The evil scratch.... WARNING: Not for the faint of heart...

[ExplorerXLT95]

Ok ladies and gentlemen.... this one is left over from my "I have no idea how to even wax my car properly." days... I came to my car after a movie and it had a large, deep scratch from the top of the middle driver`s side wheel well to about 3/4 of the way down the driver`s side door... I almost killed myself right there on the spot. Anyways, I got home and the next day, my dad suggested using the infamous Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound. Now, I knew next to nothing about repairing that kind of damage at this time, but even then I just knew something was wrong about rubbing that stuff on my paint... BOY WAS I RIGHT!! I wanted to strangle my dad after I was done... He said just polish/wax it out and you won`t see it... He was right... Even the Mother`s Three Phase system covered it up nicely, but it has since been an eyesore whenever my car needs to be cleaned again....



I`m guessing the Mothers crap just filled it well and MAYBE removed some of the deep swirls, but I don`t know....



And now.... Brace yourself... Here it is.... the most evil scratch about a year or two AFTER the Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound...(NOTE: The surface IS NOT CLEAN and is actually quite dirty. I just walked outside and snapped this off.)

http://images.cardomain.com/installs/172000-172999/172408_31_full.jpg



Here`s a close-up view of it... (NOTE: Again, the surface IS NOT CLEAN and is actually quite dirty.)

http://images.cardomain.com/installs/172000-172999/172408_32_full.jpg



So..... That being shown, as ugly as it is, I now ask you... How can I fix it using ANY of the following products??

- 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Colored Cars

- 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound: Fine Cut

- 3M Imperial Hand Glaze

- Eagle One Scratch Remover

- Klasse All-In-One

- Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion

- Pinnacle PolyClay



I just listed those because I figured that they are the ones that will do the job... (NOTE: If I can`t actually repair the damage, I would at the very least be able to cover it up with some of my products because crappy Mother`s did the job, so make a suggestion)....



Hit me up guys... Sorry for posting such a horribly disgusting picture...

[Bobby G]

- 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Colored Cars

- 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound: Fine Cut

- 3M Imperial Hand Glaze



These will do the trick. You might get away with just the 3M Swirl Mark Remover and a lot of elbow grease.



db

[ExplorerXLT95]

Nasty isn`t it David??? Anyways, in what order would you go?? I assume this is the order you would suggest, but, again, this is just an assumption:



1) 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound: Fine Cut

2) 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Colored Cars

3) 3M Imperial Hand Glaze



Check me and let me know if I`m right...

[FocusRun]

hey ExplorerXlt95, I have one that`s EXACTLY like that one the side of my Focus.. It get`s filled up by Klasse somewhat. Do a fellow autopian a favor... PLS post the exact steps you use to remove ehm when you`re done? I don`t have the stuff David suggested, and I`m guessing I`m going to need a PC for it. Oh and if you could pls post an AFTER picture of your success?



pretty PLEASE?

[laynlow]

Originally posted by ExplorerXLT95

Nasty isn`t it David??? Anyways, in what order would you go?? I assume this is the order you would suggest, but, again, this is just an assumption:



1) 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound: Fine Cut

2) 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Colored Cars

3) 3M Imperial Hand Glaze



Check me and let me know if I`m right...



Try the 3M SMR first, and if you need more bite, revert to the order you have in the quote. :)

[Jngrbrdman]

I have handled damage just like that using nothing but a towel and GS27 scratch remover. Meguiar`s ScratchX might work as well. The rest of the advice already given is really good but if you want to see how those two products perform then this would be a good test for them.

[DaGonz]

A friend of mine did the same thing with his black Toyota Sequoia!

His was on the passenger side rear door.



He brought it over, this is what I did to remove the "error"..



Buffed the panel with Meguiar`s #2 fine cut cleaner with white 3M foam buffer on my Makita rotary polisher.



Switched the pad to a fine black 3M foam pad, buffed the panel with Meguiar`s #9 2.0 swirl mark remover.



Changed pads again, used Meguiar`s #3 Machine Glaze.



Finished it off with two coats of Meguiar`s #26 high tech yellow wax.

[jerry@robs]

Did that before too... actually, much worse than yours... the haze is similar... took care of it by hand... using EO scratch remover, 3M Finish Restorer, EO WET polish.... then QD.

[SXTMagnum]

i think this would be an appropriate opporitunity to post the proper steps for repairing a "keying" so others won`t repeat the same mistakes. i don`t know how to repair by machine or hand this type of damage. anyone?

[Bobby G]

Sorry it took me a day to get back to this. Looking at the marring to the paint, it looks far worse than it is. If you used a heavy-duty TW compound to remove the original key scratch, it`s about the same as using 1500 grit wet and dry sand paper. It removes the glazed surface from the paint.



3M Fine cut compound is designed to remove 1,000 grit scratches. A few passes by hand will cut right through the 1500 grit scratches left by the TW compound.



3M SMR will remove 2000 grit scratches and reglaze the paint surface. This is the next level of refinement.



3M IHG may not be required at all. Unless you have a super-perfect paint finish, you won`t see a difference. However, it will put down one heck of a temporary shine.



db

[Boongie]

In the same vein as this thread, I have a similar question. My vehicle is clearcoat silver metallic and I have just noticed a few swirl marks in it. Not all over mind you, but just in a few areas. What product would you recommend to take out the swirls prior to using Zaino? I was thinking of trying 3M SMR for light colored cars. I do not have a power buffer to apply a product so I will be applying by hand (which I think would be better, anyway).

[imported_Indy YZF]

3M IHG may not be required at all. Unless you have a super-perfect paint finish, you won`t see a difference. However, it will put down one heck of a temporary shine.



David, changing the gist of the topic only slightly, re 3M IHG, do you feel it would be possible to apply it with my PC at the #1 speed setting, mimicking if you will, a really fast hand, to work the glaze? And, stopping before its too dry, I would think Id be able to remove the residue by hand with an MF cloth. Or, will even the #1 setting dry out the product too much to be able to remove easily, which I guess is the reason its not recommended for machine use on a faster speed, at least.