Paint Correction, Ceramic Coating, Scratch removal

The Ultimate Guide to Inspecting a Used Car’s Exterior Finish

By

The Ultimate Guide to Inspecting a Used Car’s Exterior Finish

Buying a used car? Want to ensure you know all the facts when going into the negotiation process?  It can be a daunting process if you don’t know what to look for to identify issues and flaws in the finish.

To ease this process and empower you with knowledge, we’ve developed a guide to help you identify flaws on the exterior finish before making an offer or purchase.

Key Steps for Evaluating a Car’s Exterior Before Purchase

Inspecting in Direct Sunlight: The Most Crucial Step

The first and most important thing you can do is to inspect the car’s finish in direct sunlight. This will give you the best overall outlook on the paint’s condition. Its easier to spot bad scratches, swirling, rock chips, and repainted areas when in the sun. Don’t be swayed by the salesperson; sunlight is your ally in revealing the true state of the car’s exterior.

Identifying Repainted Panels: Orange Peel and Fisheyes

Look for panels that seem to have more of an orange peel effect than others. These areas might also exhibit fisheyes, resembling tiny bumps on the surface. Think of it as a pimple on the finish, but that pimple is the same color of the finish. These panels can often be a mismatched color and stand out a little more. These three things are an indication that the panel has been repainted, even if it doesn’t say so on the CarFax.

Orange showing the Orange Peel Effect on a car's paint right next to it Orange Peel

But have no fear….

Repainted panels don’t always indicate that there was a major accident or collision. It just indicates that there was damage heavy enough to have the panel repainted. If the repaint matched the OEM color well, wet sanding along with paint correction can be performed to level the heavy orange peel along with minimizing the look of the fish eyes. We have over 20 years experience in performing these services.

Assessing Rock Chips and Clear Coat Damage

Examine the hood, front bumper, and leading edges of the fenders for rock chips. A general rule of thumb is that if a scratch is deep enough to catch your fingernail, it likely goes through the clear coat and possibly deeper into the base coat.

Rock Chips and Chip Damage on the black paint of a car Rock Chips

Paint Defect Types

We can improve

Carolinas Finest Detailing can touch up rock chips as long as they aren’t excessive. Often times, compounding and polishing the areas will help to minimize the look of road rash. Shoot us an email with pictures if you are unsure.

Advanced Inspection Tips for a Detailed Evaluation

Looking for Splotched Paint Touch-ups and Finish Failures

Look for splotched touch up in areas like the front and lower parts of the vehicle.

Also look for areas of the finish that look like crows feet. These areas are an indication that the finish on that panel is failing. The area may also appear in a small circular area due to etching from bird poop, a common issue with used cars.

car paint damage from bird poop Bird Poop etching

crows feet marks on a car that shows the paint finish failing Crow feet

 

Unfortunately, paint correction will not fix clear coat failure (crows feet look) or major bird poop etching. If the bird poop etching isn’t bad, we can usually wet sand, compound, and polish the area to at least minimize the defect. Paint Protection Film can also be used to cover and protect the panel if that is the only defect present on the panel. This service is often more affordable than having to repaint the panel.

Wheel and Tire Edge Inspection

Check the edges where the wheel meets the tire for any signs of scratching or rubbing, as these areas are prone to wear and tear.

Specific Information For NC State Residents

***Remember, here in Charlotte, North Carolina we are an insurance-at-fault state. Just because there are no reports of wreck or paint work on the CarFax does not mean that none occurred.

***Don’t be afraid to ask to take the vehicle to your mechanic for an underbody inspection, especially if its one you are interested in.

***Remember that there are window tint laws that you must abide by here in NC to get your vehicle inspected. Ensure that it meets those standards before buying.

Seeking Professional Detailer Input

Want a professional opinion on the finish? Contact us for an evaluation where we can examine the finish and measure the paint thickness to verify if any panels have been repainted along with measuring window tint percentage as well.