Car scratch.

[iGas]

How easy is it to take out a large scratch area that when through the clear coating?

I went to a car wash today after a couple of drinks with the guys at work, and found a large scraped area (a bout 5"x10") that was not there when I left work parking lot.

 

[zerocool84]

Is it a scrape or a scratch? Two different things.

 

[iGas]

Is it a scrape or a scratch? Two different things.

Semantic....scrape then if you put it that way.

Does sanding & polishing buff it out?

 

[syzygy]

Semantic....scrape then if you put it that way.

Does sanding & polishing buff it out?

If you're sanding, you're not buffing anything out, only creating a reason to have
the damage painted when it may not need to be.

Try Quixx. It may work.

 

[iGas]

I fixed it.

The scraped was deeper than I though, but 2000 grit sand paper & block make short work of it.

Wash damaged area with soap & water.
Wash off the damage area with water.
2000 grit wet sand (bought 1000 grit as well, but I didn't need it).
Wash area with water.
Buff with Nufinish scratch doctor.
Wash the entire car throughly.
Apply & buff with Nufinish polish.

It worked like a charm, but I will eventually do it right and apply a couple layer of clear coat.

 

[jpeyton]

Unrelated, but what kind of car wash did you go to?

There are only two kinds of washes that won't screw up your paint:

1) Touch-less with air dry and/or hand dry

2) Hand-wash with hand dry

If I don't have time to hand wash the car myself, I take it to a touch-less wash and dry the car off myself with a cotton towel. Also pay attention to how car washes dry your car; it's been proven that those "water blades" screw up your paint. I stay away from microfiber as well and just stick to cotton towels for each step.

 

[foghorn67]

Take caution with some of the hand wash/dry places. Some still use those giant blowers that are supposed to gently be moved out of the way when the car goes through,
It also could have been some dingbat's belt buckle or key set.

 

[iGas]

Unrelated, but what kind of car wash did you go to?

There are only two kinds of washes that won't screw up your paint:

1) Touch-less with air dry and/or hand dry

2) Hand-wash with hand dry

If I don't have time to hand wash the car myself, I take it to a touch-less wash and dry the car off myself with a cotton towel. Also pay attention to how car washes dry your car; it's been proven that those "water blades" screw up your paint. I stay away from microfiber as well and just stick to cotton towels for each step.

It was a self serve wand/brush wash.

I think the scrape was from someone side swipe my car in the parking lot at the bar.

 

[jpeyton]

It was a self serve wand/brush wash.

<shudders>

 

[Howard]

I stay away from microfiber as well and just stick to cotton towels for each step.

Get with the times, friend.

 

[iGas]

Get with the times, friend.

Micro fiber works great wet, but I still prefer leather chamois for polishing/waxing.

Last weekend I picked up a 3' square leather chamois on sales for $24 CAD .

 

[alfa147x]

Get with the times, friend.

I find cotton towels are a whole lot cheaper and the ones i have dont leave lint behind

 

[Howard]

I find cotton towels are a whole lot cheaper and the ones i have dont leave lint behind

They're also a lot more likely to scratch your paint.

 

[jpeyton]

They're also a lot more likely to scratch your paint.

Microfiber is more likely to scratch your paint than a 100% cotton towel.