The paintwork of my car (originally Fire engine red, now approaching a milky red/pink) seems to be getting worse by the day all of a sudden. Is there anything I can do to restore the paintwork or has it had it now as the fading has already started?
As long as I live I am never buying another red car...
|
|
I should add that I have tried using Colour Magic on the car and whilst it didn't look too bad afterwards the paint is still obviously faded.
|
|
Cheers Ian - What is the best way of applying T-Cut though? Whenever I have used it in the past it invariably seems to "scratch" whatever I have been polishing (buff/swirl marks left everywhere).
|
Sorry! I'm using t-cut as a generic for a paintwork restorer!
Important! Avoid rubbing all the paint off of the corners of bodywork! (It's quite thin there!)
I normally apply with a damp sponge - front to back - one body panel at a time.
Then buff off, also in a fore-aft direction. (that way at least there are no swirls!)
When buffing the car is finished, apply some quality polish. One with a UV protection is best. (Like most things, the more expensive, the better the quality).
There are quite a few "paintwork renovators" on the market.
Unfortunately you'd have to ask a Brit for the best one available there!
|
|
|
|
|
Dan, do NOT T cut it, you will make it worse in the long term. You cannot restore it to its former glory regretably, as the paint is oxidising. The only solution is regular waxing which will improve appearances for 2 to 3 weeks. More power to your elbow.
|
Phil/Dan
Yes the problem is that the paint is oxidising, but the wax polish/colour magic option is only covering it up. T-cut will remove that oxidised layer, and expose unoxidised paint, so provided you don't keep doing it you have some chance (if you keep it polished with Autoglym or similar) of regaining the original finish and gloss.
When you respray a car it always needs polishing with T-cut, so provided you don't go mad I believe it's the best option. By the way this all assumes it's not a metallic with a laquer coat.
Swirl marks - difficult to avoid either the car and/or cloth has small particles of grit on it and/or your rubbing too hard. Try washing the car and then going over each panel with a tack-rag before you T-cut.
Regards
JS
|
A question really, from an amateur. Would there be any worth in the light T cutting, really effective cleaning etc, and then getting a local bodyshop to give it a coat of clear laquer ? Or, is there something I have overlooked ?
I know, on my Daughters red Mk1 Escort, I brightened up a number of panels this way but, that was 15 years ago and paint technology seems to advance dramatically every year or so.
|
|
|
|
Try Auto-Glym Paint Restorer, it's no way as abrasive as T-Cut.
However, be gentle. DO NOT use this more than twice.
Slap on copious amount of wax afterwards (Super Resin Polish), two coats at least.
I owned a Rover in Nightfire Red for several years and it was a '94. No oxidised paint in sight and it always came up looking like new.
To avoid it oxidising, keep waxing it and never put it through a car wash. Use a jet wash or old fashioned sponge and bucket.
|
|
|
|
The reason your Rover in Nightfire Red didn't oxidise is because it is a metallic colour and thus has a layer or clear laquer over the metallic base coat.
|
|
|
part ex it for a doom blue car
"clear over base" is the techie industry way of describing the clear coat some paints have (generally on metallics on run of the mill cars, often on flat colours on more upmarket motors)... (c) useless trivia
|
|
respray it another colour, as this would cost about £290 at the garage that i work at, also you might be able to sell the car better if it was in a dark blue or a silver (total cost is £290 including full rust treatment)
|
I see a red car and I want to paint it black.
No colours any more, I want them to turn black.
:>)
|
|
|
Are you seriously suggesting he should respray it a different colour? This will destroy the value of the car, it will be obvious it was a different colour. The whole bodyshell would need to be painted to do a proper job, nobody could do this for 290 quid.
Andrew
|
|
i only put this on because my garage will do a FULL respray for £290, this includes all parts which are coloured the original colour, the other reason is because we have alot of surplus blue ford paint. this is a garage that does £15 mot's, so we dont really make much money. but if dan j wanted to do a full respray in the original colour it would be about £600 - £700 including the rust treatment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Look at any make of solid red car, anything N or earlier is oxidising. Seems to affect all manufacturers, yet they are still churned out with the promise of "new" technology. Whatever is in the red pigment they use does not like the sun. A good polish and clear coat will bring it up for a couple of weeks, but my last red car, I got into the habit of a wax with every wash which was a pain.
Colin
|
|
|
You beat me to it,Lada.
Lifes too short to wax cars,unless you are going to sell them.
A respray is what you need,it will last about 3 years before the process repeats itself.
Next time buy a matallic,silver is good,or white.
|
|
|
Dan,
Often the first panel to fade on a red car is one that had been re-sprayed in the past due to accident damage. Spray isn't the answer
You will make a huge difference by t-cutting/compounding...as long as a top quality polish is applied the same day.
If you want to throw any cash at this I have the answer that will undercut lada-boy and his Ford tractor paint re-sprays.
Take it to a smaller bodyshop and ask them to compound it and then use a resin polish. For about £75 - £100 they will transform the car.
David
|
David
The professional 'cut'n'polish' was the standard 'clean up the car for resale' technique demonstrated by Mike Brewer in the recent 'Deals on Wheels' series.
I always wondered what the happy buyers thought of their purchase when they saw the programme. Talk about silk purses and sows ears!
Rgards
John
|
|
|
Thanks for that David - not much dearer than a valet by the sounds of it! Still not sure if I want to swap the motor for something cheaper to run and automatic (in which case a cheap polish is what it'll get!) but I will look into your advice with a couple of my local bodyshops - thanks a lot.
Dan
|
|
|
|
Thanks for all the replies everybody - most appreciated
Dan J
|
|
|
has anyone ever tried one of those power-polisher things thats like a power tool for polishing your car.
got a big disc on it that rotates so you can polish the car without hassle?
any good?
worth investing?
|
|
just make sure its the polisher attached, and not the grinder ;-)
|
|
Same thing - watch out for any grit/dirt/etc...
|
|
|
|
Trade tool for the job. Work fine, but be VERY careful. Very easy to overdo it
Regards
JS
|
|
|
|
