OGS

Got a detail job about two weeks ago on my LS...and when I got the car is LOOKED GREAT! Then I hit a hands free car wash this morning...and when I got out of the car and looked at it...i noticed A WHOLE LOT OF scratches on the hood and trunk. The rest of the body is coo but the hood and trunk just look NASTY.

Is there anything I can use to get DEEP scratches out? Or am I just better off painting the hood and trunk?

Need some feedback on this one..............

pilip99

aw dang man sorry to hear about that, thats why i never go through those hands free carwash, umm im not sure what you can use to get rid of DEEP scratches, hmm i am curious what to do as well if this were to happen to me just in case.

np20412

Yeah man, those hand car washes are bad news. Those wash mitts they use, they clean SO many dirty nasty cars before yours, and no they don't clean those wash mitts before they go ahead and use the dirt filled ones on YOUR car. After a clean/polish/wax, even the finest of dirt particles can bring back those swirl marks. Are they really that deep tho, I would think that Scratch-X or Swirl Remover would do the trick for ya, followed by a wax, maybe a polish in between just to be sure.

BTW: Black may show imperfections, but when clean and detailed, nothing beats the look of it.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

do you have pics?

OGS

I should have some pics tomorrow.

superpats

Where dem pics at? Let me get a look see.

chicagoblknazn

I want to see the damage too.

Was the damage from the wash or was it from the detail?

vin 78

I'm pretty surprised that so many of you guys (lowered w/ big wheels) go to car washes.
The last time I went to one they refused to run my car through their machine, they insisted to hand wash it only.

Sorry to hear about the mishap, those guys cover up their screw-up by polishing the hell out of the car.

Try using the Mother's 3 step (clean/polish/wax) using a buffer; it hides some scratches pretty well, but not the super deep ones.

OGS

Sorry guys...my girlfriend went to Korea a few days ago...and JACKED my camera...will find one SOON.

LasVegasGS

It wasnt the Detail job it was the Hands Free wash that did it. Those things are for hopties . Just wash it your self save your self the head aqe

LS4fun

What's a hoptie?

GS300Rich

Sorry to hear this happen to your beautiful LS. I guess pics will help determine if it can be fixed with some elbow grease or if you will need to repaint. From your title I guess you are thinking that the scratches came from the detail job? If that is the case then take it back to the person that did it and let them try to clean up the scratches and if they cant they have them pay to repaint it. If it came from the carwash then I think you will be SOL. I used to go to the carwash but not anymore.

OGS

I am sure this is going to sound pretty stupid...but those handsfree car washes can scratch the car?

I didn't notice any of these scratches on the car after the detail and clay bar, but a week or so later when I took it to the handsfree wash I noticed all the scratches....

And after I got my car back for the dealer I noticed a few more on the hood....

For me the scratches are pretty bad. I showed them to my buddy (also a CL member) and he thinks I am pretty crazy. Maybe its just because its my car.....

np20412

I thought you took it to a 100% hand car wash, where they dont use machines, but instead have guys with wash mitts. Those guys leave just as many fine scratches as automated car washes do. Did you go to a self-service car wash, where you just pay and spray, or to one of those hand car washes, or to an automatic, where you sit in the car and it goes through the wash where the high speed spinning bristles scrub the car front to back and then you get blow dryed and drive away? Most lexus dealers have guys that just power wash your car down, or they may have a car wash that soaps up, sprays down and blow dries without any scrubbing. Nothing touches the car in the car wash at the dealer except soap and water, at least thats what we have here at Lexus of Smithtown.

cantsleepnk

OGS
If the primer is not showing then a good detailer can remove these scratches.
Better yet If I were you I would do it myself and save myself a lot of headaches.You'd be surprised how many professionals have messed up my cars.
After the second screwup by a professional I bought a random (PC)and a circular polisher (Makita)and a ton of polishes and waxes and I do my own detailing.

BTW when my black car is at the Lexus Dealer I always put a sticky "Please Do Not Wash" note on the Nav screen.

I can always do without free dealer swirl marks.
Good Luck