SOF Vette

Any ideas??? Did the wash / wax thing x2 and no luck on the water spots being removed. Using Maguire's products exclusively.
Took the Vette (Dark Metallic Green) to a shop (no indoor storage)-rained, then left in the sun...now I have funky spots all over her that I can't get rid of.

Any help would be appreciated.

THX
JTK

ZaneO

There is a chance that the spots are etched into the paint.

Start out by trying some distilled white vinegar. Then try a claybar if it's still needed. If those things don't take care of the problem, you'll need a paint polish to remove them from the paint.

SOF Vette

This car is a recent purchase...the previous owner was a regular car wash user and there were significant scratches in the finish...two weeks ago I went through the Maguires polish series with a heavy (8), then light (2) then the swirl remover. The results were amazing-new car like finish once all said and done.
I'll try the vinegar bit...sounds like a great plan.

Many thanks!

JTK

Anthony Orosco

Before attempting to abrade away the spots what you want to do is "dissolve" the spots.

This can be tried with vinegar or the brave soul may try some wheel acid. I have never done the wheel acid but other pros have told me it works great. They wet the car down then dip a towel in the wheel acid and pretty much apply it as if they are washing the car. Rinse well then re-wash. Be very cautious if using hydroflouric wheel acids as these can be harmful healthwise.

Anthony

VETFVER

A wax with some good cleaners in it like Mothers Reflections should do the trick. If that doesn't work, try Goo Gone or turpentine. You would be surprised at Goo Gone's ability to dissolve just about everything. That stuff is amazing!

VETFVER

Anthony Orosco

No offense meant but I would not try anything mentioned in the above post.

First a cleaner/wax does not have enough umph to remove hard water spots (if this is what they are). If these are water spots then they are most likely mineral deposits and Goo Gone won't touch them.

Lastly, turpentine works for tree sap but I don't believe it will do anything for mineral deposits

SOF Vette

Thanks everyone!!!
Much appreciated! Not brave enough for the wheel acid, but the vinegar sounds like a great starting point.

JTK

bugman

If they are REALLY set in, you might try what I did.
sure, try vinegar first - it won't work.
no amount of waxing with mothers or Meguiar's cleaner wax will work (tried it).
When your serious - do this

• wash with dawn dishwashing liquid
• Use 3M fine cut rubbing compound
• you may or may not want to follow with 3M swirlmark remover. It's supposed to get rid of any scratches left by the previous step, but in my experience it is not necessary and does nothing. the rubbing compound is fantastic alone.
• then apply your favorite sealant or wax

See my post here for the details .
here are the pics before:

after:


don't need an electric buffer -- just use a terry cloth towel. A little bit of work, but excellent results.

SOF Vette

Well folks...I have been defeated thus far by these retched spots. My Polo green coupe looks like the back of a green bullfrog with the pale spots all over it.
We did the wash thing, then washed with a 50/50 distilled white vinegar and water-results were exactly zero.
Then went full strength with the vinegar on the hood...
results still zero
Then we went for the big guns...maguires moderate cutting polish (#8) on a random orbital buffer
THEY WERE STILL THERE-laughing at me with a sinister grin

Claybar the next step or is there a commercial product I should try? These spots are horrible.

Thanks
JTK

TOGWT

For stubborn water spots use Auto International's A, B, C System, a safe alkaline wash and neutralizer system (http://www.autoint.com/)

Crusher

You got to be joking!

bugman

Update - just had some rain, and some FRESH water spots on a different vehicle. For these spots, on a car with NXT already on it, and where the spots had not been baked in for years, but just a few days, Meguiars Scratch-X worked great -- all gone.

Had this tube of scratch X for about 4 years, never found it useful in the LEAST to remove scratches. Now I've finally found it's use. -- great for FRESH water spots.

iceburgh

ScrtachX does wonders on water spots...and fine scratches as well when used correctly and on lite scratches

iceburgh

Nope he is not joking....it will disolve anything including your top coat

chuckster

Try this..I have a black car and had the sprinkler system hit it and bake on the next day..
Problem with Abrasive cleaners is that it hits the surrounding Clear Coat too..

I wanted to attack the calcium directly..
I tried C.L.R., Vinegar, Claybar.. Nothing got it COMPLETEY off.. They all left a calcium ring.

Then for the hell of it.. I tried using some Zaino Z1

The Z1 Dissolved it completely.. I spoke to Sal about the chemical makeup of Z1 and why it worked so well and he really had no idea...

It did work and made the paint baby smooth..

One tip first is to remove the crusty part 1st using some CLR or vinegar... then follow up with the Z1...

Kevin V

I still have some Z-1 and I use it as a cleaner, especially on my chrome wheels.