Hey all, need some diagnostic help!

My buddy's '13 GT Automatic had a scratch on the back trunk panel (the plastic one where the faux gas cap is). I tried to remove it using Chemical Guys V36 (2000-2500 grit), then v32 (1200-1500 grit) polish. After several passes over the ENTIRE left side of the panel, this is what I saw:





there actually appear to be 4-5 scratches, and there is a noticeable discoloration that has formed around said scratches (like a 'rainbow effect'). I stopped correcting for fear of doing more damage. I can't feel these 'scratches' - it's like they're UNDER the clear-coat, but it might just be that they're too thin to pass the 'fingernail' test.

1) Any idea what they are?
2) Any explanation as to the discoloration?
3) Why do MORE scratches seem to be appearing the more I compound?
4) Best suggestion to fix?

Thanks in advance!

 

I'd stop trying to fix it if I were you. Looks like it's only getting worse. Did you buff it?? If it gets bad just put a blackout panel on it and at least it's covered that way.

 

You burned clear coat my friend. Please do don't use the sand paper polish again. You can eliminate those scratches by Meguiars scratch x 2.0, microfiber towels, quality wax. Long story short: You HAND buff the scratches out gently and wax in between buff sessions. Don't rub too hard. You will eventually diminish the scratch with patience. You can restore the burned finish with some patience.

 

When you say "restore the burned finish with some patience", can you give me a step-by-step on how to fix, please?

Thanks!

 

Hmmm. This looks a bit odd; don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it.

Do me a favor and go over the area with a good glass cleaner a couple times to thoroughly clear the area and remove all residue from polishing oils and such. Wait until it's thoroughly dry and then take a couple of pics / inspect under various light conditions.

What machine / pads are you using?

 

Technically not restore ever. The Meguiars will even out the "sheen" make it all glossy so the burned areas are not as obvious. I'm sure a gentle deep polish may do the same. Cover up is a better words than restore.

 

Marc,

Started by using a quick detail spray to clean the dust off, then hit it with IPO/Water 1:3 mix to get all the wax/residue off.

Started with a White pad and Chemical Guys v36 (2000-2500 grit compound/polish), then moved up to a more aggressive Orange pad with Chemical Guys v32 (1200-1500 grit). Both using my Porter Cable 7242XP on a setting of 5. I covered the ENTIRE back area of the panel (top-to-bottom, left-to-right) on the left side of the faux gas cap.

The odd thing is that this discoloration only seems to be forming around the 'scratches', and the more I polished the area, the more the other scratches seemed to appear. This started as ONE scratch, and as I ran the PC over the area, more and more of them 'appeared', along with the discoloration.

I didn't overheat the pads, and I didn't apply too much pressure - so I don't think I burned it. Also, you can't feel the scratches using a fingernail, so I tend to think these are UNDER the clear coat. Since this back piece is plastic, I'm thinking it's possibly stress cracks/fractures forming from underneath.

Thoughts?

 

I think I agree with you. Feel free to give me a call if you want to talk about it more (number is on my site and easy to find).

 

Thanks Marc! I just tried calling and got your v/m. For some reason it wouldn't let me leave a message. I'll PM you my phone number - give me a call when it's convenient - no rush.

Thanks!

 

Don't know many other pros on ANY forum that would go to these lengths to help out a fellow member. Marc is a class act for sure!

Good luck getting it sorted out, I'm curious to know more about this.

 

Sorry I haven't chimed in sooner, but been busy the last few weeks.

To start with, a HUGE shout out and thank you to Marc Harris for spending time on the phone with me diagnosing this issue! Like Mike Napoli said above, he's a class act and really spent some quality time with me on the phone.

Now for some more insight:

1) On the '13 and '14 GT models this is an ALL-PLASTIC panel - It snaps onto the trunk with a bunch of little tabs (and is held on with 2 screws). This is easy to remove, but not something you can just pull off if you're looking to do a delete of it.

2) Since it's plastic, Marc and I both think that it's being painted by the OEM who makes it, not by Ford. Either the paint or Clear Coat is different.

3) We're not dealing with Clear Coat burn here - it's too localized and I was using a PC 7424XP and didn't run it long enough to burn the clear coat. It's most likely stress cracks combined with discoloration from flex (since this is plastic, think what happens when you bend a plastic credit card or a piece of plexiglass...

4) My buddy decided to just buy a new one on Ebay. I'm going to get his original one from him this weekend to play with it just for giggles to see what I can do with it.

I'll keep you informed. Thanks again for all the help!