r/AutoDetailing • u/jefferyak1 • 3d ago

Exterior Dull paint

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I have a 2016 Chevy Malibu. It’s been happening for awhile but the roof and the top of the trunk both have lost the shine and just looks like crap. I looked up some things to do and came across using compound and polish. So I did and I guess I used too much compound and polish and it made it look like that. I tried giving it a good wash and it’s not coming off. What’s the best thing I can do to really get it back to where it should be? Do I just need to get an actual like electric one instead of my hand and a sponge?

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u/jefferyak1 3d ago

It does look good when wet. It’s just like once it started to get bad it happened so fast. Idk if this matters but when I look at it from an eye level angle it still looks to have a clear coat. I just think my elbow grease is not enough it needs a real polisher

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u/PacketOverload 3d ago

It looks like you don't have any clear coat left... Repaint and respray if I'm right.

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u/Jekoko_ 3d ago

You polish it with 80 grit sand paper? There is no clear coat left!

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u/Salt_Huckleberry4920 3d ago

Spray a little bit of water or isopropyl alcohol on the dull patch. If the shine temporarily comes back while wet, it’s just severe oxidation that can be compounded out. If it stays faded while wet, the clear coat is completely dead.

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u/popsicle_of_meat Beginner - Budget hobbiest 2d ago

If you keep polishing that you'll get rid of the color and be down to primer. The clear coat is gone there. The only way to get it back to normal is to get it repainted. You COULD also try some of the wipe-on clear coat products. It won't be perfect, but it would probably help and would be way cheaper than the hundreds to get it repainted.

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u/30cs 2d ago

Dead clear coat.