Paint Abrasion

[slayer of souls]

Recently had the car opticoated and noticed a weird paint abrasion right on the bodyline. Not sure what this is. Polishing may be risky if I expose the paint. Its not a scratch just looks like a faded sort of color. Perhaps the clear coat?

Spoke to a few people and getting mixed recommendations. Its an exotic so I want to be careful of what option I choose.

Someone recommended that I use a scratch remover which has some grit and rub that on the affected area.

 

[FUNX650]

Hard to diagnose this issue from over here...

What does the Opti-Coat installer say that it is/could be...
or is the installer one of the folks that's already given one
of those mixed recommendations?

Bob

 

[slayer of souls]

Hard to diagnose this issue from over here...

What does the Opti-Coat installer say that it is/could be...
or is the installer one of the folks that's already given one
of those mixed recommendations?

Bob

No the opti-coat installer was hesitant to polish on the body line. I asked a guy that focuses on paint/chips

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Recently had the car opticoated and noticed a weird paint abrasion right on the bodyline.

Not sure what this is.

Polishing may be risky if I expose the paint.

Its not a scratch just looks like a faded sort of color. Perhaps the clear coat?

Hard to see what's going on with these pictures. Taking good close-up shots of small defects on car bodies is kind of an art form, here's an article on this.... multiple techniques shared....

How-To capture swirls, scratches, etchings and other surface defects with your camera



As to the defect. When the clear layer of paint is somehow abraded off the underlying basecoat is DULL.

Basecoat or the color coat in a basecoat/clearcoat paint job gets its gloss from the clear layer. By itself it is flat or matte in appearance.

So when a person buffs through the clear layer, be it on an edge or the middle of a flat panel, a dull looking area will appear.

It's a simple test to perform to find out. Simply take a white cloth and some white colored polish and gently rub on the dull area.

If you see the color of the basecoat or color coat, (same thing just different terms), coming off and onto the cloth this tells you the clear is now missing in this area.

If it's just dull clear coat then any compound or polish that can be used by hand can be massaged over the area to remove the opacity in the clear layer and restore clarity.

Then wax, seal or coat. In your case you would coat.