Dumb thing

I always thought rubbing compound was too harsh especially on a vette. I would have chosen Zaino Z5 on it first.

Try McQuires Scratch Off - a very fine polish. It took a scratch left by an eager valet getting my luggage out of the trunk.

Never do this? What do you think is done to polish paint now? First off any halfway descent body man can and does polish paint without leaving visible scratches. Besides being many different compounds for cutting down, buffing, and polishing paint there are also many different pads. You also have different buffing/polishing machines with the proper sized pads and speeds available.

Now you still have to be able to determine whether the scratches can be buffed/polished out. Then you need to know which pad and compound to start with or if it can be done with just a finish polish combination. One item that makes for a good polish is heat to get the surface to blend which is sometimes hard to achieve by hand polishing. It can be done and if the scratches were just a few small scratches they should have been easy to remove by hand. My guess is that you used a grit size more suitable for cutdown than it was for polishing paint.

Pick a reputable shop or dealer and ask them to correct the scratches and if possible watch how and what it is done with, good thing to know if you need to keep a few scratches from becoming a mess again.

So if you say "don't do this" it should be qualified with "if you don't know what you're doing". Actually it's quite easy if you know the mechanics of what you are attempting to do and what is available to do it with.

I'd attack it with a good grade of polishing compound, probably use two or three successively finer grades to blend everything in just right. I believe body shops have a handtool they use for hand-polishing small regions smoothly and evenly, sort of like a sanding block with its firm foam back, I'm not sure of its name but it'd be worth tracking one down. I'd also try to polish as little as possible to preserve the clearcoat.

If you have a friendly local body shop they can give you good advice on particular grades of polish. Or if you are uncertain just hire a good body/paint shop to polish it out for you. The trick, of course, is finding a good one.

Good luck.

like some others have stated. See a Professional body shop... you done screwed up once. don't be stupid and screw this up too.

I'm hesitant to respond, because I can't really interpret this last message. I can't tell if you are serious, Tone, or if you are being sarcastic, but I guess I'll find out.

First, since my stomach made a knot when I read your first request, I'll bet your's was going whacko. What a terrible feeling that must have been.

I suppose you can go to a shop as the safe and sure way of taking care of this scratch problem, or you can try to learn some stuff from it and maybe fix it or make it worse. Depends on where your threshhold of risk taking falls.

There are various grades of courseness in compounds. Some times these are called "cuts." You can get a heavy cut compound (which it sounds like might be what started this whole thing) and it is used for taking out big problems, bird crap stains, pitch stains, overspray, and rough work. But, you only use that if and when your plan includes continuing by using a medium cut and then a fine cut and maybe a safe cut compound.

If your area is not too large, you can probably do it by hand using clean and soft buffing rags. Truth be told, the scratches you might have created using a deep cut compound can't be the end of the world. I mean, how deep do the scratches go?

If you have any practice with a buffer, this is probably a no brainer. If you don't have the practice, stick to the hand jive.

It's your car. If you feel like taking a risk, minimal, I'd say, then work it out on your own. Take your time. Go from a cut that removes anything up to say a 400 scratch, and work it on down from there.

Clear coat is tough as hell, which is why cars have it as a top coat. Don't go through that, and I don't think you'll have much trouble.

If you do, well, don't say I said to do it.

Lets see, you start of calling it dumb and want a news group to say you did good and you didn't make a mistake? Polishing out scratches is a learning experience like walking, riding a bike, and not eating the yellow snow. Even with nearly 50 years of painting automobiles I still make a mistake buffing a finish every now and then.

If I were really nice I would tell you that the "there" in your rant is supposed to be "they're", or should it be "their"? Now I have to learn something else, I knew I shouldn't have started this.

It is a pretty tough group here. They got that way from screwing up more times than you can imagine. LOL What is the saying about Experience prevents stupid mistakes but you get experience from stupid mistakes?

Odds are you are going to have the scratches still visible, simply because there isn't a lot to work with here. We can't see how bad (or good) they are and we can't see how bad you made it. Had a new car about 6 years ago that the dealer had to fix 4 days after getting it. The tech set a box with the new parts on the hood, apparently slid it over to the center so it wouldn't fall off, and then worked inside the car to replacing the item.

Voila, scratched area about 10x10. I threw a fit!!! They ended up buffing it out, however, it was always there if you looked for it and even if you didn't, if the light was right, you saw it. It was a dark green.

So it may go away and it may not. Good luck on it if you do it and good luck if you go with the professional shop route. You might also go to an automotive paint supply store and have someone there who is experienced in this stuff (some are just counter help, some actually have done it) recommend a buffing and polishing compound to remove it. You may have to buy several levels to take it out.

Just curious Tom, was that a Corvette that got scratched? Just wondering if the dealers treat the vettes the same as the other cars altho it shouldn't be done at all regardless of car model.

No, it was a Corolla. The only funny thing was when we got ready to trade it, and I had the price set, they did their usual inspection and try to change it again one last time. So they pointed out the scratches on the hood.

I told them, "fine, not a problem. Tell me how much the value is diminished and put that in writing. Since your shop did it, and I have the work order on it, I'm sure a lawyer can more than make up the difference so my trade will be even better."

Amazing how fast they finished the order.

|I have a 2005 Le Mans Blue C6 beautiful car, the other day I noticed a | few surface scratches so I break out the old rubbing | compound.....(never do this) well needless to say it looks kinds bad, | it's really hard to describe, anyone have any suggestions on how to | buff or get out the nasty swirling mess I have made?

When I put a bunch of fine scratches on the hood of my car (wrong kind of cleaning brush) I took it to a local detailer who polished the whole car. Looked better than new. Still get comments about how nice my car finish looks ('93 torch red) and it's been almost

10 years since it was polished. Cost then was about $200, but well worth it. John

Again guys I really do appreciate the help and the suggestions and if I sounded a little short I do apologize I didn't mean to be, but I messed up my paint and I kinda was looking for a quick fix realizing there really is not one, but I think I will take it to a good detailing shop and let them fix the problem it's not a large area but the fact is it's a CORVETTE and a NEW ONE TO BOOT AND IT'S MINE and that's what makes it tuff.........I can assure you gentelmen and ladies of the corvette world... IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN... Thanks for your help.

cleaning brush) I took it to a local detailer who polished

car finish looks ('93 torch red) and it's been almost

I want a NEW VETTE Mmmmmm C6 Z06 (Have to go change shorts)

You're no fun, get back in there and fix it, you can do it. Get some very fine POLISHING, as opposed to buffing, compound, (normally white), and soft cotton cloth and have at it. You're going to have to work at it with a cloth loaded with compound. Keep the surface wet (damp) with compound, it don't polish much when it's dry. Do a little right in the middle of the mess with the tip of your finger and the compound loaded cloth. No hard pressure just brisk, you should rub fast enough to feel the heat. Then clean it off and see if you are making progress. The process will actually take off some clearcote but not much and also blend the surface. If you can get to that point repost and I'll tell you how to hid (blend) the entire mess.

You would if you think your '98 is fast, just drive the plain ol C6 once, yeahhhaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Forgot one thing, do your rubbing in a reciprocating, overlapping motion, none of that circular stuff. Do it inline with body character or panel lines while you're removing scratches.