Removing fine scratches from car.

[otherclive]

I like light coloured cars but my wife prefers dark colours. So when washing her Kia Rio this morning I noticed a number of very fine scratches that had penetrated the colour layer and you can see the white primer. However the scratches are so fine that you cannot feel them with a finger nail. I tried some Colour Magic which happened to be lying around in the garage but it made no difference. I’m loath to try touch up paint as the cure will be worse than the disease. I don’t really know where the scratches have appeared from as the car hasn’t really been to that many places and we both park at the far end of any car park. They aren’t cat marks either. I wonder if when we bought it the dealership use some form of polish/treatment that effectively masks fine scratches. It’s not been to any form of handwash or car wash and I always use plenty of shampoo and two buckets.

if anyone has any suggestions they would be most welcome. Other than telling me what I know ...........don’t be such a perfectionist.

 

[tuffty]

I use Autoglym Super Resin Polish, followed by Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. It's pretty good at hiding minor scuffs, swirl marks etc. It also gives you a good 3 months of the water beading beautifully on the paintwork whenever it rains.

 

[otherclive]

I use Autoglym Super Resin Polish, followed by Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. It's pretty good at hiding minor scuffs, swirl marks etc. It also gives you a good 3 months of the water beading beautifully on the paintwork whenever it rains.

Thanks I use that too but it doesn’t do anything to hide a fine scratch in a very dark grey car where it has gone through the lacquer and colour coats to just reveal the primer.

 

[audiorob]

I use the Autoglym Super Resin Polish on my red Hyundai. I find it does a good job - follow the instructions and be prepared to repeat the process. My impression is that minor marks are easer to acquire since the paint is now water-based for safety and environmental advantage when initially applied to the vehicle.

 

[tuffty]

Both my cars are dark, and if you can't hide it with the polish then the only thing you can do is a touch up stick I think. I've done that once on my dark blue S-Max where it was down to bare metal and it doesn't come out well - does the job of hiding the scratch but definitely looks like a dog's dinner when you know where to look!

 

[JezzerB]

Are you quite sure it has gone right through-someone put a handbag on the boot of our then brand new mini roadster and you could feel them with a finger nail-but i got them out. If you cannot feel them with a finger nail they are surface in the lacquer scratches and you may get away with it; Farecla G3 scratch remover then colour restorer, or ordinary t cut and a heck of a lot of elbow grease-checking every now and then and stop when the scratch is out-then super resin polish and then a wax coat to finish-you can still see the marks in ours but only smoothed out swirls-very pleased. It is a bit like playing russian roulette-you go too far and you are through the clear coat and then it is a paint job BUT I felt i had nothing to lose as the alternative is paint anyway-CHIPS AWAY are brilliant and very reasonably priced-did my mums avensis-super job! Good luck! Keep us posted but have a go with a tcut type or paint restorer before you give up hope! if they are fine scratches they really will polish out.

 

[otherclive]

I use the Autoglym Super Resin Polish on my red Hyundai. I find it does a good job - follow the instructions and be prepared to repeat the process. My impression is that minor marks are easer to acquire since the paint is now water-based for safety and environmental advantage when initially applied to the vehicle.

Thanks. I’ve used that combination fir many years on car and van. But it doesn’t do anything to mask fine marks that reveal the white primer on a very dark grey car. It may be different in a red car.

 

[WayneS]

Hi OC, I was pleasantly surprised with results obtained with an Autoglym Scratch Remover kit I got from Wilko, -also available from Halfords: you get a small bottle the scratch remover stuff itself. which is like a thick cream. which actually goes a long way -it's very easily worked in with the 2 sided applicator sponge included and a small bottle of super resin polish. I had to return a black company car last year that I'd inherited: you get charged for marks to paintwork and they look hard to find them! the kit sorted it a treat, (there were numerous- some deep), without much elbow grease: definitely recommended
cheers Wayne

 

[JezzerB]

Thanks. I’ve used that combination fir many years on car and van. But it doesn’t do anything to mask fine marks that reveal the white primer on a very dark grey car. It may be different in a red car.

Ours is a black Mini Roadster, the white though wasn't primer-it was the effect of scratching. if it is that far down ie to the primer nothing you can do but paint it but i would try first -nothing to lose!

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for the replies. I’ve made a pretty good job on most of them. I used stuff that I’d kept in the garage for far too long. Firstly I used Meguirs Scratch X which is powerful stuff so gently does it. Then I used Colour Magic Dark Grey polish/restorer which I mixed with a bit of Car Plan Back to Black car trim polish. This combination worked a treat. I then finished with Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection as I didn’t want the Autoglym Resin Polish to remove the Colour Magic/ Carplan polish layer.
I think they were mainly in lacquer coat and overall I’m quite pleased with the result. The Halfords kit looks interesting so might buy one to see how it works when other fine scratches occur.
Thank. OC

 

[Guzzilazz]

I use a local guy called Dents 'n' Scuffs. We've used him when coming up to trade cars in, and the £200 ish that he charges is well worth it. WIth Clear coat finishes, he "blows in" new clearcoat after compounding and the results are well worth it... I know my capabilities, and it doesn't include touch up...

 

[Buckman]

I have used Meguirs 3 step in the past and it does remove fine scratches. Most of these fine scratches come from the cloth that you are using to clean the car.

 

[otherclive]

I have used Meguirs 3 step in the past and it does remove fine scratches. Most of these fine scratches come from the cloth that you are using to clean the car.

I always use a Meguirs microfibre mitt for washing the car and also the two bucket system. The panels get a good pre wash hose down and prior to actually cleaning a panel with the shampoo I always squeeze some mitt fulls so the shampoo can run down the panel. A separate microfibre mitt is used for the dirtier sections of the lower panels. The scratches on the car were not wash induced and had all the hallmarks of another cars door and of someone(s) pushing past whilst parked.
I never take a car to a “ hand car wash” after seeing how one sponge full of shampoo was used to do the whole of my daughters Focus.

 

[Beachball]

I use this now Meguirs Ultimate Black park at a supermaket someone hit the bumper with a trolley . when i put it on the bumper and trim it look like new .

Turtlewax HD Scratch Repair and renew i tried it on my wife car it did a good job ..

 

[CustardAvenger]

Looks like you've sorted it already, but if it had gone through to the Primer, there is nothing a polish/compound will do, other than 'round off the corners' of the scratch and make it less visible. I'm not sure how long the 'fillers' in some polishes last.

If you want to go down the 'Detailing' money hole (like me) I would highly recommend Bilt Hamber products such as AutoFoam pre-wash (Non caustic and inhibits rust) - you'll need a snow foam cannon for a pressure washer, I have a AutoBrite direct one but Meguiars and AutoGlym make them too - This does loosen dirt from a really dirty car and makes it almost clean after a pressure wash in my experience. Anything to minimise contact with the paint and reduce wash-marring is the goal.

I've mentioned GTechniq in the past too. Just used their C4 Permanent trim restorer to make my roof rails, front bumper trim and mud flaps look brand new.

Also never, ever, ever, let a hand carwash or even a car dealership clean your car. Unless you really don't care about marks and scratches.

 

[JezzerB]

I use Gtechniq C4 on our Mini plastics; VERY good stuff if you follow the instructions ie clean off all previous treatments with isopropyl alcohol, and lasts very well unlike many products on the copious amounts of plastic on modern Minis. VERY expensive though.

 

[Firkle]

Clive,

A friend had a black passat which had the same problem and used Chipex with very good results.

www,chipex.co.uk

 

[otherclive]

Clive,

A friend had a black passat which had the same problem and used Chipex with very good results.

www,chipex.co.uk

Thank you I came across that website yesterday whilst thinking how to do a repair on my daughters black Focus. Although to be realistic it’s a area respray job. More than fine scratches but Chipex did look interesting.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Thank you I came across that website yesterday whilst thinking how to do a repair on my daughters black Focus. Although to be realistic it’s a area respray job. More than fine scratches but Chipex did look interesting.

I've not heard of this company before, but the 'after' photos on their website look slightly out of focus to hide the reality that a touch-up is just to take your eye off the damage. Its not going to be perfect.

I've spent a couple of weekends respraying my car's alloy wheels as I don't want to spend the £400+ on a proper refurbishment. They are the 'diamond-cut' type so have the issue where a kind of rot creeps into the lacquer on the cut face. This experience has made me not want to attempt bodywork resprays!

 

[waffler]

I know the dark grey on the Rio, had one ourselves. The problem is water based paints are soft. I have used autoglym super resin. On the grey and black plastics, especially the dull sort i use Silky. Available from caravan and boat shops. Rub it on wash it off buff with a dry cloth. Comes up well. Also removes polish on plastic..