My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to 'Paint Spider'?

mydeathbynapalm

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Great Falls, VA (NoVA)
TDI
Golf GLS, 2002, Reflex Silver
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

The accident was minor, but enough to piss me to all hell to say the least. Not being at fault, but being the nice guy I am (though retaining all the offenders info just in case I get in a bad mood! /images/graemlins/wink.gif) I am trying to figure out a good way to fix the minor cosmetic damage done.

My '02 Golf was hit likely at 2-3 MPH right on the license plate. The end result is what I can describe as a 'webbing' of fine cracks in the paint along the base of the license plate area. No significant cracks or even any paint gouged out...just the very fine cracks one can see at certain angles and close up. Thankfully the cracks are mostly hidden by the plate...but there are ones that can be seen. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

I tried sanding (a test spot behind the license plate) with fine (220 grit) paper and then using touch up paint spread with my finger/saranwrap to keep from having a brushstroke look. That didn't really work...was easy to see where I had lightly sanded and touched up. I have also used wax and elbow grease to perhaps buff out the fine cracks...worked marginally.

The paint on my car has a metallic paint(Reflex Silver).(if this matters to the suggestions) I hate idiot drivers! /images/graemlins/mad.gif I love my TDi Golf.

Some would shrug their sholders and walk away. Others would develop a sudden bad back. I want to see if I can makes this 'webbing' of cracks fade away without going to lengths of repainting the entire bumper (as was suggested by the stealership). I'm a DIY-er! /images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Oberkanone

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2001
Location
NW Indiana
TDI
13 Jetta TDI Premium manual "gone"
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

Have to repaint the entire bumper to repair it. Also, the silver is difficult to match when doing a repaint.
 

Variant TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2002
Location
SS, MD.
TDI
2002 Golf Variant, Reflex Silver
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

There might be more damage to the underlying bumper foam, so I'd take it in and have it checked.

My front bumper has similar damage to it now, after I was the victim of a contact parallel parker. Hmmm... am I close? If I gun it... I'll find out.
 

mydeathbynapalm

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Great Falls, VA (NoVA)
TDI
Golf GLS, 2002, Reflex Silver
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

I figured the silver would be a hard match on a repaint...I have no desire to have my bumber look a different shade! I have found touching up the paint comes out different if the piece is plastic vs. metal. I have had decent success with small nicks due to rocks using the touch up kit (they gave me 2 kits when I bought the car!) but the spidering...I scratch my head.

I will see if I can look at the bumper foam...though without taking the bumper off I suspect I'd be looking at the back of it if I can get any look at it at all. I think the license plate absorbed a decent amount of the energy...it was barely scatched or distorted (dent would be too strong of a word).

I'll go and give some more looks, pokes and prodes...yell explitives...and debate if I want the stealership to waste my time. And then I have to attack her insurance company...I really do have scorn for idiots! /images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 

ARBY

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2004
Location
Royal Oak, MI
TDI
2011 Golf Sportwagen - really want a F-150.
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

Maybe try a good detailing shop that could put a polishing wheel on it. I'm alright with one and successfully got out many scratches on my Golf which were down to the primer - big scratches, too, can sometimes be wheeled-out by a skilled detailer.
 

cdu

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2003
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

Odd that you'd have so much damage from a parking incident. I've taken some pretty heavy thumps on my car and all that's happened is my license plate got a little dented. Also the rear bumper cover has a giant crease in the plastic that was there when I bought the car. Oh, and there is a huge door ding in the roof of the car (again from before I owned the car). I'd love to know how it got there, maybe a pine cone? Anyhow, my paint isn't cracked anywhere. Maybe that's the difference between silver and blue -- silver cracks easily and blue always looks dirty? I'd rather have had the silver.

Let us know if you're able to get rid of the cracks.
chris
 

mydeathbynapalm

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Great Falls, VA (NoVA)
TDI
Golf GLS, 2002, Reflex Silver
My Golf Rear Ended! Solution to \'Paint Spider\'?

I am tempted to use a scratch removal method, but the paint is cracked. The bumpers shape was taken to a point, however minimally different than it's 'original' shape, where the paint couldn't take the strain and separated for the split second, but came back together. Best description is if you step on a sheet of ice. You're point of impact is certainly distorted, but then you have all these fine cracks branching out. I don't really have a significant impact point...just all the fine cracks.

Not sure how proactive I will be at the moment finding a detail shop, but when and if I do, I will get that area attended to. I have various wax and polished products that I will use (and have started to use), but I am doubtfull this can be buffed out...I'd like to be convinced otherwise.

It wasn't a parkinglot where it happened. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place...trying to make a right but couldn't due to high speed traffic; and she not paying attention to anything it seems...rolled right into me. If there were a gash in the paint, or a split in the plastic, I'd have an easier time with the end solution. One has to have good eyesight and the right angle to notice the cracks...I'm just somewhat obsessive over my Golf!
 
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