Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

[fredcandetail]

Hey guys!
I will be doing this Silverado and the owner just sent me a pic of what he wants me to try and address .... Have you guys seen something like this?

I have 1000-2000-3000-105-205 in my arsenal..

Thanks in advance for the replies and I hope the pic posts.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

The image you tried to post is on Facebook and you need to be logged into Facebook to see it. Can you upload the picture to our servers and MOL and then place it in a post so we can see it?

That said, if what you're up against truly is clear coat failure, then there's only one way to fix it - repaint.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

OK, here's the picture that Fred sent:



It appears as though the clear is literally starting to peel up from the color coat, but in a slightly unusual way. It almost looks like something was spilled or dripped onto the finish. Either way, a simple, or even not so simple, buffing process isn't going to repair that. Unless the image is showing this different from what you're seeing with the naked eye - or is the picture all you've seen of this yourself? We just want to make sure it isn't a build up of some sort of deposited material. That you might be able to deal with. Clear coat failure, not so much.

[fredcandetail]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

The way the pic appears is point on...it literally looks like it is flaking up....
I know big bummer but if the owner allows I will try to wetsand it out smooth and then resort to polishing .....but i might be opening up a can of worms if I try to wetsand it as it might go straight to base coat or worse the primer

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

I would not even try. Like Mike said, repaint it.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

You are not going to buff that out. Time to suggest a painter and safe yourself a serious headache...

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

The way the pic appears is point on...it literally looks like it is flaking up....
I know big bummer but if the owner allows I will try to wetsand it out smooth and then resort to polishing .....but i might be opening up a can of worms if I try to wetsand it as it might go straight to base coat or worse the primer

You will go into the color coat, no doubt about it. Heck, the color coat is already exposed. And the color coat is simply not designed and formulated to provide gloss - that's the job of the clear coat. Sure, you can sand the clear off and polish up the color coat and make it look pretty. For a couple of weeks. Honestly, you'd be doing your customer a disservice, and potentially damage your reputation, if you tried to correct this with wet sanding and buffing. Unless the customer fully understands the ramifications of doing this and allows you to merely experiment on his finish. This would also assume that he has every intention of repainting and that anything you do would be a very short term solution, if any solution at all.

[ColonelCash]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

you will go into the color coat, no doubt about it. Heck, the color coat is already exposed. And the color coat is simply not designed and formulated to provide gloss - that's the job of the clear coat. Sure, you can sand the clear off and polish up the color coat and make it look pretty. For a couple of weeks. Honestly, you'd be doing your customer a disservice, and potentially damage your reputation, if you tried to correct this with wet sanding and buffing. Unless the customer fully understands the ramifications of doing this and allows you to merely experiment on his finish. This would also assume that he has every intention of repainting and that anything you do would be a very short term solution, if any solution at all.

+1

[Gattaca]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

You don't add any color by buffing, you can only take away.

Suggest a repaint...If that fails, I'd have him sign a waiver for you to try wet sanding the paint. If it went that fair, I'd think you'd want to wax that area every month for protection.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

Sometimes you have to know when to walk away...

Sometimes you have to do your customer a favor and educate them on what the reality is as it relates to working on moder clear coat paints which are thin to start with besides a major problem like this issue.

One way I've used to politely get out of a detail like this if the customer is persistent and won't listen to reason is to tell the customer you would like to pass and let someone better than you have the opportunity.

[Murr1525]

Re: Clear Coat failure .. How would you tackle this?

Or ask if he would want the rest of the car anyway so it is good when it comes out of the shop, but dont get involved with the hood till it is fixed.