PLEASE HELP!! I want my paint job back!

[02SEmaxima]

I live in sunny Hawaii, yes it's great! Although the sights may amaze some, the salt water has perminantly (I think) damaged my paint with, what seems like irriversable water spots. Does anyone have a remedy? I have tried everything to my knowledge, and it still hasn't helped one bit. The 02 SE is Jet Black so it shows every flaw.

PLEASE HELP!! I want my paint job back!

[whiteI30]

Oh man I'm sorry to hear that. My friend has a black wrx in southern Florida he told me all about the problems the salt does down there. If I were you I would visit a reputable body/paint shop. This kind of problem would probably require the professional/industrial products rather than the avg. consumer products, and I bet they have come across this problem before. good luck man

[02SEmaxima]

okay, I will try that, thanks man

I was also thinking about just getting a new paint job when I get back to where there isn't rust in the air.

It also rusts out my rotors, you have any idea's for some kind of corrosion blocker?

[HogMaxFan]

Look around for a reputable detail shop, and ask if an "acid bath" would help remove the water spots.
Modified by HogMaxFan at 4:04 PM 1/16/2008

[Sentientbydesign]

I would start with a clay bar. See if that helps at all. If not, then you could work your way up to a polish with mild abbrasives. You'll probably need a buffer for that. But try the clay bar first. It took off a lot of garbage off of my G, and my wife's Celica.

Also, if the clear is still partially salvageable, but you're worried about the thickness, you can have it re-cleared. The only time you can't is if the clear is completely gone and they have to start polishing the black.

[02SEmaxima]

I will try the bar first, thank you. I found a car wash spot where they give the car an acid bath and depending on the severity they charge from $100-300. If the bar doesn't work, then I'll resort to that, but it's cheaper than getting a new paint job.

Thanks guys.

[Boost2Love]

the spots on your paint can be removed with CLR......you can buy it at walmart or other department stores.....just put some on a cloth and rub it over the spots.....then wash it off after your done and the spots will be gone....its cheaper than paying 100 bucks or more for an acid bath or whatever.....but yea it will work....i did it on my 240 and it worked perfectly and now its all shiny again!!-JP-

[Sentientbydesign]

CLR probably does work, but be very careful with it. It's EATS through just about everything including concrete.

I used to work at Lowe's and a customer dropped a bottle of it in one of the walkways which was somewhat shiny. Within the 15 mins it took us to get a mop out there, the concrete was eaten and the shin was dull and slightly rough in that area.

I would try the bar first then go for one of the abrasive polishes that body shops use. If that works, seriously think about getting a Tropics Shield application or similar.

[blackmax23]

I don't know too much about CLR, but I would def. recommend using a clay bar...Meguiars is awesome. Took a lot of scratches and surface inperfections out of my paintjob of my 99 and when you add a coat of wax afterwards, it's like new. Also, I would look into this...a friend of mine has an 01 hunter green max and his hood is completely faded. He asked around and heard from more than a couple people that there was something wrong with a certain percentage of max's clearcoats and I don't know if there is one or not, but there might be a recall or at least a technical service bulletin on it. I would look into that.

[D_roc]

Buff the whole car with clay bar and wa should fix it