I put this same thread in the paint section but I'd figure to put this in here as well. Hope the mods don't mind.

Pics aren't the best but they do show what's there. Short story of what happened...my fiance's nephew opened her car door into mine pretty hard. You can see what it did. Good thing I think is that it's not in the paint. I think it just scratched the clear coat really good.

So far here is what I have done. I cleaned the spot, and used Meguiars Scratch-X hoping that would take care of it. Well after about 10 minutes of hand jamming this, it didn't get any better. I could still feel the scratch. So I went and got some Turtle wax heavy duty rubbing compound. I just applied it twice and still it's the same as it was.

Tell me what you guys think...will I need to get a high speed pollisher on this and will it take care of it? Tomorrow I'm going to get some 3M rubbing compound to see if that works. I'm really not wanting to have to repaint this whole door for this one spot.

Pics...

 

Hard to tell from the photo, but if it's just in the clear coat you should be able to get most of it out. I'm surprised the Scratch-X didn't take most of it out. I just used Scratch-X on my DD car on some scratches I thought were pretty deep and it took most of it out.

Key to using Scratch-X is to use a soft terry towel and rub like mad to where you actually get the paint warm from all the hard rubbing.

 

Get yourself some 3M 2000 grit sandpaper and sand it out using a straight back and forth motion with the paper wet until your scratch disappears under the sanding marks. Then, use your scratch-x to remove the sanding marks then, polish out the scratch-x with whatever polish you use then, final wax. It should look good as new when your done.

 

My .02...you're going to need a buffer...elbow grease will not likely work on that or scratches/blemishes of any significance. Check w/a local club member...odds are many have the Porter Cable or Flex...a quick pass w/the products you've already used will tell you if it's in the clear coat. Then you'll have another "tool" to buy for your shop

Good luck.

 

Just pay a good detailer $100 to fix it...

/thread

 

I rubbed pretty damn hard using the scratchx but was using a microfiber towel...maybe i need to use a terry towel. I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

Sanding...I want to try and stay away from that. I've used a high speed buffer before but that was like 10 years ago when I was working at a car wash. I feel confident in using one of those, but as far as sanding, I don't at all especially on this car.

 

Sanding...I want to try and stay away from that. I've used a high speed buffer before but that was like 10 years ago when I was working at a car wash. I feel confident in using one of those, but as far as sanding, I don't at all especially on this car.[/QUOTE]


Sanding is your only way. Use a block and go in an x-pattern ( 45 degrees left to right then 45 right to left ) 200 grit is real safe. You could use 1200 if it's deeper and you'd still be safe. Buff it out with compound and then sealer/wax after that. Not a big deal but if you're worried, have a detailer do it.
Good luck

 

Sanding is your only way. Use a block and go in an x-pattern ( 45 degrees left to right then 45 right to left ) 200 grit is real safe. You could use 1200 if it's deeper and you'd still be safe. Buff it out with compound and then sealer/wax after that. Not a big deal but if you're worried, have a detailer do it.
Good luck[/QUOTE]


Hey Joseph p, you should be careful with missing some zero's when telling someone to sand there car! I'm assuming you meant 2,000 NOT 200!

 

 

 

Do not sand your car, you do not need to sand to get that out and you sure don't sand in an x-pattern to get out scratches; I painted cars for 5 years.

Now, Blue Smooth was right, you will need a buffer to do it. You can do it with a terry towel and some good rubbing compound or good polish but I wouldn't, those will leave fine scratches.
If you do not have a buffer like the PC or Flex or regular buffer then see if you can find a friend near you that does and have him help you or see if you can borrow it.
You should be able to get that out fairly easily with a white foam pad and a paint cleaner/polish. Meguiars makes some but it may not be abrasive enough for this.
If it is not then find a paint store near you like English color or order some stuff from adams or zaino. I use the Adams fine machine polish and super machine wax with a white pad and a grey pad and it makes my paint look wet. It may have enough abrasives to correct the paint but if not, find some 3M Finess-It or Meguiars Hand Polish. Start with the hand polish 1st, it should take care of that then you will need to polish it with a buffer then put some wax on it.

If you can feel those scratches with your fingernail, then they are pretty deap and you would need to WET sand with 2000 grit sandpaper and soapy water. If you choose or need to go this route, only go ONE direction while sanding and make sure you keep the surface wet. If you can hear the sandpaper working then it's too dry. Sand for a few seconds at a time and dry the area off to see if it is smooth and do not press hard and do not sand with your fingers. Get you a paint stirring stick from home depot or lowes and wrap the sand paper around it and sand with that; using your fingers will leave "finger sanding grooves" in your paint where your fingers were rubbing. After you have sanded out the scratches, then use some finess-it to polish the paint then some hand polish then follow the above instructions.
This is about a 10-15 min fix; if you lived near me, I'd help you fix it for free. You should be able to find someone near you that knows how to do this and can help you fairly easily. A detailer or body shop can fix this also, should be less than $50.

 

Scratch X sucks period.

See if you can find some Body Scrub it is hard to find in the US, but I have been using it for the past 15 years and love it! Scratch X does not even come close

http://motorspeed.com/store_main.asp...product_id=981

 

Sand it!
Don't sand it!

I see this cleared up your question.

I agree with both opinions, but it depends on the damage. Since no one has seen/felt the scratch, no one can tell you what is right to do. So, the opinions that you should take it to a pro are correct too.

I sand out deep scratches (I've painted cars since 1976, my dad owned a body shop). My opinion is that you can't control a buffer over a big area and can burn through an area of the clear concentrating in one area. Unless you just painted the panel, you don't know how much material is there to work with. (please don't tell me I don't know how to run a rotary buffer - I paid my way through college shaping cars for used car dealers)

I buff out scuffs and fine scratches. When in doubt I always start with a rotary buffer and go from the finer to the coarser compounds, but if it doesn't clean up pretty quickly, I go to 1200 then 2000 paper.

With all that said, and the damage was not removed with the OTC rememdy's, and it seems like you're not comfortable with taking sandpaper to your car, or have a rotary buffer, going to someone who does this regularly is going to be the best bet, and maybe the most economical.

mk

 

Couldn't see the photo's at work.

That's a scuff by the look of the photo and I would bet that a rotary buffer, with one of the 3M compounds would clean that up.

It's worth a try if someone near you can help you out.

 

Well, atleast he agreed with me eventually! sand it straight back and forth "with your index finger!" You will not leave finger grooves with 2,000 grit paper by the time you are done polishing it out and anyone that says they can see 2,000 grit finger grooves after polishing should be a machinist for Nasa! Just sand it straight back and forth in a horizontal direction until the scratch has visibly disappeared into the grey cloud you will produce by sanding, after that, then you can use the buffer with a polishing compound to polish out your sand marks, go a few seconds at a time until you bring back the shine to your paint, then polish by hand to reduce swirl marks, then, wax! You should be looking great! I've done it for 20 years!

 

Well I'm positive that I will not have to sand the area. I dropped by a local 3M store and talked to the sales guy working. He said what most of you are telling that I could take it out with a buffer/polisher. He recommended to a product called Wizards that they had there. It was a little bit cheaper then the 3M compound and said that it should work. I gave it a shot and about 20 minutes with just my hand, I've been able to get 75% of the mark gone. There's still some deeper lines that I should be able to get with a high speed buffer. The good news I guess is that I can't feel any of the lines still left...or is that bad?

Someone did mention that to be carefule with doing it by hand...well I did notice that I have some fine scratches now and some swirl marks. I take it this was caused by doing it by hand. I'm hoping that I can get those out as well with the high speed buffer.

Thanks to all that has chimed in. You've given me hope that I can get this out.

 

You are wearing away a larger amount of clear coat surface than you need to by using the buffer to do the job. If you ever get a scratch in that area again, you are not going to have enough clear left to do anything about it. Good luck, and I hope you get results that you're happy with.

 

Real simple here--If you can feel the scratches with your finger nail--TAKE it to a pro-Period---If you cant feel them--get a buffer and some good scratch remover/polish--either way you will be happy--Bust thru the clearcoat and you will be pissed--OK