[Carbon dude]

Gave my car a clean today and I noticed at the very front end of both my m performance sills, there's marks on it. It looks like fallout or marks, I presume from the front tyres kicking up road grime. I've used everything at my disposal to clean it, fallout/tar remover, light abrasives etc and nothing is shifting it.
I can feel it's bumpy under my nail, it's not chips or anything similar.

Anyone got any recommendations on how to remove this and bring the shine back?

[peelerec]

It sure does look like paint has chipped away. If you said it feels bumpy, that may very well be the case. You could try using a light clay bar or clay mitt, in a small area and see if that helps. If that trim wasn’t coated or PPF, then I’m sure it’s been chipped.

[Soul_Glo]

Rule of thumb. If your nail catches it when you run your nail over it then it needs paint.

Cause? Thick tree twigs on the road, getting in carelessly with shoes hitting it, foreign object on road, aggressive washing technique, pressure washer too high and close, trolley marks, vandalism etc.

If it doesn’t bother you too much then you could try a machine polish and leave it be with layers of white wax. Or get a paint touch up kit and then polish away as needed.

White shows everything. Like black paint.

Suggested products:

Polishing wise: Chemical Guys VSS. Best results with a machine polisher.
Glaze: Poor Boy’s Diamond White
Wax: Soft 99 King of Gloss. Fusso. White

Filler polishes and waxes can raise the level. A bit like using filler on a crack.

Here’s a great guide on how to DIY. It’s written for chips but the same applies to deep scratches and scuffs:

https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/thr...r-guide.20127/

Good luck

[Carbon dude]

Thanks for the replies and advice. I'll give it another good look tomorrow. I've tried a clay bar and it doesn't do anything.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by Carbon dude

Thanks for the replies and advice. I'll give it another good look tomorrow. I've tried a clay bar and it doesn't do anything.

Without insulting your intelligence. Did you use plenty of lubricant with the clay bar? I’ve known bars to transfer onto paint and drag if not used correctly. So you may have removed the marks but the clay bar marks were left behind. You can try clay it again but a good polish is in order first to see if it improves things. Meguiars Scratch X is another one to consider.

[Beemer5to3]

They look like stone chips that have taken out the paint and it’s the plastic showing through - as far as I can tell from the photos anyway.

[Carbon dude]

Originally Posted by Soul_Glo

Without insulting your intelligence. Did you use plenty of lubricant with the clay bar? I’ve known bars to transfer onto paint and drag if not used correctly. So you may have removed the marks but the clay bar marks were left behind. You can try clay it again but a good polish is in order first to see if it improves things. Meguiars Scratch X is another one to consider.

Plenty of Gyeon lube used. Also used meguiars compound, which I'd presume is similar to scratch X?

[Carbon dude]

Originally Posted by Beemer5to3

They look like stone chips that have taken out the paint and it’s the plastic showing through - as far as I can tell from the photos anyway.

That was my initial thought. However when it's wet, the gloss shows back through and the marks are gone.

[Beemer5to3]

Carbon dude the only other thing I could think of would be some sort of tar deposit, but you’ve said you’ve tried tar remover? Is there any sign of reaction from it to tar remover, like disolving residue? If you’re local to the north east by any chance, I’d look at it for you as I’m pretty well clued up with detailing stuff.

[Carbon dude]

Originally Posted by Beemer5to3

Carbon dude the only other thing I could think of would be some sort of tar deposit, but you’ve said you’ve tried tar remover? Is there any sign of reaction from it to tar remover, like disolving residue? If you’re local to the north east by any chance, I’d look at it for you as I’m pretty well clued up with detailing stuff.

Tried tar remover and no change. Unfortunately I'm not near the north east but I appreciate the offer. It's a strange one that has really dumbfounded me.

[Beemer5to3]

Carbon dude no worries. One last thing to try - get a heat gun (hair dryer will do), and gently heat the spots and see if you can use your nail to dislodge whatever it is. You may scratch the paint, but nothing that won’t polish out - just make sure you clean the car or at least the area first before you do it. Without seeing it I don’t know what else to suggest mate as it’s difficult to tell what it is from the pics.

[Seaford]

Originally Posted by Carbon dude

Gave my car a clean today and I noticed at the very front end of both my m performance sills, there's marks on it. It looks like fallout or marks, I presume from the front tyres kicking up road grime. I've used everything at my disposal to clean it, fallout/tar remover, light abrasives etc and nothing is shifting it.
I can feel it's bumpy under my nail, it's not chips or anything similar.

Anyone got any recommendations on how to remove this and bring the shine back?

Maybe a last resort……..put some paper kitchen towel over it and keep it wet for 24 hours……if it is something that will absorb water that will soften it up.

Works a treat down here…where the sea gulls appear to have a diet of concrete dust straight from the sack….

[beerglass007]

That's stone chips 100%

Had the same on my first M340i with performance strips

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by beerglass007

That's stone chips 100%

Had the same on my first M340i with performance strips

If there is no paint missing. Lucky for OP it just looks like lacquer required.

[Bianchi Dave]

This is why I always fit mudflaps to our cars. The roads are in such a poor state nowadays the amount of stones and detritus kicked up by the tyres will do this in no time.
Although I'm just about to replace my mudflaps with AP arch guards for a hopefully cleaner look.
Obviously won't help the OP now, but once repaired should keep the skirts looking good.

[beerglass007]

Originally Posted by Soul_Glo

If there is no paint missing. Lucky for OP it just looks like lacquer required.

Same thing and requires same repair

[alij]

Originally Posted by Bianchi Dave

This is why I always fit mudflaps to our cars. The roads are in such a poor state nowadays the amount of stones and detritus kicked up by the tyres will do this in no time.
Although I'm just about to replace my mudflaps with AP arch guards for a hopefully cleaner look.
Obviously won't help the OP now, but once repaired should keep the skirts looking good.

Do you have a link for mudflaps / skirts

[Bianchi Dave]

Originally Posted by alij

Do you have a link for mudflaps / skirts

Sure -
https://automotivepassion.net/produc...ards-mudflaps/

Just fitted the carbon ones a couple of days ago and really happy with them, much less obvious than the standard / normal mudflaps I had on before.

The rears stick out a little too much for my liking but after speaking with AP Design they can be easily modified to sit further into the arch.

Couple of pics on the car -



Side on they're barely noticeable -