Scratches on the bodywork

Live4Ever

I drive a '99 Opel Astra it's the navy colour. There are loads of scratches on the bodywork and lately it is wrecking my head looking at them. I saw this online and was wondering if anyone had used it, or something similar.

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_161886_langId_-1_categoryId_212418

If so, how easy is it to use? I've never done anything like this before, it was kind of hoping it wud be like drawing over the scratch with a marker?!

Other than that, is there a cheap alternative to get rid of scratches of the bodywork of my car?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

keithclancy

Live4Ever wrote: »

I drive a '99 Opel Astra it's the navy colour. There are loads of scratches on the bodywork and lately it is wrecking my head looking at them. I saw this online and was wondering if anyone had used it, or something similar.

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_161886_langId_-1_categoryId_212418

If so, how easy is it to use? I've never done anything like this before, it was kind of hoping it wud be like drawing over the scratch with a marker?!

Other than that, is there a cheap alternative to get rid of scratches of the bodywork of my car?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Those things are crap and look even worse on an old car with faded paint.

Have heard some good things and bad things about T-Cut
http://www.carplan.co.uk/index.cfm?category=58

Live4Ever

keithclancy wrote: »

Those things are crap and look even worse on an old car with faded paint.

Have heard some good things and bad things about T-Cut
http://www.carplan.co.uk/index.cfm?category=58

Thanks, yeah I partly guessed it would be rubbish. That T-Cut looks pretty decent...

Live4Ever

So I ended up buying this.

I'm gonna use it at the weekend so I'll let people know how I got on! :rolleyes:

Any other ideas from anyone with experience in this area?!

Live4Ever

OSI wrote: »

Really depends how deep the scratches are, I hate the term scratch remover as they generally refer to very light scratches. To most people a scratch is when it's deep enough to cut through the colour of the paint, ie you can see the primer or body work colour underneath.

"Scratch" removers will improve the appearance of very light grazes to the paintwork. If it's broken the paint it won't do much good.

Yeah I have one or two big scratches, honestly I don't expect to get much of a result for them. But the car is covered in really light scratches. If it can cover up half of these and bring out the colour and I will be very happy! Hopefully it'll have a nice shine afterwards aswell.

Yeah I saw that, decided I wait and see how good this stuff is first.

Slightly off topic but Halfords have a 2 for 1 sale on all interior and exterior car cleaning products. Its a pretty good deal when you see the selection they have!

voxpop

You really need some sort of mechanical polisher to get any sort of results when removing swirls and scratches and even then the finger nail test applies (if your nail catches the scratch its not gonna come out).

Even with a machine, it can take 2 or 3 passes to remove swirls.

Btw - Stay away from rotary polishers unless you know what you are doing.

Live4Ever

voxpop wrote: »

You really need some sort of mechanical polisher to get any sort of results when removing swirls and scratches and even then the finger nail test applies (if your nail catches the scratch its not gonna come out).

Even with a machine, it can take 2 or 3 passes to remove swirls.

Btw - Stay away from rotary polishers unless you know what you are doing.

Yeah most of the scrathes are really faint, when i wash the car they are even fainter so hopefully this will do the trick (i tried the fingernail test and they are mostly smooth). Yeah I heard buffing them out is also a good method, havent got a buffer mind :rolleyes:! Looks like it'll be cloth and elbowgrease for me!:D

voxpop

Live4Ever wrote: »

Yeah most of the scrathes are really faint, when i wash the car they are even fainter so hopefully this will do the trick (i tried the fingernail test and they are mostly smooth). Yeah I heard buffing them out is also a good method, havent got a buffer mind :rolleyes:! Looks like it'll be cloth and elbowgrease for me!:D

Yeah ive been there, using a polish and elbow grease. Got nowhere - guess its worth a go if youve got time to spare and popeye arms

Esel

My back is covered in scratches - caused by fingernails!