Hey guys, so i just debadged my car. But the outline is still on the "acura" and "TL." Not even all the goo gone in the world will get it out. Any suggestions?

 

I used Nu Finish Scratch Doctor clear coat scratch remover. Worked like a charm. Barely needed any of it too. Used it a few times on the car in different places. It'll work.

 

After I pulled my emblems, I wiped the area clean of fine dirt particles, used an eraser wheel on the remaining double sided tape, wiped again, clay bar, very-very light 2000 grit wetsand, buff & polished to a high gloss. Completely gone.

I could tell I had to go all out cause after I removed all the double sided tape, there was a major outline on the paint.

 

like poweflow said lightly wet sand it with 2000 grit then buff it with rubbing compound.

 

I'd rather use a compound a few times than wet sand .. some people don't have the proper equipment or experience to wet sand .. even with 2000 it doesn't take a lot to make an "Ooppsie" and your screwed.

 

Mine is just as yours was, powerflow. So i should wet sand it, skip the clay barring, and buff it with compound. I thought debaging was so much simpler

would compound eliminate all traces of the adhesive?

 

Go least aggresive first .. use the compound... wet sanding isn't a task for the noob..

 

Consider me the noob of noobs... First car :/

 

Skip the sanding. I've done just rubbing compound on an almost 20-year old car and it was fine. No need to risk wet sanding.

 

Turtle Wax Label & Sticker remover worked great on my car.

 

I used compound on mine...very little needed and it came out fine.

 

WET SANDING?!!! We removed plastic badges, not painting a car! Goo-Gone works great & simple auto wax is fine. Removes it completely.

 

1. Polishing compound + rotary buffer
2. Wax + rotary buffer

Same thing happened to me after i debadged my emblems and the hideous body side moldings. after cleaning the area, i used a polishing compound + buffer to remove the "outlines" and then waxed it. looked like nothing was ever there.

 

I used goo-gone and wax. There was still a faint sillouette like what you've described but it's pretty much disappeared in the last year with regular washes and a couple of waxes. Completely gone now.

 

Warm it up with a hair dryer and try the Goo Gone again.

If that doesn't work then try a cleaning wax.

If that doesn't work then try polishing compound.

If that doesn't work try wetsanding.

And....if that doesn't work....GET REAR-ENDED.

 

 

I did this and used goo gone and Meguiars rubbing compound to finish taking it off. You can't tell there was ever anything there.

 

I'm leaning towards getting rear ended

 

Well i just bought some compound. Waiting for my car to cool down. Thanks for the tips fellas.

 

When applying compound and polishing / buffing doesn't it require the use of a orbital buffer? I don't think applying compound to a microfiber cloth and wiping it off with a microfiber cloth will do anything, or am I wrong?

 

It works but no where near as well as with a "good" random orbital buffer. Matter of fact you shouldn't use a M/F cloth as its not abrasive enough .. use terry or cotton. Wiping it off with a M/F is a good plan tho.

 

A medium cutting/medium-heavy cutting compound can remove clear & move around clear by hand for sure. Just takes elbow grease. A medium cutting compound & cutting foam pad can zip right thru clear coat with a rotary.

Lots of over reactions here, when stating what it took on my car to de-badge to perfection. Cutting compound can burn thru clear as well. But I do agree that if you don't have experience, then don't mess with the clear at all. Take it to a pro. All it takes is one wrong move.

 

For paint correction, removing imperfections or severe surface defects.... General 2 step is.... use a cutting compound, then follow with a good random orbital & polishing compound, and polish to high gloss.

 

Thread bump... I just debadged the "ILX" from mine using a heat gun, some dental floss and 3M Adhesive Cleaner. I then used Meguiar's Cleaner Wax on a terrycloth towel to remove the faint outlines left on the paint. It's just abrasive enough to remove dirt and minor imperfections from the clear coat, without leaving scratches behind. Finished the section off with some Zymol.

 

Cool story!

 

I used dawn on a microfiber with a little elbow grease. Worked like a charm.

 

For sticky stuff, including window tint residue, spray a little brake cleaner on a rag and wipe away easily. Then to polish it up, use Mcguairs Diamond cut #3.

You can use carb cleaner too, but that will leave a little oilyness behind. Brake cleaner is dryer. And it dries faster. It wont eat your clear coat. And especially no more than sanding or rubbing compound!! yikes

 

I'm suprised no one mentioned this, or I failed to see, but try peanut butter. The creamy kind and then follow up with a hand polish or use an orbital. I use my porter cable with Meguires correction, the finishing compound. Looked like nothing was ever there

 

Really? You bump a 2 year old thread with no pictures????

 

Agree 100%. Something like Meguiars Ultimate Compound would work, and like any retail level Meguiars product, it is designed to work well by hand.

 

wet sanding is specifically for taking down your clear coat to remove "orange peel" or "fish eye". Its not for removing sticky residue on top of the clear coat. What you need is a solvent. And like I said, a little dab of brake cleaner on a rag will fix you right up. And its not nearly as harsh as the old fashion rubbing or polishing compound. Then followup with Meguiars diamond cut #3

 

If you wet sand, you will need Meguiars diamond cut #10 on a wool and then a foam rotary buffer. I know because I have done it. But you wont need #10 cut for using a brake cleaner. But the brake cleaner will take off wax. So, use sparingly.

This is what wet sanding does to the surface.

 

Diamond cut is old compound technology. Meguiars M100 or M101 are so far superior it isn't funny. Less dusting, smaller, much harder abrasives (not diminishing abrasives) that cut fast and leave a much better finish than Meguiars older compounds. And with a Rupes 21 Bigfoot DA or a Flex 3401, you can take out 1500 grit sanding marks with M100/101 using a microfiber pad and have zero risk of buffer holograms. And CarPro has denim pads for orange peel removal, most of the time wet sanding isn't needed. The pad work best on a rotary but can be used with the Rupes or Flex. Removes/reduces orange peel without sanding and actually leaves a decent finish that only requires polishing to be ready for wax.

But like you said, this isn't something that requires wet sanding. And honestly, modern clear coats are so thin (about 1.5 mils thickness) that removing more than .5 mils can seriously compromise the clear coat's UV protection. A good solvent or thinner, then polish the area and seal.

 

I have not tried M100. But I know the diamond cut works fine. as you can see in the pics.
I agree about micro fiber towels. I would use microfiber with the #3 cut (or something similar) to finish up. The original "polishing towl" will leave black dull. Microfiber will make it look like glass. I used microfiber on the finish in the pictures even though I did not say it. Those pictures are without wax. That is just str8 clear coat. And none of that oily "polish" which makes everything look good until you wash it.. because the oil comes off. So, anyway, right.. haha

 

Give M100 a try, cut is 12 on a scale of 12. Minimal dusting and even on soft clears, minimal hazing. #205 is their newest polish, good stuff but a tad oily. Prefer either Optimum Hyper Polish on harder paints, HD Polish on softer paint and Rupes Keramik Gloss on German/ceramic paints. As far as microfiber, I am talking about actual microfiber cutting/polishing pads, Meguars, Optimum, Rupes and others make them.

No problem believing that's how the car looked before waxing, most people don't realize that it is the polishing that gives 90% of the look. I get asked by people what wax I use, I tell them they should be more concerned with the polishing I do.

 

I can remove 2000grit sanding marks with m105 and UC all day with a foam pad and an orbital

 

Diamond cut number 10 will do the same thing...

But i dont use any polish. I just use a nice wax. I think the wax i use is mcguairs too.. in a purple bottle. I cant think of the name now. But most polishes have oil in them and the oil just washes off and then looks like you didnt do squat didly to it ever. So I use a nice wax and every time i was it, it looks like i just waxed it. At least for several months it does. I use to dry with a sham-wow or a knock-off of it... or i used a shammie.. but recently i bought a big microfiber drying towel. It doesnt ring out water too well, but it shines as it dries rather than rubbing hard like a sham-wow or those rubber based drying towels, and it really does look like i just waxed it Everytime i wash it. Thats why i dont use polish because its a waste and doesnt last.

 

You need to follow compounding with a polish, you use a polish to further refine the finish, not as your last step. You are supposed to use a wax or sealant after polishing. Clay, compound, polish are the prep steps, wax/sealant is the protection.

 

I dont use compound. I use diamond cut number 10, then follow up with number 3. But that is only if i use 2000 grit paper, not for removing sticky residue. Then after number 3, i wax it. Wax will stick to clear coat. But it wont stick to an oily surface, and many polishes have oil. So, wax first, then if you want an oily polish like for a car show, then polish. But oily polishes wont stay on long on normal use cars because the oil washes off. I dont need to follow up with an oily polish that washes off. A high grade wax is best for longevity.

 

^your steps are backwards. lol

what do you think you're doing to the wax when you "polish"?




chad, we're going to call you "cantGetRight"

because, in all aspects of cars, you cant get right.