Identifying Paint Problems
You can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but most automobile owners take extreme pride in the paint job of their vehicle. We’ve narrowed down the most common factors for paint damage in order help diagnose the problem for a future solution.
Rail Dust: Vehicles these days are still commonly delivered by means of train. So if your new vehicle is showing signs of small red dots, most likely the problem is rail dust. This is the miniscule pieces of a railroad track that kick up from the train, attach themselves to your uncovered car during transit, and eventually turn to rust.
Acid Rain: Weather damage is common among vehicles, but one of the least suspicious candidates is acid rain. Unlike hail or snow, acid rain damage isn’t seen until after the evaporation of the rain. In most cases, minerals leave behind very evident rain spots on your vehicle.
Scuffs, Chips, & Scratches: These problems are sometimes the easiest to diagnose, but hardest to identify the culprit. However, they are all correlated with your surroundings. Gravel lots, busy shopping centers with tight parking, children at play, and more are all attributed to the “shiner” taking away from your car’s shine.
Swirls: Attention to detail, or the lack thereof, is the cause for those not-so-decorative swirls in the paint. Usually when you mix harsh chemicals and aggressive buffering in the hands of an untrained car detailer, this issue is caused.
Mother Nature: Hail, acid rain, snow, and flooding aside; even a beautiful sunny day can leave Mother Nature’s mark on your car. Bug remains, bird droppings, and other animal remnants can be detrimental to the clear coat of your vehicle. Not only the birds and bees, but the trees as well. Tree sap, fungi from mulch, and leaves can cause extreme damage as well. If not removed quickly and efficiently the more permanent mark it leaves behind.
Hopefully, we’ve helped identify the problem. If so, then we aim to also find the solution. In the next post, we will cover how to treat these issues safely and accurately based on our experience.