[ausie]

After time, if the paint has not been properly maintained, you almost have do the wet sanding thing. The highest or finest grit wet paper and water and a light touch (in one directon only) then followed by a buffing compound and polish compound. Only work in small sections at a time.

if you want to try gasoline, that works well for some paint remedies (depending on the contaminants). A good cleaner wax (has fine abrasives in it) may do the trick too. You may even try tide (will remove wax too). I have used that before I knew what a clay bar was.

[svtmc-g]

Thanks for the Tips. I just ordered my full kit of Zaino. Seems like great stuff. My Meguiars has been tickin me off lately. The water in the wax separates from the wax as you apply it. What a freakin mess. I threw it all out. Except my leather conditioner.
Matt

[Steve Treece]

Matt,
Don't know who you ordered from, but there is a Zaino distributor in Indy. Here's the info:

The Gloss Boss
3953 Towhess Dr
Indianapolis 46237
317.859.8449
Roz and Doug Aldridge

I ordered my first Zaino products from Roz 5 years ago and have been hooked ever since on the product.

[svtmc-g]

I orderd from the Zaino website. Thanks, though!
Matt

[Lumpydogs]

Kinda off subject but...

A little Clear Magic degreaser works better than any bug/tar/tree sap remover
I've tried. The Clear Magic lathers up very well in water and dissolves most
build ups on contact.

This year has been the worst for oily deposits on my paint. I guess it's
from all the construction trucks around my house, but I'm not sure.