Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

[Jossy92]

[Please lord don't let this question be as dumb as I fear it is.]

Years ago there was a TV documentary about "master" makeup artists working with women with birthmarks, burn marks or other unsightly marks on their faces. Gave the artists the opportunity to show what the "big boys" could do.]

So, If a car has the beginning of clear coat failure. I was wondering What products to avoid , what products to slow down the failure, What products will last the longest.

If you took a car off the assembly line after it had been painted but before the clearcoat was applied, how would you detail it?

After it was clearcoated, how would you remove the clear coat that is failing, how would you treat the paint underneath. Then how would you treat the bordering marginal clear coat. Then how would you blend the 3 areas?

Sure appreciate all the good advice and well thought out website.

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

Hello and Welcome
Not a dumb question at all.

Clear Coat failure can only be corrected by repainting.
In some cases the panel can be lightly prepped and Re-Cleared.
As for treating just the base coat,base coat is for color coverage the Clear provides the Gloss and has the protecting properties for UV and finish hold up through a catalyst added to the clear.
Hope this helps.

[Jossy92]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

Thanks it does. I guess the color coat is not like a single stage paint. The color coat is not durable and couldn't be protected by one of megs products.

I think I got confused because I saw the pictures of clear coat failure with the color coat exposed to the elements and the color coat was surviving. I thought maybe it could survive a little longer with a little help from Megs.

Guess it wasn't a dumb question, now I know that the base color coats under clear are not strong like single stage which is lacquer(?)

Thanks again.

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

Thanks it does. I guess the color coat is not like a single stage paint. The color coat is not durable and couldn't be protected by one of megs products.

I think I got confused because I saw the pictures of clear coat failure with the color coat exposed to the elements and the color coat was surviving. I thought maybe it could survive a little longer with a little help from Megs.

Guess it wasn't a dumb question, now I know that the base color coats under clear are not strong like single stage which is lacquer(?)

Thanks again.

Most of the paint Mfg. are using catalyzed base coats made from polyester and acrylic resins. lacquer is pretty much a thing of past for Automotive use.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

In theory, with extremely regular mild polishing and protection from a product like M66, or D151 you might be able to keep it looking decent, but like shyneman said, there is a repaint in your future...heh.

Sorry to be the co-bearer of bad news, good luck.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

Single stage paints are prone to fading when not properly maintained. Base coat/clear coat paints avoid this by having a layer of high gloss clear paint applied over a base coat of color. The color coat is not really designed to provide any shine itself, so the gloss comes from the clear coat. There are UV inhibitors in the clear coat to protect the base color against fade, but since clear coat is essentially just paint (albeit without any pigment) you still need to maintain it. Clean it, polish it, wax it.

The problem with clear coat failure is that the point of initial failure is usually where the clear coat bonds with the color coat - that is, at the bottom of the clear coat, not on the top surface. This is why you can't stop it once it starts; there is no way to access the bottom of the clear coat from up top! Once that bond fails it just continues to spread.

[Jossy92]

Re: Cosmetic vs. Restorative detailing?

Thanks for the education, guys.