So.. I use the pressure washer on my car (Red Fabia vRS) every time I wash it and it never causes any damage to the paint whatsoever, even around stone chips. I never get closer than three or four inches away at the closest. This is fine.

I washed, polished and waxed my brothers' metallic black fabia SDI yesterday and in places such as along the rear bumper, the bottom of the door sills, etc, where the pressure washer was being used it took flecks of the paint off, :eek:

Does this mean the car has been resprayed/damaged, has my pressure washer just become remarkably more powerful, or is the paint finish on metallic black cars (plate: X, 2000) different to flat corrida red cars (2004)?

Not happy and not sure what I'm going to do after damaging my brothers car when trying to do him a favour :rotz:

Possibly the paint is is worse condition. I can pretty much strip my Audi's alloys with the pressure washer!

Sounds like some poorly prepared paintwork to me mate.............

Or it's been damaged.

How close are you jet washing?

I never get closer than three or four inches away at the closest.

What type of lance are you using? Those ones that give a cone shaped spray should NOT be used on cars, and i would never go closer than 12 inches from the paint... IMO power washers should only be used to wash off the rough stuff.

It's a lance that generates a flat "blade" rather than a cone shaped spray It's not a particularly powerful pressure washer either!

I'd guess the car has had some poorly repaired paint/accident damage in its past, especially in the areas you described.

It's really unlikely that you would have done that damage unless the paintwork itself was damaged in some way.

I have a ferocious hot water petrol-powered pressure washer (I can't remember the exact rating, but's almost double the pressure of the top electric Kaercher) and it will take the paint off the door edges, leading edges of the rear bumper, remove inside mounted wheel weights etc., but that's only when it's on full pressure and I have it inside 1 inch from the worked surface.

I only use it for foaming up the car - you've not experienced foam until you've foamed with hot water!

I never get closer than three or four inches away at the closest. This is fine.

Bloody hell, I have a Karcher K4, at 3-4 inches I'm giving it everything the pressure washer can throw at it!!!!

I don't think you should get closer than a few feet with a decent-powered pressure washer. I used mine (admittedly with the dirtblaster extension, which increases pressure upto 50%) to strip the paint off a metal garden bench a few months ago, I never got closer than 4 inches doing that

Bloody hell, I have a Karcher K4, at 3-4 inches I'm giving it everything the pressure washer can throw at it!!!!

I don't think you should get closer than a few feet with a decent-powered pressure washer. I used mine (admittedly with the dirtblaster extension, which increases pressure upto 50%) to strip the paint off a metal garden bench a few months ago, I never got closer than 4 inches doing that

As I say, at that distance on the vrs it does no damage whatsoever - just fetches the dirt off nicely. And not even all of it!

As I say, at that distance on the vrs it does no damage whatsoever - just fetches the dirt off nicely. And not even all of it!

Admittedly I was using the dirtblaster lance, but the enthusiasm with which it stripped the paint from the bench amazed me. I would be VERY careful using a pressure washer (such as the K4 series anyway) on a car from anything less than a couple of feet, personally.

I assume that your flat red pain does not have any lacquer over the paint? whereas metallic paint does, when the lacquer gets stone chips in it it can be difficult to see - but VERY easy to find with a pressure washer!

I personally never get closer than about 6" from the paintwork, and then i make sure that the water is hitting the paint at a very sharp angle.

Ever since the switch from lead based paints to water based, even solid colours need lacquer. If you buy a solid colour touch up kit from the dealer, you get a paint pen and another one with lacquer.

I wouldnt get closer than a foot with a power lance.

I've stripped a stonechipped bonnet once, almost completely!