Paint shop says not possible to removing holograms they put in fiberglass paint job

Swindler

I bought a duckbill fiberglass trunk for my g37 coupe. I am not really into the carbon fiber look. I got it painted black to match the color of the car for $270 at an auto paint shop on recommendation. But when I picked it up it had terrible looking swirl marks which weren’t typical swirl marks that are only visible in direct sunlight, it looks great in the shade. I did not actually notice right away because of the angle of the car but when I parked in a parking a lot and walked away I noticed the terrible holograms that stood out 50 feet away in the sunlight. I researched and found similar pictures on the meguiars forum and they called them holograms and said they are caused from hurried use of a buffer. And it could be cleared up with some M205 polish. I would rather polish it out myself then have to go back. So I waited a couple months just to be safe that I wouldn’t hurt the paint or anything.

Then other day I used my porter cable with some M205 and after my first pass I noticed that paint came off onto my white pad. I called the paint place and they said i must have gotten a single stage paint. I had no idea what that was and it doesn’t even specify I got that on my receipt. I wanted a normal paint job to match the rest of my car which is what I said but apparently that does not include the clear coat and I’m pretty sure a single stage paint is not even used anyways on our cars so I don’t know where that idea came from it would be ok to do that to my trunk. I know it is totally my fault I should have asked a lot more questions but I honestly didn’t even think of it and they definitely did not make me aware that I wasn’t actually getting a paint job like the rest of my car or a clear coat. But sure, I mean it’s black...

When I picked it up I even asked how long before I can polish and wax, and they said 30 days but then when I called back asking why my paint is coming off on my polishing pad they said I can’t polish a single stage paint.

I brought the car back frustrated so I can ask them why my paint was coming off when I was under the impression everything was fine, and I showed them the reason I was trying to polish at all was to remove all the holograms they put in my paint! And then they explain to me I need a clear coat for $150 and that it would all clear up when they put the clear coat on and I would be able to polish it like normal. But that there is no way to clear it up being a single stage paint without adding a clear coat.

So I brought it in this morning to get the clear coat and explained the situation again to a different person that was there at the counter today and now they tell me that those holograms can’t be removed ever. Period, because of the imperfections in general in fiberglass. He said he could work on it all day trying to clear it out depending how much I wanna spend on it but it wouldn’t get any better because of the imperfections of the fiberglass. I was very angry at this lol. I told this guy I guess I should have gotten carbon fiber since the paint job looks terrible. I feel like I have been told the wrong information from somebody or multiple people but I don’t know about painting cars so....

my main question... does anybody know is it possible to paint and clear coat a fiberglass trunk or bumper or whatever and NOT have holograms in it? Or will it always have holograms and look unbearable and embarrassing in the sunlight? I have never come across this problem anywhere on the G or Z forums and I know people get aftermarket fiberglass body kits all the time! Can anyone explain? This way I can at least be bitter about it knowing the truth that I was either wrong or right when arguing back and forth with these guys about it. Also when I buy my Z style zele fiberglass front bumper I can expect the paint to be absolutely shitty looking in the sunlight and I will be mentally prepared.

The dude was also trying to tell me the whole rest of the car is metal and easy to paint with no imperfections when I know for a fact that the bumpers are not metal and I’m sure some other parts as well.... we go out and I’m tugging the bottom of the bumper... so you’re telling me this is metal? He says well no that’s plastic....... I was annoyed. But anyways there is one thing I didn’t know I honestly always assumed the bumpers were fiberglass lol but I never really thought that much about it till now. Now I know.

And another thing. Today the guy was totally putting me down on polishing in general. He said he strongly recommends never polishing and only waxing unless done by a professional because I will just get swirl marks or worse... which is understandable but I have spent hours and hours and hours watching videos and reading and practicing polishing and waxing and minimizing swirl marks and I will not have this guy tell me I shouldn’t be touching my car. I had no reason to be arguing with this guy over this but after all the BS I had already been through now with them I was just not having it and I let this guy have it. I feel like a **** but I was pissed and I am still so mad about the whole situation.

One last thing, no one I talked to at the shop understood the term holograms. This made me lose all faith. BUT I was wondering is this not an actual term, such and swirl marks? Or just not common? Are holograms actually a real thing as in my picture down below? Because on my google search I found similar looking holograms in other people’s freshly painted car pics on other detailing forums. And I am sure that those pictures were stock panels and not aftermarket fiberglass...

I have added pics. the holograms are in the first pic in the sunlight, please ignore my ugly exhaust and how far it sticks out. I just got a motordyne exhaust which I posted in the last pic, no holograms in the shade.



I will feel so stupid if all you guys tell me yeah that’s how it is supposed to look on fiberglass, but at least I will be at peace.

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bigaudiofanat

So your shop was part right. Metal is way easier to paint then fiberglass. Also the price you probably paid for the paint was not on par with what you would get with a standard paint job with 205 coats of clear over top. So you received a single stage which in fact you will have paint migration to your pads during a detail perfectly normal. Your holograms would be removed with an instillation of clear coat however because you've now polished it you have a higher risk of having contamination in the paint before installing clear. My recommendation take it back ask for a OEM paint of the rear trunk lid. This will pretty much make sure it's painted right. If this was macco God help you.

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cv129

$270 paint job, single stage, no clear coat... that could've come out worse

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JARblue

Unfortunately, it sounds like you got exactly what you paid for...

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Swindler

Ok so it sounds like the fiber glass thing is BS and if I spent more money and made sure to get a standard oem paint job with clear then there would be no problem?


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RonRizz

You got a $270 paint job. If it IS a single stage (which it appears to be) You CAN buff and polish it, provided it is not a pearl, or metallic, and No, you dont have to wait 30 days. (nor would you need to if it were a base and clear)
You DO want to wait to add any sealers or waxes, though.
The BS they told you about fiberglass vs metal is crazy. It all comes down to the prep.
My recommendation, if it is NOT a pearl or metallic, would be a 3000 grit wet sand, and a buff, followed by a polish. If your not comfortable doing t, take it to a DIFFERENT shop, to someone that knows what they are doing, and let them repair it.
(first ask them if they ever heard of a hologram..... If they look at you like you have horns growing out of your head, move on to the next shop. Lol)

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Swindler

Awesome thank you, now I know what to do and say and that it is possible lol


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Volk Z

The award for longest post ever goes to...

Lol sorry my ADD wouldnt let me read all of it but sounds like your painter sucks and needs to refund you so you can go to a legit shop

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Volk Z

Fyi, I had the air Walker Japan fiberglass kit on my 350z and the painter was legit and the paint looked identical to the OEM paint. You asked if its possible and of course it is. There are painters and then there are people who take it seriously and like an art. Find an artist in the auto painting world not someone who just paints to paint.

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Swindler

Thank you man


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saintluk2

new to the site but trunk looks cool.

Swindler

Thanks!


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