[GOT OATZ]

So, one of the reasons we picked the Bullitt we did, was because of the low build number (115) We bought about three weeks ago, and this number tells me that the car was built probably in February. So it sat on the lot or several months....One of the things I noted when we took delivery was the appearance of water rings, or marks on the paint. The car has been back for clay bar and polish. Came out beautiful, but unfortunately did not remove the rings.
Took it back in today for a new front bumper cover, and another go at the water rings. They called earlier, and said that they ended up basically having to wet color sand with like 2000 grit paper, then re-polish. The body shop manager says it looks great, but I'll be the judge of that....:badgrin: :badgrin:
So, has anyone here experienced this type of issue? Resolution? Long term effects? Here are some pics of the rings after being clayed and waxed....

Mike

 

[cdynaco]

So, has anyone here experienced this type of issue? Resolution? Long term effects?

Yeah I have a constant battle with water spots so I'm glad you posted this. I have called the Dealer (1 1/2 hr. each way) and they said bring it in but I haven't yet as its going to take a whole day. (Maybe they can take the swirls out they put in while they're at it.)

First time was my fault I guess. I came home late and the front end was full of bugs. So I hosed it down thinking I was protecting the finish and went to bed planning to wash the next morning. MAJOR mistake! MAJOR huge waterspots! After I washed it they were still there. Problem is I'm on a well. And although I have great water, there is apparently more 'lime' in it than I realized. Probably need a filter for my car wash station.

So now, my hard learned lesson of washing it is to immediately (its a race) dry all top surfaces - trunk, top, hood, top of bumpers, glass, then take care of the sides. After a dozen washes or so, most (not all) are gone.

But then got a brief thundershower last week during the night and its all spotted again. At least they aren't the huge one's from when I hosed it. So its not just my well water.

I have no choice but to wash it constantly because of the bugs in the summer.

But this finish and/or color seems prone to spotting.

 

[royce.nichols]

2061 is in the same boat as you gents. Ist wash after i got it from the dealer preparing to was wax the B after i got it from the dealer. After I washed it I got called away for about 15 min. but it was in the garage and i figured that nothing would happen, I was wrong. After that I have tried Scratch X and cleaner waxes and it did not work. (New MRT hood???) So i am going to go to Ford and see what they say.

 

[Droopy]

Looks exactly like acid rain spots. PY had the same issue on his 01. Not the dealers fault but if they will attempt to fix good for you!!

 

[rblack4405]

use a good car wash, I use Griot's Garage, a good idea is to wash one section at a time, roof-then rinse, hood-then rinse, etc, use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off, and never wash in the sun or on a hot surface. A good detailer will also help in removing most water spots, I use speed shine from Griot's Garage. Bullitts are dark colors and show every spot and swirl.

 

[GOT OATZ]

Looks exactly like acid rain spots. PY had the same issue on his 01. Not the dealers fault but if they will attempt to fix good for you!!

Yeah, I am figuring that during the 5 or so months it sat at the dealer, they did not dry properly after a rain....
Funny thing....A friend of mine at work told me some time back, that as long as you know the proper "buzzword", you can get a free claybar and wax at any dealer. That buzzword is "industrial fallout". When I took her in the first time, that is exactly the phrase the dealer used and wrote on the service order. They clayed, they waxed, they failed....

Groits products are good stuff, no doubt. But, in this particular instance, this is not the result of washing here at home. I have not given the Bullitt a full bath since we have had her. She has had several coats of detailer spray, a full three step Mequires process, and NXT Generation 2 Wax...This was existing, and is why the dealer is attempting to correct. I am just very nervous about wet-color sanding to resolve, but if that's what it takes....I cannot live with those spots on that beautiful color.....

Thanks,
Mike

 

[dennisbaker]

All of this does not sound good. Is there any chance that the paint or clear coat is just not hard enough? I know nothing about paint and clearcoat but it sounds to like we have a problem here.

 

[GOT OATZ]

All of this does not sound good. Is there any chance that the paint or clear coat is just not hard enough? I know nothing about paint and clearcoat but it sounds to like we have a problem here.

Let's hope not......

 

[tigerhonaker]

Yeah, I am figuring that during the 5 or so months it sat at the dealer, they did not dry properly after a rain....
Funny thing....A friend of mine at work told me some time back, that as long as you know the proper "buzzword", you can get a free claybar and wax at any dealer. That buzzword is "industrial fallout". When I took her in the first time, that is exactly the phrase the dealer used and wrote on the service order. They clayed, they waxed, they failed....

Groits products are good stuff, no doubt. But, in this particular instance, this is not the result of washing here at home. I have not given the Bullitt a full bath since we have had her. She has had several coats of detailer spray, a full three step Mequires process, and NXT Generation 2 Wax...This was existing, and is why the dealer is attempting to correct. I am just very nervous about wet-color sanding to resolve, but if that's what it takes....I cannot live with those spots on that beautiful color.....

Thanks,
Mike

Mike,

just want to say that I hope all ends well with those "Water Spots".



Terry

 

[GOT OATZ]

Mike,

just want to say that I hope all ends well with those "Water Spots".



Terry

Hey thanks Terry, appreciate it. Hopefully I will have her back either tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest....God I hope so. Karen is driving my 05, and I have the pleasure of cruising in the rental beauty.....Mercury Grand Marquis.......:evil: :evil:

They had to replace my front bumper cover as well, so gotta wait for the paint to dry on that part......

 

[Cochese]

Looks exactly like acid rain spots. PY had the same issue on his 01.

True. My beloved '01 Bullitt had acid rain damage on the hood scoop until it was wet sanded by a local Mustang painter/restorer back in '01. The scoop turned out excellent. I still have some acid rain damage on the trunk lid and roof to some extent but I can live with it. In some lighting conditions it is quite noticeable but in most lighting conditions it is not...especially on overcast days where there is not a single point light source. One thing to note regarding wet sanding is that it wears down the thickness of the clear coat. Some acid rain damage will penetrate the clear coat and go to the base coat...which of course is not good. A good automotive painter/restorer will be able to judge the depth of the damage upon close inspection. Also, I have read that acid rain damage needs to be ph neutralized so that further damage does not occur...I did not neutralize the minor acid rain damage (that I know of) on my trunk lid or roof but I have not noticed any further damage over the past seven years. Good luck and let us know what pans out.

 

[cdynaco]

use a good car wash, I use Griot's Garage, a good idea is to wash one section at a time, roof-then rinse, hood-then rinse, etc, use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off, and never wash in the sun or on a hot surface. A good detailer will also help in removing most water spots, I use speed shine from Griot's Garage. Bullitts are dark colors and show every spot and swirl.

I do what I learned on autopia, IMBOC, and personal experience with my well water.
First I prep front end & windshield with bug remover and use a separate wet, soapy towel to lightly wipe off.

I use 2 buckets: 1 for cotton wash mitt with Turtle ICE soap, 1 for separate rinse, and I never use one side of the mitt for more than 3 or 4 square feet, rinse the mitt frequently, and do sections at a time. All top surfaces (roof, trunk, then hood), then the front, rear, and sides, then the wheels. Constantly hosing the entire car to keep it wet. Always in the shade.

I tried your leaf blower method but for my situation, it takes off too much water too quickly before I can get to all top surfaces with microfiber towels. The remaining water droplets start to spot before I can get to the section.

So to avoid water spotting, I loosely wipe excess off with microfiber and then immediately follow with chamois. All tops to attack any standing water, then sides last. Like I said before, its a race.

Takes me an hour to wash, dry, do wheels, wipe all jams and wipe dust off parts of engine bay. Not including any detailing or interior. I don't know how to do it any quicker or what I could do to do it any better.

Strangely, right after I chamois a section, it looks splotchy and streaky. But after a minute or two of air drying, it shines deep. Except for the problem water spots from before.

 

[rblack4405]

acid rain can not be removed by clay bar, nor is it the fault of the dealer, I think there is a chemical process to remove some of the damage.

 

[RCSignals]

Hopefully it's just water spotting that can be buffed out.

You mention you think 0115 might have been built in February. I'd say probably Dec '07.

You can find out for sure by having your Dealer Service Department print out an 'HVBOM' for you

 

[rblack4405]

You could also try using a California Water Blade, makes quick work of water on the surface, then use the Absorber, ( a synthetic chamois) then microfiber. A real chamois will remove wax a little at a time. It is also a hide, no hide on my ride, wet or not.

 

[JC2954]

Those pics look like a surface defect in the clearcoat. So long as they don't sand-through the clear and into the colorcoat, it will be Golden. Absolutely nothing to worry about. And if they DO sand-into the color, they'll repaint it. Either way, the flaw will be gone.

Hard to say what caused it - actually looks like a painting-defect, almost like a "fisheye", but only in the clearcoat. With water-based paints, it's a whole different world than when my Dad and Uncle owned a body shop when I was a kid - they don't even MAKE anymore the paints I was busy absorbing through my skin in my formative years..............





(there's nothin' wrong with me, neither-either!)

 

[cdynaco]

A real chamois will remove wax a little at a time. It is also a hide, no hide on my ride, wet or not.

Yeah I've read that opinion before, although my 'protectant' company says chamois' are fine to use. And I don't notice any difference (to the eye) between micro and chamois.

But after Terry H. posted such complete info on the chamois being safe & effective a few months back, I went back to my hunter/gatherer ways. Once you've skinned your best $tallion for a bedspread (the one that ate me) and had its head mounted for your bar wall, you never go back to man-made towels! :badgrin:

 

[Steve08]

Supposedly a mild acidic mixture will remove these hard deposits. The old wive's tail is to use a water/distilled vineger mixture. I tried it once with limited success but I was afraid to use too strong a mixture. The other thing I've heard, of course, is the clay bar.

Here's an interesting write-up on the subject...

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4891

Though, they seem to be pushing Meguires products.

 

[marichardson]

Hopefully it's just water spotting that can be buffed out.

You mention you think 0115 might have been built in February. I'd say probably Dec '07.

You can find out for sure by having your Dealer Service Department print out an 'HVBOM' for you

Hmm, what is a HVBOM? Not familar with that term...

 

[RCSignals]

It's a report that lists what your vehicle was built with, some part numbers and in some cinstances part serial numbers

It will also list the day the car was built.