TulsaVette

The guy that tinted my windows must have leaned on the rear fenders of the car and left some clearcoat scratches. They are very minor and definitely not through to the paint.

I'm not upset about it, they are very small. I just don't have or use a buffer, so any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

MN CHOPPER

maybe... if not thru the clear

AORoads

I agree, maybe. It's worth a try. If not, try some Meguiar's (or other brands, too) Fine Cut which is in a tan bottle. And be very gently, not that it scratches, but in this case, less is better. You can't replace clear coat or paint without great expense.

MaxOctane

a claybar will only remove surface contaminants. It will NOT remove any scratches whatsoever!

To remove light scratches and swirl marks you must use an abrasive compound, like Mgguiers(sp?) Scratch X, or NuFinish Scratch Doctor. I think Zaino also makes a good scratch remover. Using these will thin your clearcoat, so you'll want to use them sparingly. Good luck.

FortMorganAl

No, as stated above the claybar will not remove scratches. If they are minor then I would ignore them and apply wax. If they really bother you then you will have to remove enough of the clear coat so that they don't bother you any more. That may be minor or major but any removal of clear coat takes the risk of making it worse.

TulsaVette

They really are pretty minor, and I have already put a second coat of wax on the car. You can only see them when the fenders are in direct sunlight, otherwise, you can't tell they are there. Thanks for helping.

Radical05

3M makes a finish restorer that comes in a bottle that works great. They have it at Walmart or Auto Parts stores and as stated it is 3M and the same the paint guys use at body shops. I've used it for years with no issues and various cars.

TulsaVette

And this will remove small scratches from the clearcoat?

Low12s

Do yourself a favor...

3M Finesse-it II

Removes all small scratches. This stuff is like magic. IT was reccommended to me from a guy who restores cars to mint condition. It's about $40 per bottle, but it is worth it.

Dicecal

Zaino Fusion! That stuff is great!

Modshack

Ditto. I always have a bottle of that around...Been using it for years. It really is amazing at removing minor flaws and polishing things to a mirror finish.....Most Marine Supply or automotive finishing stores carry it..

mpuzach

I've had good results with 3M One Step Cleaner Wax. It doesn't actually remove the scratches but it does a great job of filling them in so you can't see them. The only drawback is that you'll need to repeat the process after washing the car if you want sustained results.

CraigE

I use it on my cars and boat

rpizzo

Before using an abrasive, try Adam's Swirl and Haze Revover. I have used it to remove light clear coat scratches and it's does a great job.

TulsaVette

Is this stuff a cleaner and a polish, or do I use it and then a polish on top of it?

Do I have to use a buffer, or can I apply it by hand?

Thanks in advance, you guys are great!

GaryZ06

Zaino Fusion....worked for me

bugman

Best results I've gotten by hand are with 3M #39002 with terry cloth towel. It's hard work, but you'll get results with it. pics on my web page - click on "buffing" and look at the black mercedes pictures.

TOGWT

Automotive clay is not a replacement for polish or a compound; it is a pliable, petroleum resin product, Polybutene PB-1 (Polyisobutylene) containing a mild abrasive(s) i.e. kaolin, silica sand, calcium carbonate, alumina, ceramics quartz and also silicon carbide that polishes and exfoliates bonded surface contaminants by shearing, which is then encapsulated by the clay resin. These abrasives are extremely small with an average particle size of 1- µ (micron) dependant on the aggressiveness required, mixed in with a powdered synthetic detergent.

RAGOVET

Zaino Z5 is good at hiding the swirls so perhaps you can use this in the area that is just affected.