X-JaVeN-X

I'm curious to know if there is anything to bring back really faded paint? My red TII looks as if the passsenger door was replaced at some time because it is much more faded than the rest of the car. I was wondering if there is anything I can put on it or do to it to possibly brighten it up any to at least get it closer to the rest of the car.

westler91

Some rubbing compound and a good buffer............be careful tho

240sxer

agreed with above. also try to wax and clay bar it, might help clean up the paint a bit.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Repaint Any other "method" will only improve it very temporarily.

SayNoToPistons

PLEASE DONT USE RUBBING COMPOUND. IT REMOVES A HUGE LAYER OF CLEARCOAT OR SINGLE STAGE PAINT! instead try a Clay Bar. there should be clay bar kits avaible at your local car parts store like auto zone, struass, pepboyz, etc. first off. get 2 5 gallon buckets, 1 sheep skin wash mitt, car wash soap (meguiars!, not dish wash soap!), micro fiber towels. then after claying use a polish like poorboys ssr 3.0 or 2.5 (with a dual actoin polisher. like a porter cable 7424), then use some kind of wax or sealant. meguiars NXT tech wax should be good enough for you. im pretty damn sure itll make a world of a difference on your faded paint Javen! if you need directions on how to do it post. or you can just simply go to www.autopia.org , its one great detailing noobie website.

SayNoToPistons

i have done details for customers with faded paint.there was this red miata that had sever paint damage from sitting outsidew/o protectoin or wash. it was almost brand new after a full 8 hour detail, and its going to last once you remove the oxidation and contaminates from the paint.

kuroi FD

i have seen wetsanding do some amazing things.

GodSquadMandrake

I totally agree with the claybar and wax idea.
Your paint is oxidized. You need to get all the contaminants out by giving it a strong wash with dish soap, and the claybarring the entire car. The clay works out contaminants and smoothes out the paint. Then use a a cleaner/wax like Zymol. Zymol is meant for restoring old paint and it will also reseal it so that it doesn't go back.

I would stay away from rubbing compounds or polishing compounds unless there is something really ground in that you need to work out.

Make sure to keep waxxing it to protect the paint, it's softer than new paint and will get water spots ground in easily.

X-JaVeN-X

you sound like you've done this before....ha
Let's see...I need to pick up a clay bar kit. I have the mr. clean autodry carwash system that somebody bought me as a gift and I still haven't used...does the soap it comes with count as a decent car washing soap? I think it also has a mitt in the kit (not sure if it's sheep skin...but i'll check)

Now, as far as the polisher goes...that porter cable 7424 is over $100. By the time I buy that, the claybar kit, etc etc...I can have this door repainted, as there are no dents or anything in the door...just faded.

SayNoToPistons

you know what? use Dawn Dishwash soap. the original blue one, it wroks well but it will strip paint protectoin (wax) but it seems like you dont have any anyways but make sure you do wax it after Dawn. yeah you can pick up the Mothers Clay Bar kit which is mostly avauble in autozone pepboys etc etc. if not buy a chunk of Clay (automotive clay! lol). poor some dawn in a spray bottle mix with water and use that as lube but dont let the car dry with soap on it!. rip a chunk of clay, flaten it with your hands. spray lube on car (if your using Dawn as lube which is what i perfer. you dont have to dry your car after a wash since you have to wash it again after the clay IF your using car wash soap.

so you squirt a decent amount of lube on a 2x2 area and lightly slide the clay on the paint until its smoothe (no more "bumps" on the paint). after that you knead the clay and continue with another area. but remember not to let the car dry with soap on it, just spray the car down with a hose when it starts to dry. wax will not do for faded paint, instead if you want to do it by hand and "save" money you should try Meguiars Scratch X (avaible in autoparts stores). you put a little on a applicator pad and you start rubbing a small area over and over again until you get a good shine.

i would invest in a PC 7424, its going to save you lots of time in the future when you decide to detail you car. its a hell lot faster, easier, and the results are better than by hand. its well worth it. but the most important thing is, keep your car waxed in the future so the paint doesnt fade again.

travisorus rex

I have to agree with Ramy on this one. The only way to fix old paint is to replace it.

purerx7

iTrader: (61)

Im not sure how bad it is, as you havent provided any pics. But check this out,

Obviously the left side was the old oxidized paint, on the right side p21s paintwork clenser, polish, than wax was used with a polishing machine. Pretty good results, I have seen my local detailer, take some really beat up paint and transorm it into good condition. Shouldnt be more than $100 and its worth a try, couldnt get any worse, might be more than a $100 for your paint though

X-JaVeN-X

^wow...yea my passenger door looks about like the left side of that hood...and the rest of my car after a car wash looks pretty close to the right side of that hood. I'm gonna check around and see if anybody around here locally does polishing. All I need done is that one door...I can live with the rest.

If I could get this door polished, then just normal washing and waxing on my part I assume is all I'd need to do to maintain it?

purerx7

iTrader: (61)

^yep, its suggessted that you polish the car every 6 months or so as well.

SayNoToPistons

umm wasnt that pick up in DavidB's noobie e-book? yeah i think it was. theres a kit on www.topoftheline.com where you can buy the PC 7424 KIT. cheapest place to but them so far. it comes with different kind of pads for different levels of polishes and wax/sealant. you can also try there polishes which are very good. ill give you the links on what you should buy. hold on

SayNoToPistons

kit:
http://www.topoftheline.com/tolae/porcabpolpac.html

polish. this one is cheap, but its as good if not better than Poor BOys SSR 2.5. its good stuff, but it STINKS!:
http://www.topoftheline.com/tolae/32ozheavcutp.html

thats basically all you need. but trust me on this. youll wont regret buying it. yeah it cost more than 200 but you'll see how big of a difference itll make. also becareful if your taking your car to "profressoinal detailers". most of them use extremely abrasive polishers that cause cause sever marring. yeah itll loks better but it take away a huge layer of paint and if you look hardly you'll see swirl marks cause by the machine and polishers.

now for the clay and wax. you should just try to get some meguiars NXT tech wax (not the SPRAY wax though...its a crappy "booster wax" that doesnt work well) and a clay bar kit. try putting on 2-3 coats of NXT for the best shine and protection (it should last 3-4 months if properly washed every other week or so). now for the wash mitts, towels, car soap, and buckets. you should try to get a real Sheeps Skin Mitt (not a kitchen towel, terry cloth, cotten towel lol), for towels you can go to costoco or walmart (target or w/e) and get micro fiber towels (youll never go back to terry or cotten towels every again!), for car wash soaps you can get any Meguiars soap, and for buckets. try to use 2 5 gallon buckets. one for clean soapy water and another for rinsing the mitt after washing a panel. if you need any help try posting on autopia.org