Please Help!! :(

[zr123]

Hello...

Some of you might have read my earlier posts about my car (Black 320i 2003 BMW) coming out of the body shop from some minor repair.

So the body shop owner decided to throw in a complete detail for me... he did the interior and engine real well... but for some reason the parts of the body that aren't painted are still the same.

I tried Claying the vehicle, using ScratchX and Deep Crystal System Paint Cleaner, but I can't seem to get rid of those small bumps.

The problem is this:

When I try to apply #7 Show Car Glaze to it, it won't go on nicely, because when I try to wipe it off, the liquid gets stuck in those small bumps and causes weird swirls and just makes the car look like I've put some smeary oil on it.

Same goes for the waxing, I can't wipe off or buff off NXT because of the same problem.

Now I clarified with the owner, they didn't wax the freshly painted parts, so I will make sure I don't either.

But I'm real eager to get the car looking it's best... and I simply can't get those results!

I have a feeling I might have to wet sand the vehicle... I don't really want to, since I don't have the experience, but if I don't have a choice, please suggest exactly how I should do it.

For clarification, it's only the hood, trunk and roof of the car that is no good... the rest of the body is fine.

Car: Black BMW 320i 2003
Products I own:

NXT Tech Wax
ScratchX
Deep Crystal System Paint Cleaner
Clay + Quik Detailer
Insane Tire Shine
Show Car Glaze (#7)
Clarke MT1219 Polisher ( https://www.toolsunlimited.com/details.asp?ID=1110 )

Terry, Wool & Foam pads for the polisher.

Any of your help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

ZR

[zr123]

Anybody? Please help

[Mike Phillips]

If you feel tiny little bumps, this is an indicator of above surface bonded contaminants, possibley overspray?

You need to go back to the claying step and try to clay on small area, say 8" square and really focus on doing a good job. If you can fix one small area, you can fix the entire area with time and patience.

You may need to get a more aggessive clay.

If you have never wetsanded a car before, you don't want to try to learn how on a black Mercedes-Benz!

[zr123]

Thanks Mike,

The weather is good today, not too hot, so I'm gonna try to give the car a complete body detail.

Do you think the reason why I cannot apply the polish or wax is due to those tiny bumps?

You recommend a stronger Clay... can you show me a product of such?...

Thanks!

ZR

[Mike Phillips]

Anything sitting on top of the surface is going to hinder the application of any other product, you must first get the finish clean before you can apply a polish or a wax.

Meguiar's offers two clays in our Professional Line, a Medium Grade and an Aggressive Grade, I would try some very focused claying with the clay you have, I have been able to remove industrial strenght white enamel paint with it but it wasn't quick and it wasn't easy, I had to focus on the task at hand and apply the human elements of care and passion.


White Overspray Close-up




Before and after, side-by-side

[zr123]

Mike,

Thanks again for the advice. I will try again to clay and of course with care and passion

I doubt very much it's overspray... it looks more like a mixture of sap perhaps dust and grime particles...

I really hope claying removes them.

Would I just be using clay? should I follow up with Scratch X and the cleaner I have?

Thanks again!

[rusty bumper]

Some pictures of the bumps might be helpful.

[zr123]

It worked! ! !...

I had to clay each area for about 10 minutes, but it worked!...

My arms are dead, but boy am I happy...

Thanks guys!

[rusty bumper]

I ran into some problem overspray before myself, and it took a little while to get it off.

Congratulations zr123.

[LnkPrkSoldier]

congrats. do you have any before after pictures so future people will know how the work came along? and which clay did you use? what did you use as lube? i heard to mix 1 oz of glod class wash and 15 of water and just spray that on.. is that good??

[rusty bumper]

Originally posted by LnkPrkSoldier
i heard to mix 1 oz of glod class wash and 15 of water and just spray that on.. is that good??

That sounds a little rich to me.

[zr123]

LnkPrkSoldier :

I wish I'd taken some pics. I will be detailing the car this upcoming weekend and will be sure to take some before and after pics.

But anyway, as for your question about what I used as lube. I just stuck to the good ol' water.

I found that using water was much better than using Quik Detailer. I had tried with two previous attempts at using the Clay with Quik Detailer, but it just didn't work.

So this time, after I washed the car, I just used the hose and set the spray nozzle to a mist and used that for lube. Clayed for about 10 minutes a patch and it worked wonders!!!

YAY Meguiar's!

[rusty bumper]

I've been using a 50/50 mix of FD and distilled water for clay lube, but I might try a 25/75 mix and see what happens.