# Help needed - micro blisters!!!



## Boxstercol (Mar 5, 2013)

Hiya All,

Bit of a story to this one & hoping that someone with a bit of experience can help.....


I've had a 2002 Mk4 Golf since it was 3 years / 7k miles old. I'm pretty OCD when it comes to cars & when I bought it from the local VW dealership I'm 99.9% certain that it was all original paint....

Fast forward a few years & I notice that the car has had paint, I can't prove it but think that it's had a repair whilst it's been in the VW dealership having warranty work done. Potentially damaged under their care?? Like I said, I can't prove it...

It looks like both front wings & the bonnet has seen paint. The car has been garaged for most of the time under my ownership but recently I have noticed small patches of micro blistering on the passenger wing. This has got progressively worse over the last 3/4 weeks, admittedly the car has been outside in this weather....

So thanks if you're still reading, I've got a couple of questions:

1) is there any way that the micro blisters can be wet sanded / compounded out? Or at least reduced?

2) if not (which I expect to be the case) how much woulda decent bodyshop charge for a bonnet & two front wing respray to a very good standard?

I haven't had paintwork done for years so am a little out of touch with going rates.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Col :thumb:


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Is there any chance you could put some pics of it up.

But going by what you've said. I very much doubt it will flat and polish.
It sounds very much like moisture in the paint. As its in a garage and the cold, damp, freezing, conditions we've had at the moment will affect it making it worse. Unfortunately the only course of action to cure the problem, would be remove all the previous paint work most likely back to baremetal and start again. I know that's probabaly not what you wanted to hear as it is alot of work and isn't going to be a cheap as im sure you understand. I couldn't really put a price on it as different body shops charge different prices and they will vary, as will the quality of the job. 
Ask around a few bodyshops in your area for an estimate, also ask if you can look around to see how its kept and looked after, ie if its filthy dirty and a mess then you can guess the quality. Have a look at a few of there paint jobs reason I say a few is because that way you can see if the paint finishes are consistent, and of a quality your after. Any decent bodyshop won't have any problems showing you about, as we don't at ours if customers ask. :thumb:


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## Boxstercol (Mar 5, 2013)

Thanks for your response Andy, much appreciated.

I will try & get some pics up to show the problem. I find myself wondering that if I'm going to pay loads in labour to get the panel back to bare metal it may make more sense to replace the wing.

I think I've seen a product on wheeler dealers, like a sealing primer that seals the paint underneath, is this something that could be used?


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## Dave Spalding (Apr 16, 2008)

Back to bare metal and a properly prepped respray is the only way to sort this. Anything else is a waste of time and money.


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

yeah needs to come off...theres no magic lotions you can spray over the top


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Boxstercol said:


> Thanks for your response Andy, much appreciated.
> 
> I will try & get some pics up to show the problem. I find myself wondering that if I'm going to pay loads in labour to get the panel back to bare metal it may make more sense to replace the wing.
> 
> I think I've seen a product on wheeler dealers, like a sealing primer that seals the paint underneath, is this something that could be used?


you mean epoxy primer. Yes it can be used but should be absolutely no need for it if the panel is prepped properly. All an epoxy primer will do is seal the panel of from air/moisture as these are the two components that cause rust. :thumb:


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