Help! Minor scratches from a fender-bender, how do I get rid of them?

[98pace#870]

My sister's roommate parked her car in my blind spot the other night. I came out of my garage and tapped right into her. Doesn't look like any permanent damage to the bumper, but the paint got swapped between cars and scratched a little. Can anyone suggest what course of action I should take? Should I take it to a body shop or a detailer, or is there something I can do myself that will restore it well enough not to notice? [Modified by 98pace#870, 8:48 PM 11/12/2001]

[rubyred93]

The paint swapping is not as much of a concern as the scratching is. When you say "scratching", how significant is it? Are you able to catch a fingernail in the scratch(es)? That makes a big difference in how you address this.

[98pace#870]

No, you can't catch a fingernail on the scratches. If I rub my hand over the area, I can feel where it is but I don't know how much of that is paint and how much is the scratches. If I cleaned it a little more I could probably get more of the paint of, but there are some small scratches that will have to be taken care of to make it right.

I don't think it would be bad enough to need any sort of repaint, but maybe some good chemicals and some elbow grease.


[Modified by 98pace#870, 8:49 PM 11/12/2001]

[rubyred93]

It sounds as though you are speaking of scratches in the clear coat. If you are not able to catch a fingernail in them, then you should be able to address this yourself. A scratch that catches a fingernail typically requires the work of a skilled body shop.

First, you'll really want to remove the other car's paint from your own. I don't know what you have available in your "bag of tricks", but Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion should be of value here.

Unlike many other members, I do not like the 3M Swirl Mark Remover - especially for your car. In my experience, it creates too much haze; on a dark finish that can be tricky to deal with. I know that it is freely recommended on this Forum, but I would not suggest it.

However, 3M does put out a VERY mild abrasive called "Finish Restorer". I have had much success with this product. Dealing with darker finishes can be difficult, and you don't want something that is going to create a larger problem.

You may find that you will need to make a few passes with these products, possibly increasing pressure, in order to be satisfied. My preference for applicators for these two products is foam, as terry covered tends to be more aggressive.

You'll want to note that the Finish Restorer does contain some wax, so depending on your normal car care routine (polymer vs. wax, or a combination of the two) you may want to remove that before you proceed.

I hope this helps.