I saw the other day that the paint on the bonnet has gone grey in a couple of areas - I thought it might be UV damage or something, although I keep the car covered. I tried to polish it out but that had no effect so I think it is the colour paint, not the lacquer - has anyone seen this before? Does anyone know a solution?
Thanks in advance
I think it could be lacquer damage caused by the cover. Condensation under then heat on the cover, guessing really.
If no amount of polishing/buffing gets it out then you need to visit an expert (paint shop) it could just need a lacquer coat, again hopefully just than, I’m not a paint expert.
Something similar happened on my velocity red ‘02 NBFL when it was 18 years old and I started doing 10 hour runs up to Scotland. On one 16 hour run from John O’Groats to Lands End the grey patches turned into bubbles which burst to reveal the paint beneath was reasonably undamaged. I left it as was until I had all the rust sorted then had it resprayed other colours, but you might get away with relaquering the panel. 
Thanks both - I’ll give the lacquer a more significant go with the polishing compound and if that doesn’t work I’ll strip it back completely. Hopefully it’s not the colour layer
The same thing happened with my old Vextra B, the lacquer was blown in places and eventually some flaked off. But the paint underneath was OK and it had no rust!
We only put up with it because the car was approaching twenty years old and worth nothing, but it kept on working fault-free, and flew through MOTs. Until a small spring broke in the engine, rendering it scrap.
