$10 paint on a $40k car

[wray1991]

I have heard a chirping noise each time I close the drivers door on my new camaro. I assumed it was coming from one of the hinges. Turns out it is coming from the lip of the front quarter panel sticking out too far and digging into the side edge of my door. Along with bird crap that is all of 3 hours old making a horrible spot in the paint below my tail light, when the car was treated with $700 paint protectant 2 months ago. Great job Chevy......Look at the inside lips of the quarter panel, barely any overspray of the IOM. Crappy job.....

[daveagogo1]

The spot on the back should come out no problem. Clay it if need be. As for the door. That sucks but, that's not a paint issue, it's a misalignment issue and no paint will hold up to metal on metal contact.

This paint job is not unique to Camaro. My Traverse has less paint inside the doors than my Camaro does.

[FL1CK]

Warranty...

[wray1991]

I tried some good wax on the back already, not clay yet though. Gonna let the dealer deal with it. The allignment was fine, it was the lip of the panel bent a little too far back towards the door.

[wray1991]

The rear spot also is smooth as a babies butt, you think clay would still fix it?

[daveagogo1]

Originally Posted by wray1991

The rear spot also is smooth as a babies butt, you think clay would still fix it?

Clay should remove that. If you have a polisher you can always use that on it as well after the clay. You will need to wax that area again as the clay will take it off. If it's in the clear and not on the paint it WILL come out.

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Originally Posted by wray1991

I tried some good wax on the back already, not clay yet though. Gonna let the dealer deal with it. The allignment was fine, it was the lip of the panel bent a little too far back towards the door.

For the bird poop, I have your solution: polish. If washing didn't remove it, it's unlikely clay will. That sh*t has etched your clearcoat.

Wax won't remove it, nor will clay. Wax is just a method of protection. It layers on, it doesn't remove. I have a spot that is exactly like that on my passenger door right above the crease. Like with you, the bird sh*t couldn't have been on the car for anymore than two hours. I have NO idea what that animal ate, but it was baaaaaad.

I still sort of have it, but that's because I really never made a large effort to remove it, because I could if I had wanted to. I have it so far down though that only I really notice it.

An abrasive is the only thing that will get rid of that, so you'll have to machine buff it with a heavy cut compound and then polish with a fine polish to bring back the shine. That bird shit has effectively etched your clearcoat. There is nothing for a claybar to grab onto and pick up... that spot IS your clearcoat, just textured differently because of the corrosive chemicals in the poop.

Theoretically, you can at least remove the bird poop by hand with a heavy cut compound and applicator pad. That way, there is no way in hell you'll ever have to worry about "removing too much clearcoat." However, you'll never get the shine back with the fine polish as well by hand as you would with a machine.

[daveagogo1]

He had the paint protectant put on before the bird mess. This should have been enough to prevent it from really etching the clear in a couple hrs. I'd still give a quality clay bar a shot at this. I have removed some very similar stains with my Adams clay. It will have to be polished of course after but, no harm in trying the clay before using an abrasive. That would be my last resort option.

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Originally Posted by daveagogo1

He had the paint protectant put on before the bird mess. This should have been enough to prevent it from really etching the clear in a couple hrs. I'd still give a quality clay bar a shot at this. I have removed some very similar stains with my Adams clay. It will have to be polished of course after but, no harm in trying the clay before using an abrasive. That would be my last resort option.

What protectant, though? Something like Cquartz or Opti-coat 2.0? Those and a few other similar products are the only genuine permanent protective coats you can apply to paint. They are almost like adding another layer of clearcoat and a lot of the time, installers usually have you sign a waiver before putting them on since they never come off without abrasives and since they repel dirt and water so effectively, you can't even put wax on them since it will come right off.

Thing is, most detailers usually charge only around $200 tops to apply it, so I don't know what $700 protectant was applied to the paint. If it came from the dealer, then the "paint protection", I'm afraid, is no more than a glorified wax job, which the right kind of bird shit can eat through in a matter of minutes. :( If that bird ate high acidic berries, then even the strongest wax wouldn't resist it for anymore than a half hour.

I will agree though that yes, before he resorts to an abrasive he should try a claybar. I just think that spot looks dead on like etching, especially once he said it is smooth to the touch. That tells me that what he is touching is clearcoat that has been altered chemically.

[powerslave]

Its not really cheap paint, it's actually more expensive. Blame the new environmental laws where paint has to be 'Low VOC'. We are having the same problem in Aerospace.

[blackswan]

I hear a chirp when I close my door too, running downstairs now...

[daveagogo1]

Originally Posted by nUcLeArEnVoY

What protectant, though? Something like Cquartz or Opti-coat 2.0? Those and a few other similar products are the only genuine permanent protective coats you can apply to paint. They are almost like adding another layer of clearcoat and a lot of the time, installers usually have you sign a waiver before putting them on since they never come off without abrasives and since they repel dirt and water so effectively, you can't even put wax on them since it will come right off.

Thing is, most detailers usually charge only around $200 tops to apply it, so I don't know what $700 protectant was applied to the paint. If it came from the dealer, then the "paint protection", I'm afraid, is no more than a glorified wax job, which the right kind of bird shit can eat through in a matter of minutes. :( If that bird ate high acidic berries, then even the strongest wax wouldn't resist it for anymore than a half hour.

I will agree though that yes, before he resorts to an abrasive he should try a claybar. I just think that spot looks dead on like etching, especially once he said it is smooth to the touch. That tells me that what he is touching is clearcoat that has been altered chemically.

Agreed, i simply always try to start with the least abrasive path of course. Better in the long run.. The OP didn't state what kind of protectant so i just assumed for $700 it has to be something decent but yes from dealer that is the biggest scam of all time.

[wray1991]

would have thought it was a good protectant, but when I picked it up it had build up in the gaps like a wax product would do, so yes I got ripped off. but it does warranty against things like this bird sh*t for a period of 5 years, regardless of miles.

[hightower]

Originally Posted by blackswan

I hear a chirp when I close my door too, running downstairs now...

Oh no!