JohnLZ7W

So after I had stripped/clayed/polished my car the paint was near perfect. No water spots anywhere on it. After a half dozen or so coats of P21S we finally had some rain and now the water spots are back. With that much wax on the car why are they so hard to get rid of? Wax seems to do nothing to prevent them. If I strip the wax off will the water spots be gone or will I need to polish again?
What really gets me is that in Oregon during the summer we don't often get rain (which is good) but there are sprinklers set up ALL over the place to water the grass along the road.... instant water spots

Seattle Scott

I did my 1985 non clear-coat light blue pickup truck. Clay bared the roof and hood, Blitz waxed everything. Five days later a flock of birds crap on it. I leave it for one or two days. Wash the truck and there are light spots all over. It's gonna take some Imperial Hand Glaze or something to get the spots outs.

I know I was bad leaving it there for two days but gee. I guess the old plain paint isn't too tough.

JohnLZ7W

I've gotten in the habit of checking my car before I leave work in the afternoon. I keep a water bottle and MF towels in the trunk to deal with any bird bombs ASAP.
I can understand bird crap going thru wax and down to the clearcoat tho, I mean, that's some nasty stuff. Never did understand why wax doesn't seem to stop rainwater... I don't think it's all that acidic out here.

RKA

Most tap water has a lot of minerals in it. Avoid letting tap water dry on your paint...it's just as bad as bird droppings. Esp. if you've got a well waxed car, because the water beads instead of sheeting off the paint. All that water sitting on your paint will eventually dry, leaving the minerals behind. If the sun should come out, it'll burn the minerals into the paint. Rainwater isn't quite so bad, but still, if the sun comes out after it rains, watch out.

RickM

Stating the obvious: ordinary water spots (not talking about etching caused by acid rain, etc.) are the minerals that were in the water, left behind when it evaporates. I don't know why you'd think wax would "prevent" them from showing up. They're hard to get rid of because they end up bonding to the surface. Water spots from rain are usually fairly easy to deal with, because the rain just picks up whatever's in the atmosphere on its way down, then mixes with whatever dust or dirt is already on your car. These usually wash off pretty easily, unless you have acid rain etching (a different problem). Spots from sprinklers can be a lot more difficult to remove, depending on how "hard" the water in your area is, because tap water can have a ton of stuff dissolved in it (mostly calcium and magnesium. More calcium + magnesium = more hardness).

If your spots won't simply wash off, first try some vinegar to dissolve them. Someone else has suggested soaking paper towels with vinegar and laying them on the affected surface(s), since the vinegar can take a little while to work (again, depending on severity, mineral content, etc.). But often just using a towel soaked in the stuff will work. Yes, I think you have to re-wax when you do this.

I have lately been a cheerleader for One Grand Special Touch polish because it seems to cure a multitude of sins while still being very mild. If vinegar doesn't do the trick, try Special Touch. I'm sure it'll do the job. You must re-wax after using it. It works on etching caused by bird crap too.

JohnLZ7W

So I guess the deal is if it rains or I hit sprinklers then at least rinse the car off ASAP.
It's not that I expect to not get water spots with the car waxed. It's just I wouldn't expect them to be so hard to remove once the car is waxed. Didn't realize it was so easy for hard water to etch straight thru the wax.
Anyone know if Zaino/Klasse/Blackfire do any better?

Ted K

More coats will protect you better, but if left long enough, no wax is immune. It's like bird droppings, which are acidic. May want to try Blitz wax instead of P21S. A little harder. The other option is to take a micro fiber towel with some One Grand Show Off and wipe down the car soon as you see the rain spots, even if you're not going to wash the car for a few days to prevent the acid rain from going through your wax, which is what happens if you just leave it until the next wash.

Ted K

I take them off soon as I see them with One Grand Show Off. Also, don't rub them as they often contain gravel (Birds eat this to help digest their food) so spray it up, let it soften a few minutes and GENTLY lift it off the paint. If it does etch the paint (sometimes you can't help this and it can happen right away; happened to me recently, saw it when I came out of work, cleaned it right away, and it left a mark anyway), then use some P21S Multi Surface Finish restorer with some 3M IHG mixed together. Follow up with P21S GEPC, and Blitz wax. It may not hide it entirely, but continue following this treatment 7 days apart, and after two or three weeks, it will be gone.

AlanL

Our tap water can sometimes be slightly acidic however.

Seattle Scott

damage I'm ASSSUMING because the truck does not have a clear coat. Of course when it come to the car, I have bottles of deionized water for getting things off.

I am suprised to hear you got some "immediate damage". I didn't think those birds were eating stuff that nasty.

Thanks for the detailed reply !!!

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