Car scratches

Carstuck

Hi All,

Thinking of selling my car and want to clean it up as best as I can. Anyone any tips on how to get rid of scrapes/scratches for good? Also what's the best way to shine it? I never used wax, polish etc so I'm confused with them. what's the difference between them?

Thanking you in advance

Use a claybar to get the paint clean before you polish and then wax.

EPM

Wash the car properly with a decent shampoo and wash mit (2 bucket method), clay bar the car and then apply a good polish. The Meguairs clay bar hit from halfrauds comes with some polish included afaik. It's expensive but the finish is usually top notch

no1beemerfan

Join/Look at www.carcare.ie for some good advice!

EPM

EPM wrote: »

Wash the car properly with a decent shampoo and wash mit (2 bucket method), clay bar the car and then apply a good polish. The Meguairs clay bar hit from halfrauds comes with some polish included afaik. It's expensive but the finish is usually top notch

Then wax it to keep the polished finish for as long as possible.

L-M

It depends really, what kind of scratches are you talking about? Anything you can feel with your nail won't come out without a bit of paint. If it's the case of damage ie. you scraped it off a wall etc. a panel beater is your best answer.

If the paint is generally in bad condition, I'd be using something like Meguairs 3 step. I tried it on one of the lads cars, and my own and the difference was very noticable.

It's basically a rub in, wipe off 3 step process. You use a paint renovator first, then a polish and then a wax. Halfords is the only place I know of that sells it, and they're doing a 3 for 2 offer so you'll get the lot for 23 euro ish. I wouldn't go clay barring unless you know what your doing, it takes a good bit of time, it's costly and it can easily be done wrong.

If you did rub off another car and there is paint from there car on yours, a very small bit of thinners rubbed over the scratch should remove the other colour, just don't go over board with the thinners.

If you are buying touch up, make sure you pay good money and get a good colour match, there's nothing worse than marks touched up with an off colour and generally it can lead to them being more noticable. Use a very very small brush if you are using touch up.

Carstuck

Just general scratches that come over time nothing very serious I suppose

L-M

Carstuck wrote: »

Just general scratches that come over time nothing very serious I suppose

The meguairs should do the jobby so, set out a few hours though, can be time consuming.

Bobo78

Hi lads, dont want to hijack the thread, but have to ask you this, I have Meguires clay bar kit that comes with the clay bar, wax, microfiber cloth and liquid that you spray on to the body work. Now I used all the liquid from the spray bottle and I dont know what should I use instead of that liquid?
If anyone knows can you please tell me.

TomMc

Buy a bottle of quick detailer spray on its own and use that as clay lubricant. Otherwise while it isn't perfect for claying a high foaming shampoo would be the next best thing. Keep the paint surface wet and as sudsy as possible, so the clay bar can glide across it. Otherwise the clay will mar the paint. It is a false economy trying to skimp on costs, as claying badly will do more harm than good, and all for the sake of paying an extra tenner or so.