Strange marks on pillars

[zuby84]

Hey there all,

On my w221 s class, there are a lot of permanent marks on the external pillars (between the windows.)

I've attached the picture; it's got a very strange texture to it.

Any idea what this is and how to get them off? It's on all 4 panels on both sides of the car. the chrome strips along the car also have these marks on them. Has it been treated with the wrong type of polish/cleaner?

Thanks

 

[seymansey]

do you mean the whitish spots? usually rain deposits i would have thought...

 

[smiddyboy1]

Trims can be brought back with polish, Mine had been treated by a strong dose of traffic film remover and left them rainbow coloured.

And i used this to bring them back to former glory
http://www.chemicalguys.com/SCRATCH_REMOVER_p/com_129_16.htm
And just gave it a light polish by hand.

 

[zuby84]

Yeah, the whiteish spots on the extrenal trim. The do look like little water bubbles, but they're permanent. I recently got my car rebuffed and polished/waxed professionally, but they just couldn't get rid of those marks either.

 

[Frank O' Phile]

An application of t-cut, or Solvol brings mine to a shine.

 

[whitenemesis]

Usually a good wash and dry with a chammy, then treated with Mer does it for me.

I have rain spots on the window glass that are a real pain (pun intended! ) to get rid of, particularly on the front screen as I don't want to use any Mer there. Works ok on the other glass though.

 

[Dec]

I too have that problem on the trim, tried every thing I could think of including what is mentioned above but nothing will shift it, I believe the cause is acid rain or rather what ever is in the rain is reacting with the metal trim which I believe is aluminum.

The same affect can be seen on some aluminum doors and windows in buildings that are exposed to rain, in particular those that have a dark finish like brown.

I found applying any polish or oil improves the appearance and gives it a shine but this is just an illusion, if you then remove the polish you will find that the marks are still there.

Dec

 

[alibally]

Speak to your dealer. You may get them under warranty.

 

[dsolds]

any decent polish (not sealant or wax) - abrasive polish will remove this. Note the word DECENT. This does not include T-Cut or any other halfrauds stocked junk. Look at what the detailers use, Menzerna, Chemical Guys, Meguiars, Poorboys etc. Something like Menzerna 85RD would be perfect. It can be worked by hand or machine. Once done then finish with a sealant like Zaino or Duragloss to protect the newly exposed paint surface.

This is the result of water staining; you might be surprised to know how much junk is in the stuff you drink !!

Hope this helps.

 

[zuby84]

Thanks dsolds. The pillars aren't actually metal body work; should the polish that you suggested still work?

I've also got similarish watermark kind of a texture all around my chrome strips going along outside my windows. I just really think that someone who has washed/polished the car used S**t cleaning products on it and hence all of these marks all over the car.

I've attached a picture again; the marks don't come out that well on the camera, but look near the middle of the chrome strip. You'll see a discoloured "blob" on it. Thos go all along the chrome strips.

Additionally, my chrome strip has been scratched by someone. Is there a process whereby it'spossible to rechrome it all again?

Thanks

 

[dsolds]

OK, chrome strips first. There are a number of decent metal polishes. I will PM you some links to websites that I use for these products.

A dremel with a felt ended bit is great for stuff like this. A bit of polish and gently work your way round. Stainless parts can also be done in the same way. Fiddly yes, but well worth it. And lots cheaper than re-chroming too. Also bear in mind than new chrome will go exactly the same way if left unprotected. Every inch of brightwork needs the same protection as your paint does.

Now, Polishes. By definition, a polish is abrasive in nature. Some common misconceptions are that waxes and sealants are polishes. They are not. These are LSP's (last stage protectors). As an example, Menzerna 85RD is a 40% cut made up of milled aluminium oxide particles suspended in a mixture of waxes and oils to act as a lubricant. These polishes will remove the dead and oxidised paint form the surface, usually about a micron or two at a time with proper working, and thus expose fresh undamaged paint underneath. This is where most people go wrong. They think that a "polish" will also protect the paint and nothing could be further from the truth. You then need a LSP on it to seal the surface and protect against muck, dirt, acid rain etc.

Polishes are not all equal though. T-Cut as an example is extremely abrasive and the lubricant contains very harsh chemicals like ammonia. Imagine cleaning your teeth with a file and you will get some idea of how nasty the stuff really is. The better polishes come broadly into 2 groups, wax or oil lubricated and water lubricated. 3M Ultrafina is a water based version of Menz 85RD which is oil lubricated. Both are great products but the water based one will create more dust. Conversely, the water based ones work better in low ambient temperatures (less than 10 degrees celsius)

So, decent polish will restore your paint by effectively cutting it back a micron or two to fresh paint. In order to prevent the newly exposed paint going the same way you must seal it with a LSP. This is best done by wiping down with a microfibre cloth which is clean and grit free. I always use a fresh one and stick it in the used bag once finished. These go through the washing machine when there's enough for a load. MF cloth and IPA or some cleaner stuff to remove any residues from polishing. Menzerna Top Inspection is an example of a good cleaner as is Meguiars Last Touch.

Then a sealant is best. Blackfire do some good ones. Apply like a wax using a foam applicator, leave to haze off and buff with a clean MF. Leave to harden for an hour or two - the longer the better up to 24 hours. Then apply one or two coats of a good quality carnauba wax.

Again, good quality. Not wash-'n'-wax or Turtle wax, decent paste wax with a highish (over 30%) carnauba content. There are many of them and all claim to give a better gloss...blah blah. You and I would not really notice a difference in most of them. A decent hard wax which resists a lot of attack is Collinite 476. 2 coats will see most cars through a winter, providing of course you hand wash with a proper car wash soap (not fairy liquid) and stay out of the swirl-o-matic things at petrol stations.

For evidence of what proper polishing can doo, see the 50/50 picture below. This is a panel on my wife's car which I taped off and polished one side. Shown under halogen light to keep colour balance in the photo. Now imagine this with a layer of sealant and then 2 coats of wax. What a difference. There is much more clarity, warmth and depth to the colour.
Anyway, hope this helps. PM on the way with some links.

Just tried the PM but not possible due to post numbers. so here's some links.
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/
http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk
http://www.carwashnwax.com/

And if you want the link to a site where "clean freaks" hang out try this. Lots of excellent information on this site.
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk

 

[whitenemesis]

Excellent post, very informative.

What are your thoughts on MER, what catergory does it come under?

 

[dsolds]

Excellent post, very informative.

What are your thoughts on MER, what catergory does it come under?

Mer..Hmmm, well it's a bit of a half-'n'-half. It is an LSP by definition since it contains no abrasives. BUT, and a rather big but at that, it does contain solvents which cleanse the paint of contaminants like tar and other fallout.

Personally, I see it as a LSP to be used after machine or hand polishing. The solvents will clean up any oils form the polishing and it also applies a layer of protection. But this protection is nowhere near as good as a carnauba wax or a proper sealant. Also, it cannot be layered since the solvents will remove the previous layer when trying to re-apply.

The bottom line is that no 2 in 1 product can ever be as good as a product which is designed to one job well. But MER is a good product for cleansing the paint of contamination. I have used it to great effect on a friend's car which had been graffiti'd with permanent marker pens. It is also quite good at removing brake dust staining from alloys as well. Not the actual brake dust, but the stains which are left behind after washing.

Hope this helps.

Dom

 

[sweeper]

Try vinegar for water marks. Personaly i hardly ever polish my car, just wash and dry off, remember any abrasive product (nearly all polish) is removing a small amount of paint each time it is used, some products like Mer and T cut should only be used if absolutely neccessary to renovate. i like my cars clean but don't feel the need to have it gleaming, after all it only stays like that for about ten minutes (unless you wrap it up and don't use it) not much point in that!

PS if Mer doesn't contain abrasives, how did it wear the laquer off my motorbike tank? I learnt not too polish too often.

 

[whitenemesis]

Thanks Dom, pretty much confirms what I have discovered from using MER.

It is good at removing tar, stain etc and it does create quite a good surface seal i.e. muck rinses off well.
It's very easy to apply to a wet car and once dried to a haze is very easy to buff off, even in direct sun (works best in direct sun!) I also apply it to the windows, except the front screen, to good effect.

But it doesn't last very long, it's very dusty and as you say, you can't build up protection / shine. But for a "quick spruce-up" its ok!

I must try your process as detailed above but I don't have a power polisher and must admit am a bit nervous about using one. I see great potential for major paint damage.....

 

[zuby84]

Thanks dsolds, a lot of good information these for myself and many others too I presume.

So, for my stainless steel/chrome parts; I need a metal polish and not a normal car polish? I've come across Chemical Guys: Extreme Metal Shine. Should do the trick?

Now for the pillars, I'm not too sure what the material is, but it's ok to use Menzerna 85RD on it and it should work the same way as it does on metal body work?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks!

 

[dsolds]

Chemical Guys should be fine.
85RD will be great on the black pillars. I use it on my E class for that.

Dom

 

[dsolds]

PS if Mer doesn't contain abrasives, how did it wear the laquer off my motorbike tank? I learnt not too polish too often.

MER does not contain abrasives. What wears through lacquer more quickly than anything is inappropriate cloths and methods.

As for removing paint, all polishes do this to a degree. But the most I have ever managed to remove in one hit was 6 microns (measured with a PTG) and most cars have more than 120 microns to start with. Average spruce up polishing removes less than a micron at a time.

BTW, if we're talking Jap paint (motorcycle) then this is amongs the thinnest and softest I've come across. Honda cars all seem to be painted with swiss cheese. Soft and sticky and not a lot of it. Germans tend to have ceramic based clearcoats on which is hard as hell and they average over 100 microns usually whereas a Subaru I did recently had 45 microns on the bonnet and front wings.

 

[dsolds]

I must try your process as detailed above but I don't have a power polisher and must admit am a bit nervous about using one. I see great potential for major paint damage.....

Yes and No. Power polishers are nothing to be afraid of but are to be respected. Developing a good technique is key and remembering not to get too much heat into plastics (bumpers etc) is also worth knowing.

But they are vastly quicker than hand polishing and usually get much better results.