Hi, we have a fleet of charter buses that were destroyed by graffiti. We were able to remove it mostly with acetone and magic eraser, but there is a residue that just will not buff out with any polish, nor with a clay bar.

It does not look different depending on the color of the spray paint the vandals used. It seems to just be a surface level blurryness that would be very easy to polish out, but it’s not!

The paint shop is saying “just repaint them”, but we can’t afford $9,000 per bus x 8 buses!



Any help is appreciated!

If you were using those Erasers they are pretty aggressive depending on who's arm is behind them, combo that up with hot acetone and I'm thinking you guys have broken through clear here and there. Your only hope might be to have a guy from a paint detailing shop look at it.
I know this may be a stupid question but...... why aren't you just having them repainted? Surely, these expensive things have insurance on them. I mean even the property they were sitting on probably has some type of insurance to cover this.....

yep acetone is very aggressive removing this sort of thing, BUT its also very aggressive to the base paint. a buffing wheel and compound, start with a light compound and go heavier if needed. you'd have to experiment with compounds and pads. might have consulted a detailer. did they have a clear coat on them? or was it posibly S/S ?
Jay D.