FRUSTRATED

I work my arse off keeping my BLACK car looking nice, but it seems like it is an unending project.  Every week I find new scratches or a stress mark (headlight cutout on fender), or something.  Someone joked that I am going to rub the paint off the car, and the true is, I have on a couple high spots.

Have you found high spots on your car where you can actually start to see the primer?  The thing is, now how do you fix that... you really can't unless you take it down to almost (if not) bare metal and then repaint it!   The high spots I have found are next to the headlight cut-out on the fender (about 1/2" from the fold over and you can also see a where the paint formed a drip about a 1/2" below that).

I think my only recourse is repaint, or have some airbrushing done to cover, or vinyl graphics.  What would you do?

Take it back to the dealer. Body paint defect :)

I know your pain ... 
I've just come to accept that there's going to be scratches as long as i continue to use and drive the car everyday ... 
I mean i'll wash it and keep it as clean as I can and try  to protect it the best way I can, but in the end hey it's going to happen regardless..
I feel it's not worth the stress, because there is too many other things to worry about like shopping karts, and other bad drivers running into it and not to mention car thieves and ninjas ... 

btw.. your car looks nice from the photos ...

Your right!  I need to forget about it... BUT I CAN'T!!!  Nobody sees the flaws I see... My daughter thinks I'm nuts! as do the neighbors, the wife, and the folks at work that see me detailing the heck out of it all the time.
 
I just contacted Pamela Shanteau to get a quote on a Real-Fire Flame job, and we will see if I can afford it or not.  Paint job or Turbo, Paint job or New Wheels & Tires...

take a few deep breaths and come to accept it... i know the feeling.  try a little rubbing compound... you may be able to buff it out.

Just remember,"A car is for transportation" That's what people have told me in the past,but it doesn't really work for me either.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Twisted_Metal

I feel it's not worth the stress, because there is too many other things to worry about like shopping karts, and other bad drivers running into it and not to mention car thieves and ninjas ... 

around here, we have more pirates than ninja's...

I was wondering if someone was going to notice that ...  

The problem with us "gearheads" is that little things bother us...even those things that will never be seen or noticed by others. Heck, we're even bothered by those things that we ourselves can't see, but we nevertheless know are present. Personally, I'm convinced that there is no cure for people like us. Just keep on polishing, and know that you're not alone.  The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time, and developing the ability to not worry about those things over which you have no control.  "Our" main problem, I suppose, is that we ultimately have control over everything relating to our cars - to the extent that our bank accounts will allow.  

quote:

ORIGINAL: ExplosiveSoundz

Take it back to the dealer. Body paint defect :)

 
The funny part of that statement is:  he IS the dealer.
 
If your rubbing through the factory paint, chances are you'll eventually rub through the flame job too.
Get the flame job, but ease up on the rubbing and buffing from now on.

You must be using an incorrect product or an agressive product.  I use meguiars products only and they recommend to was every 3 months in my climate (Chicago).  I was every 6 months with my DA Porter Cable with Scratch X for the defects and NxT for protection.
 
Sounds like you using rubbing compund...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Taz

quote:

ORIGINAL: ExplosiveSoundz

Take it back to the dealer. Body paint defect :)

The funny part of that statement is:  he IS the dealer.

If your rubbing through the factory paint, chances are you'll eventually rub through the flame job too.
Get the flame job, but ease up on the rubbing and buffing from now on.

 
Yep, he is right... and I didn't think about it, but I had the Service Manager look at, and then drove it over to the bodyshop and they painted both my front fenders and my hood under warranty.  Excellent match... and no matching black is not that easy... that is a falsehood.  The other thing that is hard to match is the orange peel effect the new paint jobs have, but again they did an excellent job.

The orange peel is what drives me nuts!  (short trip). When a tree limb fell on mine while driving this spring, the whole front of the car got re-painted. Then nothing but swirls, but the orange peel was gone. Finally got the swirls gone, and it's looking better. Now the back half looks bad compared to the front clip. ORANGE PEEL.
Wayne
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2319272