New user: Cloudy spot appeared in new paint

[tomlegit]

Hi everyone, Im new to this forum and also new to meticulous detailing and have learned quite a bit by lurking here recently. Last week I got my first brand new car, a 370z in beautiful midnight blue metallic.





In my first 10 days with the car or so I have already tried to remove a light circular scratch in the hood that looks to be from a gritty rag or something similar, Im not sure if it was me or the dealership. I tried applying quite a few applications of scratchX 2.0 by hand but wasnt able to buff it completely out. I have put on a coat of NXT 2.0 which just looks great on the deep blue paint. (does anyone have a good trick to get wax residue out of gaps between panels?)

Then after washing last night I noticed a few cloudy spots on the rear bumper pictured below and circled in red.


I was unable to buff them out with a microfiber cloth and quick detail spray. I was thinking that maybe i missed a spot buffing off the wax as i was racing the sunset when waxing but I didnt think it would be that hard to buff off now. I also don't think the marks were there earlier as I have been pretty OCD about spot detailing after she reaches the garage every night and this stands out like a sore thumb.

Searching I found this thread where a gentleman seems to have a similar issue as me down to using the same wax

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?14308-Cloudy-Hazy-spot-on-my-new-truck

although I couldnt see his pictures so I was not sure if it was the exact same issue.

Could this be caused if I missed a spot buffing off wax? Maybe a defect but why would it not show up until yesterday? I have no idea what to do to get rid of this spot!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: New user: Cloudy spot appeared in new paint

Hi Tom, and welcome to MOL! That is a killer shade of blue on your Z!

As for the two spots you've highlighted, neither one looks like wax residue that was missed at buff off. We've all done that (some of us many times when in a rush - yeah, don't ask!!) but even if you left a fairly heavy "old school" carnauba wax on for a few days it would still wipe off fairly easily, and certainly with very little effort at all if coaxed along with a quick detail spray. Heck, you could leave the whole car in hazed wax, any wax, for a month or so and it wouldn't actually harm the paint. Now, in such a case YOU may harm the paint just trying to take month old hazed wax, so obviously that's not a recommended process. The point being, even if you did leave some wax behind, you would not fight it to get it off. Another tell tale that indicates this is not left over wax residue is the shape of marks. There is just no way that you would leave that sort of irregular shape behind when missing a spot during wipe off. It's too small, and too randomly shaped to happen from running a towel over the car, even in a circular pattern.

So then, what is it? It's a bit hard to say from this image, but it could be some sort of scuffing, chemical stain, or other defect created by some sort of physical contact with the body panel. Since it's obviously on a vertical panel and there doesn't appear to be any sort run associated with it, it's doubtful that it's a chemical stain. And a scuff or abrasion of some sort may be impossible to feel yet very noticeable to the eye.

You mentioned having some ScratchX 2.0 on hand, so we'd like you to give this a go first: Using a foam wax applicator pad and most definitely NOT a terry cloth towel, apply some ScratchX 2.0 to the area in either a circular or straight line motion - makes no difference. Don't just concentrate on these very small areas, however, and that can easily mean tranferring a lot of energy into a very small area, and that can have disastrous consequences, even working by hand. Instead, work it into an area about one foot square, using some definite elbow grease (the panel may even deflect under the effort - that's perfectly fine) and then wipe off the residue before it dries. You may need two or three applications to remove the marks completely, but it should do it. If not, see if you can get a closer image of the area and we'll formulate a Plan B. For now, let's work with what you've got on hand.

[Eldorado2k]

Oh man you did very well treating yourself to such a fine looking automobile, Tom! And best of all you're on the right track in making sure it remains flawless and new looking from the start! Kudos, congrats, and welcome to MOL and this great personal hobby of "meticulous detail"

Mr. Stoops laid down the best way to gently begin to deal with what you're looking at there.. The main thing when approaching those 2 small defects on such a creamfuff of a new car is to introduce yourself very smooth and gently towards the situation. Work as clean as possible, and least aggresive approach should be your #1 rule to follow.

With a car that nice and new, it's like the 1st dance at the prom. Imagine yourself in a tuxedo, and that car is your date wearing a prom dress. Take things nice & easy, and stay looking fresh the whole way through

[tomlegit]

Re: New user: Cloudy spot appeared in new paint

I have had a hard time finding foam applicator pads. The only one I was able to find came with my Meguiar's brand wax and is in a ziplock bag still partway loaded with wax. The last time I applied scratchX I used a microfiber applicator pad. Is this ok or should I look farther and wider for a foam pad before tackling this?

[Eldorado2k]

Foam applicators are near impossible to find at the local auto parts stores. I've never been able to find them outside of a wax box.
However you can easily find them on ebay. If I were you I'd order them and try this with the foam applicators. Not the microfiber ones. And Never with terry cloth applicators. Foam is the least agressive for your new car.

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: New user: Cloudy spot appeared in new paint

I have seen the foam pad at O'Reiley auto parts stores