How To Fix Faded Car Paint: Guide to Auto Paint Restoring

Have you started to notice that your vehicle’s paint isn’t quite as shiny and vibrant as it once was?

Unfortunately, car paint isn’t invincible—it’s subject to a variety of elements that can cause it to chip, peel and fade over time. Whether you're a collision repair technician or are simply a car owner looking to take care of your vehicle, it’s important to know what can cause fading and how to prevent it.

The primary factors contributing to car paint fading include exposure to sunlight, road salt, bird droppings, the type of paint used and lack of proper care. Sunlight can cause the pigment in car paint to break down and oxidize, leading to a dull and rough appearance.

To prevent car paint from fading, it's recommended to park in covered areas, maintain a regular car wash schedule and wax the car after washing. These steps can protect the paint from sun damage and environmental factors, preserving the vehicle's appearance and value.

Faded car paint can often be restored without needing a complete repaint. The restoration process may involve buffing the paint with specific compounds and pads to bring back the shine. It's crucial to use the right equipment and follow the manufacturer's recommendations during this process.

The buffing process includes washing the car, using a clay bar to remove embedded dirt and buffing with appropriate compounds and pads. It's important to work in small sections, be cautious around edges and body lines, and finish by sealing the paint with wax or a ceramic coating to protect the newly polished surface.

In cases where the paint is too faded or damaged, a full repaint may be necessary. Skilled collision repair technicians can assess the condition of the paint and recommend the best course of action. For those interested in car restoration and repair, pursuing a career as a collision repair technician could be a fulfilling path.

Keep reading to learn valuable tips for preventing fading as well as how car paint restoration can make your vehicle appear good as new.

What Is Faded Car Paint?

Faded car paint refers to the deterioration of the paint finish on a vehicle's exterior, resulting in a loss of color vibrancy and gloss. This phenomenon is commonly caused by prolonged exposure to environmental elements such as sunlight, UV rays, harsh weather conditions and pollutants.

Over time, the paint oxidizes, leading to a faded, dull appearance that can diminish the overall aesthetic appeal of the car. Faded car paint not only affects the visual appeal but also reduces the protective barrier that the paint provides against rust and corrosion.

Regular maintenance, proper cleaning, waxing and storing the vehicle in shaded areas can help prevent or minimize paint fading, ensuring the longevity and visual appeal of the car's exterior.

What Causes Faded Car Paint?

There are a variety of factors that can have a negative impact on the condition of a car’s paint. These include:

• Sunlight: The No. 1 cause of faded car paint is sunlight. The sun’s harsh UV rays affect the pigment in car paint and can slowly break it down and cause it to oxidize. Over time, the paint will become visibly dull, rough and may even flake off in patches in more extreme cases.
• Road salt: Salt is often used on roads to melt ice and snow. However, when road salt accumulates on a car, it can fade the vehicle’s paint and cause it to rust. If you live in a colder climate, it’s essential to wash your car regularly during the winter months to avoid this.
• Bird droppings: Believe it or not, bird droppings are highly acidic and can eat away at your car’s paint when left on the surface too long. If you notice bird droppings on your vehicle, it’s best to act immediately. Use a wet towel and detergent to gently clean the area. Avoid scrubbing, as this can scratch your paint.
• Type of paint: The type of paint applied to a vehicle can make it more susceptible to fading. A single stage paint, which mixes the color and the clearcoat together, has a higher chance of fading versus a vehicle painted with a basecoat and clearcoat separately. When the clearcoat is applied on top of the basecoat, it can provide UV protection and help to keep the paint from fading.
• Lack of proper care: How you take care of your vehicle will also contribute to whether your finish will shine or fade. People who wash and wax their vehicles on a regular basis have a better chance of their vehicle’s finish staying in good condition.

To learn more, check out our list of 13 things that can damage car paint.

3 ways to prevent faded car paint

When it comes to preserving your car’s paint, prevention is key. Taking steps to care for your vehicle’s finish now can save you from costly repairs in the future with a refinish technician. Plus, if you ever plan on selling your car or trading it in, you’ll be able to preserve its value and visual appeal.

Park in a covered area

Whenever possible, it’s best to park in a covered area. As mentioned, the sun’s rays can be incredibly damaging to a car’s paint, so finding covered parking, whether it’s in a carport, garage or even under a tree is always a good idea. If you do park under a tree, just be sure to watch out for bird droppings, as they can damage your paint.

Wash your car regularly

Sticking to a regular wash schedule is one of the best things you can do to prevent sun and environmental damage on a car. Car owners who do not wash their vehicle on a regular basis will not only have a dirty vehicle, but they are likely to accumulate micro dirt, which becomes embedded in the car’s finish.

Every few weeks, run your car through the car wash or wash it yourself. If you do decide to take the DIY route, be sure to use the right products—never simply grab a rag and dish soap from the kitchen!

Instead, use a gentle cleaner specifically designed for automotive paint and either a soft sponge or mitt. When cleaning the wheels and tires, use a separate sponge to avoid transferring any brake dust, sand and other debris to your car’s surface, which can scratch it.

Wax your car after washing

Waxing is a great way to add another layer of protection to your vehicle’s paint. Plus, it will make your vehicle look beautiful and shiny when applied after a wash.

There are a variety of different waxes to choose from, such as paste, liquid, spray and wipe-on/wipe-off. No matter which formula you choose, always be sure to closely follow the directions for applying.

Waxing your car every three months or so will help to extend the longevity of your paint, especially if you live in a cold climate. However, remember not to overdo it, as this can cause build-up on your car’s surface.

How To Fix Faded Car Paint

If your car’s paint is already faded and not looking quite as vibrant as you would like, you might be wondering, ‘How do I fix it?’ Luckily, faded car paint doesn’t always require a fresh coat of paint. There are several things you can do to bring your existing finish back to life.

If the paint has faded but the quality of the surface is in good shape, you may be able to buff the shine back into the paint. During the buffing process, keep in mind that you’re using an abrasive compound that, when not used properly, can do even more damage to the paint.

How to properly buff out a car

To start the buffing process, give the surface a good wash. Then, to remove micro dirt embedded in the surface of the paint, use a clay bar product. Follow the recommendations of the clay bar manufacturer to learn how to use their product. When used properly, you should be able to feel a smoother surface where the clay bar has been used.

Now, you’re ready for the buffing process. To begin, it’s important to ensure you have the right equipment. You will need a quality buffer, which can be electric, battery powered or air powered. In the Collision Repair Program at UTI, students use Snap-on® air powered buffers.

Next, you will need buffing pads and buffing compounds. Students at UTI use the 3MTM Perfect-It^TM buffing system, which includes a buffing compound #1 and a matching #1 buffing pad. This compound does the heavy cutting of the surface as we start to bring back the shine. Without proper use and care, this compound can also easily cut through the paint on edges and bodyline areas that can only be repaired by repainting, so be careful.

While working and buffing two-foot square areas at a time, the #1 compound will start to produce an improved shine. After wiping any excess #1 compound residue off the surface, use the #2 machine polish and the matching #2 buffing pad and go over the area that was buffed earlier with the #1 compound, continuing to work in two-foot square areas at a time.

At this point, you should see a noticeable difference in the shine. Before moving to the next step, wipe off any excess #2 compound residue and use the #3 ultrafine machine polish.

During the buffing process, the buffing pad can leave what are known as “swirl marks” on the finish. The #3 ultrafine machine polish will help to eliminate swirl marks and bring out a shiny, polished finish.

It’s important to remember that this process opens the microscopic pores of the surface of the paint. For this reason, you must seal the surface of the finish with a good automotive wax or an automotive style ceramic coating. As always, follow the manufacturer's recommendations on how to apply and how often to apply.

Tips for buffing

• Never lay your buffing pad face-down on the ground. The pad can pick up dirt that will scratch the paint.
• Always use the right buffing pad with the correct compound or polish.
• Follow the product manufacturer’s recommendation for buffer RPM speeds.
• Be extra careful when buffing near edges and body lines.
• Store your buffing pads separately in clean, sealable plastic bags.

How to fix a faded clearcoat

When dealing with a faded clearcoat on a car, the process typically involves careful restoration to revitalize the paintwork and enhance the vehicle's appearance.

One common method to fix faded clearcoats is through a process known as compounding and polishing. This technique involves using a specialized compound to gently remove the damaged clearcoat layer, followed by polishing to restore shine and smoothness to the paint surface. It's crucial to approach this task with caution to avoid further damage to the paint.

Alternatively, seeking professional assistance from auto detailing experts or body shops can ensure a thorough and effective restoration of the faded clearcoat, maintaining the integrity and aesthetics of the car's exterior. Regular maintenance practices like waxing and protecting the vehicle from harsh environmental factors can also help prevent future clearcoat fading issues.

What if the Car’s Paint Is Too Damaged?

Sometimes, car paint restoration is not possible based on the condition of the paint. If your paint is too faded or damaged for the buffing process to work, the only other way to bring back the shine is to refinish the vehicle. This could consist of just painting the panels that are corroded or refinishing the entire vehicle.

If this is the case, reach out to a collision repair center near you. A skilled collision repair technician can evaluate the condition of your car and tell you what the best plan of action is to get your vehicle’s paint looking good as new.

You can also get trained as a collision repair technician and learn how to repair your car’s paint yourself! UTI’s Collision Repair & Refinish Technology (CRRT) program offers hands-on collision repair training with courses like Vehicle Preparation for Painting, Finish Applications and more!¹