Scratches on the paintwork

[RobWarren]

I've been trolling through the various threads on paintwork and haven't entirely located what I'm after...which is some advice on how to treat scratches.

I used a couple of lovely leather straps for my luggage rack on a recent trip but I stupidly led them under the luggage rack instead of over it and through the loops so my bags and straps were just touchign the boot lid.

As a result, fine dust and dirt from the gravel and dirt tracks managed to find its way under my bags and sandwiched between the straps and the paint. A few very fine scratches remain and while they look more like large smudges, they're definitely peramanent as I have waxed and polished the car since.

T-cut?
Any good polishing products?
How much would a respray cost for a panel like this?
As above but for the whole car (out of curiosity)?

I need to get a touch-up done on a couple of other wee spots too but the boot lid can't be touched-up by an amateur like me so if there are products out there I can try first, that'd be awesome.

Colorado Red BJ8.

 

[tahoe healey]

Original paint? Clear coat? Meguires makes a product called Scratch X that does an ok job on small scratches but is not permanent.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hello Rob,

Wax with cleaners in them, don't have enough cutting power to remove a scratch.

If you have tried a polish and the scratches are still there, then you need a more aggressive product like a compound. A compound will cut deeper into the clear coat or the one stage paint if you have that on the car. After using a compound, follow up with the polish to restore the shine.

If the compound does not cut deep enough into the scratched area, then you can use 1500 wet and dry sandpaper. Wet the paper and use a small hard foam block. Wrap the paper around the block and use very light pressure. After 5-6 wipes with the 1500 sand paper, dry that area and look at the now matt finished area you've created. If you still see the scratch marks, then sand some more till you bring the surface down to the bottom level of the scratch. Once the matt finish does not show any scratch lines stop. Use the compound followed by the polish.

Always go slowly and keep an eye on the surface your polishing, compounding or sanding. You don't want to go through the clear and if too much of a one stage paint is removed, your going to see primer.

It's harder to know how deep the scratch is in a clear coated car. The one stage is easier because if the scratch is through the color you will see primer. The scratch on the clear may only be clear deep or may have gone down to the base (also known as the color) coat.

You can get 1500 sand paper at hardware stores.
The hard foam block, maybe the hardware store or your local body shop. You only need a 2" square. You're not sanding the entire panel, like body shops do. Ask them if they would cut a small piece off for you.
Compound and polish at your local auto stores that sell wax.

As far as touching up paint goes, it can get expensive. It's all in how close the paint being applied matches what's on the car. It the area is near another panel, then that panel will have to be blended, so as not to see the different shade of the paint that is going on, if you stop at another panel. Good body shops know that it is almost impossible to match paint perfectly. So, they blend the new paint they are spraying on the damaged panel onto the adjoining panel if it needs to be. If the area to be painted is in the middle of the panel, and the panel is large enough, they may be able to feather to the edge. But now comes the uncertainly of, will the clear darken or lighten up the base coat (color). It's a lot of work and even more talent painting a car. Yes, it's costly. It's all billable hrs. And it takes some time to get it right.

Hope this helps. Good luck,
Roger

 

[RobWarren]

As always, great feedback and advice - thank you.

I'll head down to the auto store and ask them about compound products before trying the wet and dry.

Cheers boys.

 

[Cutlass]

There is all you would ever want to know, and more, at AutoBody101.com. For starters, though, you really do need to know what paint you're dealing with. The depth of the scratches will then determine what you need to do. Minor scratches in clear coat can be handled with a glazing compound and either hand polishing or da (dual action) machine polishing. If the scratches go as deep as the color coat, more is necessary, possibly including a partial re-spray with clear.

 

[RobWarren]

I think that's another question Cutlass - I have no idea what paint I'm dealing with.

There's nothign inthe service history to suggest a respray but I know some touch-up has been done as one of the seals on the headlight fittings is red and should be black rubber.

My assumption is that it's original paint. Would this be clearcoat on top of one layer of paint?

 

[AUSMHLY]

Minor scratches in clear coat can be handled with a glazing compound and either hand polishing or da (dual action) machine polishing.

A glaze is a filler. A compound is a cutting abrasive.
A compound will cut the surface down to the level of the imperfection. A permanent fix. A glaze is a filler that is meant to hide swirl marks also known as spider webs. A glaze is a band-aid fix.

Rob, if the paint is orginal, it would be a one stage paint.
I totally agree with Cutlass, you need to know what you have on the car.

A simple way to find out if it's one stage is to use a polish or compound. Any cutting product. If the rag turns the color of the car, it's a one stage paint. If it does not, it's a two stage. Base/clear coat.

 

[Cutlass]

Original paint would not be a base/clear coat. The danger in using any more aggressive media than a mild buffing or glazing compound is removing enough paint to get past the paint and into the primer. That requires re-painting. One strategy might be to start with the mildest abrasive you can get, and see if that does the job. If not, you have not lost much.

 

[glemon]

I agree with Cutlass, if you go with something too agressive you may do more harm than good--I would try an agressive cutting compound, I think the commercial stuff you can get at body shops from Meguires or 3M is better than the off the shelf stuff at the chain auto parts stores.

I wouldn't take even fine sandpaper to it unless I knew what exactly I was cutting into, some paints don't come back to a shine very well after this treatment (such as an old type enamel, which you could have on your car).

If the scratches have gone through the color coat you won't be able to fix it without new paint, however, sometimes if you have a mixture of on paint scuffs and through the paint scratches some careful polishing can make it look better.

 

[tahoe healey]

All good advice. Roger does paintless dent repair for a living (does a great job). So you are getting some VERY good advice. Check the boot. I doubt they would clear coat on the underside of the lid. If the paint looks less deep and glossy then the body probably is clear coated.

 

[RobWarren]

The underside of the boot lid is most definiely less glossy and deep so I think it's a safe assumption that it's clear coat based on what you've suggested Tahoe.

I'll keep an eye out for a compound product and see how I go after a good polish.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Rob,

Let me sum up what we've all mentioned.

1. Know what paint you have on the car.
By hand, use a white towel and some polish. If the towel turns red, you have single coat.

2. Apply product by hand.
An orbital or polisher does not let you see quick enough what's happening.

3. Always start with the least abrasive.
Which it sounds like you did, by using a polish. Being the polish did not cut it, then it's time to use a compound for it will cut faster and deeper. Always do a little at a time, being careful of how hard you apply pressure. When you see the scratches start to disappear, follow up with a polish to restore the shine.

4. Wet sanding with 1500 and a foam block.
This is the most aggressive and not for the timid. The problem with trying to remove scratches with just compound is that the compound will remove a lot more of the painted area then you need to. You only want to remove the paint from the small area where the scratch is. Wet sanding allows that. After wet sanding the spot, dry it to see how deep you have sanded. You can apply very little pressure and hardly mar the surface. When done by an experience person, this process can cut no deeper than using a compound, but benefit by cutting less of the surrounding painted area.

I'm just tiring to explain all the options of how to repair a scratch, that is repairable. If the scratch is so deep that painting will be required, you should know that up front, by looking closely at the scratch.

There is always the service of a body shop. They can look at a scratch and tell you if they can save it from being painted. They will know if it is repairable by polish, compound or wet sand. A Body shop that does custom or show cars, will wet sand and polish the entire car, to remove all the orange peel, after painting it. Single coat, two or three stage. Your local body shop should be able to remove your scratch while you wait, should you go that route.

Best of luck Rob,
Roger

 

[RobWarren]

Thanks very much Roger.

 

[RobWarren]

Update:

I bought some compound scratch polish and gave it a test run on the underside of the boot lid...the colour came away on the white rag as expected - the underside of theboot being more dull in finish than the topside.

I started pretty gently on the scratches and continually checked the rage - all that seemed to be coming off was dirt and even then not much, but after a little while I noticed a definite reduction in the scratches and once polished and buffed, the area was back to almost former glory.

I'll have another crack at it this weekend to get rid of the last swirls and marks but I'm not going to overdo the pressure on the deeper scratches.

Thanks for all your help guys

Rob

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hey Rob,

Good going! It sounds like the outside is two stage, clear coat over base. Underside one stage. Most times, when a car gets a new coat of paint, the painter will only shoot the exterior. An expensive paint job will remove all trim and shoot what is necessary. That may include door jams, underside of hoods etc.

Almost everyone paints two stage now. The EPA here in California require the body shops to use only water based products now.

Congratulations on your efforts.
Roger