Are these water spots?

[wifpd4]

The following photos are of the trunk lid of an extensively swirled up black car.

After working on the swirls, these defects seems to show up out of nowhere. There is over a dozen on the trunk lid the size of quarters or half dollars. They seem to consist only of this scratch-like outline. The "inside" of the defect is smooth like it doesn't have a bottom or didn't affect the clear coat. I would expect a water spot to have a deteriorated bottom etched into the clear coat. This seems to be just an outline.

I needed to bring out the M-105 to reduce these defects and with luck remove them by going to a 4" orange Lake Country pad running at full bore and heavy pressure.

Are they water spots?

The hood had what appeared to be bird bombs and they worked off using Ultimate Compound at 5, but none of these "water" spots. Luckily a ragtop convertible, so no spots or bird bombs to correct on the roof.

The reflections in these photos are of the fluorescent lights mounted on the bar joists overhead.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Are these water spots?

They do appear to be the deeper remnants of some sort of etching, whether it be from acid rain, a sprinkler using reclaimed water or something else. Ultimately what caused it is less important than what it is.

Have you ever attempted wet sanding to remove isolated defects?

Want to make another trip to SoCal and take our advanced class?

[wifpd4]

Re: Are these water spots?

They do appear to be the deeper remnants of some sort of etching, whether it be from acid rain, a sprinkler using reclaimed water or something else. Ultimately what caused it is less important than what it is.

Have you ever attempted wet sanding to remove isolated defects?

Want to make another trip to SoCal and take our advanced class?

NO

and

Sounds like an invitation hard to refuse!! Does this mean I've moved up the Stoops Scale enough to take an advanced class?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Are these water spots?

Sounds like an invitation hard to refuse!! Does this mean I've moved up the Stoops Scale enough to take an advanced class?

Well, technically, the only prerequisite for taking the Advanced Class is to have previously taken a Basic Saturday Class. But you've proven your skills time and time again here - quite frankly, we think you'd enjoy the Advanced Class. It's a great intro to wet sanding and rotary buffing. Just enough to scare you!!!