My car spends a fair amount of time in the sun, im thinking of buying a cover for it seing as a wattle tree is always droping crap on it. But yeah, the red paint has faded a fair bit, I would really like to get it shining a nice deep red again. Ive tried washing, ive tried a clay bar, ive tried polish etc, no dice.

What can be done? Also how much (roughly) would a respray to silver cost?

Respray.

My car spends a fair amount of time in the sun, im thinking of buying a cover for it seing as a wattle tree is always droping crap on it. But yeah, the red paint has faded a fair bit, I would really like to get it shining a nice deep red again. Ive tried washing, ive tried a clay bar, ive tried polish etc, no dice.

What can be done? Also how much (roughly) would a respray to silver cost?

im surprised a cut and polish didnt work. It did absolute wonders for my old red Pintara and my friends red EL falcon

autoglym just released a special polish to deepen dark coloured cars. and make em look wet and shiney, my boss used it on he's black f250 and its the ****, really nice polish

you might wanna give that a try ?

hmm might be worth a try. Would red be considered 'dark' though

Did you cut and polish or just polish?
To really get the paint out again (if it isn't too badly damaged) is to get someone to give it a good buff and then polish over that.

Out of interest, does wax do anything to prevent paint from fading?

Out of interest, does wax do anything to prevent paint from fading?
no and no to the respray go to a detailer unless u got a buff ur self which u will need a cuttin compound to remove the oxidised paint then a glaze to restore the gloss then all wax to trap in the the gloss all this is done using the buff

yeah take it to a detailers/smash repair place, full car will set ya back bout $100 but the car will come up looking the tits!

last year wen i took my red corolla thru an automatic spray carwash, it completely fked up the paint so the company got it detailed to avoid a lawsuit for not displaying signs warning bout dammage to old vehicles :P

well i just did my cousins red civic and its the same crappy red as yours.. the one that fades like nothing else..

i did it a few months back with a buffer using products called menzerna light scratch and swirl removal kit (intensive polish, then final polish) and it came up ok..

then i did it bu hand with meguiars 3 step polish..

1- paint cleaner
2- System polish
3- carnubra wax

and apart from the plastic spolier on the rear and a bit where her "ex" burnt it with a buffer (inexperience) it looks brand new now..

id say for you though.. if you dont have a buffer.. go to a detailer.. shouldnt cost anymore than $250ish.. do the inside yourself and just get them to do the outside to rejuvinate the paintwork..

once its done its just a matter of keepin the wax up to it.. like every 2 months..

last year wen i took my red corolla thru an automatic spray carwash, it completely fked up the paint so the company got it detailed to avoid a lawsuit for not displaying signs warning bout dammage to old vehicles :P

yeh, would have happened because the chemicals would have reacted to your already slightly oxidised paintwork.. red (and some white) cars go like this a little when we wash them at work.. also using hot water to wash them with will speed up the oxidisation..

anyone know of someplace nearish where i live (the blue mountains) where I could get the paint fixed up?

This saturday im getting a redback exhaust fitted, then the following monday its going in to get the whole front end replaced after that damn dog. Id like the get the paintwork fixed up so I would have a nice looking car again.

You have to be careful with clear coat cars (all 2nd gen Magnas onwards were clear coat). A normal cutting compound can cut through the clear coat, and then you're fcked! So stay away from your normal cutting compounds, because you need something different for clear coats.

I suggest you contact Wax Wizard (www.waxwizard.com.au). They have a huge range of products not normally available in your average auto store, and they can give you very specific and knowledgeable advice. I used them once and was VERY impressed. I think they also do detailing, but I just used them to get some products.

I have no affiliation with them. In fact, I've never met them, I just corresponded via email.

Anyway, good luck.