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Polishing Primer?!

D

DavidM

Active member
A customer used our self service wash to wash his car that was recently painted with an epoxy primer (but will not be painted with a color coat for 2 more months). He believes our bug remover left marks on the primer and he isn't too happy about it. (it is a "show car" and will be in three shows between now and when it gets painted)

The marks resemble what happens when you put strong soap on a severely oxidized finish or allow presoak to dry on a dark colored vehicle.

On a normal clear coat or single stage color coat I know what to do. I do not know if it is even possible to correct this on a primer coat.

If there is a simple solution I would like to help him out even though my gut reaction is to say, sorry but primer isn't designed to be a final coat and as such will not hold up. Just paint your car. :)

Any thoughts?

David
 
You're Right!

Primer contains nothing that offers protection against anything. It is designed to be a substrate foundation for paint. It must be stripped of all residues prior to any paint application. Mineral spirits or a prep solvent will remove any oily substances that could compromise paint adhesion and result in fish eyes or delamination, ultimately leading to a re-do. :(

You can do nothing for him except caution him about the absolute need for prudent prepping prior to entering the paint booth. If the surface has been compromised, it will require sanding anyway, especially if the surface has been exposed to bug stains and fallout. Again, NOT YOUR PROBLEM! :p Exposing the bare primer to daily driving exposures brings that risk irrespective of what you did at the car wash.

Invite him back when the new finish is 30-days old. ;)
 
If the primer has been exposed to sun for very long, it is already oxidized, so the marks probably are in fact from your soaps on his oxidized finish. IMO, he is being unreasonable in his expectations because primer is in no way intended for protection, either in appearance or rust prevention, without a top coat. If he wants it "show ready" in primer condition, the only solution will be a new primer coat. Sanding won't restore the even, dull look it had before, not even with 2000 grit paper.

If he knew anything about painting a car, he wouldn't have stripped and prepped it unless he could store the car indoors until it was painted, or waited until the job could be completed in one stage.
 
I guess I was thinking; "sand and re-prime".

Whatever he decides, this guy's not too smart and is out of line asking for any remedy from you!

I thought everybody knew primer offers no protection as is susceptible to all types of contaminants!?
 
If this guy's "show car" is not going to be painted for two months he either should not be driving it around or should expect to sand and re-prime it before painting. My guess is that he does not know what he is doing and will probably screw it up anyway.
 
Spotted Primer

The best advise you have received on this post is by Mr Okum. Follow his advise and you will be fine.

It was not your fault he used your car wash on a primered car. He should have gotten instructions from the painter on how to wash the car.

In any case, the primer will probably be sanded before painting anyway. It will be full of contaminants that have to be removed.

Plus with a pigmented base coat going over the prime I do not expect you could see spots anyway.

Regards
 
I think the problem here is that the owner of the car intends to display it at car shows in primered condition. While I think that's retarded, he may have a car that's rare and unique enough that people will want to see it even in bare primer, and he doesn't want to show it with spots. Regardless, he's completely unreasonable in his expectations of having the car wash owner pay to fix it, which can only be done with sanding and a new primer coat.
 
Thanks for all the responses. They reinforced and supported what I believed to be the case. I informed the customer that there was nothing I could do for him. He promised to "make some calls" and I would hear from him again. The next day he called and told me the problem was gone, he traded the car. He then suggested that I should give him a complete detail on the car just purchased to "keep him as a customer" I explained that we didn't do anything wrong and I did not feel that we owed him a $150 detail. I offered him a free wash at our flex serve. He accepted that and went on his way.


MEP is right, he did intend to show it unfinished.


David
 
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