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Hard Water Spots

688 views 7 replies 2 participants last post by  snobrdrkid07 
#1 ·
Hello all, I have a 2004 WJ Grand Cherokee and I have hard water spots over the entire body and the windows. I have gotten qoutes from different auto detailing places from 350-500 dollars to remove the spots and do a paint sealant... Is there anything I can do at home or is this something that does have to be professionally done... :confused:

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Go to you're local auto parts store and buy a cheapo 10-11" electric buffer(Not the big grinder looking type,they can easily burn the paint and cut through it if you have no expereince)..around 20-30.00.It would take hours if not days for one of these buffers to burn through paint in 1 spot..just to tell you don't be scared of using these in fear of ruining the paint...i see that too often.

Do a thorough wash on the whole vehicle with a heavy pots and pans dishwashing detergent,this removes any old waxes or coatings or contaminates.


You can use the Meguiers 3 step paint restore system easily with that buffer and most likey get rid of the hard water spots..just follow the directions .
It will have a Paint cleaner...Polish..and a Wax.But i would buy the paint cleaner and polish seperate and then buy a Polymer sealer..the paint sealant they are talking about is just a Polymer sealer instead of true wax..wax never lasts long and really has no UV protection and never lasts long at all in the hot summers.
A polymer sealer like Meguiers NXT Generation will last a long time and seals the paint,there is several other companies who make it too and this stuff goes on and off real easy and protects paint 100% better than wax...anymore wax is for show cars wanting that deep mirror shine for that show day,,but even a finger print will ruin it and smudge it off and just a few days in the hot sun and rain will wash it all off..polymer does not do that and out lasts wax coating by far

You can even buy a swirl remover and it will get rid of the hard water spots in the clear coat..any of the swirl remover polishes and paint cleaner will do it most likely, then use a polish to smooth and shine the clear coat..then a thorough wash to rid any of the residue's and then the polymer sealer..you'll be surprised at how nice it'll look doing it yourself and in the process you'll learn how to take care of your paint and make it all last alot longer and the best part is you saved a few hundred bucks in labor the detailer's shops charge.

But..if it has deep scratches or damage to the paint,you might want to go with the detailer's shop because it will take a more complicated job and expensive equipment to do the job.

After that just do a thorough wash with the dish detergent every 3-4 months or even more depending on the weather and abuse and aplly a fresh coat of the sealer and that paint will last a long time.

The bottom line of doing all this..if it didn't get rid of all the hard water spots,you only spent money on things that will always be usefull in the future to detail you'r own vehicle and keep it looking good.
Hard water spots are just a very thin bad spot on the surface from acid rain...the only thing would be deep in the paint is if somehow a solvent based chemical was spilled or splashed on it...i see you'r avitar pic shows it on the beach..salt water can cause that too..but if you keep the Polymer sealer on it..it will help substantialy to protect it from that.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for such a detailed response!

I have ETCHED IN hard water spots. So I was browsing Meguiars and saw a few products that might help me out.
Here 1
Here 2

Those are said to remove the spots, but I could not find anything about etched spots.

I also want to do this.

Also I need to find a good paint sealant!

Edit: I know it was not from the beach, I rinse immediately after, I think it is from a rain or a sprinkler system a few years back.

EDIT 2: This was what I was looking for! I have the type II water spots Here
 
#4 ·
You can use the swirl remover or paint cleaner to remove the little etched spots by hand JUST until the spot is gone..then use the buffer to do the rest of the vehicle to clean any contaminants off for a final sealer coat.

That NXT Generation "Tech Wax" they mention in the thread IS a polymer sealer..its not a wax..they just use the term wax,thats the product i use regularly on all mine because it is a sealer..not a wax

A little sentence directly from the bottom of this NXT Generation "tech wax" can i have....

"Meguiars new Hydrophonic Polymer Technology".......this tells you it is NOT a wax,,it is a Polymer paint sealant.

I've seen detailers lay claim they're more expensive so called different products are better and out last any of the over the counter bought Polymer's bought at auto stores..but yet to see it be any better,one of my boss's wife gets her BMW detailed regularly every few months at a whopping cost of 250.00...and my vehicles finishes last longer than hers because i see mine beads water in rain longer than hers does in time.

There is several different companies that make a Polymer Paint sealant that you can easily buy at any auto store now..the detailer's shop buy different brands at bulk prices because its cheaper and most of the time they give you the "Hype" that there's is the best in the world..but yet if you was to look at the product's tech sheets and what is actualy in it..it would be mostly the same if not the same as the one's bought at auto stores.You're just paying a little more for a little can than they would because they buy bulk and even if their's "happens" to be an inferior product as far lasting longer?...its still alot cheaper to wash yourself and apply it a time or 2 more than than a deatiler's shop would....and another thing to think about..if a detailer's product was so "inferior" and last so long..they'd be outta business ..get the picture?
Any more i see to many "backyard" car washers claim they are pro detailers..but yet they are just the normal person that pays attention to a little detail and knows what to buy and apply to make it look good for a month or 2.
A real detailer's shop will have body work and painting background to have the knowledge and expereince of automotive paints and what to use and not to use..but thats just my opinion and i'm sure i'll get some "flaiming" for saying that...too many so called detail shops out there now a days that charge and arm n a leg for a little wash job and wax and bunch of greasy tire shine..lol
 
#5 ·
oops..forgot to add the picture
 

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#6 ·
Mcg has an ultimate compound too.

The entire jeep and Windows have the hard water.spots everywhere. It really does suck.

There is a very reputable detailer that has been around 4 ever and quoted me 400 to remove from paint and windows and then use a paint sealent.
 
#7 ·
If yours is really that bad off..you might be better off taking it to a real detailer that has a long rep like yu say they have....it may be bad enough that the have to use a high speed buffer.

But you could just buy a few small bottles of the products yourself and try a fender or 1/4 panel and see the results you get yourself...like i already said..the worse that can happen is you'll have to have them do it,but you really wasted no money because any of those products are good to have around when it needs a good cleaning and sealant again.
 
#8 ·
Ironworker709 said:
If yours is really that bad off..you might be better off taking it to a real detailer that has a long rep like yu say they have....it may be bad enough that the have to use a high speed buffer.

But you could just buy a few small bottles of the products yourself and try a fender or 1/4 panel and see the results you get yourself...like i already said..the worse that can happen is you'll have to have them do it,but you really wasted no money because any of those products are good to have around when it needs a good cleaning and sealant again.
He did mention that it would most likely require a high speed buffer.

For sure I'm defiantly going to use that nxt gen paint sealent!
 
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