Buffing/Wetsanding for deep bubbles?

[green95ss]

Hi,

I just got my GN about 2 months ago. The body of the car is mint and perfectly straight--all of the body panels are in perfect alignment, etc. The paint on the car is new but it is of very poor quality in that after a body shop wetsanded it, there still seem to be bubbles in the paint/clearcoat. I do not know the body shop who wetsanded or painted the car.

I tried to buff the paint using an orbital polisher with a terry cloth bonnet and 3M Fine-Cut Swirl Remover Polishing Compound. It did not make any difference.

This is the first black car I've owned, and that was my first attempt ever at buffing. Do you think I should have a professional attempt to fix the problem, or should I start saying, "Uh oh, better get Maaco"?

I just spent $1700 on repairs/upgrades for the car, so I don't want to get into this car too much deeper yet (I'd rather start enjoying it), so what do you recommend, or does anyone know a good detailer that can help in North Jersey?

Thanks in advance,

Guhan

 

[zam70]

What do you mean bubbles?
How big? If it looks more like very fine pin holes, it's "solvent pop".
If it is "pop" it might be able to be sanded and buffed...that's a really big "Might" because usually pop goes pretty deep and will require a repaint. Doesn't hurt to try sand AND BUFF BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO GET AGGRESSIVE WITH IT,

 

[green95ss]

It looks like a million pin holes in the paint. You can't actually feel it, but the holes are also not black.

What did the original painter do wrong? Was it poor body prep, or poor mixing, or did they use a crappy sprayer? If it is a repaint, do I need to have the car completely stripped, or can I get away with a less expensive alternative?

Thanks,

Guhan

 

[Red Regal T]

Could be fisheyes. If you can't block/wetsand the panels past it, you'll have to repaint. If you do, you have to sand the paint past the imperfections or they'll show again, but not as much. I think you're in for a new paint job.

 

[zam70]

Solvent pop is caused by the upper surface of the clear coat skinning over faster then the lower surface. This is caused by a misjudgement in the speed of the reducer/hardener mixture of the paint (which is dependant on the size of the area being sprayed and more so on the weather). If the upper surface of the paint skins to fast and the lower is still loaded with solvents and air, when the bubbles rise to the top...if it is skinned the solvents etc will "Pop" through the surface.
Typically, the surface should be wet enough to flow/level and fill the tiny holes left, if it's not you end up with "solvent pop". If it is really shallow, it can be wet sanded and buffed...I've seen it done many times. More often than not, you have to sand all the pop out, prime and repaint.
Luckily most solvent pop only happens on horizontal surfaces and hard edges (hood, trunk roof - edges of the 1/4s doors etc...). You might not have to repaint the whole car, just the panels that have the pop in it. If the car is black, panel painting is a snap.

Also, the main reason they aren't black is beacause each hole actually has a sharp edge...they also fill up with wax.