Guys,

I scratch my front bumper in the trash fence.... because I'm using HFL .... My 06 Atheracite has just 5K on it ....

Any ideas about any fixes is appreciated ....

I'll post the image tomorrow !!!

Thanks much

 

Here's pics

 

First thing I'd try is some light rubbing compound or some Klasse aio if you have any. A cleaner wax might also work.

Dave

 

That would never come off with Klasse (too soft). Use a compound from any of the big boys (Poorboys, Meguiars, or even Sonus (at Autopia-carcare.com). Also you need a high speed polisher or at least a random orbital polisher (portacable 7336) with foam pads.

 

doubt you'd get that off, it looks like its down to the base coat.

Try some water with soem 2500 grit sand paper, rub it long ways NOT CIRCLES!
then use some 3M rubbing compound, once rubbing it back and forth rather then hit it up with some wax, once again back and forth.

I've removed some pretty nasty marks from old cars. just keep in mind, if it's down to the base coat theres nothing you can do other then lay more paint down.

I'd just pop the front bumper cover off and take it to a body shop off the car. they should beable to paint it for a few hundred.

 

ouch

 

i had something similiar on my bumper but it was in red...i used a hard compound on it and it turned out pretty well....i took off a good amount of clear coat (which sucks but my bumper is already toast) but the color returned. if its deep then either live with it or have it repainted (3-4 hundred)

 

Seems like you have not lost any paint, youre lucky cuz it looks bad.

Get some GT-88 (might not be in available in US) or Meguiars Scratch Remover.

Wash that portion of the car clean first and let it dry.

Take a clean cloth, use lots of it, smear the scracth remover all over the area with your hands. Now scrub in circular motions real hard until it starts coming off. Repeat process until its all gone.

You can wax after if you like.

 

Is Meguiars good for small scratches as well? I have some that I want to get out, but have no experience with removing scratches. Do you have to wax after you apply a scratch remover, or is it optional?

 

Meguiars scratch remover is called Scratch X. It's hot bad. however any big scratches will still need to be removed using sandpaper.

Anytime you use any type of scratch/polish you will always have to rewax the area.

I've removed some bad scratches in the past.

Sand paper > all

 

Run your fingernail down over the scratch... if you can feel it with your fingernail... eg. your fingernail catches in it .. you won't polish it out. As far as wet sanding goes .. leave it to a pro.

 

Bah! its easy. just make sure you use a nice high grit sandpaper.

do you have a beater car? I started doing it on my old civic. worked wonders for the car!


Here's a good how to.


http://site.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=27

 

Just remember .. wetsanding doesn't allow for any "opps" .. if you get an "oops" your through the clear and no turning back.

 

take your time, watch out for the curves
using sandpaper..... use water simutaniously..... just didnt see anybody put that yet

 

It looks as if he might be down to his base coat. if thats true it wont matter how hard he sands lol.


If you use 2500 grit sand paper it should take a good while of rubbing to get down past the clear coat.

 

All you guys are giving him great advice but if he wants to get that scratch off, go to a body shop and just ask to have that area buffed with a PC (porter cable orbital buffer) .
Just about every one of my replies I keep recommending to add this buffer to your arsenal of tools since it will pay for itself many times over, second getting back to the scratch, it's not that bad, I've taken out deeper scratches off darker color cars with a buffer, no need for alcohol or any other harsh chemical is needed.
Step one wash the area.
Step two start with a cutting pad on the PC and some polish.
Step three wax and done deal.
Here is a link of this web site that showed me the way, it's a place that will help you thru times like this and a fountain of information on keeping the car looking new for car guys like us..
click here

 

I AGREE COMPLETELY! Note...you might try to ease the effect of what is there with a litte "soft scrub" to take the whit be paint off...but it will eventually have to be painted to cover that much....unless like he says...there is no ridges at all in the paint. (which from the outset...appears that there is)

Dont go compounding and buffing or sanding your own car unless you really do know what you are doing. Otherwise...you may just/are likely to make it worse by burning the paint...or sanding more scratches into your clear coat. Trust me...if you havent done it before...take it to a professional.

 

If this guy has not done this before....you guys are really sending him down a dangerous path! This takes skill and experience to do right. More people end up at the body shop saying...well....I tried this...and.....

And it is worse off than if they would have just taken it there to begin with! Just my opinion though.....for what thats worth. I have only seen about 10 people do this in my neighborhood trying to do this type of thing on their own. ALL of em have ended up at the body shop around the corner....(including mine...yep....I duped it up too and HAVE done it before and have body shop experience too) Its really not that easy....sure...wetsanding a car for paint prep is one thing....fixing a prob like this is a complete other thing! He is NOT likely to fix this problem on his own.


BUT, if you are feelin real brave....go for it and for SURE come back here and tell us how ya did and when it is scheduled to go into the body shop....(just a bit of a guess)

 

Agreed here, wet sanding is better left for those like myself that have done it a million times and know how and when is enough... because no wax will cover the area affected unless you know what you're doing, too bad you're in Texas I would have done the job for you for a case of beer....

 

MichaelBenz, what gritt paper did you use? I have no idea how anyone could mess it up using a high grit paper, I made a point to over work on my old civic to see what would happen and by buffing the new sanded (cloudy spot) with some compound I could always easiy get it back to a nice shine, 1 out of 10 it was like a 3 on the hard scale. Really I have no idea what makes it so hard.

As far as his scratch, with out seeing it in person there's no way to tell if its easily removable. If he runs his hand across it and it feels smooth then it should have a good chance of coming off, however, if it feels like he took a cheese grater to it then there's no hope. removing the bumper cover and taking it into a body shop would be his best/cheapst fix.


As far as this

From what my body guy friends say this is 10 times as hard as using a high grit sand paper. it might not seem that way but trust me..... once you BURN your paint you'll find out the hard way. I had a "pro" repaint my hood (on my garage queen at that!) due to this. I also have a few body guy friends who have also said theres a fine line between buffing it right and burning the paint. it really takes a guy who has a good feel for it.

Would I try it? yeah but only after spending a few hours on an old beater.

FYI Today I'm talking sandpaper to my 2004 TL I just bought last week =) There's a few spots that need to be touched up.

fun fun fun =)

 

Yes....but you know what you are doing...that is the point! I have seen many many newbies dupe their cars doing this than help thier cars.

What grit did I use...shit...I can hardly remember now. It was on an older 95 Dark Cherry Impala SS I had....

 

Everyone has to start somewhere.

http://site.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=27
I learned from reading this.

EASY!

 

Heavy compounding is still better than the lightest sanding.

I have some old car parts from previous cars that I did a lot of practice on. I'd scratch sections and then practice with both a compound and sanding. It takes a lot of time to find a technique that works for you...so I would suggest doing a little practice before going down that road.

As for grit...use 1500, 2000, and 2500. Hard to find at most paint stores but body shops will either sell you or give you some.

 

Sandpaper is for when you have a deep scarch, compound does the same thing as sandpaper it's just a much much much higher grit (so to speak) so it will take you twice as long to use compound rather then to start out with 4-5 passes with 2500 gritt paper then move to compound.

As far as sandpaper you can pick up some 2500 gritt paper from advanced auto or auto zone.

as with 1500 and 2000 gitt and sanding blocks.

paper runs about $3.80 for 3-4 small sheets. more then enouhg to do a whole car worth of scratches.

 

I use 2000 grit soaked in h2o from the night before and a wet sponge instead of a block... .

 

Welp, I just did my very first wash today. Afterwards I wanted to get out the few scratches/scrapes the car had.

2000 gritt sand paper
3M rubbing compound.
Can't remmeber the name of the wax but I used a somewhat thick wax.

Sanding the silver TL was even easier then my old Red civic. I didnt have to polish it anywhere near as much to get the shine back.

I removed a good 8 or so marks/scratches. and in the process waxed the first half of the car.

I pick 1 pannel, first one was the hood. I removed using the sand paper any thing the normal compound couldnt get out. Then I waxed the whole hood. then moved to the next panel. the fender..... hopfully I'll have the whole thing done next weekend since I'll be busy till then.

FYI you can really tell when a cars paint hasnt been taken care of, I've went as far to lightly compound the whole hood, (need a clay bar) the before and after is a big change.
Even with the car cleaned, before felt like it still had dirt all over it, now its as smooth as glass =)

front bumpercover
roof
back doors,
trunk,
rear bumper cover...


sigh. almost.... almost there.

 

this wil be my last post on this subject but IMHO, wetsanding should be the last resort one takes to clear up a scuff...'nof said.....good luck...

 

i agree, but to each his own

 

Just remember rubbing compound is no different the sand paper.
it just takes way less work to remove stuff.

Back in the day I use to buff the heck outta scratches, bottom line, if you removed a scratch its becuase you removed the clear around that area making it a more level serface so your eye can't see the scartch that was there.

If its deep enough I fill the scratch with paint then sand it down level with the old paint. =)

I have an 03 car that people think to this day is brand new =) Im happy with the outcome.

back to UFC I go! I hope ed goes down!

 

From my experience its best to start with a compound...as said before, the most heavy compound work will still be less than the lightest wetsand...

 

try this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

Have you tried it?

 

Well, after all the suggestions, I dropped my car in a local auto shop, not really a body shop but they did a good job clean & polish all the scratches.... For some scratches in the paint, I guess there's no way to take it off, but at least the bumper looks much much better ... for the sake of $20 :-D

 

Best outcome you could have gotten I bet!