2016 CX-5 Paint on hood not shiny

[GFrosty]

Have a safe trip down the rabbit hole! Lol

Prep, prep, prep. Preparation of the surface is, literally, everything. (Who knew rabbits were preppers, eh?)

Get the surface smooth as a you-know-what, via clay bar and sufficient polishing, it's amazing how good-looking a car's paint can look (and remain). Usually, dealers and most people fail to initially create that well-polished and locked-in good looks that paint can have. Usually gets skipped. At best, for most people, it gets "washed" and then "waxed" ... as though that actually corrects any issues.

Get the prep right, and those good looks can take a very long while to fade, so long as it's kept well-protected. Keep gradually polishing-out those minor defects, gradually going to less-aggressive polishes, then it'll soon be nearly defect-free. Takes a lot of work. I shudder to think what a high-quality detailing shop would actually charge for a full-body correction and sealing of minor defects (along with all clean-up, every crevice), assuming it's got some hazing, oxidation, minor swirls, and a few minor scratches. Haven't ever paid a shop to do it; though, of course they'd use a big rotary to cut the time way down.

With a DA polisher and the appropriate pads+chemicals, it can take a full day of polishing to get every last little defect out, plus another few hours of application of the final sealant coats. Or, at least, it does with me. Nicely, subsequent polishing needn't get nearly so deep nor take nearly so long, as on a well-maintained and -protected paint there's little that can go wrong since the sealant takes the brunt of things.

Yeah, well. Okay. I give. "Rabbit hole" it is.

 

[sergioregra]

I live in sunny south Florida. My '16 CX-5 Sport is a sonic silver color. The hood just doesn't have the shine anymore. I got the vehicle detailed a few months ago and the guy used a claybar and then waxed. But the hood just doesn't have the shine. This was even before the detail. I thought the detail would restore the shine. The guy told me it's the clear coat on the hood.
Nox Vidmate VLC
Is there anyway to get the shine back on the hood?

Sun here in Florida is rough on cars with certain colors like silver and red. Your choice if it's worth it for a new clear coat.

 

[txt990]

Sun here in Florida is rough on cars with certain colors like silver and red. Your choice if it's worth it for a new clear coat.

When you say "new clear coat", you mean to paint the hood with new paint/clear coat?

 

[GFrosty]

When you say "new clear coat", you mean to paint the hood with new paint/clear coat?

Probably a fair bet.

Two options: fix the surface, via clay/polishing; or, replace the surface, via repaint.

Certainly worth attempting the first, particularly a test-run to give an idea of what's possible with the given finish, given the cost of the second. <$25 for a test, ~$400 for DIY for a day of polishing, versus probably north of $1000 (possibly >$1500) for a repaint/blending of the front end.

 

[GFrosty]

@txt990 -- Just wondering if you've happened to try more-aggressive polishing of that hood, to see if it'll rejuvenate the surface ... and whether that worked. It'd be nice if the U.V. damage and hazing isn't severe enough to necessitate a repaint.

 

[DG_1234]

For a new brand Soul Red CX-5 is clay-polish-wax o.k. or is it better to wait a few months before applying products?
* in the past I've waited but am wondering now if there is any good reason to wait.

 

[hooked]

For a new brand Soul Red CX-5 is clay-polish-wax o.k. or is it better to wait a few months before applying products?
* in the past I've waited but am wondering now if there is any good reason to wait.

If you’re waiting because the new car’s paint is “fresh”, keep in mind that it was manufactured weeks or months ago so the paint would have had enough time to cure.

You might want to consider a decontamination step with iron remover to eliminate any embedded metal fragments that might be on the paint during the shipping and rail journey.

 

[txt990]

@txt990 -- Just wondering if you've happened to try more-aggressive polishing of that hood, to see if it'll rejuvenate the surface ... and whether that worked. It'd be nice if the U.V. damage and hazing isn't severe enough to necessitate a repaint.

@GFrosty I never got a chance to try polishing method. However, I just noticed those hazy portions of the hood are showing white spotting. Looks like the paint is fading. Noticed this also on the roof of the car. What are my options now?

 

[hooked]

@GFrosty I never got a chance to try polishing method. However, I just noticed those hazy portions of the hood are showing white spotting. Looks like the paint is fading. Noticed this also on the roof of the car. What are my options now?

If that’s clear coat failure I don’t think it can be corrected besides repainting. It’s just going to get worse. . The paint on my 2013 is starting to do the same thing but it’s further along. If you run your hand over the spots it’ll probably feel rough.

 

[txt990]

If that’s clear coat failure I don’t think it can be corrected besides repainting. It’s just going to get worse. . The paint on my 2013 is starting to do the same thing but it’s further along. If you run your hand over the spots it’ll probably feel rough.

I live in sunny south Florida where it gets very hot and it has probably affected the paint. At this point I'll probably just wait around another two years before I re-paint the vehicle.