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Thread: Paintwork on Black Forester

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    52
    Posts
    328

    Default Paintwork on Black Forester

    My wife's Forester is Black and the previous owner was pretty abusive to the paintwork, using a clay bar and I can manage to bring it up to a nice shine but there are some pits in the paint where bird crap sat unwashed for probably months and the swirls make me cry but the worse thing is that all over the horizontal surfaces you can see where water has sat on the surface and soaked in, for want of a better term.

    It's really hard to photograph and you can really only see it in certain light, but it looks like how paint looks if you don't dry properly after a wash, like dust has settled in the drops, then dried, but this is permanent.

    I've tried ScratchX to little effect so the damage must be deep and I've been afraid of using anything harsher, but can anyone recommend a product which could help remove these marks?

  2. #2

    Default

    Hey Chris

    What you are explaining about the water marks are called exactly that. Water marks. What actually happens is when the water evaporates on the car, the minerals in the water are left behind and these etch into the paint. On black cars this is a big problem as everything is so obvious on that colour.

    So basically, fresh water marks are easily fixed with just a quick detail spray. Water marks from a few days ago that might have baked in the sun can often be removed with just a non-abrasive paint cleaner (polish), water marks that have been left for long periods of time need an abrasive polish applied by machine. And even then they can be an absolute PITA to remove.

    The bird crap needs to be treated exactly the same way. It is the same result, just from a different source. If you have already tried with Scratch X then we can eliminate the use of a non-abrasive product. You'll need machine polishing which leaves you two options.

    Option 1 - Pay a professional to machine polish your car. You are probably looking at about $400 for a quality detailer who will do an exceptional job. Avoid anyone who is cheap. You really get what you pay for and you don't want a hack taking a machine to your car. Not so much because they will do any permanent damage, but because just about everyone I have dealt with that goes down this track comes out the other end unhappy and out of pocket and with "buffer trials" all up their car. Let me know your location and I might be able to recommend someone if you like

    Option 2 - DIY - You'll need a machine, pads and polish. We could put together a basic kit for about the same kind of money with an entry level machine (Megs G220) a few pads (cutting, polishing, finishing) and a medium cut compound and finishing polish.

    Option 1 means you don't have to do the hard yards yourself, Option 2 you do, but you've got yourself a paint correction kit for next time.

    Just about anyone can do a paint correction really. All you need is a basic understanding of how the different pads and polish work. Machines like the G220 are safe for a novice to use. The only draw back is it takes longer to remove the defects.

    I always tell it like sanding in woodwork. You start with the heavier sandpaper to get rid of the defects, and then finish with lighter sandpaper to improve the finish. It's exactly the same except you have different levels of cut in your pads and polish.

  3. #3

    Default

    Awesome advice Joel, should do a How - To thread for people

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    52
    Posts
    328

    Default

    Thanks for that Joel, very helpful! I'm working up a wishlist on ZAS right now

    ---------- Post added at 02:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by LILZLR View Post
    Awesome advice Joel, should do a How - To thread for people
    There's already a very comprehensive guide on the ZAS site:

    Car Detailing Products | Welcome to ZAS Detailing Products Store. Meguiars Car Care Products & More | Detailing Library

  5. #5

    Default

    Yep, that's our library so far. Expect major improvements on it soon incuding images, more topics.

  6. #6

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    Oh k very good to know will have to add that to my favourites folder

  7. #7

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    It also need updating re. product recommendations etc. We have added about 100-150 products to the range since we put it on the site.

  8. Default

    Scratch DMSDAN does trips down to Canberra to do detailing. I got him to do my car last year and plan ongetting him to do it once a year ... DMSDAN when is your next Canberra detailing trip planned ?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    38
    Posts
    1,009

    Default

    My car needs a detail too

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Coorparoo, Brisbane
    Age
    43
    Posts
    3,771

    Default

    ...I'm waitin for Joel to make a trip to Brisbane

  11. #11

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    Would love to mate and it is on the cards. Just have to find the time for a holiday and a babysitter!

  12. Default

    Joel I thought you were in Qld ... my bad ... do u do detailing trips to ACt as well ?

  13. #13

    Default

    Nah BB I'm in Sydney. At this point in time I don't sell my detailing services but if I did I'd come and do your car for you

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    52
    Posts
    328

    Default

    I just spent most of the last 2 days detailing the Forester and while I'm completely buggered, the results are amazing!

    Thanks Joel for the recommendation on which products to buy, the detailing guide on your site and especially to the Megs G220, it saved me a lot of arm work. I've always been a committed by-hand detailer but I'm 100% a convert to the machine!

    The results aren't perfect, I think to get better than I have I'd have to use a cut but I didn't want to do so as my first attempt with the G220 so the Slick/Finish/Amigo/Epic process eliminated pretty much all of the swirls and most of the lighter scratching along with a good proportion of the water spots..even with the flaws still there, the shine blows me away.

    I'm downloading some pictures off the camera now, I'll post them up when they're ready.

    ---------- Post added at 10:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:34 PM ----------

    Pictures!

    In the right light, it doesn't looks so bad


    ...but up close, it's a different story....Bad swirls


    and water marks


    and bird poo marks, the previous owner did not love their car.


    I used the Megs machine for the first application of Prima Swirl with a cutting disc, then the entire surface with Prima Finish with a polishing disc (this probably was not necessary) then a finishing disc with Prima Amigo and finally Prima Epic by hand (mostly because I was out of discs




    ...and the final product after a final coat of Prima Slick, my new best friend!








    Overall I'm very happy with the results, special thanks to Joel for all his hard work answering my stupid questions and putting together a special order for me, including the Megs polisher, which along with my Karcher and my Petrol Grass Edger is now among m favourite power tools!

    More pictures here: Picasa Web Albums - royalla - Forester

    I should say that the entire process took more than 12 hours of work over a period of 2 days but I'm very satisfied with the result and from now on I'll be much more confident using the machine polisher, especially on the MPS.
    'oh, that's what that yellow car is for, I thought it was the "you're doing great" light!'

  15. #15

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    great work!!

  16. #16

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    Awesome mate. That second last one there is the money shot.

  17. Default

    Looks great Chris awesome work imagine how much you will love her once you get some nice rims on

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