How do you remove scratches from painted plastic bumpers?

[imported_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!!

[imported_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.

[imported_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.

[imported_cp1]

pics please.

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

[Accumulator]

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 :xyxthumbs

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 :nixweiss



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