Clear coat and respray questions

[NoSoup4U]

On my trunk -- it looks like 1/2 of the trunk has clear coat and the other 1/2 does not.

Can I just respray it with clearcoat, or do I need to completely repaint the entire trunk and then clearcoat it? (not me personally; but, a shop)

Will a buffer work at all on the trunk to make it less noticeable?


Also, regarding a respray -- does it literally mean what it says, you respray the car OVER the existing clear coat and paint job with add'l paint and clear coat?

Does a respray tend to chip and peel down the road?

[AlfaEric]

James,

Exactly what does it look like? Is 1/2 the trunk pealing the clear coat?

Can you post a pic of the problem? It is strange that the clear coat would fail on 1/2 the trunk.

---Eric

[SharkD]

The clearcoat on my E30 was so bad...

('How bad was it?')...

It was so bad that, last Saturday, just gently applying wax to the surface resulted in severe scratches to the paint.

--

I think I understand what you're talking about -- my previous owner apparently parked the car in half-shaded conditions -- sections of my clearcoat are much worse than others.

If you clearcoat is really half gone, applying an orbital might take the rough edges of the clearcoat and use it to sand the rest of the surface -- it's probably best to have a couple of reputable shops take a look and give you an estimate of the extent of the work required, and the financial hit.

[NoSoup4U]

Thanks guys. Did you take a look at the car Eric when Pete brought it out to HSS? In particular, the trunk region. 1/2 of the coat looks like it is missing. I am at a quandry what to do. In one aspect, respray might be viewed badly or, just live with the 1/2 clear coat stage and try to make the best of it.

I'll try to get pics of it ... and maybe get a better idea of the damage. I am assuming to redo the trunk should not be that bad, maybe around $400? OR, am I grossly underestimating this.

[AlfaEric]

Thanks guys. Did you take a look at the car Eric when Pete brought it out to HSS? In particular, the trunk region. 1/2 of the coat looks like it is missing. I am at a quandry what to do. In one aspect, respray might be viewed badly or, just live with the 1/2 clear coat stage and try to make the best of it.

I'll try to get pics of it ... and maybe get a better idea of the damage. I am assuming to redo the trunk should not be that bad, maybe around $400? OR, am I grossly underestimating this.

I didn't notice anything... but then again, I wasn't really awake when I first saw your car. I would have thought I would have noticed a clear coat problem on your car. I remember thinking how much nicer your paint looked than mine. Can you see a clear ridge where the clear has flaked off? Anything like one of these?

http://www.autoint.com/tips/oem_clearcoat_fail.html
http://www.jondale.com/photos/2000_v...mg_1745_1.html

Is it possible that the previous owner simply tried two different products on the trunk and one has worn off leaving one side looking dull? (...just a thought)

---Eric

[NoSoup4U]

It's only on the trunk portion -- really weird. Never seen a car's trunk do that.

It's a jagged line right down the middle of the trunk like SharkD described.

The line demarcates it like the 2nd linked picture you have. I think you'll probably have to take a look at it for me ... I may bring it by BMW of Fairfax and ask them how much to fix -- but, just wondering if I can fix it myself (90% of it) - if I can get it to look 90% better, I'll live with it.

[SharkD]

A little something like this? (but limited to your trunk):


What color is your Bimmer? (Your signature image isn't showing up.) The darker metallic colors have a habit of cooking the clearcoat from within.

[NoSoup4U]

It is black in color. It does not look as bad as that hood though ... if that were the case -- it would be repainted definitely. I'll get pictures up this weekend!

[bren]

If the paint is in good shape they will most likely just re-clear the entire trunk lid.

[SharkD]

It does not look as bad as that hood though ... if that were the case -- it would be repainted definitely.

Ah, but you forget, grasshopper -- not having clearcoat saves me 20-30 ounces!



Actually, I'm much more concerned about how the car runs, at this point. Once it's ready to race, it'll need a paint job -- I've got a fancy Red/White/Blue/Black design in mind. Right now, it's not rusting (much) -- that's all the paint needs to do.

[z3bum]

I am assuming this is an older BMW? I had two E30s, (325e and is) and the clearcoat on both of them deteriorated in some places more than others.

If you love your car and want the trunk to look good again, there are really only two options. Option One, buy a new trunk, they come primed and ready to paint and install. A body shop (preferably Wagon Work) can wet sand it, paint and clear coat and install. Could be anything from $500 - $1200 depending on the cost of the trunk. Option Two, have the trunk resurfaced, taking it down to bare metal, priming, sanding, painting etc. Either way will result in a new looking trunk. The catch? The rest of the car may suddenly look old! But you will have a shiny trunk.

How old is your car? If it is more than eight years, and you plan on keeping it for a while longer, you might consider resurfacing the entire car. It would look brand new, and last at least another eight or so years if you keep it clean, waxed and out of the sun. (I cover my cars all the time unless I am washing them or driving)

Hope this helps.
Mike

On my trunk -- it looks like 1/2 of the trunk has clear coat and the other 1/2 does not.

Can I just respray it with clearcoat, or do I need to completely repaint the entire trunk and then clearcoat it? (not me personally; but, a shop)

Will a buffer work at all on the trunk to make it less noticeable?


Also, regarding a respray -- does it literally mean what it says, you respray the car OVER the existing clear coat and paint job with add'l paint and clear coat?

Does a respray tend to chip and peel down the road?

[NoSoup4U]

Thanks guys. I do not see the need to purchase an entire new trunk. I really DO NOT want to paint the trunk lid either -- since, I agree z3bum -- I think it will not match the rest of the car. The car is what, 14 years old now? It looks pretty damn good -- except for that one spot which annoys the heck out of me. Most people do not see it -- but, I notice it. I need to buy car covers as well.

sharkd -- if you are going to the bowie baysox this weekend for NCC's autocross, I am bringing the car up there to show Eric and others and get their opinion.

I was under the impression that you CANNOT just spray clearcoat on a car ... that if you are going to do it, you need to respray at minimum or repaint it. Still trying to figure out diff. from respray/repaint -- seems interchangeably used by some shops.

[AlfaEric]

Thanks guys. I do not see the need to purchase an entire new trunk. I really DO NOT want to paint the trunk lid either -- since, I agree z3bum -- I think it will not match the rest of the car. The car is what, 14 years old now? It looks pretty damn good -- except for that one spot which annoys the heck out of me. Most people do not see it -- but, I notice it. I need to buy car covers as well.

sharkd -- if you are going to the bowie baysox this weekend for NCC's autocross, I am bringing the car up there to show Eric and others and get their opinion.

I was under the impression that you CANNOT just spray clearcoat on a car ... that if you are going to do it, you need to respray at minimum or repaint it. Still trying to figure out diff. from respray/repaint -- seems interchangeably used by some shops.

I believe you *could* spray clearcoat without repainting but it would take a lot of prep-work. The amount of work required would probably be more than stripping the old paint off and repainting. If the surface underneath isn't perfect, it won't look right and the clearcoat might not adhere properly. This could cause it to fail and would probably look worse than it does right now. Check with a professional for their advice.

Since most people don't see it, I doubt that it is the clearcoat failing. If it was, you wouldn't have any doubts. My car is the same age and it's clearcoat is still there. It looks horrible but it isnt' failing (yet).

I think it would either be a problem left from a previous repaint you didn't know about or the previous owner experimented with 2 different products (sealants) on the trunk. If it turns out to be that, find out what product they were using on the good side.

I guess we will see this weekend.

---Eric