Orange peel/repaint?

[3wood]

My new to me 1 owner 169k very clean Suburban with a clean car fax and all maintenance records appears to be a repaint from what I’ve learned here. Do you guys agree from the pic and obvious op. Well, if so what products would you recommend have griots 6 in da plenty of pads have bought black light and butter wet wax as well as some BLACKFIRE polish on sale in the outlet. Thinking now I should have gone with a good sealant and a spray wax to apply after each wash. Thoughts besides selling vehicle and starting over....thank God only paid 4500. Poor folks have poor ways as they say. Thanks.

 

[JKDesign]

Those Suburbans have a very rough/textured/orange peel finish from the factory. Unless you see dirt particles in paint/dirt nibs (dirt-in-paint) or clear coat drips or obvious lines at the edges where it looked like someone might've taped it off for paint: that's how you would know it or an area has had a repaint.

Also Carfax never tells the whole story- only if maintenance/recalls were performed by a dealership, or if accident damage was reported to insurance. If something was performed by an independent shop or if someone had something repaired out of pocket without reporting it to insurance, then that wouldn't show up in the Carfax report.

-From the looks of your picture- it does look like factory paint, and it appears to be in wonderful shape!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I've wetsanded ENTIRE cars before and it's a LOT more work than most people know or understand.

There's also certain amount of risk that goes with the process. As I always type,

1. Sanding removes paint.
   
2. Compounding removes paint.
   
3. Polishing removes a little paint.
   

Sooner or later, if everything doesn't go to plan, you're going to turn your buffing pad over and see the basecoat on the pad.


There is a wetsanding technique I teach called,

"Scuff & Buff"


I have 2 maybe 3 write-ups on it. You can Google

Scuff and Buff Mike Phillips


and pull up at least one of the articles, here I did it for you.


Scuff & Buff - Wet Sanding Single Stage Metallic Paint - 1948 Willys Jeepster


Scuff and Buff is where you just lightly sand the major portions of the major panels with a light grit sanding disc like #3000 3M Trizact, then remove your sanding marks. It knocks down the tops of the orange peel to improve the overall appearance of the paint while keeping you SAFE and making the job a LOT faster than a full-on real wetsanding job.


Hope that helps...

 

[sudsmobile]

Those Suburbans have a very rough/textured/orange peel finish from the factory. Unless you see dirt particles in paint/dirt nibs (dirt-in-paint) or clear coat drips or obvious lines at the edges where it looked like someone might've taped it off for paint: that's how you would know it or an area has had a repaint.

Also Carfax never tells the whole story- only if maintenance/recalls were performed by a dealership, or if accident damage was reported to insurance. If something was performed by an independent shop or if someone had something repaired out of pocket without reporting it to insurance, then that wouldn't show up in the Carfax report.

-From the looks of your picture- it does look like factory paint, and it appears to be in wonderful shape!

I don't think that's true anymore with regard to Carfax and maintenance performed by non dealerships. I believe that independents and chains can use certain software that is Carfax reporting compliant. My son recently purchased a used Lexus and maintenance was reported by an independent shop.

 

[Vanquish Auto]

Some companies just have a lot of orange peel from factory. Your best bet would to be just learn to live with it. Like Mike stated above. It is a ton of work. Plus you might as well multiply that work by 1.5 considering it’s a Suburban. If you have the skill set and just want something to do. Go for it.
Otherwise just give it a good polish and live with the orange peel.

Carpro does make a orange peel pad. I personally have never used it. But I have heard that you can burn through the paint with this pad on a DA. So once again if you don’t have the skill set I would just live with it. Orange peel looks better than sanded through paint or burnt through paint.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[3wood]

Thanks guys for the thoughts and suggestions. I’m thinking it’s a very clean old boat even with the orange peel
I’m going to live with it. What was interesting as I was buffing the roof it showed no peel and was pristine looking paint just strange. I’m loving my suburban it gets me and my service dog to the VA (200 miles) very comfortably. Can you guys tell me what would be a good product to keep it looking good. I was thinking of some AIO after claying and a spray carnuba after each wash. Does that pass muster? After I settle in on my upkeep routine I plan on sticking with the forum and buying from Autogeek both have been very helpful...AGAIN THANKS GUYS!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Can you guys tell me what would be a good product to keep it looking good.

I was thinking of some AIO after claying and a spray carnuba after each wash. Does that pass muster?

I'm a huge fan of using an AIO to maintain a daily driver that sees a lot of wear-n-tear. The BLACKFIRE One Step or the 3D Speed are both great choices. Quick and fast application and wipe-off once you dial-in your application process.

Back when I had my 1987 Silverado, because it had little to zero plastic trim and because it has a 12" lift sitting on 40" tires, I did NOT have to bend over to machine apply wax to any of the side panels. I did have to get on a Werner Work Platform to reach the hood but that was still QUICK work. And the roof on a single cab Chevy is also quite small, so once I climbed into the back of the truck bed, machine applying an AIO was also very fast.

1987 Chevy 4x4 Monster Truck "Before & After" Pictures



Now I have the Golden Eagle and to be honest, it's just a daily driver so I don't get to excited about doing anything with it except being thankful for the peace-of-mind when going back and forth to the airport at O'Dark Thirty in the morning.


The Golden Eagle

After I settle in on my upkeep routine I plan on sticking with the forum and buying from Autogeek both have been very helpful...AGAIN THANKS GUYS!

This is about as easy at it gets...

BLACKFIRE SiO2 Spray Sealant review by Mike Phillips



That or SONAX Polymer Net Shield - a tick stickier to wipe off but no problem as long as you work small sections at a time.

SONAX Polymer Net Shield - Closest thing to a coating without being a coating

 

[Rsurfer]

My new to me 1 owner 169k very clean Suburban with a clean car fax and all maintenance records appears to be a repaint from what I’ve learned here. Do you guys agree from the pic and obvious op. Well, if so what products would you recommend have griots 6 in da plenty of pads have bought black light and butter wet wax as well as some BLACKFIRE polish on sale in the outlet. Thinking now I should have gone with a good sealant and a spray wax to apply after each wash. Thoughts besides selling vehicle and starting over....thank God only paid 4500. Poor folks have poor ways as they say. Thanks.

If you want to know if it's a repaint or only sections, use a paint gauge.