My 05 GT Mustang is developing nasty acid rain spots. I dont drive it much as I fly for a living and have to leave it sitting in a hotel parking lot usually 4 days at a time while I work. I am noticing that the acid rain spots are getting harder and harder to remove. I use an orbital buffer machine to buff out the spots as much as I can but this type of buffer wont remove the spots it seems lately. Is anybody else seeing this problem? I suspect that the clear coat from the factory is not thick enough to prevent the acid spots..........

Can I get the warranty to cover another coat of clear if I show the dealer how bad its getting??? Not very happy about this development.

Jeff

as far as I know the paint has a 3 year warranty. I had a Ranger a few years that they gave new paint because of acid rain.

It is possible that you have defective clearcoat, and an independent body shop as well as your dealer are probably the best places to get an opinon about that.

However, there are a few very simple steps that will go a long way toward minimizing the wear on the paint and maximizing its stock appearance.

1. Purchas a clay bar and completely rub your car down to remove all of the existing pollution and fallout on the surface of your car's paint (after washing the car). Trust me, it works. I did it to my car the day I got it home from the dealership, and the clay bar removed a visible amount of junk that had become trapped on the surface of the paint, despite it being washed upon delivery.

2. Wax your car with a non abrasive wax. Not a cleaner wax, just a carnuba or finishing wax offered by company like Meguiars, Mother's, etc. None of the quick wax stuff. WAX BY HAND.

3. Purchase a good car cover. This alone will make the biggest improvement. It will not only keep many harmful deposits off of your paint but also make your car easier to maintain. You will not need to wax or clay bar as often if you keep the car covered.

4. Stop using the orbital buffer. You are slowly removing clearcoat from your paint. Over a long enough period of time, you could potentially remove enough clearcoat to get to the base coat. Then your car really would have a serious finish problem that would require costly repair. Your car is too new to need abrasive orbital buffeting. Even if you have an orbital buffer, just spend an extra hour and wax by hand. That way, you will run no risk of "burning" the paint. Part of the reason that hte stains could be getting harder and harder to remove is that you have buffed out enough clear coat to create large pits with a very thin clear coat, creating a noticeable contrast in the car's finish.

Hope this helps.

Being your car is parked at the airport most of the time, you should have a car cover. Who knows what type of stuff (Acids / soots) is coming out of those Jet Engines Exhaust Systems that is poluting your paint. I am sure a lot of that is from the planes. Ask other workers about their cars who garage them at airports as often as you do.

I even refuse to use my fireplace unless my car is in the garage, because of the soot from the fireplace.

Thanks for the tips folks. I am a very conservative waxer. I use the more expensive wax, Meguires. I have only buffed the paint once to remove previous spots so I havent removed any of the clear coat yet. 9 times out of 10 I hand wax. My polisher is not the kind that "spins" but the kind that vibrates and turns slowly (orbital?). I have owned many nice cars, Corvettes, for many years. I have a good knack of doing the right thing when it comes to polish but this "acid rain" stuff on a new car is causing me concern. My wife and I have a 2000 Suburban, black. It sits outside all the time. I compared its finish with the GT's and the 'Burban still looks like glass, no spots at all. The quality of the GM paint is better in my opinion. I have thought of a car cover but I talk myself out of it as I am affraid it will get stolen or just blow off in thundershowers. Not only that at times when I get home, late at night, the cover would be wet and putting it in the trunk wet doesnt excite me either. I am thinking that the clear coat isnt doing its job. I am taking it to the dealership soon and will see what they think. I know they will deny me at first but I can be very insistant and will push my case. Wish me luck. :hihi:

Jeff

An orbital a few times a year, depending on the product used, is fine. I have toa gree that not only does the clear coat suck, but the base coat is very thin as well. And do I have to mention the orange peel? It used 2000 and 3000 unigrit and sanded down the orange peel on the hood, used some Optimum Compound followed by some Optimum polish to buff it out usinf a PC7336 and a very light cutting pad. For a top coat I used Zaino Z5-Pro (3 coats) and Z2-Pro (3 coats). Between each coat I used Z-6 and then finished with Z-8.

Holy %[email protected]#, thats alot of work. How did it turn out?

Jeff

It took a full day for the entire process. But the end result was great! No more peel on the hood. Now I have to get up the courage and find the time to do the rest of the car.

[quote=citruspilot]My 05 GT Mustang is developing nasty acid rain spots. I dont drive it much as I fly for a living and have to leave it sitting in a hotel parking lot usually 4 days at a time while I work. I am noticing that the acid rain spots are getting harder and harder to remove. I use an orbital buffer machine to buff out the spots as much as I can but this type of buffer wont remove the spots it seems lately. Is anybody else seeing this problem? I suspect that the clear coat from the factory is not thick enough to prevent the acid spots..........

Can I get the warranty to cover another coat of clear if I show the dealer how bad its getting??? Not very happy about this development.


I saw on Spike TV this weekend that you can use baking soda and water to remove acid rain spots and the acid in bird droppings. I haven't tried it yet but it makes sense.

Citrus Pilot,

I know it might sound like a pain in the butt, but what about a Rubbermaid tupperware tote in the trunk for your car cover? I don't know for sure, but I think any car parked outside that much will end up with problems in the appearance without something to protect it - more than just clearcoat and wax.

The elements are just too demanding, and there's so much crap around airports. I'm a pilot too, so I know what you're probably dealing with. There could be a problem with your clear coat, but I really think it's just the environment, and maybe the extra trouble of the car cover is just the trade-off you need to be willing to make.