What causes tiny divots in paint?

I watched a Youtube Larry from AMMO NYC the other day and he mentioned something along the lines of those little divots being created from sand and stuff hitting the car when driving, and that the fact that these divots were present, indicates 'soft' paint.
:dunno:
 
Are the divots you're referring to on the spotlight, or next to your finger? I can't really see the details too clearly. Pic is a bit blurry.
 
It is not uncommon to see pitting in areas where small impact is common... the front of the car, for example. This is caused from constant beating of particles/debris while you are driving. These are essentially small marks from impacts that are not large enough to create an actual chip in the paint.

Any vehicle, regardless of perceived paint hardness, can have pitting... especially those that rack up the miles on the highway.

20120907-DSC_0118_zps64381a67.jpg




Fisheyes also appear as small divots in the paint, but these are a result of a poor paint job, not impact related.
28054214024_56fc2260e3_b.jpg
 
Fish eyes like the post above paint prep wasn't done 100%
 
You mean like this? This is one of my clients cars and this is the trunk after machine polishing. To my knowledge nothing can be done about it. This is a jaguar


d1e9f443e414326117c40a6f0b437284.jpg




Another angle it looks like a perfect mirror.

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There's a difference between detailing and "detailing"
 
I thought it was long term damage like pollen getting lodged on the clearcoat and causing tiny divots over years. This car sits right under a big flower wall and those things make orange dust all over the car


There's a difference between detailing and "detailing"
 
^Those are fisheyes. That panel was repainted and not properly prepped before spraying.
 
I watched Larry's video the other night, Ive seen pitting regardless of hardness. Soft, med, hard they all can get pitted. But more so on some parts on the car than others.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
It is not uncommon to see pitting in areas where small impact is common... the front of the car, for example. This is caused from constant beating of particles/debris while you are driving. These are essentially small marks from impacts that are not large enough to create an actual chip in the paint.

Any vehicle, regardless of perceived paint hardness, can have pitting... especially those that rack up the miles on the highway.

20120907-DSC_0118_zps64381a67.jpg




Fisheyes also appear as small divots in the paint, but these are a result of a poor paint job, not impact related.
28054214024_56fc2260e3_b.jpg
Click to expand...

Great response Zach. I've never seen a car with more than a few thousand miles that doesn't have some small divots on the front bumper, lower rocker, or hood. PPF is the only way I see to avoid the small divots. Then your PPF will get small divots. Enclosed trailer, showrooms, or garages are the only ways to avoid this in my opinion.
 
Those look more like solvent pop too me one the red.

Fish eyes are usually from silicone on the metal before paint is applied.

Either way repaint is only permanent fix.

There are some good articles on Google for paint defects and what causrs them as well as how to fix (tried looking up on my phone but no ides how to copy and paste).
 
I HATE those marks. My car and my G/Fs car both have them. Soft toyota paint for us.
 
It could also be solvent popping
I had this issues on some vintage Rides with cheap 2 stage paint jobs
 
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