Scratches ...

"Paul - xxx" wrote in news:7ibcnfF315cg5U1 @mid.individual.net:

The scratches look quite deep but it's difficult to tell from a photograph. You could try using T-Cut or equivalent to polish them out and looking at the degree of scratching, I'd recommend using an electrical polisher which you can buy for £20 or so otherwise it's take ages doing it by hand.

The only other alternative it to have the panels re-sprayed if the scratches are too deep for polishing out. The scratching looks a bit too extensive for a "smart" paint repair job and it would be just as well to re-spray the whole panel(s). So you're looking at £200 per panel or so.

Anything that goes through the top coat (be it clearcoat or pigment) needs proper paint attention. Anything else you can probably polish out, but you might need "mechanical assistance" for that.

Have a word with Beav on that one. Anything that goes to the primer and metal obviously won't polish out and needs attention from someone who knows what they're doing.

Check out detailingworld, there's more stuff about keeping cars shiny than you'd ever want to know.

See above.

You're looking at several days worth of work, even if you pay someone to do it...

The very shallow ones can be removed with T-cut or another cutting compound and a lot of elbow grease, some of the slightly deeper ones can be disguised with one of the colour matching waxes from Halfords or your local car accessory shop, just wax the whole panel, the deep ones that go to the metal will need that area repainting before you wax it, or at least use a touch up brush and matching paint, then rub it back to flat and polish it. Allow about a day per panel. It's not rocket science, just bloomin' hard work, says he who's just started doing a coach.....

As there are a lot of scratches through to the metal by the look of your pictures, it would probably be cheaper to just respray the whole vehicle, especially if you take the value of your time into account. If you call your local bodyshop, they'll be able to give you a quote, which will be a *lot* lower if you are wiling to prepare the vehicle yourself.

But, if your mate *is* a Land Rover Nut, maybe the "Real Land Rover" (tm) look will be acceptable, in which case, just jetwash it, and run it through a car wash, then maybe wax it so the scratches are at least shiny.

Or take it out playing the day before, then take it "as is". Just remember to deep clean the interior and the door sills after you've been playing, so the dresses don't get dirty. ;-)

Why not try a small panel with T cut, to see if it's worth doing the rest or not?

Bod

If it's down to the primer in places then there's no colour there to polish so it's going to need some paint. You could just paint the damaged panels but it might be better to do the lot then you won't need to match the colour, finish etc.

Have a look at

That would be my take on the situation. But then I only wash cars once a year if that, though the Disco invariably gets washed as part of the service every 9 months or so.

Many thanks all .. didn't think it'd be an easy job and I don't think it's worth a full respray .. it'll only get scratched again after the wedding. Good point about a real Landynut probably liking it muddy and scratched .. but I wanted to show some respect for the occasion, so I'll ask about this option ... :)

Good pointers to detailing sites, thanks .. but jeez some people are a bit, well, anal about it, but if thats their thing I won't complain! Think I'll be reading for a week before I start, if I start at all .. ;)

Aren't you worried about road salt eating into the paintwork.

Bod

The scratches aren't there because the photos aren't there.

McK.

The wrap forced by the OP's mail program's broken the links. Try the lnks above.

Donno where you live but the roads up here on the North Pennines haven't been salted since April. It's rained plenty since then and road spray will soon wash all the crap (literal) off.

Won't be long before the first snow, normally the end of Oct or early Nov. Note to self, must get some winter tyres this year.

Only the buses are allowed to do green laning around here. ;-)

I'll get me coat, Z

Fair enough, but I think our rain can be acidic (so I've heard), which 'may' affect paintwork,if not washed off regularly, but I'm not 100% sure.

Bod

Found this to co-oberate the above statement:

In the 1980s, the UK was described by Scandinavian countries as ?the dirty old man of Europe? due to high emissions of sulphur dioxide from industrial sources causing transboundary acid rain. Emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen have since been reduced, although the UK remains a considerable emitter of acidic pollution compared to other European countries.

Bod

Farecla G3 Advance is what you want, in conjunction with a cheap

That's just cruel to both parties.

So if we lioved in Scandinavia you might have a point, but it's not that acidic.

Looks too deep to T cut Paul so a respray may be the answer or maybe..................