Need Help Deciding The Best Products To Use (Pics Inside!)

[Blue Bomber]

I've got a Super Red 93 Toyota MR2 Turbo, and while the paint isn't horrible, it isn't great, either. I've used Meguiars 3 Step Deep Crystal system by hand in the past with decent results, but I think I'd be able to go further if I was using something even better. I've been using NXT for protection, and have recently switched to #26 Hi-Tech Wax due to ease of application and preference in appearance (plus no white spots on plastic!). The pics below illustrate the 3 types of problems I'm facing. First off, the dull, slightly oxidized parts that cover most of the car:







Not really noticeable under sunlight, but makes the car look horrible under artificial lighting. I was able to remove most of it with Deep Crystal, but not 100%. This time, I'm armed with a PC 7424, so I was wondering if there's anything better out there to be using. I've also ordered a polishing pad kit from Lake Country Mfg, with their yellow, orange, white, and black pads. What steps should I take to work on these areas?


The next problem is the hood. Looks like someone tried to unsuccessfully wetsand it. It also has the hazing issue, but removing the scratches is more important. The scratches cover most of the hood, and NXT was a pain to apply over it:



How should I approach this?



Final problem is peeling clearcoat:





I also had this on the C pillar, and was able to stop it with some wetsanding, buffing, and wax. I've been told I can feather it out and reclear it. Just wondering what the preferred method is, since I was only using some 2000 grit wetsand paper by hand, which couldn't completely level out the transition.



After all of this is fixed, I'm planning on using #21 Synthetic Sealant and topping off with #26 Hi-Tech Wax. I'm in FL, so the sun is super harsh (not to mention the 4 month rainy season), and the car sits outside during the day at work, though I try to park in the shade as much as possible. What steps should I take to preserve the finish? How often should I polish the car and reseal?

Any suggestions/tips would be much appreciated.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Help Deciding The Best Products To Use (Pics Inside!)

I've got a Super Red 93 Toyota MR2 Turbo, and while the paint isn't horrible, it isn't great, either.

The pics below illustrate the 3 types of problems I'm facing. First off, the dull, slightly oxidized parts that cover most of the car:

Not really noticeable under sunlight, but makes the car look horrible under artificial lighting. I was able to remove most of it with Deep Crystal, but not 100%. This time, I'm armed with a PC 7424, so I was wondering if there's anything better out there to be using. I've also ordered a polishing pad kit from Lake Country Mfg, with their yellow, orange, white, and black pads. What steps should I take to work on these areas?

The car is clear coated and the problem is clear coat failure. There is no way to fix clear coat failure as the problem is not topical like oxidation but throughout the entire layer of clear paint. Buffing on it more and more won't make it look better and better and any improvement you can make won't last, especially if the paint is exposed to warm, bright sunlight.

Check this thread out...

The Clearcoat Failure Photo Archive

The next problem is the hood. Looks like someone tried to unsuccessfully wet-sand it. It also has the hazing issue, but removing the scratches is more important. The scratches cover most of the hood, and NXT was a pain to apply over it:

The best cure would be to repaint the car. NXT is for paint in excellent condition so it's not really the right product for this paint.

As for sanding, if this is the factory clear coat then besides being old and suffering clear coat failure it's hard and thin and these last two factors are 100% working against anyone that tries to sand it again and then buff out the sanding marks as both sanding and then buffing will both remove more paint from a paint job that's already thin from age and thin from being sanded and buffed over the years. This is a recipe for disaster.

Final problem is peeling clearcoat:

I also had this on the C pillar, and was able to stop it with some wet-sanding, buffing, and wax.

I've been told I can feather it out and re-clear it. Just wondering what the preferred method is, since I was only using some 2000 grit wet-sand paper by hand, which couldn't completely level out the transition.

The fact that the clear coat is peeling in some areas is a sign that all of the clear paint is suffering from age and exposure to the sun. All he time, money and effort you put into this would be better invested in a new paint job. Any gains will be short lived and in most cases not worth the time, money and investment over what you've already accomplished with simple cleaning and polishing.

The DA Polisher is NOT effective at removing sanding marks so if you do decide to sand the paint and then try to remove the sanding marks using
a DA Polisher, do yourself a favor and only sand a small area and then see if you can quickly and easily remove the sanding marks with your DA Polisher.

In most cases it's faster to use your hand with either M105 Ultra Cut Compound or our new Ultimate Compound but again, this paint is too far gone to use these types of products to try to sand and compound the paint as you'll either go through the clear coat and expose the color coat or the results won't last when the paint is exposed to warm/hot temperatures in bright sunlight, at least not over time.

I'm in FL, so the sun is super harsh (not to mention the 4 month rainy season), and the car sits outside during the day at work, though I try to park in the shade as much as possible.

You just described some of the harshest environmental conditions to expose new paint in great condition not to mention old paint already peeling and suffering from clear coat failure.

What steps should I take to preserve the finish? How often should I polish the car and reseal?

Do thing things you're doing right now and call it good. Seriously, don't like being the bearer of bad news and most people that know me know I'm the first person to try to save a paint job but when it comes to clear coat paints suffering from peeling and clear coat failure they are past the point of no return.

Any suggestions/tips would be much appreciated.

Oh yeah, since this is your first post to our forum...

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

[Megafast13]

Re: Need Help Deciding The Best Products To Use (Pics Inside!)

Welcome To MOL!

You have clearcoat failure, you'll have to get it repainted. There is no way to repair that.

Mike summed it up perfectly ^^