I have a fine lined "star crack smaller than a dime on the top of the driver's side front fender, right next to the front boot, midway up the fender What is that all about?

The surface does not appear to be abraided, more like an eruption from below the paint. I bought the car with this new paint on by PO, a good job, "alpine white" with clear.

Who's the "paint guy" around here anyway?

Post a picture. But is sounds like something hit it from the under side. Rock coming out of the tire tread, someone hit it on the up stroke with a hammer. Look on the back side of the star crack and see if there's an impact mark. Is it a glas fender? You didn't specify.

Here is the photo provided by my fourteen-year-old son.

On further examination, the center of the star is a definite "high spot".

Stock fender - Metal

Could be a rust bubble. Sometimes they crack the paint like that.

I examined inside the fender well and there appears to be no impact from below, appears to be kinda on a body seam.

Definitely hit from the underside. The repair requires grinding the spot to bare metal. The crack is all the way to the sheet metal. If you fail to repair it moisture start to get under the paint. Rust will creep under the finish and start a bubble.

You may be able to put off a big repair by getting a small amount of urathane clear and over reducing it. (see your local body shop guy, They could do this for you while they have some mixed) Use a stripers brush and brush it into the crack. By over reducing it it will allow the clear to penatrate the crack and form a seal. Let it dry then do it again. After your sure you've sealled the crack, wet sand the brush marks and buff the fender.

Good luck,

i would say there is some filler on there and either stress or inproper application of the filler has cracked it..either way it is paint work.