Paint Restorer disaster! Help!!

[adriansong]

Adding to my spectacular stupid mistakes with every vehicle I've come across so far....

Decided to be kind to my friend and help her do a polish for the car. Started by using Carplan's T-cut paint restorer ORIGINAL on her METALLIC black finish. It now looks 10 years older, with a matt finish and blurry bits all over. Even the section I frantically polished after that looks horrible. Don't know if maybe I didn't use enough of the stuff, or haven't rubbed it in properly.

But I suspect I've actually stripped off the lacquer of the paintwork and un-metalliced the paint if you catch my drift. Anyone can confirm this? And more to the point: any suggestions short of re-spraying the car??

Used the same product on another car - non metallic paint. Worked a treat. Used it on my 6 with metallic paint. Looks fine. I think. Maybe I should double check it now...

[G-Force]

Adrian

Although your not suposed to use TCut on metalic paint I doubt youve done any lasting damage. I dont know where abouts you are but its been hot here and in this sort of weather TCut goes off really quickly so you shouldnt put it on more than say 1/4 of a panel at a time.

I guess its not been polished off quite properly ( as it set really quickly in hot weather ) and it will take some elbow grease to get it off. Do a small area at a time and probably just use normal polish, circular motions works best and see what you can do.

Can you get any pics of what it looks like now ?

Hope you get it sorted

G

[adriansong]

Thanks G. Can't get photos at the moment, but trust me, it looks BAD. Like an old and faded car now with tiny spots if you look closely. The instructions said let it dry to a haze then buff off though. You mean I should wipe off while it's wet then?

Am afraid to use the same stuff now. Wondering if I should get the metallic version and then do it the hard, slow, painful way. But it can't be as painful as a full respray!

[mx6-uk]

I suggest you get yourself some Auto glym super resin polish and try again.

Car panels shouldbe COLD when cutting and waxing a car.

If the laquer on the car was cracked and pitted then the t-cut will have got in to the holes and the best bet would be a pack of Black colour wax from halfords or any auto shop.

What G means if you leave it on to long it becomes a real pain to get off so it might be that.

I washed my car this morning but am waiting for the sun to go down some before i wax her.

[Einstein]

If you have taken the lacquer coat off, a careful spray with some clearcoat will bring it back up good as new, T-Cut is not a wax polish, so you can spray over it, so long as it has been washed clean.. if you apply wax, you will need to t-cut again to get the wax off.

Metallics are quite dull when sprayed on, it is the clear topcoat that gives it the shine.

John

[adriansong]

Thanks for the tips and advice guys, but I've seriously lost confidence in DIY care now. Going to take it some professionals and see what they say. Saw this thing called Toughseal when I was desperately looking around for solutions at

http://www.splashgroup.co.uk/motor.html

Anyone knows what this is about and is it any good? Basically at this stage, anything that costs less than a full re-spray will be considered as it's my friend's car and I feel very bad about ruining it. Willing to fork out more to undo the damage.

[kenholland]

Adrian, that Splash Toughseal looks much the same as treating your car to a decent clean then using Maguires or Autoglym Super Resin polish. Depends on whether you want to do the polishing yourself. Personally, I find it hard work, but very satisfying.

Ken