Looks wet and glossy inside but flat under direct light - why??

[yogibear458]

I had re-done the wife-mobile (01 Lexus).

It had AIO and 2 coats of SG. I used #83 and #80 (on different parts of the car to experiment) both with 8006 to remove the Klasse products.

I then clayed, and applied 2 coats of Nxt (24hrs apart) with a finishing pad.

The paint is very clear. and it looks very shiney and wet inside the garage. but when it's outside and under bright direct sunlight, the surface looks flat and no glossy. It almost looks like there's a thin haze over the paint.

What did I do wrong???? please help.

[yogibear458]

here are some pix.... how do I put back more contrast to the finish and make it 'deeper'??

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/1939Resize_of_DSC_0814.JPG

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/1939Resize_of_DSC_0813-med.JPG

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/1939Resize_of_DSC_0811.JPG

In the following picture, the lower door panel which is a darker colour paint, looks wetter and has more contrast.


http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/1939Resize_of_DSC_0810.JPG

[RamAirV1]

That looks pretty good to me! Nothing in the way of swirls is visible. A picture in full sunlight would be helpful.

Do you see any difference between the area you did with #83 and the area you did with #80? Is it possible the #83 left some haze that you did not remove. Or were there some swirl marks that the #80 could not remove.

Take a small area and use #83 and follow up with #80. See if that makes a difference. If not, you may have taken that paint color to its maximum potential. From the pictures you post, the paint looks great! Don't expect it to have the depth that black paint does. I had a black T/A, and now I have Impulse Blue. There is no way it's going to look like black, but it looks great in it's own right and is easier to maintain. I don't have to worry as much about swirl marks!

RamAirV1

[SwipeTest]

Maybe you're seeing buffer haze. When I first tried #80, my finish was swirl free but there was a visible haze in sunlight.

I was able clear up the haze by using less pressure. I seemed to get better results with #80 by working it at a lower speed (around 4.5) I could increase the speed once the abrasive started breaking down. Mike Phillips also suggested I keep the pad as level as possible. Good luck and keep testing on that small area. Once you find what works for you, the results are spectacular!

[Tim Lingor]

Hey yogibear458


From your pictures, it appears that your car is silver metallic in color. If that is the case, the look you are seeing outside in direct sunlight is normal. If you look at the side of the car that is in the shade, you can see the gloss and reflection? Lighter colors lack depth in direct sunlight. Do you have any pictures of your paint while in the sun that you can post?


Tim

[Mike Phillips]

Your car's finish looks very clear and glossing while in the garage. The paint, and the results you achieved will not change physically because you change the lighting conditions, however different lighting conditions will show, and in some cases will not show different features of the finish.

White paint and light colors in bright light don't offer a lot of depth and reflectivity as this is the nature of these colors. If you car's paint is glossy looking in the garage, then it should be glossy outside as you can create good gloss on any paint by making it smooth through claying and polishing and then adding wax.

Try viewing you car's paint outside toward late afternoon, towards evening and see how it looks then.

It is possible you may have hazed the paint with the M83 and it's only showing up in bright light, you could try re-polishing a test area on the hood or deck lid with the M80 Speed Glaze, then apply wax and then inspect this area with an area next to it that you leave alone. (Tape off a current section with some painters tape and a soft towel or microfiber before polishing and waxing the test section).

[RDVT4ME]

Hey Yogi,

Just curious about one thing. Looks like you used #83/#80 and then clayed the car. I always clay the car first to remove surface contaminants, then follow with a cleaner/polish. Just wondering why. Not criticising, just asking, maybe I missed something. I'm always willing to learn/try a new technique.

BTW, your car looks very nice!

[radkonn]

I agree with RDVT4ME you should have clayed before hitting it with DACP and 80. I doubt you got much if any contaminants off by claying after you used these products. My truck doesn't look that glossy while in the sun either, although I have a darker colored truck. Before you give up on NXT, give the wax a few days to setup. Don't mess with it or try to remove it. My truck looks twice as good a few days after the second coat of NXT. It almost appears that the color changes. I applied a coat of NXT a couple days ago, but instead of hitting it with the second coat 12hrs apart, I'm going to wait until I see the change. After it does, I'm going to apply the second coat. Since this post is a few days old, I'm sure you have noticed your car looks better.

[yogibear458]

Originally posted by RDVT4ME
Hey Yogi,

Just curious about one thing. Looks like you used #83/#80 and then clayed the car. I always clay the car first to remove surface contaminants, then follow with a cleaner/polish. Just wondering why. Not criticising, just asking, maybe I missed something. I'm always willing to learn/try a new technique.

BTW, your car looks very nice!


Thx

The first thing I did to the wifemobile this spring was AIO and then SG. After the AIO, the paint was very clean. But even with 3 coats of SG I didnt find the result was as glossy or wet when compared to my other two cars which I applied Nxt. (only 1 was clayed)

So I figured I'd take out the AIO and SG with #83/#80 and didn't think about claying it until later :(

So it's not a special recipe :)

[yogibear458]

thx everyone for your input and suggestions... it looks a bit better in the later afternoon.,...and I took a few more pictures.

This one really intrigues me because the front of the car (where there's more sunlight) is kind of flat or washed out whereas the back is like glass.

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/1939Resize_of_DSC_0858.JPG

[everglo]

Hey Mike or Tim,

Doesn't the Lexus(among others) use flourine in their paints? Hence, wouldn't light metallic colors result in such 'abnormal' reflections? Like in the latter pic facing in toward the garage. Light is reflected by metallic flakes toward the front of the car(so no mirror effect) yet toward the back(where there is less light)it isn't reflecting light resulting in a more mirror like effect.

Just a thought.

[Tim Lingor]

Originally posted by everglo
Hey Mike or Tim,

Doesn't the Lexus(among others) use flourine in their paints? Hence, wouldn't light metallic colors result in such 'abnormal' reflections? Like in the latter pic facing in toward the garage. Light is reflected by metallic flakes toward the front of the car(so no mirror effect) yet toward the back(where there is less light)it isn't reflecting light resulting in a more mirror like effect.

Just a thought.

Good question! From my understanding fluorine has been added to the paint of many Japanese vehicles for a number of years. The claimed benefit is better weather stability, and resistance to other contaiminents like oils etc. But, I also believe that it causes lower refraction of light. Therefore, your premise may indeed be accurate. I have worked on many Japanese cars and have found that the paint acts very similar to everything else, except that it sometimes scratches a little easier. In direct sunlight, metallic silvers tend to lack depth. Yet, if the light comes from different angles, the gloss and depth can be incredible! I believe this appearance is more of a function of the color and metallic in the paint rather than the type of paint or additives being used. :) Just IMHO! :)

Tim

[everglo]

Sounds good to me. I know that they DO tend to scratch a lot easier than other paints especially on Honda/Acuras and especially when warm. So, working on a cool surface is an absolute must.

[taylor192]

Those reflections on silver paint look great. With lighter coloured cars you've just gotta be happy with what you can get, you'll never have the mirror-deep gloss of a black car.

You've got as much reflection and depth as I've ever been able to get with my MB. I've tried #83, #7, 2 coats of Gold Class (12 hrs between), and found the best result was actually a couple days later when I hit it with some #34 (Final Touch) and the shine was as deep as I've ever seen it. I even put a coat of #7 ontop of Gold Class just to see and it didn't get noticably deeper/glossy-er.

I'd love to see pics of what Mike can do with a silver coloured car so that we can judge the deepest/glossy-est finish we can expect to get using Meguiars.

[yogibear458]

Originally posted by everglo
Hey Mike or Tim,

Doesn't the Lexus(among others) use flourine in their paints? Hence, wouldn't light metallic colors result in such 'abnormal' reflections? Like in the latter pic facing in toward the garage. Light is reflected by metallic flakes toward the front of the car(so no mirror effect) yet toward the back(where there is less light)it isn't reflecting light resulting in a more mirror like effect.

Just a thought.

The colour of the car is light gold or champagne with lots of metallic flakes. When looking closely at the metallic flakes, they are very shiny in the garage. When under bright direct sunlight, the flakes look like they are over-exposed and don't look shiny anymore.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

Here is a link from a review I did of #21 on my wife's silver metallic Toyota. Notice the difference in the indirect and direct sunshots. Is this similar to what you are seeing?

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5124

Tim

[yogibear458]

Here is a link from a review I did of #21 on my wife's silver metallic Toyota. Notice the difference in the indirect and direct sunshots. Is this similar to what you are seeing?

Yes, it's quite similar...except the horizon surfaces do not have the same contrast as the picture you have the boat reflection.