Hi folks, our xj6 has some areas on the car where the paint (or clear coat) is cracked (zoom in on pic). We cannot afford to get it re painted for a while, and I know zip about body work and paint. So I'm looking for suggestions that may help to get it as good as we can till then. I've googled and youtubed the subject, but much of that is for where the clear coat has pealed away. I'm thinking ours is just cracked, but again I'm pretty ignorant about auto paint. Any suggestions on products or techniques that worked for you would be appreciated.



Thanks!

Bobby

 

That condition goes down very deep into the paint. Is this condition limited to few area? There's no way to eliminate this without a complete sanding and respray. However there are options. I bought a '96 Ford Explorer with checking and areas of surface cracking on the hood. The sides and the tailgate were in good shape. I did what you will have to do. Make it a "ten footer." Bring all the areas of the car up to a better level, what I call a "presentable" level. Thoroughly wash the car carefully, paying special attention to the checked areas. Get the grunge out. Then use Meguiar's cleaner wax on those spots and the rest of the car. Get it as shiny as possible Then polish all the brightwork, clean and detail the wheels and tires, and clean all the glass so that is is crystal clear. I've gotten the paint on my Explorer to be rather shiny over two thirds of the vehicle. From ten feet away it looks pretty nice. What you will do is not to only improve the appearance of your car, you'll be improving the "perception", of your car. Instead of being seen as a neglected and unloved car, the wear is perceived as the patina of years of loving use by an attentive owner. It's a lot of hands on work, but it's cheap, and requires no real skill. It will allow you to enjoy your car so much more. I get compliments on My Explorer all the time!

 

Thanks for the reply/advice. The effected areas are the boot lid, hood and roof. It's a Florida car and thus has been baking in the sun for most of it's life I assume (we've had it 2 years now). The sides of the car are fine.

Bobby

 

Is a vinyl wrap a possibility?

 

A full respray will produce the best results for sure, but it is possible to achieve a considerable improvement with patch repairs, especially if the colour coat is still ok.
By sanding the affected areas with fine wet and dry sandpaper ( used wet ) a smooth dull surface of the correct colour can be achieved. Applying new clear coat on top of this with some overlap onto the good areas should reseal the surface. This can be done with rattle cans, and you should aim to get an even coat, as shiny as you can, watching out for runs. Don’t worry if it isn’t the perfect gloss finish you need at this point.
After the clear coat has hardened, which could take days, use a sanding block and wet sand the area with 1500 or 2000 grade sandpaper. Be patient and gentle, and the surface will turn dull but very smooth. Then machine polish the surface with rubbing compound, and you will be astonished with the results. Check YouTube for people better illustrating the process than me.
Not a perfect solution, but can be very very close if you take your time.

 

Good information. Thank you!