Aaauuuugh!! Bird etches (??) on 2014 Regal...

Faron79

Faron79

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I really hope this is the "most correct" place to ask this?!

Last July, we bought a new 2014 Buick AWD Turbo Regal. It's the gorgeous "Carbon-Black Metallic"! Every single option possible, including the $1,000 Chrome wheels (GM code Q6Y), & the Adaptive-Cruise control. Studly black Leather interior too.

ISSUE:
It's DW's car, & her assigned parking-spot at the office is/WAS right up close to a smaller tree that must've been the "Bird-community bathroom"!!! After cleaning-off droppings every damn day, I PLEADED with her to ask for a different spot. Finally she did!!!!

>>> Anyway...there's ONE particularly difficult spot, on the hood of course, that I can't seem to get rid of! I'm brand-new to this forum, & have no DA yet. From certain angles, you can see the blotch. I've clayed the car a few times, & have only used a Meguiars polish...by hand...uffda!
>>> I CAN'T FEEL the etch. It's weird...it's like it's UNDER the clearcoat?!??!?
>>> Is it removeable???
>>> Her previous car was a 2006 White Pontiac Grand-Prix GT, with the supercharged V6. We had NO issues with droppings on this car. No etchings "stayed".
>>> I'm assuming that this coarse Black-Metallic just gets "hotter" under the clear, creating nastier blemishes???

Thanks for any guidance on my 1st forum-post here! Besides the Intro-thread anyway!

Faron
 
You are going to need to get a little more aggressive. If you work by hand try meguiars ultimate compound and follow with ultimate polish. Pay attention to your technique , and you may need to repeat the process a couple of times.
 
Mike lambert said:
You are going to need to get a little more aggressive. If you work by hand try meguiars ultimate compound and follow with ultimate polish. Pay attention to your technique , and you may need to repeat the process a couple of times.
Click to expand...


:iagree: And with a black car, you might seriously look into getting a polisher
 
Oops, I wrote a long response and then realized this thread was in Mike Phillips' subforum. I had already linked to Mike's thread down at the bottom, and he's got some further links in that thread, so take that as gospel and mine as a second-tier reference as I always defer to Mike.

I love those black metallic colors. Anyway, humor me on this since the car is new. The reason you can only see the etch from certain angles is not because it is under the clear, but because it is in the clear.

This method comes from Bill D on another forum, but you want to make sure the acid from the bird poop is neutralized so that it can't be reactivated from heat and moisture and continue to etch. My method might be slightly modified from Bill's "classic".

Clean the area with IPA, then apply a baking soda paste and let it sit and dry on there for a while, then wash off the dried paste. (Bill advocated the use of gauze pads to hold either or both of the mixtures on there for a while to help draw the stuff out of the paint, he also used a spray mixture of baking soda; I guess I accomplish the same thing with the paste).

Believe it or not I've had etches that after being treated and allowed to outgas for a some days that seem to have disappeared. Anyway, the paint can be somewhat porous (especially after the bird poop attack) and you have to neutralize or get the stuff out of the paint before you seal it back in with "wax".

Then after you are sure it's neutralized polish any remaining etch--and remember that you are thinning the clearcoat when you do this.

I know it's not always possible, but in the hot weather you need to get the bird poop off as soon as possible, it can take only minutes to etch: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...-long-does-take-bird-dropping-etch-paint.html
 
Thank you very much Guys!!
:thankyousign:
I'll do more studying here.
Trying to work a D/A into the budget, but after my "New knee" last Sept., we're still watching the bills! 53 seems young to be needing a TKR, but it had to be done.
MCL & LCL also needed work...especially the MCL (old HS football injury in 1978).

So...in my knee now, I've got Titanium, Fibertape, Plastic, & 2 drilled-in anchors, which hold the ends of a "backup MCL" made of Fiber-mesh!

Guess I'll need a good rolling "Creeper-chair" too lol! :help:

Any suggestions?

Faron
 
I have a Craftsman rolling stool that has a short back and thick padding. I like it a lot.

Walter

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk
 
Couple more ?'s while I'm thinking of them...

1) Is the GM Clearcoat on a Buick like mine considered harder or softer?

2) Because the Metallic-flakes are much coarser in this color, does that add to any "cooking" effect beyond what a "regular" Black would do?

3) Since I'm still such a Noob, what waxes/sealants would do the best at resisting future "poo-bombs"?

Thanks again so much!
Faron
 
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