Diagnosis needed please. The car is a lemon yellow Octavia with what I believe is original paintwork, car is a 53 plate so 13 years old. I've had the car for a couple of years and have been doing various mechanical and interior work, so it's had no care given to the paint work during that time save for a wash here and there.

So last weekend I started doing paint correction work. This started with a wash and rinse followed by treatment with iron X. This was then followed by claying (kept lubricated at all times), a rinse and towel off. The next day I prepared to get my orbital polisher out and gave the bonnet a wipe off before spotting this over a 12" squared area:

The straightness and regularity of the marks is almost certainly from claying but these are not scratches. It is as if the yellow below the lacquer top coat has bleached. What I have noticed during these last couple of weeks of cold damp weather, is the presence of persistent damp and condensation on the car does tend to take the colour out of the paint, but when dried and warmed up in the sun, the paint "yellows" up. And as such even with these new marks their intensity appears to varies with weather.

I'm hoping that once it warms up and the paint loses the water it appears to be absorbing, these marks will disappear. I'll also be keeping it topped up with sealant from now on. It's just started raining here in Wiltshire so following polishing and sealing it's beading nicely and as you can see here, it really isn't because I've cut through the lacquer layer.

What chemistry is going on here?

Thanks

Just to conmirm, you've polished after claying? And they seem to be below the clear coat?

Edit. Just seen your post in the beading section (looks great by the way!). Hmmm, if it is in the paint I have absolutely no idea. If it is in the clearcoat you may want to try a compound to shift it as the products you've used only have a very minimal abrasive effect. Have you got any other polishes to try?

Edited 6 January, 20179 yr by Hunty278

Just to conmirm, you've polished after claying? And they seem to be below the clear coat?

Edit. Just seen your post in the beading section (looks great by the way!). Hmmm, if it is in the paint I have absolutely no idea. If it is in the clearcoat you may want to try a compound to shift it as the products you've used only have a very minimal abrasive effect. Have you got any other polishes to try?

Thanks, yes items described in the beading thread were as here. Maybe you are right and it is the clear coat that is turning opaque? Only thing I have that is anymore abrasive is some really old T cut. Maybe I need to get hold of an EDA compound and try on it?

I've no experience with T cut so cannot advise with it, but a bottle of a medium compound or a one step polish will always come in useful for any scratches. Hope you get it sorted buddy. You've gone for the best colour Octy IMO, love a yellow Mk1!!

Are these defects just on one panel or over the whole car?

Do they correspond with the direction/action of your claying stage?

When the panel is dry can you feel any difference when you run a finger across the line?

 

cheers

 

Chris

Thanks Chris.

It is just the right hand side of the bonnet below the windscreen and there is no perceivable difference when you run your finger across the paintwork.

With regards to claying, yes I was working the clay up and down the length of the bonnet on straight runs more or less, so the marks do fit with claying.

Thanks Chris.

It is just the right hand side of the bonnet below the windscreen and there is no perceivable difference when you run your finger across the paintwork.

With regards to claying, yes I was working the clay up and down the length of the bonnet on straight runs more or less, so the marks do fit with claying.

 

Ok, and are the lines visible when the panel is clean and dry?, difficult to say without seeing it in person but looks/sounds like quite severe clay marring - something an abrasive polish should rectify by hand - Meguiars Ultimate Compound in Halfords should do the trick.

Please don't use T-cut - this is one of the most abrasive polishes available to joe public on the high street - you'll end up with dull cloudy patches where you've used it.

 

I'd be happy to take a look if you fancied a run out to Somerset.

 

cheers

 

Chris