guys I recently bought my self a newer vehicle ,2008 fiat grande punto to be exact but anyway iam the second owner and iam having a very hard time with its paint.

the car has a very shinny jet black colour (non-metalic) which is great however its also full of stains that are very noticable when getting closer to it.

everytime I wash it it dry's very fast and dry's with stains no matter what I do or use! today I noticed some white powder was coming off the car as I dryed it what on earth can that be? is it a bad sign? what to do? how do I get rid of those almost permanent stains w/o harming the exterior?

and guys please dont fun of my car, yeah I know its gay and yeah yeah its weak (1.25 lt diesel for crying out lol) but the prices of gas here is 2 bucks a lt or 7.60 a gallon so off went my honda to the dealership!

 

The "stains" and white powder you are seeing are likely from the clear coat wearing off. If that's the case, there's nothing you can do but have it painted.

 

yeah but that sounds highly unlikely, I mean a 2008 model alfa-ferrari group vehicle and the clear coats coming off and with a towel just like that? doesnt really make sense unless there is something more to which is what Iam in search of! plus if it is really the clear coat why on earth would you have to paint it? why cant you just spray a coat of clear again?

 

You can try using a wax and grease remover. If you can't find it anywhere else, it's sold at body&paint supply outlets. If that doesn't get rid of the "stains," check the paint code on the vehicle. It's often found in the door jam. Any body shop or even the aforementioned body&paint supply stores will be able to tell you the color that the code corresponds to. If the code doesn't say black, then the car's been repainted and the "stains" are almost definately from a bad clear coat. Paint coatings must be applied to a scuffed surface (usually 400-600 grit is used for pre-paint). Color covers up the sand scratches as long as they aren't deeper than 400 grit but applying a clear coat on scuffed color will allow the scratches to show through. Some people half-*** clearcoat replacement by scuffing with a finer grit and just hope the clear will stick. There's just no good way to put clear on a cured color coat and achieve a quality, lasting finish. Clear is usually sprayed before the color coat has dried so additional sanding is unnecessary. Waiting too long after the color has been shot to apply the clear can lead to problems that can resemble what you are describing.

 

Wash it, clay bar it, polish it, and wax it. And wash it again. Hand waxing it a few times and then using an orbital buffer would help to revive that black.

I would check/post in the detailing threads...
https://honda-tech.com/forums/detailing-130/

 

One more thought- If some idiot tried to make the finish shinier by spraying clear on the factory paint, it could cause the problem you are seeing and, of course, wouldn't change the color from the factory code. You can check if the paint has a clear coat by taking a piece of very fine sandpaper (I reccomend 1000 grit) of the lightest color you can find (obviously black sandpaper won't show much difference between black and clear) and gently rubbing a tiny inconspicuous spot of the car's outer body. Try the bottom edge of the door panel. Next, do the same with an inner body panel that wouldn't likely have been painted if the car was refinished- inside under the carpet somewhere for example. If black rubs off then there's no clearcoat and if white rubs off then there is a clearcoat. If the interior sample rubs black and the outer one rubs white, then the exterior of the vehicle has been repainted with at least a layer of clear. Good luck.

 

had the car tested at the Ferrari,Alfa,Fiat dealership under the Gaurantee program and it came out fully original with no extra clear,repaint etc!

asked them about the stains and they said that its most likely from the protection job Sonax did on my car from the previous owner, they said to stay away from any additives unless done by pro's like ziebart!

he said he can offer me a discount at ziebart and have the car detailed inside out,waxed,polished,UV protected,buffed with a years warranty and with the gaurantee that the stains get removed for about $190 U.S what do you guys think?

I also stoped at this paint shop and the guy said that its easily removable and that all I need to do is wash the car,dry it and remove the stains buy rubbing it with a towel soaked in vinigar and then to wash the once more to get rid of the vinigar? I know it sound super stupid but $190 vs moms vinigar and towel kinda makes you want to try it what are your thoughts guys?

 

Give it a try. It won't hurt the paint.

 

Dont pay that much, Buy you a cheap *** hand buffer for like 8$ at a walmart ( idk where u live ) Wash and wax it..

Best time to wash it is right at dark, Being its black it gets hot and it gets water stains due to rapid drying. Garage it so the paint cools for a couple hours, then when its dark outside, give it a good wash polish and wax