paint losing luster on decklid fast

[Clovis911]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

[Loren]

Are you the first and only owner?

Please define "hot" - 180 degrees? 220 degrees?

[Clovis911]

Are you the first and only owner?

Please define "hot" - 180 degrees? 220 degrees?

hey Loren, I read most of your posts, around 180 never much higher. I am the second owner and i've had the car over 2 years. Thanks

[number9ine]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

I have slate grey too, beautiful color. :) I'd suspect the cover you use. Do you leave it on in direct sunlight? During/after rainstorms? Is it fading on your front hood or rear engine cover? It could be deteriorating clearcoat on a paint repair. The factory clearcoat is pretty robust unless you leave it sitting in the desert sun for months at a time or expose it to solvents or other abrasives.

It's quite possible that a good polish can fix this problem. Go to a local auto shop and pick up some Meguiar's fine cut cleaner #2 or 3M rubbing compound (both are readily available polishes and have a medium cut), along with some microfiber applicator pads and microfiber towel. Wash the car, then pick a small section (2" or so) of the dull paint and with a nickel-sized dab on the microfiber applicator, apply the compound in a firm , even swirling motion for about 10 seconds and then lift. If your applicator has grey paint on it stop immediately, that means the dullness is caused by your clearcoat wearing off. If not, continue applying until the compound has dried to a haze, then remove the residue with a microfiber towel.

If you like what you see on your test spot, do the rest of the lid. Post some pictures for us so we can see the damage.

Mark

[Loren]

Are you the first and only owner?

Please define "hot" - 180 degrees? 220 degrees?

hey Loren, I read most of your posts, around 180 never much higher. I am the second owner and i've had the car over 2 years. Thanks

180 is normal.

Well, sorry to tell you but it sounds like perhaps the rear decklid has been repainted.

Do what number9ine suggested and post a pic so we can see the damage.

[Clovis911]

Are you the first and only owner?

Please define "hot" - 180 degrees? 220 degrees?

hey Loren, I read most of your posts, around 180 never much higher. I am the second owner and i've had the car over 2 years. Thanks

180 is normal.

Well, sorry to tell you but it sounds like perhaps the rear decklid has been repainted.

Do what number9ine suggested and post a pic so we can see the damage.

Yeah it looks bad and feels worse, if the fan in the decklid goes out would that cause heat to "spill out" and damage the paint? I've never heard that fan running. Thnks

[Loren]

Are you the first and only owner?

Please define "hot" - 180 degrees? 220 degrees?

hey Loren, I read most of your posts, around 180 never much higher. I am the second owner and i've had the car over 2 years. Thanks

180 is normal.

Well, sorry to tell you but it sounds like perhaps the rear decklid has been repainted.

Do what number9ine suggested and post a pic so we can see the damage.

Yeah it looks bad and feels worse, if the fan in the decklid goes out would that cause heat to "spill out" and damage the paint? I've never heard that fan running. Thnks

And you may likely never hear it run - it is a purge fan and it pulls cool air into the engine compartment when the engine gets very hot.

Sorry, but I doubt it has anything to do with engine heat.

[dammad]

I have the very same problem on my 1999 996 Tip (Arctic silver). I'm the third owner and keep is about 50% in sun and 50% out of sun. Regularly cleaning.

I have tried various polishes on it, but it looks like the paint itself is fried because it has a line-y appearance.

My car overheated at one point 2 years ago when the water pump broke. Not enough to damage anything, but resulted in lots of coolant steam out the back. Alas at the time I was more concerned about the motor, so forgot to wash down the back. So perhaps it can be caused by coolant stream condensing on the lid, since the coolant would eat into the paint.

Dammad.

[smartrepair]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

I have slate grey too, beautiful color. :) I'd suspect the cover you use. Do you leave it on in direct sunlight? During/after rainstorms? Is it fading on your front hood or rear engine cover? It could be deteriorating clearcoat on a paint repair. The factory clearcoat is pretty robust unless you leave it sitting in the desert sun for months at a time or expose it to solvents or other abrasives.

It's quite possible that a good polish can fix this problem. Go to a local auto shop and pick up some Meguiar's fine cut cleaner #2 or 3M rubbing compound (both are readily available polishes and have a medium cut), along with some microfiber applicator pads and microfiber towel. Wash the car, then pick a small section (2" or so) of the dull paint and with a nickel-sized dab on the microfiber applicator, apply the compound in a firm , even swirling motion for about 10 seconds and then lift. If your applicator has grey paint on it stop immediately, that means the dullness is caused by your clearcoat wearing off. If not, continue applying until the compound has dried to a haze, then remove the residue with a microfiber towel.

If you like what you see on your test spot, do the rest of the lid. Post some pictures for us so we can see the damage.

Mark

95% sure the parts has been repainted (badly). It´s very rare the original paint gets dull. Especially if the panels around are OK. As Mark said polishing should get the shine back.

The clearcoat gets dull finish, if too fast hardner/ too much thinner has been used during the respray.

Good luck

Kare

[Clovis911]

Thanks for all the advice I'm trying to include a picture of the damage, but the repaint sounds plausible seeing that the rest of the car is in pristine condition.

[Clovis911]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

I have slate grey too, beautiful color. :) I'd suspect the cover you use. Do you leave it on in direct sunlight? During/after rainstorms? Is it fading on your front hood or rear engine cover? It could be deteriorating clearcoat on a paint repair. The factory clearcoat is pretty robust unless you leave it sitting in the desert sun for months at a time or expose it to solvents or other abrasives.

It's quite possible that a good polish can fix this problem. Go to a local auto shop and pick up some Meguiar's fine cut cleaner #2 or 3M rubbing compound (both are readily available polishes and have a medium cut), along with some microfiber applicator pads and microfiber towel. Wash the car, then pick a small section (2" or so) of the dull paint and with a nickel-sized dab on the microfiber applicator, apply the compound in a firm , even swirling motion for about 10 seconds and then lift. If your applicator has grey paint on it stop immediately, that means the dullness is caused by your clearcoat wearing off. If not, continue applying until the compound has dried to a haze, then remove the residue with a microfiber towel.

If you like what you see on your test spot, do the rest of the lid. Post some pictures for us so we can see the damage.

Mark

Mark - Thanks mark take a look at the damage:

Dammad - Does yours resemble this?

Loren heres a pic of the damage

Edited June 5, 2009 by Loren
Merged 3 posts

[dammad]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

I have slate grey too, beautiful color. :) I'd suspect the cover you use. Do you leave it on in direct sunlight? During/after rainstorms? Is it fading on your front hood or rear engine cover? It could be deteriorating clearcoat on a paint repair. The factory clearcoat is pretty robust unless you leave it sitting in the desert sun for months at a time or expose it to solvents or other abrasives.

It's quite possible that a good polish can fix this problem. Go to a local auto shop and pick up some Meguiar's fine cut cleaner #2 or 3M rubbing compound (both are readily available polishes and have a medium cut), along with some microfiber applicator pads and microfiber towel. Wash the car, then pick a small section (2" or so) of the dull paint and with a nickel-sized dab on the microfiber applicator, apply the compound in a firm , even swirling motion for about 10 seconds and then lift. If your applicator has grey paint on it stop immediately, that means the dullness is caused by your clearcoat wearing off. If not, continue applying until the compound has dried to a haze, then remove the residue with a microfiber towel.

If you like what you see on your test spot, do the rest of the lid. Post some pictures for us so we can see the damage.

Mark

Mark - Thanks mark take a look at the damage:

Dammad - Does yours resemble this?

Loren heres a pic of the damage

Yes, exactly like that.. But mine is the spoiler itself, not the lid part.

[Clovis911]

Renntech please help. I have a slate grey metallic 996 cab, and i keep it clean as possible, and covered 99% of the time in LA. I noticed that my decklid is losing its shine very quickly and becoming almost dull in apperance. Has any one else heard of this?...It's on on the deckild, and the car does not run hot. Thanks for your advice.

I have slate grey too, beautiful color. :) I'd suspect the cover you use. Do you leave it on in direct sunlight? During/after rainstorms? Is it fading on your front hood or rear engine cover? It could be deteriorating clearcoat on a paint repair. The factory clearcoat is pretty robust unless you leave it sitting in the desert sun for months at a time or expose it to solvents or other abrasives.

It's quite possible that a good polish can fix this problem. Go to a local auto shop and pick up some Meguiar's fine cut cleaner #2 or 3M rubbing compound (both are readily available polishes and have a medium cut), along with some microfiber applicator pads and microfiber towel. Wash the car, then pick a small section (2" or so) of the dull paint and with a nickel-sized dab on the microfiber applicator, apply the compound in a firm , even swirling motion for about 10 seconds and then lift. If your applicator has grey paint on it stop immediately, that means the dullness is caused by your clearcoat wearing off. If not, continue applying until the compound has dried to a haze, then remove the residue with a microfiber towel.

If you like what you see on your test spot, do the rest of the lid. Post some pictures for us so we can see the damage.

Mark

Mark - Thanks mark take a look at the damage:

Dammad - Does yours resemble this?

Loren heres a pic of the damage

Yes, exactly like that.. But mine is the spoiler itself, not the lid part.

Well it looks like it might spread to the spoiler too. Well I need the Nose resprayed so, i guess the deck lid and spoiler also. Thanks

[number9ine]

The pic is very small so it's hard to see, but it looks to me like a bad clearcoat respray. Is it smooth to the touch with a "foggy" appearance? If so, it's probably separating from the basecoat and will need a repaint. If not, try polishing, can't really hurt at this point.

What's so bad about the front? unless we're talking metalwork, big through-the-paint scratches or other things that require a body shop I'd go with the lightest touch I could. Maybe a decent detailer, dent guy, or DIY. Worst case, you take your failed attempt at repair to the body shop like you would have done beforehand, best case it comes out looking good.

M.

Mark - Thanks mark take a look at the damage:

[Richard Hamilton]

I have the very same problem on my 1999 996 Tip (Arctic silver). I'm the third owner and keep is about 50% in sun and 50% out of sun. Regularly cleaning.

I have tried various polishes on it, but it looks like the paint itself is fried because it has a line-y appearance.

My car overheated at one point 2 years ago when the water pump broke. Not enough to damage anything, but resulted in lots of coolant steam out the back. Alas at the time I was more concerned about the motor, so forgot to wash down the back. So perhaps it can be caused by coolant stream condensing on the lid, since the coolant would eat into the paint.

Dammad.

Being a '99 your car may have been subjected to the W103 Service Action, which was a repair or replacement to the engine deck lid due to corrosion. You might want to check if your maintenance book was stamped, and when, and if so see if you have any comeback on the dealer on the quality of their paintwork.