I bought a '99 Maxima SE a couple of months ago and would like to clean her up a bit. It appears a PO rattle-canned the current paint job because the paint is peeling at several panel edges. The paint underneath looks to be halfway decent factory, clear-coated paint.

How can I remove this "top-coat" of rattle-can paint, primer, whatever it is without damaging the clearcoat and paint underneath? Is it as simple as sanding, buffing, and polishing? If so, what grit sandpaper should I use? Is there a better way (chemical stripping, etc)? Appreciate any and all advice.

Sorry about the crappy cell phone pics. The car is white, original paint is Icelandic Pearl (QT1).

 

its COMPLETELY covered?

 

You can't take one coat of paint off, and I'm sure what's under it isn't pretty either.
It was sprayed for a reason. DA the whole section and refinish.

 

To me that looks like it just has the clear coat/ pearl stage peeling off. Mine is doing that in small areas. There's nothing you can do other than repaint the car.

 

It isn't the clearcoat...it's actual paint on top of the original. Looks like there wasn't any prep either. The "applied" paint is a flat white color and soaks up stains like no tomorrow. Washing doesn't work. I have to use a Mr Clean eraser to get them out (sacrilege, I know).

It just peels off, sort of like sunburned skin and reveals the "good" shiny paint under it. See pics below... While I could "pick" at the car for days or weeks on end, I would like to find a faster but safe way to remove it.

Top/exterior side



Bottom/underside

 

BTW...in the pics from the first post, the flat/non-shiny part is the paint/primer that covers 90% of the car. The shiny-looking sections are the paint underneath. Pic #3 is the best example. The flat color to the left an top of the image is the "existing" paint job that is on top. The shiny part next to the black trim (intersection of windshield and passenger door on the roof) is the paint underneath...and what I assume is the original color of the car.

I am trying to get some decent pics to help with my description, but it is sunny and hot as hell outside. The images wash out easily, especially when I get a foot or so from the car. Maybe this picture below will help.

 

you can sit there for hours peeling it off, only to have damaged paint underneath anyway and have to respray.