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Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

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  • #1

    Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

    Hey everyone,

    Really hoping someone will provide some insight and/or advice to these strange spots on my Evo's paint. Backstory - the Evo is always garaged and its paint is immaculate. However, I had it outside for a week or so as the Miata was occupying the garage while I was changing out the timing belt etc. Unfortunately there was a pine tree nearby and it soaked the car in sap.

    I tried to wash the car as quickly as possible as I knew dried sap was a PITA. So after a wash and clay, I figured everything was good to go. However, after putting the Evo back in the garage, I noticed that in certain lighting there were definitely spots that almost looked like smudges. I have tried a lot of "tricks" I've read to remove sap as that's what I was thinking it was - rubbing alcohol, WD40, sap removers and finally another wash, clay and polish (applied with a DA). At this point I'm not sure what it is.
    Anyway, here are the pics, any help would be much appreciated.

    From a distance, the paint looks fine:

    http://i.imgur.com/5ISIYMW.jpg

    After getting closer and from different angles you can see:

    http://i.imgur.com/HUZffCG.jpg

    http://i.imgur.com/d4pYn2r.jpg

    Again:

    Web Page Blocked
    http://i.imgur.com/wN7DyOc.jpg

    Web Page Blocked
    http://i.imgur.com/0jDQi5t.jpg

    Web Page Blocked
    http://i.imgur.com/Iixz93H.jpg

    Web Page Blocked
    http://i.imgur.com/t3PaF19.jpg


    Thanks!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

    Welcome to MOL.

    So what have you actually tried?
    99 Grand Prix
    02 Camaro SS

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

      Thank you. So far I have tried rubbing the spots with 70% alcohol and used a DA with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. It definitely helped but under certain lightning conditions you can still see the dull spots. Was looking for advice regarding if I should step up to something more aggressive and if so which product.

      Thanks

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

        Oh yeah, these are typical in the Southeast. The problem is not cleaning them off so much as oiling the spots back, so to speak.

        If you'll follow that Ultimate Compound with Ultimate Polish, perhaps two coats/passes or more, and then re-wax with a polish-wax (Ultimate, Gold Class, or others), maybe twice again as well, you'll probably see the spots fade completely or a lot, so as to be hard to notice. After that, just let the Sun and regular washing or waterless washing do the rest, and after a few weeks or so, they will be gone

        It seems the resin eats away the finish, but doesn't damage the clear coat (unless left untreated for a while), but cleaning the spots doesn't really work, except to remove any resin residue. UC is not a great finishing compound, either, and it probably hazed the spots a bit, adding to the original issue. I could be wrong, but it's easy to try it out - polishing oils are the key. Then give it some time, applying spray wax and/or waterless wash for regular cleaning. I get these types of spots now and again and they basically go away without any more fuss than that. Even bird droppings will do the same. This is possible because the finish is already so well cared for. It would be different on a neglected car.

        Sure, the spots can be fixed immediately with some sanding and machine work, but you might overwork the area (or yourself) and yet still see the outlines. Sunlight can work wonders, as well as regular detailing over time.
        Non-Garaged Daily Driver, DAMF System + M101, Carnauba Finish Enthusiast
        4-Step | Zen Detailing | Undercarriage | DAMF Upgrade |         First Correction | Gallery

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

          Wow, thank you for your extensive reply. That really makes me feel a ton better. Everytime I saw those spots I'd get a terrible feeling in my stomach haha. Now at least I know how to approach w/ a solution.

          Really appreciate your insight.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

            not that I want to help an evo owner (I own a 2011 STi)...j/k...run your finger across the "spot" and see if it catches. You don't want to start a compound or polish if there is residual tar/bug/etc on the surface. The entire surface should be smooth like a painted surface feels like. If you finger (not nail) catches, use WD-40 or a bug/tar remover (I use WD-40 and agitate with my fingertip and keep applying WD-40 intermittently but liberally until the spot is no longer there). From the pictures, it looks like the beginnings of clear coat etching but its only a picture and sometimes pictures only show part of the problem. Like with everything, start least aggressive and move up. I think UC finishes pretty well considering the amount of cut in it, but depending on your paint you will probably have to follow it with a polish anyway. Subaru paint is "soft", but I have still used M105/205 combos with excellent results, so don't be overly concerned about being "too aggressive". The rest of the paint looks to be in good condition so I would probably do spot treatments...

            1. Wash
            2. baggie test/finger slide
            3. bug tar remover (if needed)
            4. compound (UC or M105) *if a polish/cleaner wax doesn't correct enough
            5. polish (M205 or UP)
            6. Wax
            7. enjoy

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

              Originally posted by twisty roads View Post
              not that I want to help an evo owner (I own a 2011 STi)...j/k...run your finger across the "spot" and see if it catches. You don't want to start a compound or polish if there is residual tar/bug/etc on the surface. The entire surface should be smooth like a painted surface feels like. If you finger (not nail) catches, use WD-40 or a bug/tar remover (I use WD-40 and agitate with my fingertip and keep applying WD-40 intermittently but liberally until the spot is no longer there). From the pictures, it looks like the beginnings of clear coat etching but its only a picture and sometimes pictures only show part of the problem. Like with everything, start least aggressive and move up. I think UC finishes pretty well considering the amount of cut in it, but depending on your paint you will probably have to follow it with a polish anyway. Subaru paint is "soft", but I have still used M105/205 combos with excellent results, so don't be overly concerned about being "too aggressive". The rest of the paint looks to be in good condition so I would probably do spot treatments...

              1. Wash
              2. baggie test/finger slide
              3. bug tar remover (if needed)
              4. compound (UC or M105) *if a polish/cleaner wax doesn't correct enough
              5. polish (M205 or UP)
              6. Wax
              7. enjoy
              My recommendation would be similar to the above, it sounds like you have two different defects which both need to be addressed in different ways. If you can still feel the sap residue on top of the paint, it should be removed with some type of bug & tar remover. I typically recommend getting a paint safe "body solvent" typically sold at auto body supply stores or automotive paint supplies stores. This is a product designed to safely loosen up any petroleum based substance on automotive paint. Once the tree sap residue is removed and you can no longer feel it, or you already cannot feel the sap residue, and you can still see these spots, they are likely a stain in the paint, which you can try to remove with a compound.

              Overall i am thinking if you can no longer feel the tree sap, you might just need to get more aggressive with your DA. If I was working on these stains, and Ultimate Compound is barely helping, I typically reach for our DA Microfiber Cutting Disc & D300 DA Microfiber Correction Compound. What DA are you using and which pad were you applying the Ultimate Compound with?

              Hope this helps. - Nick
              Nick Winn
              Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Online Forum Administrator
              Meguiar's Inc.
              Irvine, CA
              nawinn@meguiars.com

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

                Originally posted by twisty roads View Post
                not that I want to help an evo owner (I own a 2011 STi)...j/k...run your finger across the "spot" and see if it catches. You don't want to start a compound or polish if there is residual tar/bug/etc on the surface. The entire surface should be smooth like a painted surface feels like. If you finger (not nail) catches, use WD-40 or a bug/tar remover (I use WD-40 and agitate with my fingertip and keep applying WD-40 intermittently but liberally until the spot is no longer there). From the pictures, it looks like the beginnings of clear coat etching but its only a picture and sometimes pictures only show part of the problem. Like with everything, start least aggressive and move up. I think UC finishes pretty well considering the amount of cut in it, but depending on your paint you will probably have to follow it with a polish anyway. Subaru paint is "soft", but I have still used M105/205 combos with excellent results, so don't be overly concerned about being "too aggressive". The rest of the paint looks to be in good condition so I would probably do spot treatments...

                1. Wash
                2. baggie test/finger slide
                3. bug tar remover (if needed)
                4. compound (UC or M105) *if a polish/cleaner wax doesn't correct enough
                5. polish (M205 or UP)
                6. Wax
                7. enjoy
                Hahaha I'm all about a good rivalry, I will admit I do love the new STIs

                The paint feels really smooth (it was clayed + waxed w/ Gold Class shortly before this issue) and you cannot detect the spots with your fingertips. However, if you scratch the paint you can audibly hear a difference when going over these spots - not sure if that helps the diagnosis though.

                I think next steps are to rub down w/ alcohol, compound, polish + wax and we'll see where we end up.

                Thanks a ton everyone

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Need help with strange spots on my Evo 8's paint

                  Hey guys,

                  Wanted to follow up - did a test section of the hood with the following:

                  - 2 passes of M105 w/ med cut orange pad
                  - 2 passes of M205 w/ light cut white pad

                  Inspected, decided to do another two more passes of each.

                  Still have to wax but I am extremely happy with the results. Pretty much impossible to detect. Here are some pics:









                  Thanks everyone

                  Comment

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