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What the heck happened to my clearcoat

After washing and waxing my 2000 Maxima today, I discovered that there are "water spots" all over the place. Except that they won't come off with wash, wash, or polish.

The kicker is that I know they weren't there 4 months ago as I had body work done (fender bender), and that these spots are on the newly painted parts as well as the rest of the car.

I'm guilty of only washing my car 1-2 times in the last 4 months (its been driven < 2000 miles in that time period), but I'm stunned that this happened and I have no clue why.

I live in Wisconsin in a moderately-sized city. The car is in the garage most of the time as I don't use it to commute everyday. We had 14 inches of rain in May and it was outside during some of that period.

What the hell? Is Nissan's clear-coat a p.o.s.? This did not happen to my wife's Chevy which saw more use that my Max. My car has always been waxed twice a year, and it only has 40,000 miles on it.

Would getting the car buffed remove these?

--Mike

Reply to
Mike
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Try some very fine rubbing compound and be careful to buff them out.

Reply to
Roger

Do you use a clear non-abrasive wax or white wax that may have clay or other rubbing compound like material in it (maybe you wore off the clearcoat)? I cannot speak for the made in USA models, but my 95 (purchased May 94) is still in good shape after 10 years (except for some hail dings and one place where I chipped it with a brass hose nozzle). Front fenders and hood were replaced in January 1995 (when I tried to make the light, and girl in front of me didn't, in pea gravel like road salt). It has spent its entire life outside and has only been waxed a couple of times when it was new. Color is Granite Pearl.

Reply to
David Efflandt

I use Turtle Beach wax. To my knowledge it doesn't have clay or rubbing compound in it.

A search on Google's archive revealed that others have had problems with Nissan's clear-coat (and Infiniti).

I think acid rain got me. Hopefully a buffing compound will work, but I may have it professionally done.

Reply to
Mike

"> I think acid rain got me. Hopefully a buffing compound will work, but I may

Could be. Or, could be bird droppings. Suppose you didn't clean it off, and eventually the rain washed it away. The cause is gone, but the damage is already done too.

Infiniti paint is definitely subject to damage from bird droppings. Particularly on the hood of the car. Cooking hot droppings on a hot hood can damage the paint in a day.

JM

Reply to
JM

I used a clay bar on my 99 Max last summer and it removed a lot of "stuff" from my paint. My car sits out all the time. It left it smooth as silk and clean. I would suggest you go to your local parts store and buy a clay kit. Right after I clayed the car I put some Meguires gold care wax on it. You should notice a difference when you are finished.

The kit cost me ~$10.00.

Reply to
Racer X

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