Advice on finish scratches?

[iamthewalrus]

My '05 has a few scratches here and there...on the metal body as well as the plastic under the bumper. Anyone have any advice as to what I could use to hopefully buff some of them out? I think there's a clearcoat on top and didn't want to hit it with any old polishing / rubbing compound and make it worse.

[OwnerCS]

What color is your Q?

[iamthewalrus]

Hi...it is silver

[OwnerCS]

Good deal! The good news is maintaining an automobile finish has never been easier than it is today..

My truck is a black metailc pearl finish that can be a maintenance nightmare.

Over the years I've had good success with Meguiars products. Their products are not the most expensive -- though usually easy to find and provide value over budget brands.

Meguiars has many training videos in addition to a nice forum that is usually staffed by professionals on weekends to answer member questions. Here are a couple of links below.

http://www.meguiars.com/howtocenter/

The forum link is

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/

[cbrooks0003]

If wax doesn't hide the scratches, you can try some fine cut polish by Meguire's using an orbital buffer. Wal-Mart usually has them for about $20. If that doesn't work, then some heavy cut with a hi-speed buffer is your only hope. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who doesn't have experience with a hi-speed buffer though; its very easy to burn the paint especially on the edges. This should be followed with some swirl mark remover with a fine foam pad, then wax. Same goes for the orbital; change your pad, then go over the area with Meguire's swirl free polish, then change your pad, and wax. Clear coat is like anything else; the only way to remove a scratch is to remove material from around the scratch to level things out. Buffing removes clear coat, so there is a limit to how much can be removes before you get to the base coat. A hi-speed buffer can get you to this point pretty quick if you aren't careful!

[iamthewalrus]

Thanks for the great advice. On a "lighter" note, someone hit-and-ran me when I was parked. Not real bad, but they clipped the passenger front quarter panel and door. Can't be popped out, so I'll be spending $500 to get if fixed. People can be real scumbags sometimes...

[BadQ45t]

See if you can make a deal with the body shop while they have the car to detail the whole car and remove those. I have found some of the best detailers are in body shops. It pays to find somebody professional if you have signficant scratches and stuff to take care of...I have a local guy that does a great job and removed stuff off the wife's Sentra I thought would neve come out.

[iamthewalrus]

Thanks...my plan was to see what the body shop could do when I take 'er in.
Now I found a new issue compounded by the hit-and-run.
Rained pretty good today, noticed some water drops on front passenger seat.
The front passenger door must have been pinged out of line because it does not sit totally flush when closed, so the top rubber molding that seals the door against the body is sitting off a bit, and I'm not getting a water-tight seal.

[BadQ45t]

That is not good news, you may end up having to use your insurance. I got popped in a parking space about 4-5 years ago, cost the insurance company $3,600 to fix. Luckily I have a great agent and they didn't raise my rates as they agreed it was a hit and run and not my fault.

For sure try to make a package deal at the body shop, the guy I took it to did an awesome detail and got lots of scratches out for me.

[iamthewalrus]

Ugh...thanks BadQ45t. I am going to call my insurance company tomorrow, as well as take it back to the body shop that I am having do the work to see what they say.

[iamthewalrus]

infiniti_lineup...definitely surface scratches. None of the other issues are what I have. Thanks.

[iamthewalrus]

Thanks to all who provided information. Took my Q to a local body shop guy I have used and for a very reasonable amount, fixed the dent, got the door sitting properly, and buffed out quite a few scratches.
Before:
http://app4.websitetonight.com/projects ... 5_dent.jpg
After:
http://app4.websitetonight.com/projects ... C02883.jpg
Other views of car:
http://app4.websitetonight.com/projects ... C02884.jpg
http://app4.websitetonight.com/projects ... C02886.jpg

[OwnerCS]

SWEET!!!!