Blacksmoke

I got the Xenon Window louvers off my car.
Was worried they might have damaged the paint or clearcoat since the instructions
had me put adhesive promoter ON THE BODY of the car.
I have had them on there for about a year and a half or so and the paint on the louvers
started peeling so I needed to get them off anyhow.

I really cant see where it has taken any clearcoat off. But there are LOTS of tiny scratches and a spot where you can tell the louver or tape had
dried and had been rubbing on the paint.
(kinda a white shade to it)

I took it to the dealership where my brother is the manager and had a guy look at
the paint. As far as he could tell... he did not see where it had done anything to the clearcoat. It did scratch the part where the hip of the car curves into the back window pretty good. The guy that does their paint work is going to get the scratches out for me tommorrow. He said he could get pretty much all of it back to normal exept the part by the hip where the body curves in before the window. He said he can get a good amount out but not all because if he were to apply to much pressure with the buffer he could burn right through the paint.

So all in all I guess its ok.
I don't see how it did not go through the clearcoat where the 3M tape was though.
On the instructions when I installed it... it had me to actually run that crap along the body of the car lightly where the tape was going to go. (It was not a pen but a
little packet kinda like a alchohol rub, but the label said adhesive promoter.)

Oh and by the way... for cleaning prep the instructions said to use
Methyl Ethyl Ketone to clean the body area of all dust.... (Anyone know about this crap)
I used it lightly and then washed it off with water right after. The stuff smelled
very powerfull like alchohol times 10. But I followed the instructions as the people
at Xenon told me to after my first install was bad and one louver came off. They said it was from not enough prep and told me to use this stuff. And said it would NOT hurt the paint.

Nonetheless... the only damage around the 3M taped area that can really be seen is
kinda a scratch outline of the very outside of the tape. (one line)
I'll update you on the outcome of the paint repair tommrrow and I will have him double check to make sure the clearcoat was not taken off.

He said you can usually REALLY tell a difference in the paint if it takes clearcoat off.


Here are my questions for yall...

What about that Methyl Ethyl Ketone crap they had me use to prep the car
along with the adhesive remover? Anyone know about this stuff?

Anyone know what it would look like if the clearcoat was damaged?
I have no idea about paint. As far as I know clearcoat is something you cant see
and just makes the car shiny... So if it was gone wouldn't it just make it less shiny?
What would I look for in clearcoat damage?

suoperdave84

Yes you got it right. Clearcoat is just the shiny stuff on top of the color. basecoat (the color) is very dull and flat. If there was any damage to the clearcoat you wouldn't have any trouble spotting it at all. If you were to use chemicals to remove the old adhesive, you might do some damage to the clearcoat, but if it looks ok, it almost certainly is.

The damage you speak of is from the part shifting ever so slightly with all the wind, etc. It's not the adhesive promoter. That stuff is specifically made for these applications. If you think about it, if it ate into the clearcoat at all, the bond would weaken to nearly nothing and all your parts would fall off.

I am guessing the paint guy can repair this rather easily. If it was my car and he said he was afraid to burn into the paint with the buffer, I would get some polishing compound and touch up any parts he missed by hand.

Blacksmoke

Thanks.
I think he said he was going to go over it lightly with the buffer and see what he could get... then do the rest by hand.
From what my brother says this guy is really good at his work.
My bro said he is really cautious too... he said sometimes he wished the guy was'nt so cautious then lauged. But he said seriously this guy is good.

He has done some things for me before and all turned out good so I trust him.
Thanks for the info and help on this post!

mygt500

Yeah the clearcoat may looked scuffed and hazed which should be able to be buffed out and worst case scenario maybe a light wetsand and than buff....Take pics and show the before and after for us!