Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

[T3hD0gg]

I'm hoping you guys can help so I won't have to get my trunk repainted.

Yesterday, I debadged my Audi A4's trunk of its badges. I didn't use a heat gun or hair drier as it was warm enough from sitting in the sun all day. I used some fishing line and got all the badges off just fine. I then used Goo Gone (Automotive Formula) to remove the goo which actually took a while longer.

During that step, I noticed there was a ring around the adhesive that I removed. It wasn't around the outline of the badges but the actual adhesive backing. I could feel it step down into the badge area from the outside clear coat also. I washed and waxed these parts but to no avail.

Now when I look at it, I can see an outline of the badges and this doesn't help me with the "debadging" of the car.

Here's a picture of what it looks like:


Anyone have any idea how to fix this or even how this happened? Thanks!

[VoicesInMyHead]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

I've always debadged everything! I've never had that happen. After the Goo Gone & washing did you do anything else before waxing? And just to be clear (no pun intended), you can feel a groove down into the clear coat?

[Murr1525]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

Its not a rasided bump around the edge of the letters, it is actualy smooth then drops down in?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

It could just be the paint is imprinted or mottled?

If there is really clear paint missing then not much you can do except re-paint or put the badge back on.

Don't think claying is going to help but wouldn't hurt to give it a try...

Best thing to do would be to try a test spot with a paint cleaner and see if you can smooth the paint over.

What do you have for paint care chemicals?

[T3hD0gg]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

After debadging I used some Gold Class Car Wash and then Gold Class Paste Wax.

Yes, it drops down in.

I have 3M Scratch Remover, Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish ("Step 2"), Gold Class Paste Wax and a few compounds (I think that's what they would be called) like Fine-Cut remover and maybe some others my dad has. I would be willing to go out and buy whatever I need to fix this.

Mike, what type of paint cleaner do you think I should try?

I also have a bunch of needle-sized rust spots all over the back of the trunk which is also strange. I didn't notice them when I purchased the car a few months ago, probably because they were so small.

Thanks for the quick replies!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

Yes, it drops down in.

That's a bad sign, but maybe you can fix it, you won't know until you try...

If the clear in these affect areas is all the way gone to the blue basecoat then rubbing a whitish colored paint cleaner with a white cloth should pull blue pigment. So the first thing to do would be to test for this because if you're through the clearcoat and the basecoat is exposed then more and more work with any kind of product is not going to fix the problem.

I have 3M Scratch Remover, Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish ("Step 2"), Gold Class Paste Wax and a few compounds (I think that's what they would be called) like Fine-Cut remover and maybe some others my dad has. I would be willing to go out and buy whatever I need to fix this.

Is the 3M scratch remover white or whitish in color? If so you can test with this. Look on the back of the M02 Fine Cut Cleaner and where it says, "Method of Application", see if it reads,

By hand, DA Polisher or Rotary Buffer.

If it does then it's whitish in color and you can test with this also.

I also have a bunch of needle-sized rust spots all over the back of the trunk which is also strange. I didn't notice them when I purchased the car a few months ago, probably because they were so small.

Thanks for the quick replies!

Test for missing clear coat first, (one problem at a time), the rust spots are likely rail dust and it's true the rust color shows up over time and until all of the metal particles are completely removed it will keep happening.

Let us know how your test goes.

If the clear coat is not completely gone the we can figure out a plan to try to fix the damage but be aware it could be too deep to fix completely.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

If the clear coat is not completely missing down to the basecoat then the fastest way to "improve" the area would be to rub the affected areas out by hand using our new M105 Ultra Cut Compound.

It's possible it could be sanded out and then the sanding marks removed using the same compound and a rotary buffer but there's also a real danger of going through the clear and exposing the basecoat either during the sanding process or the compounding process as both are going to remove paint.

You really need someone experienced to try the sanding and buffing option.

Even trying to level the surface out by hand could be risky, it just depends upon how thick the layer of clear paint is in the areas where the paint drops down...

Do you know of anyone that's really good at polishing paint?

[T3hD0gg]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

I gave the 3M Scratch Remover a try on a very small portion of the "T" and no blue paint came off onto my white terry cloth. It did seem to help it though. In the area I did, it seemed to smooth out the lines and make them a bit less visible.

What would you suggest then? Should I go with that Ultra Cut Compound or maybe something easier on the paint?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

What would you suggest then? Should I go with that Ultra Cut Compound or maybe something easier on the paint?

If the 3M product is working well, that is it's removing the roughness and smoothing the paint over and not leaving behind its own scratches behind then go a head and use it.

If not then our M105 works awesome for removing defects while leaving behind a nice looking finish ready for waxing.

Since you're there you'll need to inspect and make your own decision.

[T3hD0gg]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

Well, I tried it and it didn't do as I would hope. I did 3 applications and it only removed the white "crust" next to the lines to make it less visible in low light conditions. It doesn't remove the ridges or smooth them out as I thought they did before. When you look at it at the right angle, it doesn't even look like anything has changed.

What's your take on this, Mike? Should I try and find some Ultra Cut Compound?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

What's your take on this, Mike? Should I try and find some Ultra Cut Compound?

It could be that the areas where the paint is missing now are too deep to fix.

Have you read this yet?

What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...


I'm worried to tell you to try our M105 because it works.

By this I mean it's going to remove paint and level the defects out and if you remove too much paint you're going to expose the clear coat.

At some point you have to do something, just as long as you understand the risks and the consequences.

[Mort Corey]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

I wonder if they might have shot the clear on after the badges were installed? If that's the case, I'd think you're stuck. Since there's no turning back, if it were me anyway, I'd keep trying with the thought that it's probably going to need the services of a paint/body shop either way.

Mort

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

Worse comes to worse it probably wouldn't cost too much to have the area spot repaired...

Or glue the Audi badge back on...

[T3hD0gg]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

My guess is that they put the badges on before the final clear coat had enough time to dry.

I think I'm going to just leave it as is and find a reputable detailer close by and see what they say.

Thanks for the tips, Mike.

[retrofinisher]

Re: Problem after debadging my car. Missing clear coat?

The markoff in the photo is new for me not 100% sure on this but

I have found that removing any vinyl or mylar decal that has been on a car paint often leaves a very very shallow mark off with a few microns of depth.

The way to eliminate or diminish the mark off I use is to use 2500 grit wet sanding paper fold over a wet sanding rubber pad with plenty of water.

sand flat the longest direction, wipe with quik detailer or water.

Repeat with finer paper if available.

Look for a visible halo or markoff. do in stages This takes a good familiarity with wet sanding.

Then polish out with Glazing 80, 105 or the 16oz Fine glaze.

When prep for repainting you could use 1000 or 800 grit.

Works for me