dopeey

Hey Folks,

I woke up this morning and did my usual ritual of wiping down the car and well to my suprise I find a approximately foot long scratch which is not deep (you can feel it with your fingernail)....Its my first Scratch!! Can anyone please give my any advise on how to get this out. Please see attachment.

Thanks.

RI-Lex

iTrader: (4)

looks deep, nothing you can do by hand, go to a detailer a buffer will work much better, than hand speed

dopeey

Its acutally not deep. You can only feel the scratch by using your finger nail...by just passing your finger over it you really cant feel the scratch.

Anyone know of a good detail shop in Miami (Doral or Coral Gables Area)

Guitarman

If, as you stated, you can feel it with your fingernail, then you'll have to accept risk that it might not be able to be fully removed.

I would wetsand something like that, then buff, it's the fastest method AND it's also ( when done properly) safe because the person sanding does it stroke by stroke, and you can see what is happening with each pass. 2000 grit gives the user good control over the process, because it cuts at a slow rate. It should be sanded ONLY parallel to the scratch, with a foam block behind the paper, and the sanded area should be spread out a bit beyond the scratch itself.

The trick is to STOP when you know you've gone as far as you can go...and that's where the novice gets into trouble, because they don't know when they've gone too far, and they cut through the clearcoat. After you fully remove the orange peel in the area of the scratch, you are on shaky ground, and that's where the risk begins.

I have fully removed scratches like that, (cars that were "keyed") where they show only white (indicates clearcoat resin and not basecolor inside the scratch) BUT, you will be precariously close to cutting through because oem clears are very thin (50-70 microns, or the width of a baby's hair).

Take it to someone fully insured, or accept the risk if you DIY.

The good news?
A bit of wetsanding or even compounding will diminish the scratch, and make it look less obvious, even if it can't be taken out enough to be removed.

Good luck.

UncleRay

iTrader: (2)

Try out Meguiars ScratchX. It worked on my driver passenger side door! Had lots of visible, rough scratches. Worked on it for a half hour, and it was gone =]

MShybrid

It's difficult to judge the severity of the scratch in this photo and would hate to give the incorrect procedure needed to remove it. The rule of thumb that I follow, as well as many other seasoned detailists, is to always start with the least abrasive products and work your way up the more abrasive ones until you find the conbination that works best for you. I assume that you do not have either the Porter Cable polisher,UDM, or any of the other orbital polishers. If you are the type that likes to maintain your cars yourself, I would suggest purchasing one as well as a good quality polish. Oftentimes, the cost of a good detail and paint correction can justify the cost of a polisher and it is something you can use from then on. Everyone has their favorite polish and wax and the selection available can be very confusing. I generally use Optimim poish on an orange Lake Country pad run at speed 6 on the PC. The reason I like Optimum is because it has a long working time, virtually no dusting and the longer you work it the finer and finer the product becomes. I can usually go from this step straight to a sealant or caranuba topper and have always had great results. Visit Autogeek.net and view the videos they have. They can be very helpful in deciding which method to try.

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

nice iPhone

did u try it with scratchX ?

Caoboy

iTrader: (2)

get touch up paint, fill in the scratch, wetsand smooth, buff out with a polish, and wax the area.

dopeey

Well Folks...

First I want to thank everyone for their recommendations.

I called a friend of mine who has a 2007 BMW 335i Coupe and is waaaaay more obsessed with his car then I am with mine. Well he told me to come over and use this product as he stated he 'Lives By' - Quixx Scratch Remover System.

Well all I have to say is....THIS IS STUFF IS NO JOKE!!

Mind you its not a miracle worker but you cant see the scratch anymore. THe only negative was it also contributed to me not being able to feel my arm from the amount of 'Elbow Grease' applied.

I'll post pics in the morning as its way to dark to take pics now. Here is the product info:

Removes scratches and marks from ALL paint finishes on cars, motorcycles, caravans and boats. Unattractive scratches on paintwork of vehicles cars are unavoidable over time. QUIXX Scratch Remover removes scratches, small marks and scuffs quickly and reliably from all colors of paint and all types finishes including metallics...

NO POWER TOOLS ARE NEEDED

Two unique polishes are used to eliminate both slight and deep scratches. Simply apply the polishes as per the instructions.

The superior action of the 7 piece QUIXX Repair System comprises of a 25g tube of unique scratch remover, a 25g tube of special polish, a lint free microfiber polishing cloth, and four strips of special grade wet/dry paper to remove most scratches and scuffs....

QUIXX can be used on your Car, Motorcycle, SUV or Boat, etc. Also suitable for painted plastic parts such as bumpers. Suitable for use on all COLORS. It holds German TUV approval for your piece of mind & BMW's stamp of approval.

dopeey

As promised here is the pic after the fix. You honestly cant tell the scratch ever existed unless you get your face right up too the door...I LOVE THIS STUFF!

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

did you use the sanding paper? how hard was it?

dopeey

No I actually didn't use the Sandpaper (Scared I would F something up). You definetly have to use alot of 'Elbow Grease' for a long period of time. Also dont try to take care of large areas at once...if the scratch is long just concentrate on a small part at a time.

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

nice...i am just worried that using "elbow grease" will instill swirls on the car...