New nightmare!!

keith

Member
Messages
624
Hot on the heels of the new front end on my DS3 as posted on here, another crisis - thus time with the Ghibli.
I was in the north east near Durham last week for a few days away. I came to my car which was covered in bird droppings all over the bonnet.
The porter at the hotel, thought he was doing me a favour removing them with a bucket of washing up liquid and a sponge, and whilst I can't blame him I have been left with scouring marks all over the bonnet bumper and to some extent the front wings. I had assumed the detailed I use could flat and polish them. After some effort he has given up and I am taking the car to my body shop of choice. He thinks it could need an entire front end respray. I remain in hope albeit with extensive wet sanding this big issue can be solved. All in all another load of big and possibly expensive aggravation!!
I'm taking it in on Monday, so the verdict should be known then.
Sometimes no matter how hard you try to keep your car blemish free, S**T happens. Words fail me...
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
My twopenethworth:

If you can colour sand paintwork with 1200 grit and then polish it up to a mirror finish then I can’t see how a scouring pad, as stupid as the person who did it has been, could not be polished out.

Seek a different detailer/body shop.
 

TimR

Member
Messages
2,656
Not even a scouring pad, a sponge !
Makes sense to me...Find a decent detailer ! :)
 

iainw

Member
Messages
3,386
Not even a scouring pad, a sponge !
Makes sense to me...Find a decent detailer ! :)
Playing devils advocate. How can you not blame the porter? He has rubbed grit all over your car and cost you £1000s. Surely the hotel or him would be liable for the costs of it was a direct result of his actions. Surely they have some insurance policy
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Ignore the body shop... Take it to a detailer/call a detailer in to do a paint correction on your top coat.

They will use a machine polisher with various grades of polish to remove the grazing... If it is really bad they might use wet and dry but it might not get to that
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
Just to complete this thread.
Firstly to clarify, it was the Detailer who was reluctant to rectify the issues, and was therefore suggesting that I take it to a bodyshop for a front respray. I found this hard to fathom as they were after all surface scratches albeit widespread.
Anyway, the following Monday I took the car into my bodyshop I use, and they felt certain that wet sanding and polishing would sort it out. I would add they know me well, and know (to put it very politely) how ‘fastidious’ I am.
I can only say they did an absolutely first rate job, achieving even my high standards. They used 3000 followed by 6000 grit, compound polish and wax.
Attached a picture taken inside my garage with fluorescent light shining on the bonnet.
As I’ve said before if anyone is looking for top class paint or body repair, I would very highly recommend them.
Fastlane PAB Sunninghill Berkshire.
 

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Devonboy

Member
Messages
1,289
Just had mine done - fecking amazing?
 

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keith

Member
Messages
624
Indeed looks like new. The secret is keeping it looking like that, proper washing
technique, polish and wax. Plenty of products and instructions in the internet I use mainly the Swissvax range with their 'Best if Show' wax.
Be warned have your car detailed and then trying to keep it that way is a dangerous slippery slope into obsessive behaviour!!! A trap i am sadly am now in...
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
It's a beautiful blue , sounds to me like your first detailer didn't want the job
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,759
Excellent result, like most of the above I couldn't understand how a detailer with the right wet sanding products couldn't repair damage caused by a sponge.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
Excellent result, like most of the above I couldn't understand how a detailer with the right wet sanding products couldn't repair damage caused by a sponge.

The guy that did mine (valet, not a full detail) took his machine to the rather flat paint on the door. Much better, but as he showed me it's rippled. Either the paint or the lacquer. Apparently it's got to be wet sanded back, but because the doors are aluminium, he can't measure the paint thickness.

Seems reasonable to me, and the car still looks a million bucks even after the rain overnight. The flip is really noticeable even in the dull grey.

Witchcraft I tell thee!

C
 

rivarama

Member
Messages
1,102
All looks gorgeous!
Apologies my dirty money talk, but how much would you expect to pay for a all around paint correction like the one on that lovely QP? I have two daily drivers that have quite a few swirl marks - usual stuff when you take the cars to your local £10 hand wash service for a while. I have been quoted anywhere between £750-1000 per car... which is more than I want to spend on them as the cars are prob only worth £35k combined.
Also how long does this beautiful gloss last assuming a slightly more careful washing than the local polish joint? Does the car have to be professionally waxed every year after that?
 

keith

Member
Messages
624
Anything from £500 would be what you should expect to pay a Detailer per car depending of course on the condition.
The process in simple terms involves removing with by wet sanding or machine polishing so many microns of ‘clear coat’. This reveals a fresh new layer. This is then protected by a wax or ceramic coating.
Ceramic is more durable if marginally less glossy than wax. Some makes will claim years of protection. However unlike wax some ceramic coatings need to be professionally applied, and do not prevent future scratches or swirls.
In fact it’s all but impossible to avoid this minor surface damage to paintwork. It all depends how critical you are. Wash your car and under normal daylight it will look fine, then look at it under strong artificial light such as a petrol station forecourt lights, and then any surface marks will appear. Like any polished glossy surface imperfections will be highlighted in strong light.
Simply it’s all but impossible no matter how careful to avoid some imperfections.
As I said previously it all depends how fussy you are. If you want to minimise marks wash the car yourself using a careful washing technique (snow foam, two bucket method with grit guard, lambs wool wash mit, drying towels and even an air dryer if you want to go to extremes). For most all that takes too long and too much effort so the car hand wash is sufficient. Nutters like me end up forever chasing their tails, trying to achieve a level of perfection that is all but unattainable.
Clearly unadvisable, and like anything a happy medium is best.
It’s worth mentioning some Detailers will encourage perfectionism to get repeat business.
Now a quick picture of my car from earlier in the year after a wash.
 

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MrMickS

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Full colour correction and C-Quartz Pro (2 year warranty) on my Ghibli cost £650. The detailer is local to me and a bit of a perfectionist, he had the car for a week to do the job. Here is picture of the side he sent through before applying the ceramic finish.

IMG_2369.JPG
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
Full colour correction and C-Quartz Pro (2 year warranty) on my Ghibli cost £650. The detailer is local to me and a bit of a perfectionist, he had the car for a week to do the job. Here is picture of the side he sent through before applying the ceramic finish.

View attachment 53028
That's not much good, you can't see it! Lol ;)
 
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