Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

[mbbransc]

After reading the "Total Cut" thread above, I'll try to give you the most description rundown of what I've tried so far.

This is a near-daily driver that always sits outside. It's been 3-yrs since she was treated right and yesterday was the day! The hood looks pitiful it's so coated with waterspots. I recently detailed my wife's car and wanted her to appreciate the different that a DA polisher can make when detailing a car. So after washing and claying the car, I threw a line of tape down the center of the hood and went to work!

Now I knew this was going to be a challenge so I cranked up my G110v2 to 6 using the yellow pad with Ultimate Compound. I made 6 passes, wiped away the residue and took a peak. You couldn't tell a single bit of difference. So I did it again, but this time I shrunk my workspace, applied more pressure and moved the DA slower. Again, 6 passes, wiped the residue and nada. Absolutely no difference. Not to be outdone I went to work again, even slower, pressure boarderlining stopping the pad from rotating, 6 passes and again, absolutely no difference. I

Now, I still did the rest of the vehicle and it did marvelous things in other areas. I had many bug guts on the front bumper that never came off during washing and clay so I had assumed they were paint chips... all gone now. Several small scratches removed. Overall, the vehicle looks great. But the waterspots on the hood are CRAZY stubborn.

So, should I try 105 now with the same process or should I go with something stronger? Different pad? More bite, smaller? If it matters, this is a 2004 Nissan Armada - charcoal gray. We affectionally call her Beast.

[1994Gen1L]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Are the actual water spots still visible or is it just small etch spots left in the clearcoat? I compounded my wifes 2002 Mineral Gray Mustang GT after a few years in the MS Gulf Coast weather using numerous yellow pad's and my G110v2 polisher. I used UC, Scratch X 2.0, Swirl X and NXT 2.0. It didn't happen over night; I spread it out over three weekends. There was some slight clearcoat etching left but the water spots and swirls were completely gone. It may not have taken three weekends if I hadn't let a so-called expert detailer create more problems with a rotary and wool pad.

[mbbransc]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Are the actual water spots still visible or is it just small etch spots left in the clearcoat?

How would I tell the difference? I'd guess they are etchings in the clearcoat but they are bad; visible from any angle and all over the hood.

[tomsteve]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

did you happen to notice any of the paint color on your pad after doing the hood? if so, the cc is shot. if not, what works for me is breaking out my rotary and a wool pad. then go to the da and UC.

[mbbransc]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

No paint on the pad. The paint all over the vehicle looks really good... save the hood.

I don't have a rotary.

[1994Gen1L]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

How would I tell the difference? I'd guess they are etchings in the clearcoat but they are bad; visible from any angle and all over the hood.

Can you see discolored circles/water spots, calcium build-up and so on or do you just see tiny little pockmarks in the clearcoat?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Water spots can become so deeply etched into the paint that the only way to remove them is to wet sand and then rotary compound to remove the resultant sanding marks. We've seen before, especially on a black STI that came to a Saturday Class with incredible water spots caused by reclaimed water in an apartment complex sprinkler system. We even hit it with a rotary, wool pad and M105 and it wasn't making a ton of progress.

Now, we are NOT recommending that you just start wet sanding your Nissan, especially since you don't have a rotary to remove the sanding marks even if you knew how to properly sand the finish (we don't know if you do or don't know how to sand properly, we're just making a point!).

Certainly you can try using M105 on the DA, and maybe even with a cutting pad, but if a few passes of UC at speed 6, with a lot of pressure, and working a very small area made zero impact, then it sounds like you've got a very serious problem here. That combo should have yielded at least something noticeble on the water spots, especially since you managed to correct all sorts of other issues on the truck with such great success. That tells us the paint is quite workable, but that the water spots have done some real damage here. You might want to consult a local pro detailer and see what they have to say about this. To properly wet sand the hood, with appropriate paint thickness readings before and after a test spot, shouldn't cost too terribly much.

[h_bomm]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

i'm certainly no expert but i'm pretty sure the dual action microfiber system (DAMF) is going to be more aggressive than the polishing pad and UC

[mbbransc]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Can you see discolored circles/water spots, calcium build-up and so on or do you just see tiny little pockmarks in the clearcoat?

I see the little white semi-circular shaped etchings.

The comment about sprinklers rings with me. My neighbor waters his lawn each morning. That may be adding to my misery.

I'm definitely NOT comfortable taking sandpaper to Beast. This was only my second go with a DA and I am just feeling comfortable with it!!

[mbbransc]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Would using a burgandy pad make any difference?

[imz4n]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

I was present at a TNOG and there was a black Porsche there that night. Uc with foam pads was the first attempt to remove the scratches, that failed. What ended up doing a great job was the microfiber pads and the D300, then the polish. Some paints react to the product better than others. It is different on every car. Test areas is what will lead you to a process that works on your cars paint.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Recommendations for 'what next' - Etched Water Spots

Certainly stepping up in aggressiveness is in order here, no doubt about it. The W7207 cutting pad is certainly an option but you will get even more cut from the DA Microfiber System. And quite honestly, if UC on a yellow pad with a pretty aggressive application was yielding literally nothing, we doubt that just a pad change is going to get the job done here. Without hesitation our next move would be the DA Microfiber System.