Scratch Removal?

[avm1990]

I did some searching, couldn't really find anything about scratches in the detailing section.

Anyone know of any good products or methods for getting rid of or making scratches look less visible?

The drawbacks of a dark colored car...

[CadenceScion]

I use Meguiar's Scratch X, and the Mother's Clay Bar to remove minor scratches. If the scratch catches your finger nail, its going to need a body/paint professional to remove it. A buffing and polishing compound also works.

[avm1990]

I'll have to try those. I love Mother's so I'm sure the clay bar must work great. It's a lot of surface scratches from drying and whatnot. I washed and waxed it about a month or so ago and that definitely made a lot of the scratches less visible or even disappear all-together.

The hood is full of chips from rocks being kicked up from other cars (I'm sure tailgating doesn't help the fact). Would you recommend getting them professionally fixed/painted? I've heard that getting the DIY touch-up paint never looks very good after you're done. Haha

[CadenceScion]

The hood I would have repainted, baked and clear coated really well. Touch up paint does work, but its a temporary fix and if its not done correctly, it looks like an eyesore. If your getting minor scratches from drying your car, make sure your using a micro fiber cloth or chamois that's clean and free of any debris. An old cotton t-shirt will also work to dry your car.

[avm1990]

Microfiber is the best. Even for cleaning windows I found out. Wish I would've known that sooner. Would've eliminated ALOT of scratches. I'll have to look into getting my hood done then.

Thanks

[CadenceScion]

Your welcome anytime!

[navylife59]

I find that the microfiber towels leave alot of lint on the windows once they have been used a few times. Other than that, I love em. If you do plan on buff polishing or compound buff mechanically, you need to tape off all of your rubber window trim. Wax is bad on the rubber. Mechanically buffing can irreparably damage the solid outer layer of the rubber. Rubber in the trim is granular in nature. When the rubber is molded, the mold process itself creates the solid layer. It protects the inner layers Damage that outer layer and that rubber trim will deteriorate at a greatly accelerated rate. This happened to my 1993 Mercury Sable years back after I paid a body shop to buff out the scratches in the clear coat from the previous owner going to the wrong car washes. Within a month, all of the rubber window trim molding began to turn into a white powder. Wiping that off revealed a cracked, granular surface. All of that molding had to be replaced.

[avm1990]

Wow, that's really good to know. I had no idea.

Thank you!

[navylife59]

Yep, I always seem to find out the hard way. What really sucked was that I was forced to pay that arse hole $400 dollars for his butcher job ontop of the crappy body work that he did on my car. He was going to put a mechanic's lien on my car, which he legally could do. Paying him would be the only way to get your car back in a situation like that or go to court. It is times like this that I thank God that I never catch these SOBs. I have a mean streak that scares even me when it comes to my kids or my cars. I don't want to be a prison penpal so that is a very good thing.

[avm1990]

Tried a compound that worked great! I'll have to find out what the brand/name of it is and let ya's know.


The pro's of being related to a car detailer

[navylife59]

Glad to hear that you had positive results. I just picked up a deep scratch from some dumb chicka trying to lean up against my car at a parking lot gathering. She is sooo lucky that I did not catch it while she was in front of me. She would have been dressed down properly. Guess I am getting lax in my old age.