Scratches

Found a couple of small scratches on my trunk lid. Nothing major, have to look hard just to find them, but I know they're on their. Any easy tricks to get them off? They are not deep, looks like surface only. What say you?

Originally Posted by soulunderdog

Found a couple of small scratches on my trunk lid. Nothing major, have to look hard just to find them, but I know they're on their. Any easy tricks to get them off? They are not deep, looks like surface only. What say you?

Forget them. The endless (and fruitless) quest to have "the perfect car" will never work out in the long run. We all have to live with slight imperfections and not let it ruin our enjoyment of this fine piece of machinery. Just remember, however, that's all it is. Consider yourself fortunate to have some inconsequential cosmetic "flaw" out of the way. Otherwise it's complete OCD time.

I think they should deliver the cars with a slight imperfection or two to help people overcome this fruitless quest for perfection.

Meguiar's Cleaner wax (red bottle), then hit it with Meguiar's gold class wax.

I've been using Malm's Ultra-Fine Polishing Cleaner for years--great for removing very fine scratches. I highly recommend it.
www.malms.com Some Porsche dealers are now stocking it.

Meguiar's also manufactures a product called "Scratch X," a tubed paste that removes minor surface scratches. I've used it with success. I follow-up with classic "red" and Gold Class, as well, as described. Use lightly and rub/buff gently with a micro-fiber cloth. Repeated applications may be necessary. Then pop a cold one!

Originally Posted by PsychDoc1

Forget them. The endless (and fruitless) quest to have "the perfect car" will never work out in the long run. We all have to live with slight imperfections and not let it ruin our enjoyment of this fine piece of machinery. Just remember, however, that's all it is. Consider yourself fortunate to have some inconsequential cosmetic "flaw" out of the way. Otherwise it's complete OCD time.

I think they should deliver the cars with a slight imperfection or two to help people overcome this fruitless quest for perfection.

+1

It's like a "patina" that fine furniture acquires over the years ....... if you can't see it from 50 feet away nobody cares!

Originally Posted by PsychDoc1

Forget them. The endless (and fruitless) quest to have "the perfect car" will never work out in the long run. We all have to live with slight imperfections and not let it ruin our enjoyment of this fine piece of machinery. Just remember, however, that's all it is. Consider yourself fortunate to have some inconsequential cosmetic "flaw" out of the way. Otherwise it's complete OCD time.

I think they should deliver the cars with a slight imperfection or two to help people overcome this fruitless quest for perfection.

After a year or so of ownership I'd tend to agree. After just a month and a half I'm not quite there yet. Besides there are some other very minor imperfections that I have overlooked because trying to fix them would probably exacerbate the situation. I'll try the wax.

Originally Posted by bimmerific

Meguiar's also manufactures a product called "Scratch X," a tubed paste that removes minor surface scratches. I've used it with success. I follow-up with classic "red" and Gold Class, as well, as described. Use lightly and rub/buff gently with a micro-fiber cloth. Repeated applications may be necessary. Then pop a cold one!

I'll give this a shot - thanks much. I'll think of this post as I pop the top of a nice cold Mountain Dew.

If you are really bothered by it then get a good professional detailer and it can be buffed out. It might cost you $100-200 to get it done. Wax will do nothing for scratches. You need a polish and high speed polisher but if not familiar with it I would recommend the pro detailer.
If you can't see the primer coat then it can be saved if you can see the primer coat underneath then you need to find a special refinisher who can apply heat to the paint and then move it over the scratch. This is a new method and not many can do it properly so you are warned. I have seen it done before and the final product is great but if done improperly screws up the whole paint job.

If you can't feel them with your finger nail then any mild polish using a cotton applicator (not micro fiber) will take them off. Happy to make a suggestion if you need one

Originally Posted by dboy11

If you can't feel them with your finger nail then any mild polish using a cotton applicator (not micro fiber) will take them off. Happy to make a suggestion if you need one

Yeah can't feel them at all. I'll take the recommendation....

Originally Posted by soulunderdog

Yeah can't feel them at all. I'll take the recommendation....

OTC product I would get Meg's Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner. (you can find it at any auto parts store) Its a chemical based polish that can be used on the paint, plastic lens, the trim inside the car with no issues. Using something like an old baby diaper, and a dime size amount rub that into the area, until it dissipates. This means the polsih is breaking down and doing its job. That should take care of what you have.

Follow that up with a good wax.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.do?q=4576



This is what I am talking about, extremely versatile product

You could try the above but if it doesn't work then go to a little more abrasive polish and keep stepping it up until it is gone.

Thanks guys - I appreciate it..

If you have another car that is older I would practice on that car first before trying it on your new car if you are not too familiar with detailing.

Originally Posted by Nobrandfanboy

If you have another car that is older I would practice on that car first before trying it on your new car if you are not too familiar with detailing.

That's a very good idea - thanks.

Originally Posted by Nobrandfanboy

If you are really bothered by it then get a good professional detailer and it can be buffed out. It might cost you $100-200 to get it done. Wax will do nothing for scratches. You need a polish and high speed polisher but if not familiar with it I would recommend the pro detailer.
If you can't see the primer coat then it can be saved if you can see the primer coat underneath then you need to find a special refinisher who can apply heat to the paint and then move it over the scratch. This is a new method and not many can do it properly so you are warned. I have seen it done before and the final product is great but if done improperly screws up the whole paint job.

Good advice! I'm not sure if the F10s even have primer anymore. I think it's a single stage basecoat over Ecoat. I'm just pointing this out because most people think of primer of being gray. They could be through the clear and not realize it.

Also applying heat to clearcoat is how you get scratches out. The purpose of a high speed polisher is to heat up the clear. Keep the polisher flat, light pressure, and don't get anywhere near a corner or character line and you'll be fine. If the scratch is deep enough then lightly wet sand with some 800 or 1000. That will speed up the process greatly.

Best thing to do is buy a jet black body panel from a junkyard and practice. It really is useful to know if you like a keeping your paint finish pristine. DeWalt makes the best polishers IMO.

Originally Posted by tbod

Good advice! I'm not sure if the F10s even have primer anymore. I think it's a single stage basecoat over Ecoat. I'm just pointing this out because most people think of primer of being gray. They could be through the clear and not realize it.

Also applying heat to clearcoat is how you get scratches out. The purpose of a high speed polisher is to heat up the clear. Keep the polisher flat, light pressure, and don't get anywhere near a corner or character line and you'll be fine. If the scratch is deep enough then lightly wet sand with some 800 or 1000. That will speed up the process greatly.

Best thing to do is buy a jet black body panel from a junkyard and practice. It really is useful to know if you like a keeping your paint finish pristine. DeWalt makes the best polishers IMO.

Even if it has no primer it should still have a greyish coat from the double galvanized steel no?
Also a note about the wet sanding, do not try this at all if you are new to detailing period. The new waterbased nanocoat finishes are very hard to work with. They are hard yet very soft. Don't ask me to explain, just that it is very hard to get back to original finish after the wet sanding if you are not an experienced detailer.

Originally Posted by Nobrandfanboy

Even if it has no primer it should still have a greyish coat from the double galvanized steel no?
Also a note about the wet sanding, do not try this at all if you are new to detailing period. The new waterbased nanocoat finishes are very hard to work with. They are hard yet very soft. Don't ask me to explain, just that it is very hard to get back to original finish after the wet sanding if you are not an experienced detailer.

The electric coating is kind of a brown color. If you get that far then you're using a key.

Yes, primers are still used. They aren't necessarily grey however. Back when I ran areas of the paint dept for a automotive manufacturer, we used white, grey and a red/rust color. The primer color used is determined by the base color called for. Some manufacturers actually use color matched primers, meaning there is a specific primer color for each base color. The reason is primers are cheaper than basecoats, thus less basecoat is necessary to "cover" a same colored primer.

Originally Posted by snj1013

Yes, primers are still used. They aren't necessarily grey however. Back when I ran areas of the paint dept for a automotive manufacturer, we used white, grey and a red/rust color. The primer color used is determined by the base color called for. Some manufacturers actually use color matched primers, meaning there is a specific primer color for each base color. The reason is primers are cheaper than basecoats, thus less basecoat is necessary to "cover" a same colored primer.

BMW previously used colored primer but have mostly switched to a single stage base that uses no primer. It's called IPP. You still have the e-coat, then base, then clear.