RedsTL

I parked a few nights ago in a small gravel lot to attend a concert, and trust me I was wishing I hadn't driven. "MY CAR WILL BE FINE" I convinced myself as we walked toward the event. Later that night I arrived at my car, everything seemed fine, and I happily drove home....

The next morning, I come out to my car to see not one, but TWO scratch/dent/paint marks on my TL! One on the rear driver-side and one on the front corner passenger-side.

This is unreal. I can't afford my insurance to increase any - do you guys have some tips to make these abominations less noticeable ??


I appreciate any help in this crappy time...

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

is that paint chipped off? down to the clearcoat? can you feel the scratches with your finger nail?

TheChamp531

iTrader: (3)

Seems like the best route you can go is wet sanding it and maybe some PDR.

RedsTL

There seems to be two individual 'spots' that are down to the clearcoat, they almost look like rust spots but clearly they aren't. Yes, I can feel scratches w/ a fingernail, but mostly on the bumper portion. The non-bumper portion appears to be mostly a dent.

The thing that really bothers me about this is there had to have been two different cars involved. I just can't believe that two people would drive around like bumper-car idiots in one night.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

^you went to a concert and parked on a gravel/dirt road...enough said.

unfortunately, you'll have to get it wetsanded and resprayed in the rear. should cost you $250ish. luckilly it's just the rear bumper portion. you can buff out that little area next to the damaged spot with a PC.

the front you should be able to buff out with a PC/polish combo too.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

+1

Meguiars Scratch wax with buffer, several times, then Meguiars car cleaner wax, then Meguiars Final Micro Nano wax.

If that doesnt work then use VERY FINE steel wool. Then repeat above.

RedsTL

Are you saying for the front paint scatch?

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

I say buff it and let it ride... by the time you fix it you'll be at another concert and it will happen again.

The way the car gods work is if you leave it dirty and scratched a bird never craps on it and it never rains.

Jesstzn

Not a good plan... your going to get in deeper than you already are unless you have good buffer , proper pads and polishes.


Your better off taking it to a PDR place first off and see what they can do for you .. you might be suprised. But if you piss with it and being a noob do wet sanding and/or steel wool you may not leave enough for them to work with.

RedsTL

Should I just buy this and try everything on the areas and hope it looks better?

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

no.

do you have a porter cable machine polisher? that's what you'll need. you can't fix this by hand.

you need a PC 7424xp with orange/aggressive cutting pads and a good cutting polish.

if you don't wanna go that route, just take it to a pdr guy like others suggested and get some quotes.

you're lucky the damage isn't worse than it is. you got lucky.

avs007

Get a bottle of 3M Clearcoat Safe rubbing compound, and just rub it with a microfiber towel. It should take out most of the finer scratches, and make the deeper ones less noticeable.

truonghthe

like everyone else said above,I hate when shit like that happen.

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

GO to a local dealer (any dealer) and find the guy who does/fixes all the hood/bumper chips....

ask him for a quote, give him cash and call it a day !!! if you dont know how to use a porter cable, you gonna mess up the rest of the paint trying to fix 1 spot.....

a buddy of mine had a bigger scuff mark + dent and the guy fixed it for $200, everything DONE right !!!

avs007

I don't know if Paintless Dent repair can take that out... When I had a bunch of dents removed, I was chatting with the guy, and he had said that you can't remove a dent with PDR if the dent is within 2" of a seam.