Kaius88

I just discovered some long scratches on the side of my door. I dont know when they happened, but probably branches and bushes on road side did it. They are smooth scratches, so you cant feel the texture of the scratches. I assume you can buff these off. How do i go about doing it? what products/tools do i need? will turtle wax work? Please advise.

Macklin

If the scratches don't go through the clear coat, then yes they should buff right out. Do you have a good buffer? I use a Porter Cable 7424 that makes waxing a breeze. Just go over the scratches until they dissapear. Any good car wax will do. However, do not apply too much pressure....let the buffer do the work.

Ingram4868

The word "buff" can mean different things to different people. The product you place on the paint defines what it is you are trying to accomplish in the buffing process. I would recommend using a good wax product first to see if your scratch goes away. If it does not then you have to move to a mild polish which will have an abrasive compound. You would want to look for a clearcoat safe polish with the least amount of abrasive (sometimes also called swirl mark removers). For home use, I would not use a power buffing machine with any polish. After using any polish apply a new coat of wax.

Henine

I agree. I would try the least "aggressive" approach first and if that doesn't succeed, you can try a "swirl remover," like Mequiars' ScratchX that has done wonders on my other car that needed scratches and swirls removed or made less pronounced.

Good luck.

Kaius88

I think im going to try the Meguire's Scratch X because the scratch seems to be severe enough to require it. As I understand, scratch X is clear coat safe, and is relatively light on abrasiveness.

Oh, I finally figured out who/what caused the scratch. That one night I parked on my driveway I saw a male deer approaching my house. It must have seen its reflection on my car door and accidentally brushed its antlers against it. If someone were to intentionally key my car, he/she wouldnt do it so close to the window.....as it really doesnt show against reflections.

Henine

Kaius88:

Hope ScatchX works well for you. Please let us know how it works for you.

cocopops

iTrader: (1)

deer on your driveway?? Hmmm, you must be living close to nature..

theredkid

Would love to know as well about ScratchX. Just found a tiny scratch near the fuel door.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Folks,

We have a dedicated auto detailing forum that is moderated by two professional detailers.... I'm moving this post there

I also suggest just searching that forum for 'scratch' and 'scratch-x' and you'll get all the answers to your questions with no waiting

Kaius88

I followed the ScratchX directions very carefully, and I think I used it to its maximum potential. Here is the result. The scratch was originally about 14 inches long from left to right. The left end is deepest and gets shallower towards right. I'm kinda thinking it could be vandalism in san diego, but i parked very carefully there so I dunno for sure. Anyway, the entire scratch is now about 7 inches long, with the entire right half buffed off by hand. ScratchX is indeed very effective for light scratches. Swirls and environmental scratches would be completely buffed off easily. However, if you run your fingernail perpendicular across the scratch and you can "feel" the scratch, it may be too deep for ScratchX. In my case, the left half of the scratch is too deep. I think it etched the clearcoat a bit, but barely. I applied ScratchX 3 times to complete erase the shallowest portion of the long scratch.

Can anyone recommend how I can remove the remaining part of the scratch? It's not deep....it is on the clearcoat but ScratchX cant remove it. Do i have to take it in for professional detailing?

Kaius88

ok. i applied ScratchX 3 more times and the scratch seems to be fainter and shorter now. But I cant get it off completely. Now when i run my fingernail across the scratch, it's almost smooth and undetectable. How do i remove the remaining portion? The scratch is faint enough that you cant see it unless from a reflective angle or direct view with overcast shadow.

toneman

I'm no detailing expert but I believe that, short of repainting that panel, you might need to use a stronger (than ScratchX, that is) abrasive compound--or perhaps keep vigorously applying ScratchX...LOL! You see, what is happening is that w/ the ScratchX you are "microscopically" removing the clearcoat in and around the scratched area. Unless the scratch has actually gotten into the paint itself--in which case you'll definitely need something other than ScratchX--you can use the abrasive compound to wear down the clearcoat in that area just enough so that the area around the scratch is "even" with the scratch itself. The downside to this is of course, there won't be as much clearcoat to protect the paint in that area...in which case it is critcal that you apply wax and sealant to protect the area from the elements.