Clear coat gone?

[wardog]

I`m a new member so be gentle! In trying to help my son clean his 3 yr. old Ford Edge pickup, I used something I shouldn`t have. He had a rather large spot on his hood that appeared to be sap. It had been on the hood for a long time. We tried to remove it using sponges and soapy water.. no luck. I then used a scotch brite pad on it and lo an behold the sap was removed. I think I also took off the clear coat too, unfortunately. Anyway, there`s a noticeable mark there where the scrubbing was done. I used rubbing compound on it, along with wax and can`t seem to undo what has been done.

So... what`s the verdict? Is this a permanent marring, or will a professional buffer bring it back?

Thanks for any advice/help!

[RAG]

I can`t imagine you couldn`t buff it out - taking it to an experienced detailer will tell you for sure...but you shouldn`t of been able to go through the clear that easy.



And next time use some Goof Off to remove stubborn sap, great over the counter product for this.

[ChicagoVTX]

You can also try a polish. It sund like you dulled the area.

[velobard]

I have this hunch that the rubbing compound you used is that Turtle Wax stuff in a can. Stay away from that stuff. I agree with the previous poster, you most likely just left some pretty good scratches in that area. I would EXPECT scouring the paint to leave a mark. First thing to try by hand is to get a a microfiber towel and work on the area with Mequiars ScratchX.



For stuff like that that`s adhered to the paint use chemicals, from Goof Off to a bug and tar remover. You can also try using detailing clay, available at many auto parts stores.