Bug Guts damaged my paint !!

oh i have those marks,,,, yeah they aren't coming off!

 

It looks lke the clear coat is etched. You will need to polish the paint to hide the etching. I would also sugest that once the correction is completed that you put 3 to 5 coats of sealant on the Tacoma followed by 2 coats of a wax that will accent the black paint.

From the pic you posted the damage looks a lot like tree sap which is just as bad if not worse than bug guts and bird bombs.

 

Drove 1500 miles to Wyoming a couple weeks ago. First time I've ever experienced bug rain. Southern MN and SD was horrible. I thought ahead and threw two extra coats of wax on the front end. No permanent damage to paint, but my radiator now has dings in it. You know its bad when yellow jackets are snacking on the carcasses. Even my front mud flaps were plastered. Grasshopper season over there, I guess?

As new as your truck is, I would see if your stealership can do something.

 

I had 2 Black Toyota trucks. both purchased by me new, prior to my 09' MGM that i drive now. I've never had those type of issues, though i do keep wax on it and try not to leave anything like Bug guts and bird shyt on for more than 2-3 days.

Not sure how often others are washing and waxing, but maintaining the outside prior to having the usual 'outside elements' thrown at it has always been the ticket for me.

 

That is the ticket to keeping the finish looking great for 10 years or more.

 

Looking at your picture, I have seen those marks before. Those are love bugs. Their guts are acidic and eat into paint. Believe me, I have seen the most experienced professional detailers try to get those out with buffers etc. It will not work. It will have to be repainted.

 

i know this is gonna sound dumb as hell but. but wet your truck down and use a bounce dryer sheet. make sure the sheet is moist this will get the bug guts off. i do this all the time when washing bugs off of my harley. works great and dosent f**k the paint up.

 

Just wet your front end down then wet the dryer sheets. After that wipe the entire front with them in a side to side motion then circular vise versa. After that wash with soap and sponge. Bam your done and no bugs. It amazes me how easy it takes the bugs off compared to scrubbing with a sponge. Just make sure you wash with soap afterwards or you will have white residue on your paint.

 

To everyone suggesting dryer sheets, clay bars and Meg's polish, just forget about it. The bugs have etched the clear coat and none of those recommendations are going to fix it. To everyone who doesn't use a quality wax or sealant on your trucks, this will happen to you.

 

Just become OCD about keeping your truck clean and bug damage won't happen

 

End of story...

 

From what I read about love bugs and their acidity it is important to use a quality wax and or sealant during the mating season. A repaint isn't necessary but a wet sand and polish may be required to remove the most extreme damage.

 

To the OP, suggest looking on the forum at Autogeek.net. There are some serious car detailers on there.

 

Hope you mean detailers. LOL

AG is a quality business with exceptional customer service.

 

3M protective coating,works like a charm

 

Easier said than done.

 

Not in my case unless I don't have the supplies I need or want

 

X2 when you have a dark colored Tacoma. Sigh

 

I understand that waxing regularly can be a pain in the ass, especilaly with all of the seams and rubber to try and avoid.

What i do is wash it the night before i am going to wax it, and try and wax it about 6 times a year.

Every bit as importantl in my mind, is the occasional quick hit with the Mequires Ultimate Detailer. (... or possibly their 'Quik wax') I can apply and remove the stuff in about 35-40 minutes and it provides a nice level of protection in between 'real' waxes. Gliding the back of your hand over the surface after finishing tells me pretty much all i need to know as far as added protection from using the stuff.