My friend bought a new Black Porsche that had some bad water spots that he did not see until after he bought it. He went to a very good detailer that sadly had to get a little into the clear coat to remove the spots. Maybe even a touch of color sanding. His question to me is if there are any products on the market that can replace that clear coat or protect the paint like that extra clear coat would have. Hopefully, a product that could be put on by hand ,so the detailer does not have to be involved again.Thanks for all your help in advance. I am sure that there is something out there that really will protect his Black paint. Thanks again!!!!!!!!!

 

First questions I'd have is: how experienced was his detailer, was he specifically experienced with paint correction, and what products/process did he use to try to remove the water spots?

I bought a left over black Cayman S with a lot of water etching that required major paint correction. I talked to a number of detailers before settling on the right guy and it was worth it. Paint correction is not something the average person should tackle without experience, or you're liable to make it worse than it is.

The first thing the detailer should have done is take readings of the paint depth all over the car to determine how much thickness he had to work with. If he didn't do this, your friend took it to the wrong guy and needs to find a more experience detailer.

Regarding coatings, there are a number of clear type nano coatings, but you shouldn't even consider applying one if the paint has not been first corrected as good as it possibly could be. And my detailer recommended a non-permanent coating in the situations where the paint is far from perfect, rather than one of the permanent coatings.

 

Post this important question in our excellent Concours Forum. Before Chuck991 wakes up from his nap.

 

Looking backwards is not going to help him. The dealer dealt with it because they sold him the car. I am sure it was not the perfect detailer but the car looks very good right now and he wants to keep it that way.
I totally agree with you Archimedes but it is to late.

 

It's never too late to at least get a second opinion and see if more can be done. By that I mean, have a competent detailer look at it before you do a permanent sealer like OptiCoat Pro or cQuartz. You do not want to seal a car that still needs attention. Note, only a competent detailer should be doing the permanent sealer anyway, so the same guy should assess whether it needs further correction or not.

And to anyone who might read this thread and not already know, DO NOT EVER LET A DEALER DETAIL YOUR CAR OR REFER YOU TO 'THEIR DETAILER'. EVER. In fact, if you want your car to stay nice, make sure you say 'do not wash my car' when you drop it off for any dealer service. Your paint finish will thank you for it.

BTW, my guy recommended not doing the full, permanent OptiCoat Pro on my black paint, but rather just the Gloss Coat, which lasts a couple years at most. I will say that it looks fantastic, repels dirt and dust and makes cleaning it a breeze. Just will need reapplication in a couple years, if not sooner.

 

Those glass/quartz coating will last a couple of years but need some sacrificial coating to last that long. You also don't use those quick detailer spray on a quartz/glass coating.

 

Absolutes can be one's undoing. ASK the dealer who does their work and check out the "supplier". In the case of our local dealer they have a dedicated wash bay, use a two/three bucket wash, have a cabinet loaded with cotton hospital towels, etc. Their detailer of choice for Paint protection film etc is one of the most highly recommended detailers in our area. It might be less expensive to go direct, but the dealer is mindful of his customer base. I've won first and third in two judged club concours this year and I trust our dealer to wash the car when it is in for service. I realize our situation might not be typical, but I hesitate to generalize without first doing the research on a dealer by dealer basis.