I have a few quick questions conserning auto paint and finishes.

1) If a component (like a steel bumper) is powder-coated in one color, can it be re-podwer-coated in another, or does it have to be blasted back to bare metal first?

2) Can a powder-coated component be painted over?

3) I've heard horror stories of what can happen to the paint on an automobile if one tries to polish it with a buffer while not knowing what they're doing. My truck has not had a decent wax job in two years plus, and the clearcoat seems to be in not-so-great shape. What is the best way to deal with this short of repainting the whole thing?

Thanks.

you can never go wrong by stripping off the old finish.  i found that out the hard way the last time i got my car re-painted.  i didnt even change the color, but it still sucked.  it's worth the extra time/effort/$$ to do it right

1&2 no clue. 3 use a good buffing compound and wheel, buff and then wax. pay someone who knows what they are doing to buff it. it's very easy to burn the paint if you aren't familiar with the task.

You can paint over powder given that the proper primer is used. If you're considering having a base/clear paint job buffed, pay for it. It's much easier on the wallet to do it once.

Bump for the morning crew.

I would say you have to strip the powdercoat down to metal.... Its cured by heat, and I bet doing a coat ontop of a coat would be all kinds of messed up.

You could definitely wax/buff it yourself.
Use one of those orbital buffers from Walmart with a soft, clean cover.
Use a LIGHT buffing compound, followed with a good, hard wax.
It will do wonders for your paint.

Find a good comound and a good wax.  Check the internet and order some.
Your paint job will look brand new.


FYI, it will take several hours to do it right, and should cost you under $50.
You could have an exterior detail done for less than $100, so weigh your time vs your money, and decide if you are likely to ever do it again.  If so, it may be a good investment.  If not, the equipment cost will likely make it more cost effective to have someone else do it for you.

Find a good comound and a good wax.

Recommendations?

Quoted: Find a good comound and a good wax. Recommendations?

If you want it done just take it to a "profeshunal" detailer (preferably one who doesn't carry a Glock)

I like to use Meguiars for polishing and waxing, now if you want it buffed and you know how to buff, 3M makes some good stuff.

Even MAACO strips off the old paint (and primer).  

Quoted: 3) I've heard horror stories of what can happen to the paint on an automobile if one tries to polish it with a buffer while not knowing what they're doing. My truck has not had a decent wax job in two years plus, and the clearcoat seems to be in not-so-great shape. What is the best way to deal with this short of repainting the whole thing?

There are several different tools out there to work on car finishes.

Car finishes fade and get hazy over time because of bonded contaminants, microfine scratches, and swirl marks. My 2001 Intrepid RT, for instance, used to have paint that looked like this:



It looked positively awful because I let a "detailer" wax it. That "detailer" was actually just some dumb cluck who had no idea what he was doing, and he damn near ruined my finish.

I started doing some research and came across Meguiar's online site. They had videos to explain how to restore a vehicle's finish, and their online forums offered TONS of help.

Firstly, let's talk about buffers. There are several different types that perform different functions. A good consumer buffer is this one made by Meguiars:



This is their G-100A Electric Dual Action polisher. Porter Cable makes it. It moves the pad in a constantly random fashion (sort of like a random orbital sander) and thus CANNOT burn your paint. This is the safest, simplest tool you can possibly use on your finish. It is what I would reccomend for your application.

Anything higher powered than this is an acual buffer. Buffers run at higher RPMs with more torque, and one can strip the paint right off if they don't know what they are doing with a buffer. Buffers look something like this:



This is NOT what you want to use. This is NOT what you want anyone else to use unless they are a true paint pro.

A polisher will do WONDERS for your finish, but there are some scratches and swirl marks you can only get out by using a buffer, an agressive pad, and a severe compound. This combo will basically strip down your clearcoat and can completely remove it if done improperly, which is why only a certified pro should be allowed to touch your car with one.

To give you an idea of what can be done with the polisher combined with the right pads and compound, here is the exact same spot on my 2001 Intrepid RT AFTER I worked on it:



While not perfect, it is a MASSIVE difference.







Here's what I did:

1. Purchased the G-100A polisher, several W9006 finishing pads, , several W8006 polishing pads, , #83 Dual Action Cleaner and Polisher , some mild detailing clay, , and some Final Inspection to use with the detailing clay.

2. Washed the car THOROUGLY with Gold Class car wash and used a very soft AND CLEAN wash mit. You MUST use a good wash mit and use it clean, or you will end up cutting more scratches into your finish.

3. DRY the car THOROUGHLY with towels that will not scratch your clearcoat.

4. I then proceeded to clay the entire car using the aforementioned clay and the Final Inspection solution. You simply put the Final Inspection in a spray bottle, spray it onto the finish liberally in a small area, and then take the clay and run it across the area. Frequently fold the clay in on itself to get a clean area on the clay, and repeat. Keep doing this until the area feels as smooth as glass. Dry off any excess Final Inspection with a good clean terry cloth towel. (Use a microfiber towel if you can)

In doing this, you have cleaned off the majority of bonded contaminants that are on the finish. This step alone will give great results in improving the way your finish looks.

5. Once you have clayed the area, it is time to buff it. Pull out the G-100A polisher and put on a CLEAN W8006 buffing pad. It is ABSOLUTELY critical to use a clean pad with no dirt on it, as a dirty pad will just make your finish look worse. Set the G-100's variable speed to 4.

Apply a small ammount of the #83 Dual Action Cleaner and Polisher compound to the pad (I usually make a small X in the center) and then place the pad on the area to be buffed. Turn on the G-100A and work the product slowly into the finish using overlapping strokes. Use a clean terry-cloth towel to wipe the area down.

6. Repeat step 5 at least twice, or until you cannot see a difference in the finish anymore. (On some areas of my Inrepid, I went over the same place as many as 4 times to get optimal results) If you need to, change to another W8006 buffing pad.

7. When you can stop being amazed at how much better your car now looks, switch to a W9006 finishing pad and dial the speed on the polisher down to about 3. Then apply a good wax. I prefer NXT Liquid Wax as it dries clear (no white residue) and makes the finish slicker than owl snot.

8. Remove dried wax with a clean microfiber towel.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 at least two times, preferrably three or four. Allow a bit of time between coats of wax for the wax to properly cure.

10. When you can stop staring at just how amazing your car looks, remember to wax it at least once a month from then on and it will continue to look amazing for as long as you own it.

I HIGHLY suggest that you don't get your info from ARFCOM on this one. Most people have no idea what they are doing with something like this. I suggest that you get on over to Meguiar's online forums and talk to folks who actually know what they are doing.

If you spend 3 hours reading their forums, you will be excellently informed on what to do. You will have specific product reccomendations, specific instructions, and not just generalizations.

Read, ask questions, and look for any posts by Mike Phillips. He knows practically everything there is to know about this topic.

Look at the purchase of a G-100A as an INVESTMENT. It has a lifetime warranty and will allow you to do wonders on your vehicle's finish for many many years. It really does pay for itself.

When you finally go to work over your vehicle, be prepared to dedicate at least 12 hours of work to it.  

I know what I am talking about here, because I have gone through it. I went from this:



to this:









Doing exactly what I reccomend. It works.

I have since done my other cars and the cars of several friends and family members. All with the same great results.

Well, John_Wayne777 pretty much hit all the high points.  I just wanted to add that there are a few forum sites online that specialize in car finish care/restoration, you might want to hit them for further details and help.

autopia.org

www.detailcity.org

www.bettercarcare.com

Hope that helps!

Futuristic

Wow!

Now THAT is an ANSWER, baby!

Thanks!




Funny thing. I had a number of Meguiar's products and they worked well (never used a polisher, though). My dad (who has always been a Turtle Wax guy) gave me all kinds of hell for "spending so much when the other stuff is just as good". I doubt I could get that kind of finish with Turtle Wax anything.

My interest in this came from just recently having had the whole starboard side of Cachito (my rig) repainted during some repair work. I was amazed with just how good it looked, and how dingy the other side looked. The difference between the freshly-painted areas and the old ones were noticeable. That, and the fact that my hood gets ZERO beading (noticed that just yesterday) inspired the thread.

I will definitely be waltzing over to the Meguiar's site for some reading. I like having my truck look like new, een if it is 6 years and 70K miles old!

Quoted: Wow! Now THAT is an ANSWER, baby! Thanks! Funny thing. I had a number of Meguiar's products and they worked well (never used a polisher, though). My dad (who has always been a Turtle Wax guy) gave me all kinds of hell for "spending so much when the other stuff is just as good". I doubt I could get that kind of finish with Turtle Wax anything.

Indeed. I have tried all sorts of stuff. And Meguiars is the only brand that has always EXCEEDED my expectations. Their stuff is top notch. The best people in the biz use Meguiars.

My interest in this came from just recently having had the whole starboard side of Cachito (my rig) repainted during some repair work. I was amazed with just how good it looked, and how dingy the other side looked. The difference between the freshly-painted areas and the old ones were noticeable. That, and the fact that my hood gets ZERO beading (noticed that just yesterday) inspired the thread.

Most vehicles see very little finish care and look awful. But most finishes can be dramatically improved.

I will definitely be waltzing over to the Meguiar's site for some reading. I like having my truck look like new, een if it is 6 years and 70K miles old!

Odds are it can look far better than you even think at this point.

Just for the sake of discussion....

Can Rhino Coat be used as a paint job on high-damage areas such as bumpers and such?

Does it HAVE to be applied over METAL?

Finally, can it be sprayed SMOOTH?

On the polish/wax question...JohnWayne's advice is EXACTLY in line with everything I've read at the other listed sites...Pay special attention to the selection of polisher/buffer..stay away from a single action buffer..get the DA buffer...According to all reports it's easy to screw up ur paint with a single action buffer...tough to screw up with a DA buffer (aka random orbit buffer)...

Let me suggest be sure you do the claying..you'll be absolutely amazed at the difference you can FEEL between a section clayed and unclayed...I was.

Oh, I will.

I'm just holding off a bit, as the buffer plus all the materials is over $500!

Quoted: Just for the sake of discussion.... Can Rhino Coat be used as a paint job on high-damage areas such as bumpers and such? Does it HAVE to be applied over METAL? Finally, can it be sprayed SMOOTH?

Line-x is supposed to be superior to Rhino lining, isn't it?

As to putting it on bumpers, I assume it can be put on there. Can it be sanded smooth? I doubt it. I have seen it used as a type of undercoating on a vehicle before, but never on something like a bumper.

Quoted: Oh, I will. I'm just holding off a bit, as the buffer plus all the materials is over $500!

But that initial 500 dollar investment will change your life.

Ever seen a really nice car that isn't being taken care of and really have to fight the urge to sneak over and polish it?

It becomes a disease that is almost as bad as BRD.

Tag for this weekend and bump.  Lots of great information provided by J_W777.  Might even laminate his post and stick it up in my garage.

J_W777, I see you live in Virginia.  I don't suppose you'd be willing to demonstrate your process on my Explorer one of these weekends?

Quoted: I have a few quick questions conserning auto paint and finishes. 1) If a component (like a steel bumper) is powder-coated in one color, can it be re-podwer-coated in another, or does it have to be blasted back to bare metal first? 2) Can a powder-coated component be painted over? 3) I've heard horror stories of what can happen to the paint on an automobile if one tries to polish it with a buffer while not knowing what they're doing. My truck has not had a decent wax job in two years plus, and the clearcoat seems to be in not-so-great shape. What is the best way to deal with this short of repainting the whole thing? Thanks.

You can paint over powdercoat, but powdercoating has to be done to bare metal.

www.bmrfabrication.com/pc.htm

1. Item must be disassembled prior to shipping(no plastic or rubber parts attached)
2. Item must be metallic and able to withstand the 450 degree bake cycle
3. Greasy items are subject to an additional cleaning fee
4. Powdercoated or painted items will require additional fees for chemical stripping
5. Item to be coated cannot be subject to extended temperatures of 350 degrees or higher(i.e - any exhaust product or product in close proximity to exhaust)

www.jet-hot.com/

John_Wayne777

Oh, tagged. I want to wax my Stang tommorow.

Quoted: Tag for this weekend and bump.  Lots of great information provided by J_W777.  Might even laminate his post and stick it up in my garage. J_W777, I see you live in Virginia.  I don't suppose you'd be willing to demonstrate your process on my Explorer one of these weekends?

'Fraid not.

I have 3 vehicles that I already maintain religiously PLUS the vehicles of friends who I assist on a regular basis by working over their cars.

My latest was a 1993 Ford Bronco Edie Bauer edition that had never seen a coat of wax. The owner could not believe what a difference I made in it. Because it had never been waxed, it had never been waxed improperly, thus the clearcoat was in great shape once I clayed all the bonded crap off of it. (It felt like running your hand across sandpaper...)

I also scrubbed the fiberglass part getting rid of 13 years of accumulated crud and waxed it to prevent more crud buildup.

The owner could hardly believe that I managed to completely transform the look of that Bronco in a single 8 hour day of work on it.