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Road fallout or underseal on S550?

The_Fireball

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Hi all. I recently had my S550 fully detailed, and the chap doing it pointed out paint contamination all up the sides. He thinks it's underseal over-spray, and said that no tar remover or product he used would take it off, and suggested a claybar and potentially machine polish would be needed to shift it. I'd always noticed this stuff from early days of ownership, but just assumed it was tar. I've tried myself with some tar remover and WD40 and it doesn't come close to touching it.

As it's under warranty, i took it to my local Ford bodyshop who are convinced it's road fallout (naturally!) and not something they'll look into. Pictures below from right after it was detailed. Thing is, it doesn't really catch on your nail, it's almost like it's embedded in the paint, but with these cars throwing everything up the sides as they do, it's hard to discount road fallout as well.

Has anyone else seen anything like this from the factory, or otherwise? I've no idea how i could even go about getting it properly analysed independently. Obviously i could just get it handled by the detailer, but if it is indeed something more sinister, that should be Ford to sort it out. Help appreciated!

The shots are from the lower parts of the door, both passenger and drivers sides affected. There's patches on the rear haunches too which again makes me think it could well be flicked up from the road, as you get a lot of stone chips there too.

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Interceptor

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My device fails to load photos.
Was this vehicle purchased new or was there a previous owner involved?

Without seeing issue really hard to judge, but if previous owner, they may have had some type of coating applied for protection. May have had some sort of incorrect chemicals applied to clean hiway residue.

I'm about the solution and not the problem, I do not believe claying will solve your issue from your description.
 
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The_Fireball

The_Fireball

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My device fails to load photos.
Was this vehicle purchased new or was there a previous owner involved?

Without seeing issue really hard to judge, but if previous owner, they may have had some type of coating applied for protection. May have had some sort of incorrect chemicals applied to clean hiway residue.

I'm about the solution and not the problem, I do not believe claying will solve your issue from your description.
Fixed the images; didn't realise i could directly embed :facepalm:

I've had the car from new, picked it up at the dealership in 2018. I can't say if it was there from the start; it has to be really clean and you have to be close to notice it initially, but i do remember it being there from early ownership.
 

Interceptor

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The spots may clay, maybe not. That's nasty on rear.
 
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The_Fireball

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The spots may clay, maybe not. That's nasty on rear.
I've no idea if that stuff on the back valance is related. It looks almost watery in consistency in some places, very weird. I expect that has come post-delivery though, as it's very obvious and surely would have been picked up on a dealership inspection.

I'm going to contact PVWI independent paint inspections for a look at it all. It'd be worth the inspection cost just for the clarity on what it all is. Interestingly, both the boot and the bonnet have been back for resprays at Ford because of contact points rubbing down to the yellow base coat within the first 6 months. They thought i was being a bit pedantic; i asked them how they think that'd look in 6 years time and if they'd want it on their new Mustang! :cwl:
 

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Interceptor

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The black spots look to be environmental.
 

Arknsawchuck

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Did you or the dealer have the car coated underneath? I've never seen so much black under one, even the mufflers. If so, it could be overspray from that. The side of you car looks just like overspray and the back looks like smudges from a brush or fingers. If it is then it may clay or polish off.
 
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The_Fireball

The_Fireball

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Did you or the dealer have the car coated underneath? I've never seen so much black under one, even the mufflers. If so, it could be overspray from that. The side of you car looks just like overspray and the back looks like smudges from a brush or fingers. If it is then it may clay or polish off.
That's raises a pretty interesting point actually which I've been meaning to ask - are your US spec cars not undercoated like this? It might be something done for the EU market either at flat rock before they leave or once they get over here. That'd lend weight to this indeed being underseal paint.

That black underseal is across the entire bottom of the car - everything is covered in it apart from most of the exhaust, although that might have just heated and crusted off. It's hard, not like the old rubbery underseal. I had to get it back to the dealer at one point as the part label on the prop shaft, which had been painted over with this stuff, came partially loose, and ripped around the prop shaft tunnel like a garden strimmer. Ripped the heat/sound proofing to shreds. So they had to replace all that, and repaint that bit, however i am certain the dots were all there before that incident, so it's not a result of that work. Couldn't say for the rear valance though.
 
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The_Fireball

The_Fireball

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Answering my own question here: comparing the underside of this car in the CJ Pony Parts fitting video to mine, it's clear they're totally different:


Mine:
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Maybe since they are freighted by ship they seal bottom. Or maybe dealer did as part of delivery.
 

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v8hgt

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They unload them in Belgium on arrival into the eu and do this to all of them so they can avoid import tax by claiming it’s been finished in Europe.
It’s not proper under seal and it’s sprayed randomly so pretty pointless really. Many take them to ford dealers for rectification and a proper undersealing job. In your case I think you have a valid claim.
 

WD Pro

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That’s defo the additional underseal that we get for the U.K. market, my 2020 had it on the lower paintwork upon delivery.

On new paint / new underseal it will come off, but it takes some work. If your detailer thinks he can wipe it over with something quickly and it will be gone, that’s why he’s telling you it won’t come off. Any reasonable paintwork cleaner will shift it if you work on small areas and take your time.

These return lips were covered :

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WD :like:
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