"I love the gal, but that`s not right!"

[abbeysdad]

ADVICE NEEDED:



Wife used her car as a shelf to stack boxes for recycling. Marring on the hood and trunk lid.

I have a pc and have on order a selection of (I think) all LC pads, OC and OP.



But what would you use to polish this to ?



http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/AbbeysDad20/PICT0006b.jpg



http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/AbbeysDad20/PICT0013b-1.jpg



Feedback appreciated.

[Evenflow]

Start with the least aggressive.



Go with a polishing pad, and OP. If that doesn`t work, step it up to the light cutting pad (orange). If that doesn`t cut it, then its time for the compound.



Just by looking at the pics, id say it needs to be compounded.

[abbeysdad]

Wow - 120 views and 1 response.



evenflow, I appreciate the feedback.



I thought I`d get 101 different favorite compound/polish/pad suggestions.



So many swirl removers, compounds, polishes that can be combined with so many pads - the combiantions seem nearly infinate... Then there`s the DA vs. rotary.



All somewhat new ground for me and sure appreciate the information here.

[imported_Dave KG]

Looking at the pitctures there, I think you`re likely to be looking at compoounding to remove the marks, but as suggested above, always start with the least aggressive pad combination first and work up.



First off, gently run your finger across the marks - do they catch your nail? Some look like they are down through the colour coat, or it may just be the light. If they catch your nail, then you wont be able to remove them by machine polishing, they will need filled>wetsanded>polished to shift which isn`t a job for the faint of heart. If they dont catch the nail, you`ll be able to remove or atleast reduce their effect significantly...



As you`ve noticed, there are a huge range of polishes out there, I can suggest the polishes I use regulalrly but there are also other that will do the same job. Personally I am a fan of Menzerna - I would first of all try Final Finish (PO106FF) on a polishing pad, then light cutting pad. The try Intensive Polish (either PO91L or ideally PO85RD3.01) on a polishing pad, then light cutting pad then cutting pad. If none of this is wroking, then step up to Power Gloss, but be aware that this is a very aggressive compound and by PC will need to be applied using a 4" cutting pad on the PC and followed with Intensive Polish to remove the micromarring. This product is a last resort, only to be used if all else fails!

[DrSauekraut]

What’s the make and model?



From experience with similar type scratches (tree limbs, cats, etc.), my most effective combination has been 4� Sonus SFX pads (personal favorite) and PG via rotary.



My girl has a tendency to do something similar - place her purse on the trunk lid of the IS. I shake my head every time . . . you’d think after so many years of me pissing and moaning that she’d get the point :wall

[Guy]

I feel for you, my wifes kids were passing boxes across my hood by sliding them! I tried the yellow sonus pad with optimum polish, followed by the SB pad and polish. That combo took quite a bit out of the scratches, you have to look really hard with the right angle and light to see them. Something more aggressive would be needed to get them all out. Goodluck!

[Accumulator]

abbeysdad- Are you working by hand or machine?



By hand I`d use 3M PI-III RC 05933 and MG 05937 or 1Z Ultra Polish and Paint Polish. By machine I`d use the same stuff or the BF/Menzerna products. You can try using the mild product first but don`t be surprised if you have to use the aggressive stuff.



If it`s really tough I`d use Hi-Temp Extreme Cut but only with a rotary/Cyclo/PC with 4" pads.



By machine I`d plan on using an orange light cutting pad for the aggressive stuff and a polishing pad for the milder follow up.



Sounds like it`s time to have a pleasant, informative talk with the rest of the family (and everyone else you know) about how to treat the vehicles. I did that and it worked like magic..*nobody* in my life so much as touches the paint on any of our vehicles; they understand what can happen and that I value the finish that I work so hard to attain. Most people simply dont understand how easy it is to mar automotive paint. I use the "eyeball anology", which goes something like: "the paint on that car is as soft and fragile as the surface of your eyeball, the big difference being that your eye can heal itself, but if the paint gets scratched it stays scratched until I waste my time fixing the damage".

[abbeysdad]

Thanks for the feedback.



Vehicle is a 2000 Buick Regal.



As near as I can tell, only one of the scratches catches a fingernail and will likely require paint `n more.

I`ll try the OP with a polishing pad and move up to an orange light cutting pad. I haven`t used OP before, but I don`t think most finish polishes will deal with these and I`ll need something with a little more bite (but I understand the logic behind the least agressive first).



Accumulator - We`ve had that talk - I`m not sure it sticks.

[abbeysdad]

I think I`m going to give it a go with the regular pads before buying a 4" backplate and pad(s).

I`m slowly growing my detail supplies and the garage is already begining to look like a pro shop (well except more messy!)

[bigltc]

Get yourself a car cover and then put some heavy packing blankets to put on top of that. It will save on headaches!

[Ben Kenobi]

I`d say you`re on the right path AD. I helped on a 2002 Audi TT the other day that had the same thing done to the hood. It took a rotary with a cutting wool pad and Car Brite compound and polish to get the scratches removed. It`s amazing what a carboard box can do isn`t it?

[imported_pdsterns]

School books on the roof, right by the drivers door do a very good job at making work for the detailer.

[abbeysdad]

Get yourself a car cover and then put some heavy packing blankets to put on top of that. It will save on headaches!



LOL - yeah, like I`m gonna get her to put a cover on the thing - maybe once or twice, AFTER she piles groceries, purse, other stuff all over it! NOT.



I might be able to get her to put a pad on the trunk lid when she`s gonna use it like a table for the box thing tho. Hmm...I`ll have to look out for a padded something that would fit nicely over the trunk or hood and find a place so it`s real handy so she`ll use it...



Lord knows if I invest in fixing this and I see her piling stuff on there, somethings gonna blow (if only the blood vessles in my neck !!!)

[abbeysdad]

I`d say you`re on the right path AD. I helped on a 2002 Audi TT the other day that had the same thing done to the hood. It took a rotary with a cutting wool pad and Car Brite compound and polish to get the scratches removed. It`s amazing what a carboard box can do isn`t it?





Yea, this may be rotary teritory, but I`m not there (skilled) yet - I`m just into the PC and being real tentative. I sure don`t want to make a bad situation really worse - especially bad would be to spend $$ on polisher, pads, compound and polish and THEN have to shell out for a repaint! Like so many here, I`d like to learn to do this before just taking it to a body shop (detail shops here don`t seem to go beyond wash, shampoo and wax).



At some point I think I might invest in a rotary, but as everyone here knows, it may not be rocket science, but there`s a steeper learning curve with rotary than the DA polisher...but I got to thinking...I noticed the Click `n Brag on the detail (no restoration), of the aluminum Rolls Royce and I glanced over at that 17` aluminum Grummans canoe in my garage that spent years in the water and I was thinking...hmm... rotary and metal polish ???? Might be a good place to start to learn rotary skills.

[Beason]

simple solution, new wife.