# Clear Coat **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 8, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499 "2011-05-08T18:02:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![desotododgeplymo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8dc957/32.png) [@desotododgeplymo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/desotododgeplymo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/1 "2011-05-08T18:02:26Z")
The clear coat is coming off my '97 Honda Civic in big patches, so the paint job looks terrible. I’ve tried using rubbing compound to get rid of what’s left but that didn’t work. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I can use to get rid of it? ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/2 "2011-05-08T18:45:03Z")
Get rid of what? The remaining clear coat? Why? To remove it use compressed air and/or a sander. What you really need is to take it to a body shop but it will not be cost effective so just drive it as is even though it’s ugly. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/3 "2011-05-08T19:28:11Z")
Orange rubbing compound should take it off, I used it on a car once to remove the clear coat. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/4 "2011-05-08T21:52:13Z")
I agree that the orange rubbing compound is likely the best choice, but you also may want to try clay. ---
**Author:** ![DfromSD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dfromsd/32/1669_2.png) [@DfromSD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DfromSD)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/5 "2011-05-08T22:18:04Z")
I think at this point your paint job is pretty much a goner. Once the clear is gone the base has little to no reistance to the elements. Rubbing compound won’t help anything, and may even make it look worse. Unfortunately, a new paint job will be the only real solution. ---
**Author:** ![desotododgeplymo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8dc957/32.png) [@desotododgeplymo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/desotododgeplymo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/6 "2011-05-09T02:13:20Z")
I tried the orange rubbing compound. I thought of a sander, but I really didn’t want to put all that into it. I don’t care about how it looks, but my son had a fender bender with his car and I was just trying to spruce up mine so he could drive it to his first, last and only prom. I don’t know what the clay is, but I’ll check it out. He’ll probably just have to take it as it is. After all, I’m not the one that wrecked his car! Thanks for all the suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clear-coat/64499/7 "2011-05-10T18:14:09Z")
You’ll be hard-pressed to get this looking decent with any abrasive, which is what clay bar, rubbing compound, and polishing compounds are. In my area MAACO us offering a respray for $299. I’ve seen one and they did a good job. For a '97 Civic in need of a facelift it’s a good option to consider.