How do you remove scratches from painted plastic bumpers?

[cp1]

Hi Guy's,
Have a scratch caused by the end of an air hose coupling in the back bumper of my BMW. About 2" long and can feel it with finger nail. I'm sure I can't remove it but would like to hide it pretty good, color is silver so I'm off to a good start.

Thanks a ton!!

[etml12]

Like you said, removal isn't an option. If you use the search function, look for threads explaining the process of paint touch up. I'm certainly no expert but the main process goes a s follows: multiple very thin layers to fill and build up paint film, wetsand,compound, and polish to re-level.

[Flashtime]

pics please.

[cp1]

Well....the scratch is only in the clear coat, not into the base or gouged into the plastic, I should have been more descriptive in my explanation. I did use some 3M liquid rubbing compound on a cotton terry cloth wrapped tightly around my finger and rubbed it in good then I applied some ZPC and topped with Z5. Unless I get at exactly the right angle down low in the right light you can't see it, and after a good foam pad/PC detail with some focus in that area it should be 90%+ gone.

What I'm not too sure of is how much you can work a plastic bumper?? Do you work on it as you would the rest of the car?

Thanks.

[cp1]

Originally Posted by Flashtime

pics please.

I'll take some and get them in either tonight or tomorrow at latest. Thanks for asking.

[Accumulator]

Originally Posted by cp1

Well....the scratch is only in the clear coat... I did ..[normal spot-correction].. and topped with Z5. Unless I get at exactly the right angle down low in the right light you can't see it, and after a good foam pad/PC detail with some focus in that area it should be 90%+ gone...

Cool. That's pretty much it, huh? Certainly sounds like you've corrected it to the degree sensible and that it'll be easy enough to live with

What I'm not too sure of is how much you can work a plastic bumper??

I get the feeling the clear on plastic bumpers/etc. is often a little thinner than that on the rest of the vehicle (especially around the edges of the plastic pieces), but as my ETG won't measure on plastic and I've never worn through the clear on such pieces I don't know for sure. It's just a gut-feeling and I'd rathe err on the side of caution. I don't really let it concern me...not like I've found the clear on them to be *really* thin or anything like that.

Do you work on it as you would the rest of the car?

Other than being *very* careful around the edges (that fear of thin paint), and watching that I don't heat things up too much when using the rotary (plastic doesn't conduct heat the way metal does so it's easier to get the paint too hot), yeah- I treat the painted plastic parts just about the same as the rest of the vehicle....I'm just more careful not to do anything wrong, and I really shouldn't do anything wrong anyhow no matter which panel I'm working on

I've heard people say you shouldn't machine polish such panels and other weird stuff like that, but IME that's just not the case

On my '97 M3, I've used the rotary quite aggressively on the painted plastic...no problems at all.