acid rain / water spotting

[ken1137]

Ok...I have gone through and searched and found many options so I thought I would ask for opinions. Any DETAILERS out there care to comment Here is my situation; i travel for business so I need to park at the airport and company will only pay for economy (outside parking). The last two weeks I arrived at my car upon returning to find many water spots. I tried washing, clay-bar, and waxing. Nothing worked 100% and my clear bra is worse than my clear coat.

I found the following recommendations upon sesarching to remove the water spots/acid rain:
1) Meguiar's scratch X
2) 3M's Finess
3) 2:1 - distilled water:white vinegar
4) 2:1 - distilled water:Isopropyl alcohol
5) Professional detail - I have two options; BMW or 3rd Party.

Last issue:
Since I travel it is going to be a pain in the ass to re-work the car each time it rains while I am on a business trip...is there anything I can use to better protect my clear coat? Keep in mind I believe there is not a lot one can do to protect the clear coat against acid rain, etching is etching. I work for a chemical company and we etch the crap out of many types of substrate to polish things up.

One more thing; before any of you state "Do not take you 1'er to the airport", this is not an option. I bought this car as a daily driver and to enjoy driving daily. I was not satisfied with my 328 or Acura. That said...if I had a 911 or Cayman S I would be driving a Honda Civic to the airport.

Ok...let me hear it and thanks in advance.

[Kcc]

Once your water spot is fixed, 2 coat sealant and a coat of carnauba wax will surely last for 2 weeks with full protection.

Kcc

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by Kcc

Once your water spot is fixed, 2 coat sealant and a coat of carnauba wax will surely last for 2 weeks with full protection.

Kcc

Yep, leaning towards 2 coats (Menzerna Pwr Lock Sealant) plus Meguiar's Carnauba wax. Thx.

[BlackjackMulligan]

Two words: Car Cover. Oops, I'm not a detailer, does that count?

BTW, if you have Jet Black, good luck keeping etch/swirl free, it's ridiculously soft clearcoat and non-metallic properties will drive you crazy.

[Greg@DetailedImage]

Originally Posted by ken1137

Ok...I have gone through and searched and found many options so I thought I would ask for opinions. Any DETAILERS out there care to comment Here is my situation; i travel for business so I need to park at the airport and company will only pay for economy (outside parking). The last two weeks I arrived at my car upon returning to find many water spots. I tried washing, clay-bar, and waxing. Nothing worked 100% and my clear bra is worse than my clear coat.

I found the following recommendations upon sesarching to remove the water spots/acid rain:
1) Meguiar's scratch X
2) 3M's Finess
3) 2:1 - distilled water:white vinegar
4) 2:1 - distilled water:Isopropyl alcohol
5) Professional detail - I have two options; BMW or 3rd Party.

Last issue:
Since I travel it is going to be a pain in the ass to re-work the car each time it rains while I am on a business trip...is there anything I can use to better protect my clear coat? Keep in mind I believe there is not a lot one can do to protect the clear coat against acid rain, etching is etching. I work for a chemical company and we etch the crap out of many types of substrate to polish things up.

One more thing; before any of you state "Do not take you 1'er to the airport", this is not an option. I bought this car as a daily driver and to enjoy driving daily. I was not satisfied with my 328 or Acura. That said...if I had a 911 or Cayman S I would be driving a Honda Civic to the airport.

Ok...let me hear it and thanks in advance.

Sorry to her about hose marks. To get rid of the white residue you can wash, clay or use the vinegar method you mentioned. However water marks can often etch in to the clear coat, so if marks remain that will require a stronger option. It's possible a light cleaning polish will remove the marks like the P21S Paintwork Cleanser or something like the Klasse AIO (see below). The Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover is the easiest way to remove light to medium etchings. If that doesn't work step up to a polish like the Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 and possibly the M105.

To help remove light watermarks and protect against water marks try using a product like the Klasse All In One (AIO). It protects really well against water marks and it's also a cleaner so it's possible it will remove very light water marks. Might be the one step solution you are looking for.

Greg @ DI

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by Greg@DetailedImage

Sorry to her about hose marks. To get rid of the white residue you can wash, clay or use the vinegar method you mentioned. However water marks can often etch in to the clear coat, so if marks remain that will require a stronger option. It's possible a light cleaning polish will remove the marks like the P21S Paintwork Cleanser or something like the Klasse AIO (see below). The Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover is the easiest way to remove light to medium etchings. If that doesn't work step up to a polish like the Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 and possibly the M105.

To help remove light watermarks and protect against water marks try using a product like the Klasse All In One (AIO). It protects really well against water marks and it's also a cleaner so it's possible it will remove very light water marks. Might be the one step solution you are looking for.

Greg @ DI

Thanks Greg...much appreciated.

[bozola]

Another input

[Dackelone]

3M's Finess It - really works wonders. Have you tried it>? I have used it before on scratchs and neglected paint... even just using it by hand it is just stunning. 3M makes three different cuts or grades of this product too. I always use the fine grade.

What about that Aquartz Iron Cut stuff. I think Phill from Detailer's Domain sells it. You spray it all over the paint... and it reacts (turns purple) with the fine metal particles in the car's clear coat. You then wash it off the car. http://www.detailersdomain.com/Aquar...Cut_p_327.html

I would then clay the car and seal it. I love Menzerna Power Lock Sealant. I always keep coming back to it. But I have read sooo many great reviews of Blackfire Wet Diamond, All Finish Paint Protection. It is on my must have list to try soon.

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-P...roduct-review/


A lot of guys LOVE this stuff... Optimum Opti-Coat 2

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Optim...t-2_p_326.html


For those inbetween washes (while on the road) I use Chemical Guys (Strawberry scented) silicone detailer for the paint. It really works nice.

Dackel

[Boomstick1491]

Originally Posted by Greg@DetailedImage

Sorry to her about hose marks. To get rid of the white residue you can wash, clay or use the vinegar method you mentioned. However water marks can often etch in to the clear coat, so if marks remain that will require a stronger option. It's possible a light cleaning polish will remove the marks like the P21S Paintwork Cleanser or something like the Klasse AIO (see below). The Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover is the easiest way to remove light to medium etchings. If that doesn't work step up to a polish like the Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 and possibly the M105.

To help remove light watermarks and protect against water marks try using a product like the Klasse All In One (AIO). It protects really well against water marks and it's also a cleaner so it's possible it will remove very light water marks. Might be the one step solution you are looking for.

Greg @ DI

This is off topic slightly, but I came home Friday night after being overseas for five weeks and found a strange concrete-like water drip on the center of my hood and two long trails going down toward the headlights. Apparently something dripped off the ceiling of the garage in our condo building and sat on the paint for some time before I got home. Unfortunately my wife didn't know about it, nor would she have thought to clean it off immediately, so I had to contend with it when I arrived. I hit it with some QD, which took up most of the residue, though you could still see the etching and then washed the car the following day. That almost removed the appearance, but one of the trails and the main spot (the genesis of the trails) remained visible.

This morning, I began a full exterior detail, which included CG Citrus Wash and Gloss at full strength to remove the previous protection, clay, Megs 105 with an orange pad, Megs 205 with a white pad, and then EZ Creme Glaze with a black pad all with the PC. The trail was gone, but the main spot was still visible under glancing light. I hit the main spot again with Megs 105, this time with a yellow pad, then reapplied 205 with the white and the EZ Creme with the black. It's better, but still there. Any recommendations on ways to get rid of this? Should I try a purple wool and 105 again tomorrow, followed by the other steps? Thanks for the help.

[Dackelone]

I am no detailing expert but it sounds like you need to increase the "cut" factor.

Have you ever tried using "3M's Finess It" I really like it for getting rid of imperfections in the paint. It gets rid of most scratches too. There are three versions fo rcutting strength.

I think we need one of the detailing experts to step in though.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

3M's Finess It - really works wonders. Have you tried it>? I have used it before on scratchs and neglected paint... even just using it by hand it is just stunning. 3M makes three different cuts or grades of this product too. I always use the fine grade.

What about that Aquartz Iron Cut stuff. I think Phill from Detailer's Domain sells it. You spray it all over the paint... and it reacts (turns purple) with the fine metal particles in the car's clear coat. You then wash it off the car. http://www.detailersdomain.com/Aquar...Cut_p_327.html

I would then clay the car and seal it. I love Menzerna Power Lock Sealant. I always keep coming back to it. But I have read sooo many great reviews of Blackfire Wet Diamond, All Finish Paint Protection. It is on my must have list to try soon.

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-P...roduct-review/


A lot of guys LOVE this stuff... Optimum Opti-Coat 2

http://www.detailersdomain.com/Optim...t-2_p_326.html


For those inbetween washes (while on the road) I use Chemical Guys (Strawberry scented) silicone detailer for the paint. It really works nice.

Dackel

Dackel, thanks...the 3M Finess worked. I would like to try the Menzerna's Power Lock but will get a Professional Detail first to fix some other surface issues on the car. The clear bra is f'd up still but I dont think there is much I can do about that.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ken1137

Dackel, thanks...the 3M Finess worked. I would like to try the Menzerna's Power Lock but will get a Professional Detail first to fix some other surface issues on the car. The clear bra is f'd up still but I dont think there is much I can do about that.

Maybe try some 3M Finess It on your clear bra. It couldn't make it any worse.

[and 1]

i thought the clear bra was never supposed to be polished at all....?

lol on one hand, i hope i'm wrong so i can clean mine up. other the other hand....actually screw the other hand, i just hope i'm wrong.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Maybe try some 3M Finess It on your clear bra. It couldn't make it any worse.

Yes, already tried and unfortunately it did not remove the water stains. I read the disclaimer for the clear bra and it states "water spots baked in by the sun cannot be removed and are not covered by warranty"

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by and 1

i thought the clear bra was never supposed to be polished at all....?

lol on one hand, i hope i'm wrong so i can clean mine up. other the other hand....actually screw the other hand, i just hope i'm wrong.

Actually, you need to polish the clear bra with a good liquid wax (i use liquid glass) to fill in the pores to help prevent crap from building up.

[shodanusmc]

Once you get the finish looking new again, pay the $10 extra to park inside at the Airport(Ohare and Midway), or take a Cab.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by shodanusmc

Once you get the finish looking new again, pay the $10 extra to park inside at the Airport(Ohare and Midway), or take a Cab.

Company wont pay for a cab or the difference in price for economy & indoor parking ($14)..there is a method to their madness and I cant go into details since other employees are members. Besides, it is a pain in the ass to depart from the indoor garage to the hwy during rush hour. All is good...I figured out how to remove the water spots (except the bra) which is fine with me.

[and 1]

Originally Posted by ken1137

Actually, you need to polish the clear bra with a good liquid wax (i use liquid glass) to fill in the pores to help prevent crap from building up.

how do you polish with a wax? that'd be like trying to sand wood with the back side of sandpaper

i do use menzerna seal on the bra tho

[ianc]

Just buy a car cover and put it on before you leave your car. Problem solved...

ianc

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by and 1

how do you polish with a wax? that'd be like trying to sand wood with the back side of sandpaper

i do use menzerna seal on the bra tho

Sorry, Brain-Fart...should've been 'liquid polish'.

[and 1]

but you do actually polish the clear bra? only by hand? i've only ever heard not to touch it with anything polish-related....wash/wax/detail only

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by and 1

but you do actually polish the clear bra? only by hand? i've only ever heard not to touch it with anything polish-related....wash/wax/detail only

Yes, it is recommended by the applicator to apply "liquid Glass" in order to fill the pores. Doesn't help prevent water spots but it does help with bird crap.