I took my car a 1989 IROC-Z for a paint job because the original paints clear coat was coming off. I decided to have it done in the orinal IROC blue color. I got a call from the shop that my car is ready, so I went to check it out. I don't know anything about paint jobs other than the cars look awesome afterwards. I've seen other cars coming out from shop, they look like they just came out from the factory. The owners grandson's car looks excellent. The paint job looks smooth and shiny, no flaws whatsoever. On my car the paint job looks awesome (shiny) if i'm standing away from the car, but as one gets closer the paint job has swirl marks and it isn't smooth. The only way I can describe that lack of smoothness is that it has small pits all over (like the texture of a football, but not as severe). The owner of the body shop said that they buffed the car and that i should wait a couple a month's so that the paint job would completely dry up and settle in and then give another rubbing compound. Is this true or am I just getting shafted?

Thanks,
Gerry

P.S. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

what you describe sounds like "orange peel" This problem is fixable by wetsanding and buffing, but they say they have already buffed it. If it were me, i'd be raising h*ll about it until something was done. They may be able to just sand and buff again, but it depends on how thick of a coat was put on, and how much of it has already been sanded off...

thats my thought, anyhow

Eric

 

Sounds like he goofed the mix this time and got it too thick. It's called orange peel. Happens a lot with amatuers. The only way to fix it is to block sand it all down and then rub it and buff it. If he put it on thin you might get all the way through in spots. You could rub it forever and not get rid of all of the peel. I just finished my own car and that sounds exactly the same.

 

Orange peel happens to more than just amatures. Orange peel is quite common. The severity is what matters. If you paid for a show quality finish, then you should expect no orange peel. If you paid for a standard paint job, you should expect to have mild/moderate orange peel. Go to the Chevy dealer some time and look at the new cars on the lot. Every one of them will have orange peel to some extent. It's just a fact of life that cars have orange peel. If it's real severe, then unless you got a "dirt cheap" paint job, then you can probably complain.

As for the swirl marks... that's just from the buffing. Once you wax the car a few times they'll go away. Because this car was buffed, I'm wondering just how severe this orange peel can be. I hate to say it, but your expectations might have been a little too high.

 

Some (not all)2 pack paint can take a very long time for all the solvents to dry properly.The paint shop may be correct in asking you to come back,but to wetsand it as well as buff it.Problem is theres no way you should buff paint which is still slightly green as it will burn the paint and ruin it.I understand some paints absolutely require you sand/buff within a couple of days,but if he's asked you to come back in 60 days it's not this stuff.The paintshop seems to totally contradict it's advice.

 

Thanks for the reply's everyone. If this is any help the shop used urethane paint. I'll be going back to the shop to check on my car. Hopefully, they will have a solution to my problem of
orange peel.

Thanks,
Gerry

P.S. Thanks, again for all the reply's and any more will be appreciated.