Ok so long story short, my friend has a red RX8 and last night, we were backing out of a driveway and one of our other friends (being DD) scarped against a bunch of treebranches coming out of this driveway. The entire side of the car is filled with scrathes that run along the entire car. We are gonna go at trying to buff them out and cover them tommorow since they are not deep at all, but do you guys have any tips???? Thanks...

 

If you can feel them with your finger nail, they can not be repaired with polish/rubbing compound and some sort of clear/touchup paint will be required.

Now if you can not feel the scratches with your nail, and you have a machine, then just get the lightest cut and work your way up as needed. For example, if you have a PC then get Meguiar's #80 and if that does not work, then try #83. Remember, with a PC, you have to work it in very slowly with many, many passes for it to be truely effective.

If you do not have a buffer, then get some ScratchX and apply it in very small areas at a time (no larger than 12x12) or your arm will likely fall off. 3m rubbing compound works great as well, however I personally prefer Meguiar's. Follow it up with some polish (DC#2 by Meguiars is a cheap and effective) and then wax.

 

So he should go in the following sequence...wash+dry < claybar < scratchX < polish < wax.

You do not want to wash off the residue left from the scratchX before polishing?

 

Nah. If done by hand, just polish right after ScratchX and you should be fine.

 

Guys, scratchx is a polish.

 

no i believe its a paint cleaner

 

It is a paint cleaner. Polishing afterwards will help the wax and color.

 

i got keyed on my driver side door, and i have been asking around finding out how to get this out but nobody seems to know a good way other than spending $500 to repaint the door. the key mark is past the clear coat but not to the metal, and is about 18 inches long. does anybody have any ideas on how i can get this out? i appreciate it.

 

If it's just to the color you will need a light clear coat. After the clear dries which is 3-4 hrs(to be safe). Then lightly sand with 1000 grit wet/dry 3M sandpaper and move up to 1500 and 2000 grit. Use 3M rubbing compound, with a microfiber towel and follow up with their Hand Glaze (polish). When you are done give it about a week before using wax. This will allow maximum curing time

 

Why tell him to wetsand when a PC or Rotary would most likely remove the scratch? Least abrasive method is ALWAYS tried first, you dont just jump to wetsanding.

And paint doesnt need to cure after polishing or wetsanding.

 

Incase he doesn't have one nor the funds for one lol.

Ah okay well someone else told me that one...I've done painting myself, but added it in incase I was lucky when I sanded/polished/waxed within the same day with my paint job.

But yes I'd try some scratch X first on that, for the easiest way max2moon17

 

thanks guys, im going to try it and see what happens this weekend.

 

Guys,

I got chips on the hood down to the primer, and so should I NOT wax the hood or any other problem area until paint is fixed? What harm is there in doing the whole car and then later when I get the touch-up paint do the chips??

 

Chips on the hood could be fixed with Duplicolor touch up + Lanka (sp?) no need really to sand down to primer.

You can wax it, but before painting make sure you remove the wax with some sort of cleaner. When there is wax on the areas where you are painting the problem will be that the paint won't adhere to the surface which can cause flaking/peeling later on.

 

I have briefly looked at paintscratch website that was recommended by others before, but not ordered anything yet...is the duplicator stuff a brand name? Where to buy it and Lanka?

 

Use paintscratch.com. They will have the best matching paint.

Its Duplicolor, not Duplicator, and its just a paint company but their paint will not match as nicely as paintscratch.com's

Langka its a chip/scratch repair kit where you blob on their stuff to fill the chip/scratch and then paint over it. Thats really only needed if its a big chip or deep scratch.