LAracer

I have a VR R1 which hasn't seen the rain since I bought it a year ago. About six months ago I did the Zaino treatment with Z2 and Z5. Then, last Sunday I was working in my garage so I had to move the car outside...so naturally it rains . Before I put the car back in the garage I rinsed it off with soft water (the rain had stopped) and dried it with a white cotton towel. While drying I noticed several spots on the mirrors and wing. These spots are about the size of my pinky nail and are pinkish in color. They are not the usual water spots since they're solid, not just a ring. I can't rub them off; they seem to be under the paint almost.

I've never seen anything like this on my car before, and I'm a little worried. (The car has low miles, and the paint is generally very good.) Does anyone know what might have caused these spots and/or how to get rid of them safely?

InsaneGideon

I don't mean this sarcastically, but does it look somewhat like the ring left from a cold beverage on a coffee table with soft varnish? Like the original color is a bit washed out and maybe raised up a bit? Was the car left out with beaded water on it for sometime?

I have an electric guitar that reacted to water this way, and they're often finished with car paints, so this isn't apples and oranges. I had to remove the wax as it was retaining the moisture in spots for some reason. I'm not suggesting you do the same! Just giving some input...

-IG

LAracer

Well, they're not really rings at all - more like solid circles. But yes, the color is that faded color. They are not raised, however. The car was sitting in the rain for over an hour, but the rain never dried, and as I said, I rinsed it right after the rain stopped.

I emailed Sal Zaino (who's always pretty helpful) and he suggested I use "3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze" by hand. Has anyone used this for a similar problem?

Fd3BOOST

iTrader: (7)

It is most likely some type of tree sap or acid rain damage. I suggest that you try Meguires "clay bar treatment" It's a bit hard on the elbows but yeilds great results. I had a similar problem and was happy with the end results that the Meguires products provided.
Good luck

-Dave

InsaneGideon

Sorry, I was referring more to the texture/color rather than the shape Unless you have a problem with garden gnomes leaving thimbles of cold beer on your FD.

The claybar Dave mentioned is one way to remove the wax... The bar picks up just about anything irregular (relative to the continuous shape of the paint surface), and should pickup any raised wax. Just be sure it doesn't snag on a hole in the paint or something and rip it off. Works great for really encrusted bird crap.

You live in Los Alamos, eh? Perhaps some chemical weapon testing going on nearby?

-IG

LAracer

Hehe, you never know.

Well, I tried Meguires ScratchX on it yesterday, and the mirrors have never looked better. They now have the best paint on the entire car . All spots are gone, as well as all the tiny scratches that were there anyway.

So now I'm wondering, should I use the ScratchX on the entire car? Obviously, it removes some paint, so it's not the kind of thing I'd do regularly, but would it have any bad side effects if I used ScratchX over the whole car? Anyone tried this?

Thanks for the comments .