Self healing paint
12-15-15, 09:52 AM
#16
Self Healing paint is something that has been around for some time now. Nissan has been using it on their Infiniti cars for years.
The "self healing" paint is really just a soft (never fully drying) clear coat. When heated, the clear coat will liquefy at a molecular level and will fill any surface scratches (swirls) that exist in the paint. Thus, the clear coat can heal itself. If you scratch through the clear deeply, or through the clear and into the paint, the self healing paint will not fix this.
It should also be noted that if this is like Nissan's paint, the self healing ability will disappear over time (the clear coat will eventually harden entirely). Thus, this option will not stay around forever.
One downfall of self healing paint, contamination. If your car is a dark color, and you park it in the sunlight, the paint will get very hot, in which the clear coat will becoming its most liquid state. If a bird was to crap on your car, the clear coat WILL absorb this. If the paint is allowed to dry, the bird crap will become part of your clear coat and you will have to grind away the clear coat in order to remove this.
So while the self healing has benefits, I personally hate it. And if I'm not wrong, Infiniti is no longer offering it.
EDIT:
(sorry, didn't realize someone posted info above, I'm still going to leave this here though)
The "self healing" paint is really just a soft (never fully drying) clear coat. When heated, the clear coat will liquefy at a molecular level and will fill any surface scratches (swirls) that exist in the paint. Thus, the clear coat can heal itself. If you scratch through the clear deeply, or through the clear and into the paint, the self healing paint will not fix this.
It should also be noted that if this is like Nissan's paint, the self healing ability will disappear over time (the clear coat will eventually harden entirely). Thus, this option will not stay around forever.
One downfall of self healing paint, contamination. If your car is a dark color, and you park it in the sunlight, the paint will get very hot, in which the clear coat will becoming its most liquid state. If a bird was to crap on your car, the clear coat WILL absorb this. If the paint is allowed to dry, the bird crap will become part of your clear coat and you will have to grind away the clear coat in order to remove this.
So while the self healing has benefits, I personally hate it. And if I'm not wrong, Infiniti is no longer offering it.
EDIT:
(sorry, didn't realize someone posted info above, I'm still going to leave this here though)
I have a friend who just purchased an RX about a month ago. Paid the dealer for some type of paint protector and all was well. Last week he got bird poop on the paint and it will not remove. Large yellow stain on his white RC. The dealer has tried everything and for the last week is driving a loaner. They are going to have to repaint the panel. Bird poop can be really bad.
12-15-15, 11:21 AM
#17
Lead Lap
Just needs to be wet sanded. But definitely let a professional do it.
12-15-15, 11:40 AM
#18
That sounds good but they already had the dealer expert wet sand it. It is deeper. Possible all the way through the clear coat so they are going to do what ever it takes. His complaint is the amount of time it is taking before they do something. It would not be so bad but he paid them for this magic paint protection that does nothing when it comes to POOP!
Last edited by RXOwner; 12-15-15 at 11:48 AM.
12-15-15, 12:08 PM
#19
Lead Lap
Yeah, I didn't read that other guy's post. If it was parked in the sun and the bird crapped on it, and it sat there all day, yeah, I would say it is ruined.
Makes me think twice about this "self healing" paint. Sounds like a horrible idea.
Makes me think twice about this "self healing" paint. Sounds like a horrible idea.
12-15-15, 01:59 PM
#21
Here's a link to a 2009 post regarding the self-healing clear coats. Apparently it's been in development by Toyota for a long time.
http://toyotadriverseat.com/products...eal-itself.htm
http://toyotadriverseat.com/products...eal-itself.htm
12-15-15, 02:27 PM
#22
On the Toyota blog, Driver's Seat, I found this brief note.
"As always, RX buyers will have a wide array of exterior colors to choose from, including three new shades: Caviar, Autumn Shimmer and Nightfall Mica. All incorporate a highly elastic macromolecular coat that helps resist scratches, even from fingernails around the door handles."
"As always, RX buyers will have a wide array of exterior colors to choose from, including three new shades: Caviar, Autumn Shimmer and Nightfall Mica. All incorporate a highly elastic macromolecular coat that helps resist scratches, even from fingernails around the door handles."
12-16-15, 05:12 AM
#23
Lexus Test Driver
Hmmm.
I have a friend who just purchased an RX about a month ago. Paid the dealer for some type of paint protector and all was well. Last week he got bird poop on the paint and it will not remove. Large yellow stain on his white RC. The dealer has tried everything and for the last week is driving a loaner. They are going to have to repaint the panel. Bird poop can be really bad.
I have a friend who just purchased an RX about a month ago. Paid the dealer for some type of paint protector and all was well. Last week he got bird poop on the paint and it will not remove. Large yellow stain on his white RC. The dealer has tried everything and for the last week is driving a loaner. They are going to have to repaint the panel. Bird poop can be really bad.
if its the clear bra, chances are it is hosed. If it was xpel, you could use some paint thinner and be able to save it.
If its the paint, I would recommend you start right with the Meguiars Ultimate compound. Start with that and start with only hard hand application. Swirl for 10-15 seconds hard, wipe off, see if there is any improvement. Continue this until its gone or "the best you can do". Then go to polish and seal it.
With this self healing paint, the best you can do it actually prevent the healing from happening.
12-16-15, 05:23 AM
#24
Did the bird crap land on the clear bra or the paint?
if its the clear bra, chances are it is hosed. If it was xpel, you could use some paint thinner and be able to save it.
If its the paint, I would recommend you start right with the Meguiars Ultimate compound. Start with that and start with only hard hand application. Swirl for 10-15 seconds hard, wipe off, see if there is any improvement. Continue this until its gone or "the best you can do". Then go to polish and seal it.
With this self healing paint, the best you can do it actually prevent the healing from happening.
if its the clear bra, chances are it is hosed. If it was xpel, you could use some paint thinner and be able to save it.
If its the paint, I would recommend you start right with the Meguiars Ultimate compound. Start with that and start with only hard hand application. Swirl for 10-15 seconds hard, wipe off, see if there is any improvement. Continue this until its gone or "the best you can do". Then go to polish and seal it.
With this self healing paint, the best you can do it actually prevent the healing from happening.
Last edited by RXOwner; 12-16-15 at 05:28 AM.
12-16-15, 06:06 AM
#25
Lexus Test Driver
It happened to a friends car not mine. It was a white RC that he paid extra for Lexus to apply some magic coating (LOL) prior to delivery. The owner tried a polish and the dealer has even tried wet sanding and nothing will get rid of the stain. No bra as it was the rear of the vehicle. I saw it and it is pretty yellow around a 2" diameter.
In general though, bird crap in the sun is just a terrible event. Self Healing or Not, you're usually stuck polishing.
12-16-15, 06:36 AM
#26
Lexus Champion
12-16-15, 07:54 AM
#27
Lead Lap
But if you read how the self healing paint works, it sounds like the bird doodoo got absorbed into the clear coat, as the paint was likely warm/sitting in the sun. If that is indeed what happened, it is hosed and will have to be sanded completely down and resprayed.
12-16-15, 07:58 AM
#28
Lexus Test Driver
And keep in mind that clear coat is several mills deep. It will not pull it downward like a rock in a pond, but rather it will just cover it with the top surface layer. Thus, you'd only have to remove 1/16 to 1/8 mill, all depending how "thick" the bird crap was and how much clear coat liquefied.
12-16-15, 08:34 AM
#29
Lead Lap
But if the dealer truly wet sanded it, they would have removed the stain. So either they didn't go deep enough, or didn't feel comfortable going any deeper.
12-16-15, 08:52 AM
#30
He should be getting it back on Friday. They would not tell him what they were going to do but said that they would do what ever it took to make the poop stain go away. He just wants his vehicle back, fixed.