My Horrid Paint

[CARTfan]

Here are some pictures of the various ailments plagueing my paint.
Click on thumbnails, some links don't work. :dunno

Paint etching that was there when I bought the car, which
the dealer has agreed to pay for the removal of. (Top Left)
Do you think this will require wet sanding?
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...tid=7056&stc=1

Blobs of sap (Top Right)
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...hmentid=&stc=1

Blobs of sap after alcohol, and clay. It just made it real smooth and hard. (Bottom)
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...hmentid=&stc=1

I could wash my car every day and it will look like this in the AM. (middle 3)
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...hmentid=&stc=1
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...hmentid=&stc=1
http://www.detailcity.com/attachment...hmentid=&stc=1

[Big Leegr]

Well, the etching I can't help you with, but it sounds like you've got that taken care of.

As to the sap, use of a bug and tar remover would likely be quicker than the alcohol, but would likely get rid of the wax as well, so you'd need to re-wax after the sap was removed. (Were you using the alcohol as the lubricant?)

The best defense against the sap is to have a good, slick LSP applied, so that the sap will have a harder time adhering to the surface. A daily QD could help keep the slickness maintained longer.

If you don't want to wash the car daily, you're going to have to either A- park somewhere that the sap isn't falling, or B- learn to live with the sap. (Don't choose "B"!!)

[CARTfan]

I've tried Bug Squash. While it does wonders for bugs, it did nothing for this. I'll try some thicker Bug & Tar remover. The alcohol is what most people on here recommended to remove the sap. It dissolved it wonderfully except for a very thin layer. I only have to deal with this for two more weeks, so thankfully it's not a permanent situation.

[JaredPointer]

Two words.... Car Cover.

[CARTfan]

Thanks Jared :doubleduc Just kidding I'm thinking more along the lines of "Garage Kept", but that'll have to wait a bit.

Does anyone know how the marks in the top left photo should be dealt with? You cant even feel them. The detail shop said they would try to use a rotary before they moved on to... :eek wet sanding. :wait This is a brand new car!Wet sanding would have to remove, what 50% of the clearcoat? I'd really rather they didn't have to wet sand, but it looks terrible so I'm willing to take that chance. Any input?

[JeffM]

You have to take the clear coat down to the lowest point of the defect to be rid of it.

I would either leave it, PC it with a yellow cutting pad once or twice, or hit it with a rotary.

Wetsanding a new car...i dunno, they would really have to bother you.

How often do you trade in your vehicles?