Newbie : Scratch and Souveran

L

likesTOlearn

New member
This is my second post on the forum and I have a coupe of questions for the same vehicle, so I thought I'd lump them together.



My wife's brand new Acura MDX (Aberdeen Green) just picked up a scratch on the passenger door which continues onto the rear door on that side also :wall . It's actually two scratches both about 3 inches long. It looks like they are down to the primer and the catch on my nail. If I don't try to fix it with wetsanding or with touchup paint then what are the chances of it rusting? How else can I prevent rusting and is it pretty effective? Do you guys recommend fixing a scratch or just living with it (getting two doors re-painted is not an option)?



If u think I should get the scratch fixed would wetsanding or touchup be the easiest method and less likely to screw it up more? I have never done either and they make me nervous. Are there any good detailers in the S. Jersey area on here, near Cherry Hill that can come to my house to fix the scratch?



Lastly, I'm getting Souveran delivered tomorrow. I plan a detail on the MDX on Saturday. Can I use Souveran on the textured plastic trim on the MDX? Do you think Aquawax would be a better option on the trim? How about Windows, will Souveran be ok on Windows? I have never used a carnauba on Windows before, is it ok? Is it quite common to do this?



Sorry no pics at the moment but will try to get some up.



Thanks for the help, great site with a lot of good people with great attitudes. You don't see that on the web enough. Cheers.
 
Can't say much about Souveran and the uses on plastic/glass since I've never used it, but I'd guess you'd be fine.



As for the scratches, do not let them sit unrepaired. If they are down to the primer or past, get some touch up paint and at the very least fill them in. You can then wetsand the spots level to the paint, but if you've never done it before you should really take your time or have someone help you with it.



Most people can live with somewhat sloppy touch up paint. Fewer can live with rusted doors.
 
You can put it on your rims but there really is no point, it will get eaten through pretty quick.



EDIT: Also please note that Sourveran only lasts 2-4 weeks sometimes less from my experience.
 
todd@bsaw said:
Can't say much about Souveran and the uses on plastic/glass since I've never used it, but I'd guess you'd be fine.



As for the scratches, do not let them sit unrepaired. If they are down to the primer or past, get some touch up paint and at the very least fill them in. You can then wetsand the spots level to the paint, but if you've never done it before you should really take your time or have someone help you with it.



Most people can live with somewhat sloppy touch up paint. Fewer can live with rusted doors.
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Todd I need your help doing this on my Maxima. You still in MN or did you boot over to WI? You think that you could help with this?
 
Is Souveran a bad idea on the textured trim on an MDX? I also have DG105 and Aquawax, is either or both of them better to use, are they likely to provide more durability and not stain the trim?
 
WilliamHBonney said:
Todd I need your help doing this on my Maxima. You still in MN or did you boot over to WI? You think that you could help with this?
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Sorry OT, I jetted over to WI already. I got hired to run a local detail shop here that is a far better opportunity (and pay). I'll let you know next time I'm in town and will help you with the Maxima.
 
likesTOlearn said:
Is Souveran a bad idea on the textured trim on an MDX? I also have DG105 and Aquawax, is either or both of them better to use, are they likely to provide more durability and not stain the trim?
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Are you talking about intentionally waxing unpainted plastic trim? That doesn't sound so great to me. Why not use a product that is made for plastic trim like a dressing?
 
likesTOlearn said:
Is Souveran a bad idea on the textured trim on an MDX?
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Welcome to Autopia!



I've been using Souveran on textured plastic trim, and even on *rubber* trim, since the '80s and it always works great for me. Been doing it on the Jag for ages and there have been no problems whatsoever. In fact, I did it with Malm's wax before the Souveran, so that's over 20 years of treating the Jag's trim that way.



But FWIW I do the same thing on other vehicles with Collinite 845 (and some other products), and it lasts infinitely longer than the Souveran.



I don't put such stuff on windows though. Note that most glass cleaners will simply strip it off with the first cleaning anyhow.



There are some *VERY* good threads about doing touchups, might be worth the dreaded search function.



If the scratches are just down to primer you shouldn't have too much trouble with rusting even though primer is more porous than regular paint. I have a nasty one on my beater-Blazer that's down to primer, and it hasn't rusted over the last year (including an Ohio winter) because I keep it well-waxed. I had to-the-metal chips on the Jag for 20 years before my painter got fed up and fixed them (without my permission!) and they never got really bad. But a quickie touchup now might forestall problems down the road.



Best advice I can give it to get some very small artist's brushes (sizes like 10/0 and 20/0- AKA "ten-oh" and "twenty-oh") and use them for this sort of work. I also like wearing a magnifying visor so I can really see what I'm doing.



Put down two-three thin coats of basecoat/color and then fill the scratch the rest of the way (to slightly higher than the surrounding factory paint) with clear. About an hour between coats, and maybe a day between the color and the clear. Then leave it alone for a few days/weeks/months (the longer the better) so it can fully cure and harden. The longer you wait to wax it the better the paint will cure.



FWIW, I don't consider wetsanding/Langka leveling to be absolutely mandatory with touchups; sometimes I do it but more often I don't. The blobs of touchup paint just don't bother me all that much and I don't want to deal with a lot of polishing just for that if the rest of the vehicle is in OK shape. You can always level them later if they really bug you. If you use the tiny brushes, and do a careful job, the touchup blobls won't be all that bad anyhow.
 
Accumulator said:
I've been using Souveran on textured plastic trim, and even on *rubber* trim, since the '80s and it always works great for me. Been doing it on the Jag for ages and there have been no problems whatsoever. In fact, I did it with Malm's wax before the Souveran, so that's over 20 years of treating the Jag's trim that way.
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Do you mean you get it on there sometimes? Or you intentionally wax a whole plastic trim piece with it?



If you do it intentionally, just curious, but why?
 
Aurora40 said:
Do you mean you get [wax on trim accidentally]? Or you intentionally wax a whole plastic trim piece with it?



If you do it intentionally, just curious, but why?
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I do indeed mean that I use it intentionally :eek:



Started doing it with Malm's on the Jag when ERV dressings a) soiled the car cover, b) retained/attracted dirt, and c) ran onto the paint in the rain. Worked so well I started trying variations of that theme on other vehicles with other LSPs.



It gives a nice satin look and there has been no degradation of the rubber/plastic at all. A W-O-W-O approach (which I otherwise do not employ) seems to give the most uniform/streakless look. Spraying with a leaves-stuff-behind QD makes a nice finishing touch.



I even used Collinite 476S :soscared: on the Volvo wagon's rubber bumper covers! Looked/beaded/cleaned up great for a long time. It did look pretty awful once it got compromised, but that took many months (outside 24/7 for a whole bad winter) and when I cleaned/rewaxed them they looked fine again.



I've been pleasantly surprised by how well my LSPing of such trim has worked out. The Klasse twins have worked *GREAT* on the MPV's black plastic trim, still looks nearly new after five years of beater-car duty. UPP works well on the Audi trim until it gets worn/aged, then it doesn't work so well (but their spray sealant still works OK).



These days I really only use dressings (usually 303 or AutoGlym's Bumper Care) when the LSP approach doesn't work. Needless to say it pays to make sure a given LSP isn't prone to white stains/etc. before you try it for this ;)
 
I checked the scratch closely today when I was detailing and I don't think it is as bad as I first thought. I don't think it is down to the primer. It's not that noticeable, would it make sense to just add some clearcoat over it. If so, is clearcoat available OTC?



On the mdx trim and windows I decided to use a coat of Aquawax. IT looks great. Don't know about the long term durability but I'll keep my eye on it. I love Aquawax, if you haven't used it give it a shot, great stuff.
 
likesTOlearn said:
I checked the scratch closely today when I was detailing and I don't think it is as bad as I first thought. I don't think it is down to the primer. It's not that noticeable, would it make sense to just add some clearcoat over it. If so, is clearcoat available OTC?
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Sometimes that can work out surprisingly well (other times, well, it doesn't).



Local autobody/paint supply places will have touchup clear, or you can order it from PaintScratch or AutomotiveTouchup or places like that. Do a web search if you can't find it locally. Dealerhships have it too, but theirs is often very thick.



Use the tiny brushes though, they really do make all the difference. Sharpened tootpicks, matches, and the like just don't compare.
 
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