Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

[Ryan L.]

Re: Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

What also concerns me is that when they agree to repair the hood due to the pressure I give them, they may do the repair quickly and compromise quality. They may take my car out for joy rides. Orange peel and sanding marks are among my concerns of the repair. Am I thinking too much? I am quite paranoid. I have never had any good experience with the quality of services these days.

You have the right to not accept the job if they do re-do it. They might get a little mad (probably really mad) but it's something you have the right to.

If they are attatched to a dealership, I highly doubt they're going to take your car for joyrides and purposely do a bad job. Chances are the actual person that repaints the hood, if they do, won't even know it's a redo. They get invoices that say paint the hood silver or what ever needs to be done.

I wouldn't worry as much as you are. Take things and stride and see what happens.

Ryan

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

Your concerns are certainly valid, but you did mention this shop being one of the most reputable bodyshops in the area. Give them a chance to make good. Everybody can make a mistake or have an issue from time to time, but how a company (or person) responds to that problem is what really sets them apart.

Are you thinking too much, are you a bit paranoid? Perhaps, but better a little bit of that than just blindly trusting someone. Talk to them about it calmly, and show them that you're able to get color transfer with even a very light application of something. Demonstrate for them using a clean, fresh white terry cloth towel and a white paint cleaner. Do a spot where you know the clear is good, and then again over the effected area. If you can easily demonstrate color transfer, you can easily prove the clear is gone from that spot. Even a halfway reputable shop will understand the ramifications of that.

[the_invisible]

Re: Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

Yup, it should be obvious that missing clear coat on a painted surface will eventually spread and create oxidation and discoloration.

What concerns me is that the bodyshop manager may make excuses, such as by claiming that there's no clear coat missing, the missing clear coat was not of their making, the damage is too minimal to have the entire hood repainted, etc etc.

What also concerns me is that when they agree to repair the hood due to the pressure I give them, they may do the repair quickly and compromise quality. They may take my car out for joy rides. Orange peel and sanding marks are among my concerns of the repair. Am I thinking too much? I am quite paranoid. I have never had any good experience with the quality of services these days.


Here's the bodyshop website. They are an authorized repair shop for our province's auto insurance company. This bodyshop also performs body repairs for its many sister dealers.

http://www.morreyauto.com/bodyshop.php

While many bodyshops in my region are thriving, this one is not getting a lot of customers lately. In the last few times I approached them, they were only working a couple of cars in their huge facility.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

Even though the area doesn't look too terrible in your pictures, not much time has passed since this sanding/polishing process has taken place. In time, however, the edges will start to show as the clear coat fails in this area. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

Whether the clear was compromised due to the solvent and/or sanding used by the body shop or by the etching caused by the product accidentally deposited on it is really immaterial - you contracted someone to do work on one portion of your vehicle and in the process they damaged another area. If the initial damage was not too severe, then perhaps with a more gentle approach an acceptable repair could have been achieved. But if that initial spill managed to etch clear through (no pun intended) the clear coat, then the damage was already done. Bottom line - you have two related companies who are involved in the damage and repair of your vehicle. At this point it appears the damage has not been repaired in an acceptable manner - ie, the "repair" is ultimately going to cause another issue, and a pretty severe issue at that, down the road. They need to make this right by you.

[the_invisible]

Re: Clear Coat Sanded Through by Bodyshop!

Just gave the bodyshop a call 2 minutes ago and explained everything to him, briefly. The manager sounded disbelieving, saying that clear coats don't simply fall off by wetsanding. I then explained to him that the clear coat was obviously polished through.

He told me that he would look at it, and then decide further from there. I told the manager that I don't want to drive 60 miles simply to have him "look" at the car, leave hom, and then drive back again on a later date for the actual repair.

He then asked me what color my car is, and then offered me a courtesy car for tomorrow. Offering me a courtesy car may be an indication that he is willing to repaint the hood. However, he did say that he has to "see" the car first before deciding what to do.

With such minimal loss of clear coat, do you think he will deny repair? What has crossed my mind is that I rub the area with UC (using M105 is expensive lol) to increase the damage, thereby inducing him to repaint the hood.

What also concerns me is that due to the unwillingness to repair my vehicle, the manager may ask an inexperienced painter to work on my car, doing a hack job... The hood is where all ugly things show up... orange peel , sanding marks... etc. I am concerned. .

Remember this is one of the most reputable bodyshops in the area, run by a huge corporation that owns various dealers. Yet they managed to ruin my hood by refusing to take the right course of action to repair my car initially.

[the_invisible]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

I guess I will. I don't want to waste any more time showing them the damage, and then drive back another date for the repaint.

I have wetsanded many times on different panels to remove scratches, and something like this has never ever occured to me. They must have sanded ALOT of clear coat out just to remove those adhesive spots spilled on the body. This is ridiculous. The bodyshop would have saved us a lot of time by simplying repainting the affected area. This is outrageous. Mark, how would you react if this occurs to you??? I am not mad enough to the point where I want to swear or give the guy who did this a wedgie... but I am just MAD!!!

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

Rubbed it lightly with ScratchX 2.0 to confirm.

Indeed, more color transfer. and the spot becomes bigger. This is unacceptable.
I have put the applicator pad in a plastic bag to document this to the bodyshop.

Should I head the bodyshop directly next week or call them first?

I would call them to document it ASAP.

[the_invisible]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

Rubbed it lightly with ScratchX 2.0 to confirm.

Indeed, more color transfer. and the spot becomes bigger. This is unacceptable.
I have put the applicator pad in a plastic bag to document this to the bodyshop.

Should I head the bodyshop directly next week or call them first?

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

That could be a possibility. I never thought about that. However, I think burn-through creates an obvious unevenness in the paint. This one is flat and I couldn't feel any ridges whatsoever. It could possibly be a burn-through, or an etch. I remember trying to remove some sanding marks by hand in that area. Could M105 and high pressure using a thumb cause a burn through? I doubt I burnt through the paint myself, but there's probably a 1% chance that I did. Let's just say I was a little passionate with my thumb trying to remove the sanding marks... :S


I wonder if it will spread...............?

Kind of ironic that my daily driver is actually in better condition than my pride and joy...

Missing clear is missing clear- whether it was from the etching, the sanding, the polishing, or the most likely...a combination of the three!

That said, you do not know how much the body shop sanded or buffed on that. It could have been on the very verge of burn through by the time you got started. So, yes, M105 by hand in this case could have been the straw to break the camel's back.

As for the "unevenness" of the paint...you won't feel ridges because it is such an insanely gradual change. Think about it... the sanding and buffing wouldn't create a ridge... it would just slowly lower the whole area. The missing clear just happens to be the lowest point.

***DISCLAIMER**** This testing method likely WILL further the damage to the car!!!!

***DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO REPAINT THE ENTIRE AREA**** A way to see if it is a burn-through would be to continue applying M105 to the area. If it keeps spreading, you know the problem.

[the_invisible]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

The last couple pictures look like possible burn-through to me. It is very slight.

That could be a possibility. I never thought about that. However, I think burn-through creates an obvious unevenness in the paint. This one is flat and I couldn't feel any ridges whatsoever. It could possibly be a burn-through, or an etch. I remember trying to remove some sanding marks by hand in that area. Could M105 and high pressure using a thumb cause a burn through? I doubt I burnt through the paint myself, but there's probably a 1% chance that I did. Let's just say I was a little passionate with my thumb trying to remove the sanding marks... :S


I wonder if it will spread...............?

Kind of ironic that my daily driver is actually in better condition than my pride and joy...

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

The last couple pictures look like possible burn-through to me. It is very slight.

[NiNe STaR SHiNe]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

sooooooo, no sunlight pics????


it IS VERY light...the chevy in my avatar right now had SEVERE water spots on the roof most of them about the size of a quarter or 1 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch some were a lot smaller and a few were 2-2 1/2 inches by whatever they were, but it took 4 applications of scratch-x 2.0 to get rid of them. and now the roof looks GREAT!

[the_invisible]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

Hey guys, the area is actually very clean, so I am very certain that the pigments on the pad is indeed paint. It could have been etching. Does the above look like the clear coated is being sanded through? After second thoughts, I don't think it is, because the surface is absolutely smooth. I tried rubbing it with different types of polishes, including Ultimate Compound. That was when I started discovering the paint transfer. It isn't severe, but it's noticeable when I rub hard enough. Although it is hard to tell from these pictures, the affected spot is noticeably dull under certain lighting condition. It is very much like etching.

After some meditating, I figured that the bodyshop may have used some very strong solvent in an attempt to remove the windshield adhesive from the paint. The use of solvent may have etched into the clear coat. Although the area isn't missing an entire patch of clear coat, pores may have been developed in the clear coat through the use of strong solvent. In that case, it would be really hard to get the bodyshop responsible.

The waterspots on the windshield are actually quik detailer. Water etching has never been a problem for me due to where I live.

[NiNe STaR SHiNe]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

Hi,


I kept telling myself to not get involved here but IMHO I felt this might get you pointed in the right direction at least. Unless I`m incorrect. (have had issues with hard water spots/removing them in the past) And since they fixed the area then what IMO it looks like a water spot/bird poop etching that you might not have seen before washing and did not remove all of while washing/drying or you removed it all and it is just residue that etched into the clear and I say this because I noticed in a few of the pics that you have water spots on the glass.


The one on the hood/panel should be easy to remove by hand which is I think they say to use Scratch-X 2.0, not by machine and cutting pad. IMO you need precision pressure here with a foam applicator pad, microfiber applicaor or for what I`m told will give more bite is terry cloth to remove the spot and this may take 3-4 or even more passes with MSX 2.0. depending on the pressure you`re using, how long it has etched into the surface and many other variables. Just remember to put little passion behind the pad and try not to buff down to a polish until you have made a few passes.



Give this a try and let us know how it turns out, also if you want, get a pic of this "etching" in sun light BEFORE you do anything else to it and someone might be able to give you even better advice/procedures/products to use.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Etching or Wetsanded Through Clear Coat?? Picture Below.

From those pictures, I can't see anything wrong at all. Maybe somebody else can?

Also from the looks of your pad, that could be dirt or product causing the different color on the pad.

Silver is such a hard color to tell if it's paint transfer or surface dirt.

Hopefully somebody else will reply because I can't see anything wrong in those pictures.

Ryan