[bruno]

Someone apparently set something on top of my trunk lid at work today and appeared to then slide it off. There are several scratches where the object was dragged down off the lid. My car has a very light layer of dust on the bright silver paint (daily crud from our dirty air in the San Joaquin Valley). The scratches don't look too deep but definitely go beyond the clear coat.

I'm thoroughly disgusted and trying real hard NOT to get mad/upset. Could one of you experts please enlighten me on how to handle this new flaw??

Thanks....
bruno

2005 Fully Loaded Silver 300C as of 8/06/04

Modifications:

Tires: 20 inch Nitto 420S (255/45/20)
Chrome Rims: Boss 304 (20 x 8.5)
Ceramic Tint: FormulaOne--Pinnacle Series
81% glare reduction all rear windows and sunroof; 44% on front
Front Grille: E&G Classics—Stainless Steel Heavy Mesh Style w/Center Bar (free!)

 

[turbomangt]

Bruno, if in fact it IS through the clear coat then the best results you can get is improvement not removal. YOu said something that contridicts your statment. "the scratches don't look too deep, but definatly go beyond the clear coat." Bruno, if they are not too deep, they won't be through the clear, if they are, it's deep. using the less is best approach, what supplies do you have in your garage? any cleaners? like Meguiars? 3-m? I would try a paint cleaner first, chances are if that does nothing you will have to get that section buffed. Make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing. see my post titled, "Don't let the delaer touch it". you will know why after you read it. Gary

 

[marlinspike]

If a metal can is put on a car and it slides off, it wouldn't go through the clear. You are probably seeing the white that happens when clear gets scratched. A rubbing compound (I like liquid ones because they are more delicate), followed by a fine cut polish, followed by a cleaner (well, the cleaner doesn't do anything for the scratch, but P21S gloss-enhancing paintwork cleanser will put emollient oils back into the paint), followed by wax should take care of it.

 

[bruno]

marlinspike and turbomangt,

Thanks for your much appreciated advise. As you mentioned, I must be seeing scratches in the clear coat. In my mind, it just seems deeper because they are very noticeable and I take pride in keeping my vehicle looking clean, free of dings, etc., like all of you.

I will look into the products you mentioned or most likely will have a professional detailer take care of it because I don't want to make it look worse than it already does.

bruno

 

[dynodon]

Bruno,

If you can NOT feel the scratches with your fingernail, then you should be able to fix it so it won't be visible anymore.

In that case only use a very mild Polish or glaze. Don't use anything that says "compound" or anything that you can feel the grit when you rub the product between your fingers.

Sometimes even a "cleaner-wax" will remove fine scratches although I detest the use of all in one cleasner waxes, they usually have a fine abrasive that will remove scratches without taking out the shine.

If you have scratches that you CAN feel with your fingernail, then at first try the same thing, a fine polish or glaze and rub on the scratches a little, and then work in slightly bigger motions so you don't work JUST on the scratches. If you work just on the scratches enough, you can even put a small depression in the paint right where you rub. So work on the scratches a little, then work in ever expanding areas around so you don't make that one small area look too different. Finish by working the entire panel lightly.

You may not be able to get the scratches all the way out, but you can reduce the worst ones, get some of the smaller ones and maybe it will be acceptable.

I would rather live with a minor blemish usually than repaint an area, but that may be your only recourse depending on how bad it really is.

Good luck!

 

[Hemi57]

Maybe give Meguiars ScratchX a try. That is a good product for the home detailer.

 

[marlinspike]

This basically sums up my thoughts on Meguiar's:
Meguiar's wheel cleaners (both of them) are well known by both the public and Meguiar's themselves to strip the paint of MB and BMW wheels. Meguiar's still markets the product even after closing a class action lawsuit and a few single plaintiff lawsuits. They can go f themselves.

 

[turbomangt]

So Marlin, tell us how you really feel about Meguiars??? Armol all was involved in a class action as well. they lost millions, but people still use their products, go figure?

 

[marlinspike]

I should add that my wheels (and my driveway) were screwed up by Meguiar's, and I didn't get any money back. As far as armour-all, I found out about how bad it was before trying luckily (for me anyways, I found out because there was a guy at the autoparts store crying he just had the dash on his recent frame off restoration 64.5 mustang ruined by it).

 

[bruno]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I am feeling somewhat intimidated but Dyno Don's instructions make sense to me. You're right...I can't actually feel the scratches with my fingernails; there's just a lot of them and they are very visible, even on the bright silver color. I'll brave it this weekend in a small area and let you all know the results. I'm glad to be a member of this forum because of people like you!!

bruno

 

[bruno]

I used some Mothers Finishing Glaze that I already had and it did a terrific job minimizing the scratches from the top of the trunk lid. I have to critically look to even see what was there before. Thanks again for your suggestions and encouragement!

bruno :usa1:

2005 Fully Loaded Silver 300C as of 8/06/04

Modifications:

Tires: 20 inch Nitto 420S (255/45/20)
Chrome Rims: Boss 304 (20 x 8.5)
Ceramic Tint: FormulaOne--Pinnacle Series
81% glare reduction all rear windows and sunroof; 44% on front
Front Grille: E&G Classics—Stainless Steel Heavy Mesh Style w/Center Bar (free!)

 

[Model 57]

Well, I wasn't planning on using Mequiars products anyway. Thanks for the personal opinion. I bought some of Gary's (Turbomangt) products, and couldn't be more pleased.
But I do have a question for him. I recently found a couple of small rock chips in my hood, they are very small ink pen dot sized. Gary, what is the best way to cure these, they are through the color coat. I know that there aren't too many actual cures for it, but would like to minimize how noticeble it is. Help.

 

[mhh333]

Mequiars lawsuit???

I am no expert but I have been happy with most of the Mequiar's products I have used. Can someone give me more details on the lawsuits and products involved???
Thanks,
Mhh

 

[marlinspike]

I forget the specifics (it was a few years ago) but it was involving their instant wheel cleaners (both are instant, I forget what the differences btwn the two are. This was a few years back) stripping the paint off of wheels. And no, they didn't reformulate since I know a person who had this recently happen to his MB, and Meguiar's settled out of court with him. A company that has such low scruples as to market a product they know is bad goes straight to my s-list.
Richard

 

[turbomangt]

That was an acid wheel cleaner that was involved. One thing I can tell you for sure, I won't sell anything you can get in trouble with. When you sell stuff to the public that strong, someone is bound to damage something. gary

 

[turbomangt]

Model57, I just posted under my vendor section a post on paint chip repair. Check it out. Gary

 

[marlinspike]

That was an acid wheel cleaner that was involved. One thing I can tell you for sure, I won't sell anything you can get in trouble with. When you sell stuff to the public that strong, someone is bound to damage something. gary

Well I guess that would explain why it was so strong that what dripped down my wheel bleached my driveway. 18 years of maintenance of the wheels (i.e. the wheels made it 18 years with no finish damage) and poof it all went to hell in one wash.

 

[marnepup]

I have some self-inflicted scratches (rubbed too hard with the rough side of a car wash sponge, and noticed afterwards that the manufacturer says that side is "only for headlights"...), definitely very fine and not though the clearcoat. Meguiar's scratch-x minimizes them...slightly...till the next car wash. So either none of these products work unless you seal them under a good coat of wax, or scratch-x is garbage.

 

[DUBSTER]

Sorry to hear about that, do you know who did it? Take it to a profesional

 

[1fastsedan]

I used Megs scratch-X before I knew any better and it does work, just not to the degree most people want as it has a very minimal cutting action. I scratched up my paint using a paper towel (again before I knew better) to get some bug guts off it ended up leaving a dull area. The scratch-X shined it up well. For bigger scratches, you need higher cutting in the product. As mentioned earlier in this thread, I would certainly use a paint cleaner polish first. If that doesn't do it, you go up the scale of cutting polishes. I don't trust myself with anything higher than paint cleaner (yet). So I personally would have it done if the paint cleaner doesn't work.

I have some self-inflicted scratches (rubbed too hard with the rough side of a car wash sponge, and noticed afterwards that the manufacturer says that side is "only for headlights"...), definitely very fine and not though the clearcoat. Meguiar's scratch-x minimizes them...slightly...till the next car wash. So either none of these products work unless you seal them under a good coat of wax, or scratch-x is garbage.