I've noticed recently that my paint work on the bonnet, roof and boot lid seems damaged. It looks like its covered in little dried water marks but on closer inspection it appears that the laquer is damaged. It's as if the car has been splashed with a harmful water of some sort across the top. I've tried a paint restorer and polish but its not shifting it. I'm worries the paint is damaged beyond repair :(

And ideas?

Well you're right that the lacquer has been infiltrated ! From your description its either "acid-rain" or some nasty twat with some harmful liquid has sprayed it whilst passing... If it were brake fluid it would mean a total respray !

T-Cut is your only hope ;)

It wont polish out mate, I had exact same on my black saloon..

...ended up a full respray jobbie

I feared this. I've tried autoglym paint restorer, resin polish, wax, I've scrubbed the stuff in and nothing will shift it. Just seems unfair that this mad scaring on the paintwork appeared overnight and there's ##### all I can do about it. Frustrating!! I haven't got £4000 to do a respray. Gutted.

Water spotting/etching can be removed successfully (% depending on severity) via paint correction and reconditioning and doesnt cost anywhere near the 4k for the respray.

Full correction details from a GOOD pro should cost in the region of £750-£1500 depending on how long they need the car for, however you can get it cheaper but it may not be as good as you would expect, but we all know you get what you pay for in this day and age.

Water spotting/etching can be removed successfully (% depending on severity) via paint correction and reconditioning and doesnt cost anywhere near the 4k for the respray.

Full correction details from a GOOD pro should cost in the region of £750-£1500 depending on how long they need the car for, however you can get it cheaper but it may not be as good as you would expect, but we all know you get what you pay for in this day and age.

Its lacquer peel

Its lacquer peel

Laqcuer peel is you generally get from poor previous repairs, not from water etching etc, if it is brake fluid it will have showed slightly raised areas until any attempt was made to remove it, for it to happen overnight i would my guess without seeing it is that its water etching, unless of course the op has someone holding a vendetta against him and someone did the brake fluid splash on purpose. So my point is how can you be sure its lacquer peel without seeing it, not getting into a debate about it but without actually seeing the damage no one can be certain of what it is.

To the op, take it to a well respected detailer in your area and ask them what they think.

Because I had exact same on my car.

like i said i'm not getting into a debate about it, maybe a few pictures would help out, I deal with this type of defect on a daily basis, at this moment in time have a Ferrari F430 in with brake fluid damage and only one blister has effectively broken the clearcoat, this will have a chip repair, the rest will be dealt with accordingly, bird lime can and does break clearcoat and is immediate in its diagnosis of repaint, pretty much the same as brake fluid. But without a picture it cannot be diagnosed accurately which is why the OP should weigh up the options before deciding that the paint is beyond repair without repaint.