jakematic

On the driver's side (left in USA) the channel along the edge of the roof in the back is peeling what looks like clear coat.
It flakes off pretty easily with a finger nail, and you can see the "bare" centre section in the pictures.

Any suggestions on what to do about it? (other than drive slower )

Am thinking of getting the car in at some point to a paint shop to have all the little nicks and such cleaned up.
In the mean time that section looks like crap and I wanted to know if I should be concerned.

Thanks-
Jake

Brozee

Mine doesn't have it in that area, although I am experiencing it right around the Audi logo on the trunk and right around the A8 symbol on the trunk as well. I figure, my car looks great, and for 6 years old I can easily live with these small imperfections. Only one that is giving me an issue is my lower driver side door has partial rust beneath the rain guard on the bottom of the door. You can't see the metal beneath that is rusting but if you tap the door with your fist or pull back the layer rust pieces drop out.

jakematic

It's certainly not a make or break for me, I was just worried about rust.
Am not 100% sure what is aluminum and what is steel on these cars.

Since this has been a Southern call all it's life am hopeful I don't have any cropping up on the doors et, and this spot seems to be clean without any oxidation.

Brozee

Shouldn't experience any rust anywhere. When I got my car from the last owner it had rust spots, tiny little rust specks on the bumper in places. I got them out with a small brush. Only my driver door is experiencing the large pieces of metal falling out when I pull back the trim. It was never in an accident and it was never repaired. It is the metal bracing that basically holds the trim onto the bottom of the door I believe. Not a big problem but if you get low enough you can see the rust in places where it bled from the inside onto the bottom strip of the trim.

05SilverA8

This piece removes easily and can be painted and re-clear coated relatively easy. Just take it to a body shop and have them do it. I just had a much larger panel painted and clear coated by a local shop and it was not that expensive.

MP4.2+6.0

it's an aluminum body car with virtually all aluminum in the doors too. Are you sure it isn't either caked mud, or some prior owner goofy repair/mod inside the door?

MP4.2+6.0

My now 12 year old A6 also has these roof strips, and they are still in great shape even w/ years of full sun parking. Could just be bad sunburn if car has lived in that kind of harsh environment, or maybe a prior repaint in that area. Audi clearcoat is typically very durable.

As far as fix, probably need a body/paint shop. If you wet sand it (not for faint of heart), there may be no clearcoat left and could just look worse.

SaltyIrishman

Resurrecting an old thread here as it was the only one I could find, but my paint is totally flaked and peeled off in places on the driver's side gutter as well as starting to crack on the passenger side. All other panels on the car look perfect so this is weird. The strips certainly do look like aluminum underneath as it is bare silver from where the paint peeled off.

I'll add pictures but was curious if anyone else has had this problem. Nice to know that they are removable and I won't have to paint the entire roof but upsetting as it seems it must have been repainted previously, at least that is my guess...

SaltyIrishman

Picture attached from today--need to get another one after the rain to show cracking on passenger side

SaltyIrishman

...Bump--someone mentioned being able to remove these and I'm searching the forum for how to remove those channels that run between the top of doors and roof to no avail...anyone have information?