Finding defects on a silver car...

[hondamtrco4life]

My wife's car is a 2007 Civic EX (silver) and I have the hardest time trying to see defects out in the sun because when the sun hits it the silver flakes are so bright you can hardly look at it up close. So far I have tried using a halogen lamp (the kind on stands) and I've had no luck with it at all. Maybe I'm holding it too close to the car... 2-3ft away.

The only place I can really see "defects" or any fine scratches is on the top of the car when its parked in the garage using the florescent light from the garage door opener.

I will be buying the Brinkman Dual Xenon so maybe that will help. Any tips will be great!

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

I put sunglasses on when inspecting paint in direct, bright sun and it greatly helps me to find the swirls or scratches that I would otherwise be too blinded by the light to see.

I also find that getting my head horizontal with the surface and moving a light around about a foot or two away and varying the angle as I move it helps me to find the "sweet spot."

It's not easy, but it can be done with a little practice. Sometimes you even need to play with "the focus" of your eyes...almost going crossed eyed to an extent.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

I agree with Mark on the sunglasses, they take the brightness away so you see the swirls/scratches.

Ryan

[Pocket_Aces]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

My wife's car is a 2007 Civic EX (silver) and I have the hardest time trying to see defects out in the sun because when the sun hits it the silver flakes are so bright you can hardly look at it up close. So far I have tried using a halogen lamp (the kind on stands) and I've had no luck with it at all. Maybe I'm holding it too close to the car... 2-3ft away.

The only place I can really see "defects" or any fine scratches is on the top of the car when its parked in the garage using the florescent light from the garage door opener.

I will be buying the Brinkman Dual Xenon so maybe that will help. Any tips will be great!

If you can't see them normally stop looking for them . Does your wife really care about them anyways? This is why all my cars are silver.

[JTOWN]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

COOL - so its not just me, i have really want to polish my car, but the silver makes it so hard to see the defects that i know are there...

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

COOL - so its not just me, i have really want to polish my car, but the silver makes it so hard to see the defects that i know are there...

If it isn't truly a show car, I would suggest simply polishing with a medium polish that is very safe such as M80, followed by either M82 or #7 for a little extra gloss/pop, and then seal her up with the wax of your choice.

I think you will be happy with the results, even if some small problems still remain...considering how impossible they are to see.

[tguil]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

If it isn't truly a show car, I would suggest simply polishing with a medium polish that is very safe such as M80, followed by either M82 or #7 for a little extra gloss/pop, and then seal her up with the wax of your choice.

I think you will be happy with the results, even if some small problems still remain...considering how impossible they are to see.

You betcha'!

Tom

[hondamtrco4life]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

If you can't see them normally stop looking for them . Does your wife really care about them anyways? This is why all my cars are silver.

For some people the whole "if I can't see the defects easily I don't care about them" mentality may work but I'm not like that. I want to maintain the defects (however many there may be) and keep them down to about 10-15%. If it was a show car I would expect perfection but it's not therefore I don't expect that. What is my wife's is also mine so yes we both care about the finish on the car.

[hondamtrco4life]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

I put sunglasses on when inspecting paint in direct, bright sun and it greatly helps me to find the swirls or scratches that I would otherwise be too blinded by the light to see.

I also find that getting my head horizontal with the surface and moving a light around about a foot or two away and varying the angle as I move it helps me to find the "sweet spot."

It's not easy, but it can be done with a little practice. Sometimes you even need to play with "the focus" of your eyes...almost going crossed eyed to an extent.

Thanks! That's a pretty good idea. I will try that.

I'm not "hunting" for defects on my cars but when I polish them I need to inspect the finish and make sure that everything is corrected and looking good. All I was trying to say is that a silver car is a little harder to inspect and I thought you guys would have some good tips. Thanks for all the helpful tips!

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

Thanks guys, another great tip. Using the sunglasses to reduce the glare to find the defects. Will try this next time.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

I have the hardest time trying to see defects out in the sun because when the sun hits it the silver flakes are so bright you can hardly look at it

This is why silver metallic paints are the best color to choose if you don't want swirls to be noticeable, when you look at the paint in bright light it blinds you where with most other medium to dark colors you will see the swirls.

If you were to look through all the photos posted from our Saturday classes you won't find a single silver metallic paint job that we chose for a demo car that's because our students would simply be blinded trying to see the before and after results after the demo and we pull the car into the sun to inspect.

For people that don't want to make detailing a hobby and don't want to pay someone to maintain their car's finish, light silver metallic is the way to go.

[g88]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

Thats the good thing about light color car. Swirl is hardly noticable

[JTOWN]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

valid point and thanks, my car is not showroom, wish it was, just want the overall best results...and megs seems to do a damn fine job...

[tguil]

Re: Finding defects on a silver car...

T.

...For people that don't want to make detailing a hobby and don't want to pay someone to maintain their car's finish, light silver metallic is the way to go...

That's unless you worry about matching paint if there is damage that needs to be repaired. Metallic silver can be a real "bear" to match.

I'm both an "obsessive compulsive detailer" and a perfectionist. I can tell you where every rock chip, paint touch up and scratch is located in my Hemi, my wife's Tacoma, my two Harleys, my boat and even my John Deere tractor. It's darn hard work being like this.

I have gotten to place where I touch up scratches as best I can (which, by the way, is very good),use clay and polish as needed and then wax with ColorX and/or NXT 2.0 and call it good enough.

Back to the thread. On my former silver vehicles as well as my black and white vehicles, I find that I have good luck finding flaws under good flourescent lighting. Being an "old guy" I wear bi-focals, but good reading glasses with your nose almost to the surface of the vehicle will pick up lots of flaws.

Tom