Damned Sprinklers!!! Had the cobra parked in front of my grandparents house in Yuma the other day. Their sprinklers came on early in the morning, and by the time I made it out of the house it was blazing hot outside and I had all these nice water spots. Tried to wash it off while I was there, pretty much to no avail. When I got home, I tried hitting it with the gamut of stuff. Tried the SSR 2.5, polishes, even vinegar. These damned spots wont come up. I got them knocked down pretty good, you can only see them in certain lights (like my garage) and nobody else notices them but me (and of course my eyes go right to them every time I look at the thing) Anybody have any ideas? Im hoping this didnt etch the clear, but its starting to look that way... Id take a picture but the spots are so light the camera doesnt even pick them up
water etching
- Thread starter maddrabitt
- Start date
If cammera and people dont see it why worry? ssr is a good product but not a miracle product. I wouldn't worry if the cam and my friends dont see.
TXRDRNR said:
clay does nothing for water etching.
There's a few things you can do, in order for least to most abrasive:
1) wash it off with car wash soap and hope that it comes off (which it obviously hasn't)
2) distilled white vinegar and water 50/50 mix, follow up with a polish by hand
3) same as above, follow up with a polish by PC
4) same as above, follow up with a polish by rotary
(you can also use a more abrasive polish as you step things up)
5) wetsand and follow up with a polish
When I got home I hit it up with the clay first, mostly to get all the bugs off my car. It probably got washed about 3 times in two days. Tried the vinegar, that didnt really take them down any. Hit it with the porter cable, speed 4.5, with the polish. This seems to be where I made the most ground up. A little afraid to go any faster, Im still getting used to the thing. Also tried the SSR2.5 @ speed 4.5. Suppose I can try a pro detailer with a rotary or find someone to wetsand it. Just pretty bummed because the front end of the car was just repainted 3 months ago. Thanks for the tips though, keep em coming
Same thing happened to me. I was flying over in Iraq and stuff for a couple weeks and my car was parked on base near some sprinklers (didn't know about them). Anyway came home and my car was a mess. It took me quite some time with SSR2.5 to get rid of them. I learned my lesson and will park way far away from any grass on base just in case there's some sprinklers hidden.
Lance
Lance
How does etching happen from sprinklers? I've had hard water spots form under my trunk on the rear bumper cover, but they always come out with a clay bar.
Crank the PC up to 5.5-6! It won't hurt a thing and you'll really notice a difference in how well SSR 2.5 works.
final verdict: slight etching of the clear on about 75% of all the spots. Had to get the front end of the car wet sanded today. Looks pretty good, spots are all gone. Not sure what kind of wax he put on it, he said some kind of polymer wax. Its got a good feel to it, but it seems kinda flat, like the way Zaino looks to me. Oh well, suppose Ill just let it ride for awhile, no point in taking fresh wax off.
DougieStyle
Banned
I have that same problems on my roof, hood, and trunk. It is odd b/c like you I can only see them in my garage light. Who did you have sand your car?
A local detail shop that handles all the BMW's, Benz's, and Porsches around me. Cost me a buck and a quarter
DougieStyle
Banned
did they do the whole car?
no, just the hood, bumper and one fender. Those were the only spots that got hosed by the sprinkler. Im not money enough to have the whole car done
DougieStyle
Banned
would you trust a good bodyshop with wetsanding?
A good bodyshop yes, but not an average run of the mill kinda place.
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