Exterior paint blemish Issue

[pandas]

This is the second motorhome where we have had an issue with the bonnet paint finish deteriorating - a slight dullness and blotchy. Both Hymers, both A Class, both from new, both had a paint finish treatment and both started to show signs of an issue around the 2 year mark.
Being an A class I believe is significant as the bonnet is GRP and therefore does not have the the rigour, technology and quantity developed within the car manufacturing industry. The profiled top section above the windscreen is also just starting to show slight signs of deterioration. All the aluminium panels are still brilliant.
Also showing some signs of 'yellowing' in parts - no it didn't used to be an old British Telecoms van (hopefully)!
We have has this professionally polished out now but have an anxiety that this might happen again at some point.
Hacked off that it should happen in the first place particularly as it had a specialist treatment before delivery and it is only just over 2 years old.
Has anybody also had this issue? Should it be down to a manufacturing fault even though out of warranty?

 

[eddie]

If it polished out, are you sure it’s not the treatment?

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Ours is a 2014 and has had this since it was a couple of years old. We had ours professionally valeted a couple of years ago and the valeter polished and waxed it reasonably well, though he warned against further ‘polishing out’ as the surface finish is too thin.
I’d be interested in a solution.

 

[peterc10]

What do you mean by a paint finish treatment? Was it something the dealer sold you at an exorbitant price?

 

[pandas]

If it polished out, are you sure it’s not the treatment?

A good point and I have know idea how to tell except for the slight yellowing in places after it has been polished - rotary isolating gizmo.

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[pandas]

Ours is a 2014 and has had this since it was a couple of years old. We had ours professionally valeted a couple of years ago and the valeter polished and waxed it reasonably well, though he warned against further ‘polishing out’ as the surface finish is too thin.
I’d be interested in a solution.

Yes this is what we have.

 

[Bessy765]

Try going to a yacht chandlers and use the type of polish used on grip boats, its more UV resistant

 

[TheBig1]

The grp parts are manufactured in Turkey to pattern for hymer and the quality is absolute crap, and that is being kind to them. The only solution available is having the parts painted professionally. However the poor quality grp parts are badly made and can, and do blister and separate over time. Been mentioned on here before

 

[Lenny HB]

It is oxidisation of the GRP leaching through the Gel coat, the Gel coat is very thin on Motorhomes compared to boats so it happens a lot quicker.
You need to polish it with a GRP restorer (do not use a course one), leave it a couple of weeks as after cutting back it will leach again in 10 to 12 days. Then repeat, then polish, then wax. I've just done my over cab, looks a lot better but not brilliant as I did it by hand, it really needs a polisher on it but if you use one be careful as it's easy to burn through the Gel coat.
As the TheBig1 says the only permanent answer is to get it sprayed.

 

[Peppadog]

It is oxidisation of the GRP leaching through the Gel coat, the Gel coat is very thin on Motorhomes compared to boats so it happens a lot quicker.
You need to polish it with a GRP restorer (do not use a course one), leave it a couple of weeks as after cutting back it will leach again in 10 to 12 days. Then repeat, then polish, then wax. I've just done my over cab, looks a lot better but not brilliant as I did it by hand, it really needs a polisher on it but if you use one be careful as it's easy to burn through the Gel coat.
As the TheBig1 says the only permanent answer is to get it sprayed.

As a boat owner also, I agree with you.

My 2007 reg B654 bonnet is dull and has very thin gel coat. On older grp boat hulls in my boat yard, they are often cleaned with diluted oxalic acid, then polished two or three times with something like Maguires polish. But as you say, the coloured surface coat that is applied in the mould first (gel coat) on a boat hull is much thicker than on our vans.

So note, my bonnet and front roof moulding, along with all the grp sections are not painted, its the gel coat I am looking at. They need to be treated as such and cleaned then polished. Over rubbing will wear through the gel coat and never look very good. Spraying or maybe wrapping is the only solution once its lost its shine? I’m delaying that on my van at the moment!

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[pandas]

As a boat owner also, I agree with you.

My 2007 reg B654 bonnet is dull and has very thin gel coat. On older grp boat hulls in my boat yard, they are often cleaned with diluted oxalic acid, then polished two or three times with something like Maguires polish. But as you say, the coloured surface coat that is applied in the mould first (gel coat) on a boat hull is much thicker than on our vans.

So note, my bonnet and front roof moulding, along with all the grp sections are not painted, its the gel coat I am looking at. They need to be treated as such and cleaned then polished. Over rubbing will wear through the gel coat and never look very good. Spraying or maybe wrapping is the only solution once its lost its shine? I’m delaying that on my van at the moment!

Yes mine is the gel coat. You have given me a thought; rather than go though the polishing process again which will happen at sometime I may go for a wrap of the bonnet - in a contrasting colour - possibly not silver, gold metallic or a selfie picture of ourself! Thank you for the feedback.

 

[Podney]

Try using Starbrite products. I’ve used their renovating polish and it’s very good. They also do a colour restorer. I think it was CazPaul who put me on to them,so thanks to him

 

[Lenny HB]

Try using Starbrite products. I’ve used their renovating polish and it’s very good. They also do a colour restorer. I think it was CazPaul who put me on to them,so thanks to him

I found jezport GRP restorer better than Starbrite and ½ the price.

 

[Speve]

I used 3m GRP restorer worked quite well on ours but I can still see some marks in it and after three goes it’s now very hard to see. However on vehicles of this value it’s crap and Hymer should do something about it.

 

[Lenny HB]

I used 3m GRP restorer worked quite well on ours but I can still see some marks in it and after three goes it’s now very hard to see. However on vehicles of this value it’s crap and Hymer should do something about it.

The 3M restorer is very good but can only get it from the States now at silly prices.

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[Speve]

The 3M restorer is very good but can only get it from the States now at silly prices.

I’d better hang on to mine then
blimey Lenny HB at nearly £50 a bottle I see what you mean

 

[CazPaul]

I found jezport GRP restorer better than Starbrite and ½ the price.
I still have some of Jezports restorer Lenny and sorry to say didn’t rate it at all, I think the starbrite range is excellent, specially for marine and the fibreglass sections, although I am talking about restoring older vans 2005 all our vans have been, most products work on the aluminium.
You are probably trying it on newer vehicles where the fibreglass is much newer?

 

[pandas]

As a boat owner also, I agree with you.

My 2007 reg B654 bonnet is dull and has very thin gel coat. On older grp boat hulls in my boat yard, they are often cleaned with diluted oxalic acid, then polished two or three times with something like Maguires polish. But as you say, the coloured surface coat that is applied in the mould first (gel coat) on a boat hull is much thicker than on our vans.

So note, my bonnet and front roof moulding, along with all the grp sections are not painted, its the gel coat I am looking at. They need to be treated as such and cleaned then polished. Over rubbing will wear through the gel coat and never look very good. Spraying or maybe wrapping is the only solution once its lost its shine? I’m delaying that on my van at the moment!

End of frustration with the blotchy paintwork. Decided to remove the bonnet and have it resprayed. Looks brilliant now and well worth the £300. Made a huge difference.