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I used to think color sanding was overkill until I had to fix a dealer's awful buff job
Last month a guy brought in a brand new Ram 1500 that the dealer had already tried to buff out some scratches on. They left holograms everywhere and even burned through the clear on the edge of the hood. I told him I'd have to wet sand it to really fix it and he was skeptical but let me try. After 3 hours with 1500 then 3000 grit and a proper compound job it looked better than factory. That dealer shine job was a mess and now I get why some guys insist on color sanding fresh paint. Has anyone else had to fix a dealership hack job like that?
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nancyj111mo ago
Honestly, did you always think it was just salesman hype before you tried it yourself? I was the same way, I figured it was just some overpriced detailer trick. But after I had to fix a used Honda where the previous owner used a drill with a wool pad, I totally changed my tune. Ngl, that color sanding brought the paint back from the dead. It's a lot of work but when you see the reflection come back crystal clear, it's worth every minute. Tbh, I wouldn't trust most dealers with anything more than a basic wash now.
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williams.sage1mo ago
Oh man, that is such a bummer when dealerships mess up a brand new truck. I mean, you'd think they'd know better than to burn through clear coat on a brand new vehicle. It's honestly wild that they even try to buff stuff out without the right know-how. I've seen a few of those hologram nightmares on used cars I was looking at and it just kills the whole look. Good on you for taking the time to fix it right, that three hour color sanding session sounds like a labor of love for sure.
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mark_carr71mo ago
Totally feel your pain on that one @williams.sage. I had a similar deal with a used car where the dealer tried to polish it but left those spiderweb marks everywhere. What worked for me was wet sanding with some really fine grit paper, like 3000, then hitting it with a dual action polisher and a finishing polish. Ended up looking way better than when I drove it off the lot.
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