Best way to tackle this bonnet....

[Steve M.]

As the title suggests. My bonnet is awful (bought it like that as I wasn't fussed as I was going to track the car, which I never ended up doing) with the paint generally a bit nasty (not sure if it's actually faded, or if there's just been all the crap build up on the surface over time). I'm not overly clued up with detailing, so suggestions on how to tackle this would be appreciated (i'm thinking something like t-cut followed by polish of some kind, but not really sure).

Would be doing it by hand as I don't have a polishing mop or anything like that.

Thanks in advance

 

[aucky]

What the?

First impression is a really bad respray. Got any more pics?

 

[Steve M.]

only have one more pic, but it's much the same. Just popped outside to get a couple more and it's been snowing / raining, so it's all wet and looks fine in the wet so can't tell what it looks like.

Small pockets of the bonnet have bits of shine (as opposed the whole thing appearing matt). Will attempt to see if any kind of compound or polish or anything will help, just don't really know what to use.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Has to be a bad respray, that's the first time if seen eny mk2 Clio with a faded bonnet, specially that colour :/

 

[aucky]

It's as if it doesn't have any clearcoat on it?

 

[Cowbwoy]

Definitely a re-spray, had this happen on my MX-5 and no matter I tried, did it make a difference.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

I'd put it down to either what you said, basically was polished up on colour coat, or very s**t lacquer used.

Had a Z4 come I'm for a bonnet respray. Looked just like that, the lacquer failed, and was very cheaply done

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Get some T-cut and see if it makes the cloth turn blue.

 

[aucky]

Probably needs a respray regardless tbh.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Clear coat has failed. Needs a repaint.

 

[Kane.]

Clear coat has failed. Needs a repaint.

Thats what it looks like to me, see it here all the time.

 

[Steve M.]

That's what I was hoping wouldn't be the case as I'm about to sell the car. All very annoying. Will give T-cut a whirl in the morning just in case that does something, can't hurt if it needs a respray anyway.

Cheers

 

[Steve M.]

Well t-cut was a waste of time, didn't touch the mess, although it did make it much smoother to touch and was no longer rough. So I thought i'd give the halfords rubbing compound a go that I used on my headlights on one of my other cars a while ago (they got all misty and yellowish etc., brought them up like glass) and these are the results so far (just on the top left corner so far).....

Before:

After 10 mins of hard work.....

From the side (you can see the difference a bit better compared to the rest of the bonnet....)

I'm fairly happy so far, seems to be doing the job, albeit slow progress (I'm very impatient). Is there anything I should be doing after using rubbing compound to help keep the shine / protect it etc etc?

Cheers

 

[James28]

Good improvement so far. Keep at it.

 

[aucky]

Even if you polish until it's perfect, it won't last without clearcoat. (I assume the cloth you're using is turning blue?)

 

[Steve M.]

Hard to say, the pad I'm using is already blue. However the compound turns a light blue when I get the pad much wetter (however that may be because I used the same pad with the t-cut earlier, and it was blue t-cut). The compound stays white all throughout the rubbing down. I'll use a fresh pad and let you know..

I'm assuming that if it does turn blue then that means it does need clearcoat? (as it's gone down to the paint) And if it stays white and doesn't change colour then it's all good?

So assuming it does need clearcoat, is that something that I could just take to a bodyshop to do, or would they need to do the whole thing? I'm selling the car as soon as this is done anyway so although I want to protect it and keep it protected, I'm not about to spend hundreds.

Progress so far....

 

[Steve M.]

Well then, I used a new pad and finished off the left side. Everything stayed white, not a bit of blue. Presumably all that means is all the mess was just tarnish on the surface of the lacquer and the finish should now stay?

Time for a roast dinner, then crack on with the other side

 

[Thrust-Rated]

How much to have it resprayed?
It's coming up a bit better but I doubt it'll last

 

[Spinksy]

starting to look alot better mate!!! keep at it

once it is done keep an eye on it for a little while to make sure it doesn't start doing it again (if it does just wrap the bonnet )

 

[Steve M.]

A full respray of the bonnet isn't an option, would be a few hundred (at a minimum I'm guessing). Worst comes to worst I would've just got one from a breakers.

As it's obviously not gone down to the paint (as no blue was coming up), so was just a surface tarnish, is there any reason to think that it wouldn't last long? Surely it's no different than a normal detailing session where rubbing compound is used?

 

[Steve M.]

All done. Pretty happy with the outcome. Now, time to put it on pistonheads.... anyone want to buy it!?!

Before....

After....

 

[Keyser Soze]

Nice. I didn't think you'd be able to do anything with that.

 

[Steve M.]

me neither to be honest, had resigned myself to having to get a new bonnet from a breakers, but chuffed that I now don't need to. A few hours well spent.

 

[imprezaworks]

Thats a great effort mate, tap on the back time

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Christ, I thought that couldn't be saved. It looked like clear coat failure / bad respraying lol

 

[vRS LIL]

My whole XR2 was like your bonnet as it was stood for three years! I got it looking mint after using clay and Megs compound and shed loads of elbow grease. Worth putting a coat of polish and a sealant on it to make it last and bead nice when it gets wet!!

 

[Yellow Dave]

My whole XR2 was like your bonnet as it was stood for three years! I got it looking mint after using clay and Megs compound and shed loads of elbow grease. Worth putting a coat of polish and a sealant on it to make it last and bead nice when it gets wet!!

What would the polish do? After what he's done already and then protecting it with a sealant?