Removing scratches in black paint??

laynlow03xtreme · 03-08-2006, 03:17 PM

My daily driver is a black 05 z71 Silverado, and last week I took it to one of the do it yourself car washes to get the road salt off. By mistake, I used the foaming brush thing on it, now I have all of these small scratches in the clear coat. You cant notice it from a distance, but I know its there, and I want them gone. Question is, whats the best product to use to remove these marks, and whats the best method to do it? Thanks in advance.

mat1583 · 03-08-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by laynlow03xtreme

My daily driver is a black 05 z71 Silverado, and last week I took it to one of the do it yourself car washes to get the road salt off. By mistake, I used the foaming brush thing on it, now I have all of these small scratches in the clear coat. You cant notice it from a distance, but I know its there, and I want them gone. Question is, whats the best product to use to remove these marks, and whats the best method to do it? Thanks in advance.

Are you talking about swirl marks or actual scratches from grit/sand? If it's swirl marks, there's not too much you can do. I would suggest using Maguiar's NXT wax. It contains polymers that are supposed to fill in the small swirl marks. I've used it on my black paint with great results. Speaking of...I just realized I left my wax at the carwash last time I washed it. DOH!

But anyway... you can use the foam brush, but spray the brush down really good with the high power pressure washer first to get any grit/dirt out of it. I practically have no choice since I live at an apartment complex. Never put a lot of pressure on the brush either.

laynlow03xtreme · 03-08-2006, 03:57 PM

I dont know what you would call it, if its scratches from dirt, or swirl marks. Ive always hand washed it since I bought it last year, and never had a problem. The foam in the brush wasnt foaming that well, I think thats what the problem was, and now you can see alot of fine scratches when you look up close. I have some Meguiar's Scratch X here, and I used a little on the back today just to see if it helped, and it did.....but I didnt know if there was a better product to use before I ended up doing the entire thing.

LikeaRock · 03-08-2006, 07:37 PM

It's just some light surface marring. It's inevitable unless you never let anything touch your paint. You can take precautionary steps to minimize/slow down the marring.
Wash at home (If you can, if not take a bucket to the wash with you), and make sure you aren't using hard water. Use the reccomended amount of soap (too little or too much is a bad thing, too little won't give the mitt enough lubrication to glide over the paint, too much can strip wax), and always make sure you are using a CLEAN wash mitt, rinse it every time before you stick it back into the soapy water.
If your truck is REALLY dirty, pre-soak it with some soap/water solution in a spray bottle, then pressure wash the hell out of it. This takes away a lot of the road grime and leaves a cleaner surface to start washing. You can invest in some waffle weave MF towels for drying, but I've always had great luck with 100% cotton bath towels, I've never had a problem with them.

Now, to remove the scratches, you'll need to use a mild polish. A wax with fillers will hide the scratches, but they'll come right back as soon as the wax starts to go away. You can try some Meguiars Scratch-X for starters, it's sorta labor intensive but you can get good results with it. If that doesn't work, try some 3M finesse-it (3M products are readily available at NAPA auto parts, Ppboys, etc).
If you want great results, I'd suggest buying a Porter Cable D/A polisher. It's the perfect tool for the "weekend warrior" detailer, and it's totally safe to use. You can also use it to apply your wax which really cuts down on the time you spend waxing. The PC with a polishing pad and a mild polish works great for removing marring and light surface scratches. You can find everything you need to know about the PC at www.detailcity.com
And once your truck is wxed, KEEP it waxed (I'd suggest every 3-4 weeks if you have the time). As long as your paint is protected with an even coat(s) of wax, it will help the wash mitt glide across the paint eaiser, reducing the amoutn of spider webbing and marring you see in the paint

laynlow03xtreme · 03-08-2006, 09:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by LikeaRock

Now, to remove the scratches, you'll need to use a mild polish. A wax with fillers will hide the scratches, but they'll come right back as soon as the wax starts to go away. You can try some Meguiars Scratch-X for starters, it's sorta labor intensive but you can get good results with it. If that doesn't work, try some 3M finesse-it (3M products are readily available at NAPA auto parts, Ppboys, etc).
If you want great results, I'd suggest buying a Porter Cable D/A polisher. It's the perfect tool for the "weekend warrior" detailer, and it's totally safe to use. You can also use it to apply your wax which really cuts down on the time you spend waxing. The PC with a polishing pad and a mild polish works great for removing marring and light surface scratches. You can find everything you need to know about the PC at www.detailcity.com
And once your truck is wxed, KEEP it waxed (I'd suggest every 3-4 weeks if you have the time). As long as your paint is protected with an even coat(s) of wax, it will help the wash mitt glide across the paint eaiser, reducing the amoutn of spider webbing and marring you see in the paint

When using the Meguiars Scratch X, should I be applying it by hand, or would it be better using an electric polisher/buffer? If it doesn't matter, is there an advantage to using one method over the other, other than cutting down labor time?

As far as using an electric polisher....is there a noticeable difference (as far as surface finish) by using the Porter Cable model you mentioned, compared to say a cheap $30 one?

Thanks for the input so far.

LikeaRock · 03-09-2006, 06:37 PM

Scratch-X is meant to be applied by hand, but you can use an orbital buffer if you want, I'm not sure if it makes a difference though. It's designed to be used by hand, so I'd stick wityh that.

The difference with the big round orbitals and a PC is that a normal orbital can't reach the speeds needed to repair damaged paint. You can also use a variety of pads with the PC, another thing you can do with an orbital. You can find them at Lowes for around $110, I paid $140 at a local tool supply store for mine. It really doesn't get much use, I mainly use it for applying waxes, and sometimes I use it for my final polish step. It's a great tool, I just like the quick and easy use of my rotary

Another thing you can try is a hand glaze. You apply it after you polish and before you wax. It fills in minor scratches and marring and does a great job. If you want to buy locally, try some 3M hand glaze or Meguairs #7 (I think #7 is the glaze...)

redwhiteandblue · 03-10-2006, 10:06 AM

i prefer 3m swirl mark remover for dark colored cars. hand or machine use. sort of a bitch to get off if you wait too long but provides good results after two applications I think. just make sure you get all the haze out. lots of microfiber rags!

5918MIKE · 03-10-2006, 01:47 PM

[quote=mat1583]Are you talking about swirl marks or actual scratches from grit/sand? If it's swirl marks, there's not too much you can do. I would suggest using Maguiar's NXT wax.[quote]

There is plenty you can do about scratches and swirls. If they are scratches try Megs ScratchX by hand, use a fair amount of pressure too. If they are light to moderate swirls get a dual action random orbital polisher like the porter cable 7336 or 7424, some cutting and polishing pads, and polish. There are a ton of great polishes online or at local auto stores, a few i've tried are Meg's 83 & 80, Einzett paint polish and metallic polish wax, Poorboy's SSR 2.5, and Sonus SFX line. The NXT will do a pretty good job at hiding them but they will re-appear after a few washes. You best bet is to get the paint as swirl free as you can, or want to because it takes some effort and then use the NXT to protect it and for regular maintenance.

03-08-2006, 03:17 PM	#1
laynlow03xtreme Registered User Age: 30 Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 797 Location: Buffalo NY User is: OffLine	Removing scratches in black paint?? My daily driver is a black 05 z71 Silverado, and last week I took it to one of the do it yourself car washes to get the road salt off. By mistake, I used the foaming brush thing on it, now I have all of these small scratches in the clear coat. You cant notice it from a distance, but I know its there, and I want them gone. Question is, whats the best product to use to remove these marks, and whats the best method to do it? Thanks in advance.
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-08-2006, 03:42 PM	#2
mat1583 Searching no more Age: 26 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,458 Location: Madison, Alabama User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? Quote: Originally Posted by laynlow03xtreme My daily driver is a black 05 z71 Silverado, and last week I took it to one of the do it yourself car washes to get the road salt off. By mistake, I used the foaming brush thing on it, now I have all of these small scratches in the clear coat. You cant notice it from a distance, but I know its there, and I want them gone. Question is, whats the best product to use to remove these marks, and whats the best method to do it? Thanks in advance. Are you talking about swirl marks or actual scratches from grit/sand? If it's swirl marks, there's not too much you can do. I would suggest using Maguiar's NXT wax. It contains polymers that are supposed to fill in the small swirl marks. I've used it on my black paint with great results. Speaking of...I just realized I left my wax at the carwash last time I washed it. DOH! But anyway... you can use the foam brush, but spray the brush down really good with the high power pressure washer first to get any grit/dirt out of it. I practically have no choice since I live at an apartment complex. Never put a lot of pressure on the brush either.
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-08-2006, 03:57 PM	#3
laynlow03xtreme Registered User Age: 30 Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 797 Location: Buffalo NY User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? I dont know what you would call it, if its scratches from dirt, or swirl marks. Ive always hand washed it since I bought it last year, and never had a problem. The foam in the brush wasnt foaming that well, I think thats what the problem was, and now you can see alot of fine scratches when you look up close. I have some Meguiar's Scratch X here, and I used a little on the back today just to see if it helped, and it did.....but I didnt know if there was a better product to use before I ended up doing the entire thing.
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-08-2006, 07:37 PM	#4
LikeaRock Rustbucket Club Age: 22 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 772 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? It's just some light surface marring. It's inevitable unless you never let anything touch your paint. You can take precautionary steps to minimize/slow down the marring. Wash at home (If you can, if not take a bucket to the wash with you), and make sure you aren't using hard water. Use the reccomended amount of soap (too little or too much is a bad thing, too little won't give the mitt enough lubrication to glide over the paint, too much can strip wax), and always make sure you are using a CLEAN wash mitt, rinse it every time before you stick it back into the soapy water. If your truck is REALLY dirty, pre-soak it with some soap/water solution in a spray bottle, then pressure wash the hell out of it. This takes away a lot of the road grime and leaves a cleaner surface to start washing. You can invest in some waffle weave MF towels for drying, but I've always had great luck with 100% cotton bath towels, I've never had a problem with them. Now, to remove the scratches, you'll need to use a mild polish. A wax with fillers will hide the scratches, but they'll come right back as soon as the wax starts to go away. You can try some Meguiars Scratch-X for starters, it's sorta labor intensive but you can get good results with it. If that doesn't work, try some 3M finesse-it (3M products are readily available at NAPA auto parts, Ppboys, etc). If you want great results, I'd suggest buying a Porter Cable D/A polisher. It's the perfect tool for the "weekend warrior" detailer, and it's totally safe to use. You can also use it to apply your wax which really cuts down on the time you spend waxing. The PC with a polishing pad and a mild polish works great for removing marring and light surface scratches. You can find everything you need to know about the PC at www.detailcity.com And once your truck is wxed, KEEP it waxed (I'd suggest every 3-4 weeks if you have the time). As long as your paint is protected with an even coat(s) of wax, it will help the wash mitt glide across the paint eaiser, reducing the amoutn of spider webbing and marring you see in the paint
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-08-2006, 09:25 PM	#5
laynlow03xtreme Registered User Age: 30 Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 797 Location: Buffalo NY User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? Quote: Originally Posted by LikeaRock Now, to remove the scratches, you'll need to use a mild polish. A wax with fillers will hide the scratches, but they'll come right back as soon as the wax starts to go away. You can try some Meguiars Scratch-X for starters, it's sorta labor intensive but you can get good results with it. If that doesn't work, try some 3M finesse-it (3M products are readily available at NAPA auto parts, Ppboys, etc). If you want great results, I'd suggest buying a Porter Cable D/A polisher. It's the perfect tool for the "weekend warrior" detailer, and it's totally safe to use. You can also use it to apply your wax which really cuts down on the time you spend waxing. The PC with a polishing pad and a mild polish works great for removing marring and light surface scratches. You can find everything you need to know about the PC at www.detailcity.com And once your truck is wxed, KEEP it waxed (I'd suggest every 3-4 weeks if you have the time). As long as your paint is protected with an even coat(s) of wax, it will help the wash mitt glide across the paint eaiser, reducing the amoutn of spider webbing and marring you see in the paint When using the Meguiars Scratch X, should I be applying it by hand, or would it be better using an electric polisher/buffer? If it doesn't matter, is there an advantage to using one method over the other, other than cutting down labor time? As far as using an electric polisher....is there a noticeable difference (as far as surface finish) by using the Porter Cable model you mentioned, compared to say a cheap $30 one? Thanks for the input so far.
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-09-2006, 06:37 PM	#6
LikeaRock Rustbucket Club Age: 22 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 772 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? Scratch-X is meant to be applied by hand, but you can use an orbital buffer if you want, I'm not sure if it makes a difference though. It's designed to be used by hand, so I'd stick wityh that. The difference with the big round orbitals and a PC is that a normal orbital can't reach the speeds needed to repair damaged paint. You can also use a variety of pads with the PC, another thing you can do with an orbital. You can find them at Lowes for around $110, I paid $140 at a local tool supply store for mine. It really doesn't get much use, I mainly use it for applying waxes, and sometimes I use it for my final polish step. It's a great tool, I just like the quick and easy use of my rotary Another thing you can try is a hand glaze. You apply it after you polish and before you wax. It fills in minor scratches and marring and does a great job. If you want to buy locally, try some 3M hand glaze or Meguairs #7 (I think #7 is the glaze...) Last edited by LikeaRock : 03-09-2006 at 06:39 PM.
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-10-2006, 10:06 AM	#7
redwhiteandblue broke as always Age: 23 Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 521 Location: Cincinnati Ohio User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? i prefer 3m swirl mark remover for dark colored cars. hand or machine use. sort of a bitch to get off if you wait too long but provides good results after two applications I think. just make sure you get all the haze out. lots of microfiber rags!
	[Reply w/Quote]

03-10-2006, 01:47 PM	#8
5918MIKE Registered User Age: 37 Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 459 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Removing scratches in black paint?? [quote=mat1583]Are you talking about swirl marks or actual scratches from grit/sand? If it's swirl marks, there's not too much you can do. I would suggest using Maguiar's NXT wax.[quote] There is plenty you can do about scratches and swirls. If they are scratches try Megs ScratchX by hand, use a fair amount of pressure too. If they are light to moderate swirls get a dual action random orbital polisher like the porter cable 7336 or 7424, some cutting and polishing pads, and polish. There are a ton of great polishes online or at local auto stores, a few i've tried are Meg's 83 & 80, Einzett paint polish and metallic polish wax, Poorboy's SSR 2.5, and Sonus SFX line. The NXT will do a pretty good job at hiding them but they will re-appear after a few washes. You best bet is to get the paint as swirl free as you can, or want to because it takes some effort and then use the NXT to protect it and for regular maintenance.
	[Reply w/Quote]