[ds968]

i don't know if the car wash to which i usually go is using a new solvent ( they claim they do not ) but after I got home yesterday I noticed a white ( ok, whit-ish ) coating on my spoiler that looked almost like wax build up, replacing the otherwise brilliant luster finish that always kept my spoiler looking as if it was out-of-the-box-new ! ( i used 303 to maintain it that way for years..) If i run my finger on it and pressing hard, it disappears TEMPORARILY, but then resurfaces. if I use a soft cotton rag or microfiber cloth though, the coat remains unaffected. Needless to say I tried cleaning it off with everything imaginable from water with soap, water with a mild detergent, grease cleaner, plastic/fiberglass cleaner, vynilex, armor all, even the 303 and nothing works ! Now I am officially in a state of panic !!



has anyone experienced this ?! could it possibly be permamnent damage ? I can't imagine anything short of some kind of acid causing s that, but am at a loss for solutions



Any ideas ?



Thanks

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[bob blackwell]

Have you tried letting it sit in the sunshine for a while? I have a friend who uses Zymol and it turns "whitish" after moisture gets under the nose bra. After sitting out in the sun for a while (while we eat lunch for instance) it disappears completely. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[Stephenwz968]

Dan,



It is painted, so you may want to try a mild polish (such as meguiar's or mother's) to see if that removes the white residue.



Steve

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[ds968]

will have to give both of those things a try, thanks. with the polish, i'll probably test a small spot in one the more obscure areas ( a corner maybe ..) first to see what happens. this is so weird; I was trying to think what I might have done differently that could have interacted with the car wash's solvent elements to cause this - I always used Rejex and 303 on the spoiler and never had this reaction, but about a month ago I applied a Porsche-label wax ( made by Malm ) which has an incredible shine on the regular paint so thought I'd give it a try on the spoiler also. looked fantastic, and it stayed that way after a couple of washes since, so not sure that could be it either. mystery continues.

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[ds968]

no luck with the sun exposure, and the polish made it even more pronounced. I'm afraid some nitwit at the wash ( there were way too many cars being dried, several lines and four deep so I did not see what they were doing ) might have used tire cleaner or something else that reacted with the spoiler paint or protectant I had on it and screwed up the finish permanently. seems impossible, but no matter what I wipe off with makes it even worse..totally matte grey.



does the spoiler have a clear coat and could that have been damaged ? i might ultimately have to take it to a body shop and repaint it, but will try a few more things / suggestions ?... still hoping for a cheap solution, though not so sure if it's probable

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[cosimo]

You might want to try Laquer Thinner or Acetone. I know it sounds harsh but I have used to remove paint when I have scrapped the side of my garage molding (small opening). Try it on a small area to be sure. It is a great solvent and doesn't hurt the clear coat.

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[Stephenwz968]

the spoiler does have clear coat, and it is painted. I can't think of a solvent that would cause it to turn white...especially from a car wash. when you say the polish made it worse...how so? Polish (abrasive kind) will remove a small layer of paint, which should remove the contamination.

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[94SilverCab]

How about trying clay bar?

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[ds968]

[quote name='Stephenwz968' post='43185' date='Nov 5 2007, 06:48 AM']the spoiler does have clear coat, and it is painted. I can't think of a solvent that would cause it to turn white...especially from a car wash. when you say the polish made it worse...how so? Polish (abrasive kind) will remove a small layer of paint, which should remove the contamination.[/quote]



Steve, I used the Meguier's polish the mildest one they had so certainly not abbrasive enough to do any harm, but it seemed to enhance the film even more and wiping it off was just not working well, with the coating not budging at all. That being said, I think I'll buy a dual action buffer and give that one more try.



Clay bar ? Never thought of that but I still have an unused one so let's see what it does. I'll report back with all the different methods results.

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[ds968]

thought I'd give the polish one more chance and this time i used more force rubbing the surface, gave it a couple of minutes ( even though the instructions said to wipe off IMMEDIATELY after applying ) and then once again with considerably more pressure I wiped the surface clean and..... I think it worked ! Looks like it took off 99% of that coating and although if examined closely there's still some slight traces of it I hope this will do the trick. Will know for sure by tomorrow when I take it back into daylight.

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[Stephenwz968]

Dan,



Since the polish you're using is so mild, it may take a few applications to clear it all up. Good luck!



Steve

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[ds968]

Thanks Steve, as of this morning ( though heavy overcast so I can't see all the fine details as is the case in bright sun ) it appears back to normal. So a second rub down definitely worked. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



I am almost certain it had to be the tire cleaner / conditioner the car wash folks must have rubbed on the spoiler... next time I'm not leaving the car out of my sight.. even if I have to walk alongide it trough the wash cycle <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[saxman]

or you could just wash it yourself next time <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[ds968]

[quote name='saxman' post='43299' date='Nov 7 2007, 02:37 PM']or you could just wash it yourself next time <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]



don't think that hasn't crossed my mind every minute for the past couple of days.. . <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> it will probably also save me from having to move the no-position-memory seat back every single time after a wash <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

no matter how often I tell them to leave it alone. as if moving it forward is not enough they adjust everything else for the 8 seconds they're driving the car, so I'm pushing all the damn buttons to get it perfect again, but now I'm starting to rant off topic,, so I think I'll go and have a glass of wine <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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