Help with scratches please.

[hornz2000]

Hey guys I really need some help. Just today I was at one of those drive thru car washes where you insert the quarters and wash the car yourself etc....Anyways, someone had shoepolished my car a long time ago and I removed it all with Rubbing Alcohol. However, there were still some little tiny speckles of shoe polish that dripped from the window onto the body when I removed it, I guess. I had the high powered water gun and was getting the little pieces off but I guess I got the gun too close to the body and before I knew it a DEEP scratch appeared before my eyes about 1" long and really thin. My car is black so I just got a sharpie and colored it in for now but is there anything I can do to fix it. I also have some really shallow scratches from like trees and branches scraping my car. Would the best solution be for me to get a entire new paint job or what??? If so, how much would just a factory style paint job (Black) cost. I wouldn't want anything special, just the way it looks coming out of the factory.

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Well, to get a job close to factory specs, be prepared to pay a nice chunk of change for it. I don't think that your problems warrant a repaint. For the tree branches, these can most likely be buffed out. I would recommend getting an orbital buffer (don't worry, it's impossible to burn the paint with an orbital) and some 3M Perfect-It III machine glaze. That should definitely take the scratches out without being too abrasive. If that doesn't take them all out, it may be necessary to step up to something more abrasive like 3M Finesse-It II, followed by the Perfect-It III. As for the deep scratch, if it's down to the primer, you're probably SOL on that one. You may be able to fix it with touch-up paint. Go to www.carcareonline.com for instructions on how to properly use touch-up paint. Good luck!

peace

Mike

 

[Boman01]

I have worked in a dealerships detailing shop for about two years and this is what i would suggest before takin it to the body shop. Take some touch-up paint and put it on pretty thick, let it sit on there for at least month to make sure it dries thouroghly. then find someone that knows how to use a high speed buffer very well and between this and some buffing compound it should glaze it right over and you will never be able to tell it was there. I have seen this done many times and it worked great.