Bug guts etch paint?

A

Andrewc-c

New member
Can bug guts etch paint?



I ran into a few bugs while driving a few weeks ago and I never had the time to wash my car untill now. I used clay lube on the bugs and you are still able see where the bugs were.



Did they etch my paint from being on there so long. *about 2 weeks* Or did the clay lube just not take the bugs off completely?
 
Yes. Bumpers etch quicker than metal. Dealer demos, for example, sold as new, can have permanent bug juice etching in their bumpers. 1.)Catching them within a week (or two at the most) and putting a barrier between the paint and the bugs (clear shield, wax, sealant, etc.) will prevent the juice from getting loose.
 
I do have AIO and some free Wolfgang paint sealant on my car. Before I had AIO/SG on and never had this problem. May this sealant not be as strong as SG?



Also will some megs scratch X remove the etching?
 
Andrewc-c said:
I do have AIO and some free Wolfgang paint sealant on my car. Before I had AIO/SG on and never had this problem. May this sealant not be as strong as SG?
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The Wolfy is definitely not as durable as SG.



Also will some megs scratch X remove the etching?
Click to expand...



Depends on the severity of the etching, how soft/hard your clear coat is (you may need a more aggressive polish than the ScratchX), and if the etching is deep into the clear then your probably looking at wet sanding to completely eliminate the damage. Or it may require a repaint.
 
The key is to remove the bird-bomb within a few hours or bug-juice within a day or 2 with a QD or a wash before it etches the paint. Then hit it with a semi-aggressive/mild polish and lsp before it goes thru the CC. If you wait more than a few days its too late as I have found out. (Zaino, Klasse, Collinite are the better protectants, any good polish if gotten early will work)
 
Bug guts are often full of acid (as is bird do) and will, if left on the car, eat through the wax or polymer sealant and then start on the paint.



Your best bet is to get them off the front bumper on day one.



For the most part, I don't get bugs on the car unless I am on a road trip, so I carry some spray and a few MF towels to use after I'm done with the highway portion of my program. Let the soap do its work, then carefully wipe the stuff off. Also, for some reason that nobody knows, WD40 works very well in removing bugs. Try it -- you'll like it.
 
I agree with Squidd99 bugs have acid in them, you can not fix the paint once your situtation has occured. Wetsanding and buffing are really a lost cause, new paint is the next step.
 
Well, it depends on how bad the etching is. I had some bug-gut-etching on the hood of the S8 last summer but it was easy to polish out, did it by hand.
 
when i go on long drives, i mask off a few spots on my front bumper with blue painter's tape or automotive tape. simply remove it after the trip, QD the area to restore shine, and voila!! no mess :D quick and easy.
 
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