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**Michael Stoops** · Jun 25, 2014, 08:20 AM

Re: Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

Such a great looking car, and a shame we don't get them here in the States (especially the sport wagon version!).

Anyway..... the part that is the most concerning to us is that the area in question doesn't feel any different and it's still quite glossy, but it doesn't feel any different than the rest of the paint. There is a very slight chance that it's a burn through from buffing, but given that it's relatively square in shape makes that doubtful. Most likely, it's a touch up done at the port after the car was shipped from Italy to Australia. This is more common than most people realize, and under US law the facility at the port doing this sort of work is supposed to inform the selling dealership, who is then obligated to inform the buyer of the car. Not too long ago one of our employees here at Meguiar's purchased a new German made sedan and it had some issues with the paint on the hood. The dealership offered to repaint it for him at no cost, but he said he didn't want a large panel repainted on a brand new car. The dealer body shop guy asked him why, then, was he OK with the fact that one of the doors had been repainted at the port. Uh oh! Nobody told him that this had happened, because the dealership had not been notified. At that point our employee was in a very powerful position with regard to negotiations; they completely undid the deal (even though he had taken delivery of the car weeks prior) and searched the country until they found him an identical car.

Shipping a car across the ocean can be very hard on the vehicle's finish. Shipping from Europe to the US is bad enough, from Japan to the US even more so. In fact, Meguiar's put together a service manual of sorts, and conducted training, for Toyota when they introduced the Lexus brand 20+ years ago. This manual outlined the recommended procedures and products for refreshing the cars when they were off loaded at the port here in California prior to transport around the country. We still have a very close relationship with Toyota to this day. So, you can imagine what this lovely Alfa might have gone through on it's trip around the world to reach you down under. And it is very possible that the facility at the port did a less than stellar job with the touch up. Admittedly, metallic silver is a very difficult color to spot correct because the metallic flakes can lay down in a different orientation from the original paint application, and that makes the touch up area look completely different (even if the color match is dead on).

In a nutshell, if indeed this is what happened, you are not going to fix this with any compound or polish. If that is NOT what happened, then trying to diagnose from across the equator via digital images is extremely hard to do. But we suggest you not get overly aggressive with any product when attempting a repair here. Even working by hand, a prolonged and aggressive approach can and will rub right through the clear coat.

**MTLian** · Jun 25, 2014, 10:27 AM

Re: Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

I've had a similar problem with the clear coat on on of my wheels when I let paint thinner dry on it. It degraded the clear. It looks like the clear is slightly degraded. Is it rought to the touch? I might consider getting a body shop to redo that part of the clear since the color coat still looks great.

of course, first try the Ultimate compound. That scratch looks real deep and nasty, the ultimate compound might help but it looks like it is very wide and that some of your color coat might be compromised. You are lucky you have a silver car; it's a great color for hiding defects!

**Jess159** · Jun 25, 2014, 07:19 PM

Re: Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

Thanx for the replies guys.
That spot feels smooth, looks glossy and reflects fantastic, especially after some Meguiar's Ultimate Polish and Ultimate Detailer. You can see it, just not so much in photos, and when you run your hand over it you can't feel it either.

Thing is, it's been there since we bought the car. It's a late '06 build, so it's not brand new and nobody can expect the paint to look 100% flawless considering it's driven daily.
Even after a professional detail about 3 months ago including, clay bar, cut + polish by machine it's still there. I taped off a small portion of the blemish and did some wetsanding with 1500 grit, soaked the sandpaper for a few minutes and ran over the spot lightly. I've grabbed some Ultimate Compound and tried going over the area in circular motions by hand, clockwise, anticlockwise, light pressure and a bit heavier for a few seconds each time. Done this about 4 or 5 times and it doesnt seem to be going anywhere, so constantly pressing it with Ultimate Compound + Ultimate Polish even by machine probably wont do it, the compound did however get the wetsanding marks out.
It looks like little can be done to get it out, and it's most likely not feasible to have the car resprayed just because of that. I can live with it (sort of :p) but just wanted some opinion on how it might have gotten there or if there was a simple way in getting it out.

Here's a pic after ive rubbed in some of the compound, washed with Mother's Carnauba Wash+Wax, polish, then washed again. You can only see it in adequate lighting, and hardly at all in a photo from small distance.

**Jess159** · Jun 25, 2014, 08:27 PM

Re: Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

This is the problem when detailing becomes an addictive hobby

OCD much in this case?

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Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

Help me identify and fix this paint blemish

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