Hairline scratches on car; best way to fill them in? Need advice.

[Dangerously Amused]

Hey car people, I need your expert advice. When I bought my car a little over a year ago I had the dealer throw in a small jar of factory-sourced matching touch-up paint (this girl knows how to bargain!). Now I am trying to fill in a few stone chips and scratches with the paint. The chips aren't so much of a problem, but I am having a hard time with the scratches as the brush that comes with the jar is too big for them (it is essentially the same as a fingernail polish brush).

I bought a tiny chisel-tip brush which makes the task somewhat easier, but for the smaller scratches I still end up getting paint over the sides of the scratch as well as in it. I've been "erasing" my mistakes with paint thinner, which a website said is okay to do, but I can't imagine that it is okay to do over and over... which is what has been happening.

Is there a better/easier/smarter way to be doing this? Any tips/tricks you can offer would be greatly appreciated!


Thank you!


:hi:

[sendero]

1. I should be able to answer this ..

... but I have only peripheral advice. :)

Fine scratches are IMHO almost impossible to touch up.

Especially if you have a metallic paint, if you car is white or black or some other non-mettalic color, you might be able to do something.

Here's the problem. Your paint (unless the car is very old) consists of a base color coat and then is covered with a clear top coat. Many of these smaller scratches are actually in the clear coat, so trying to fill them with colored paint won't look right.

If I were bound and determined to try this, I'd clean the area thoroughly with a good solvent like alcohol or similar - then I'd try to rub some paint in the scratch with something like a cosmetic sponge.

Once it dried thoroughly, I'd use wax to remove the excess.

[Dangerously Amused]

3. Thank you!

My car is black and does have a clear coat... aha! - so that explains why the paint looks to me like it is "sitting on top" of the scratch.

I was almost wondering if I should use like a crayon to try to fill the scratch in and then trying to wipe away the excess...

But the cosmetic sponge is a good idea. Thanks!


:hi:

[dysfunctional press]

2. depending on your cars finish- try rubbing compound...

or some type of scratch remover-

http://www.5pdcoatings.com/rubbing1.htm?gclid=CNSHrda7kYYCFQEmWAod9C95rg

[Dangerously Amused]

4. I saw those and wondered if they really worked.

But thank you, I think I will try it.


:hi:

[sendero]

5. Be very careful..

... about using abrasives like rubbing compound, especially on shiny black, where as you know every tiny scratch shows.

If you were going to try an abrasive, use Polishing Compound, not Rubbing Compound. Rubbing has a very course grit, you won't like what it does to your finish!

If you want to try polishing compound, use it on an inconspicuous area first!!!!!

[dysfunctional press]

6. that's why i said that it depends on the cars finish...

rubbing compound has always worked just fine for me- and my day-glo "limona" beetle doesn't mind it one bit, either. i've never understood why anyone would buy a shiny black car in the first place...as you point out- they really show every scrath, ding and bit of dust or dirt- who needs to constantly obsess over that?...plus, i like a little more colour in my life anyway.

[ET Awful]

7. If the scratches are just very fine in the clear coat, you do NOT need

paint. They can be buffed out by hand with any of a number of very, very fine scratch and swirl removers. (I detail cars as a hobby).

A great source for information is here: http://www.autopia.org/

The folks there can give you tons of tips on how to remove those fine scratches. If the paint isn't chipped,you don't need touch up paint. There are very few fine scratches that can't be buffed out with a little effort and no harm to the finish.

As far as product recommendations go, you could pick up some Meguiars Scratch-X at any auto parts store and that will take the scratches out, simply put a good wax job on the car afterwards because this stuff will remove any old wax. My personal choice though is to use Poor Boy's professional products http://www.poorboysworld.com/ Low priced, and they do the job wonderfully. Their SSR line of products will do the trick for you, I almost guaranty it.

Now, on those stone chips and such, I recommend using the touch up paint you have, but in connection with this kit from Langka http://www.autogeek.net/langka-paint-chip-repair-kit.html Basically, with this kit, you fill in your chip with your touch-up paint until it is a bit higher than the level of your existing paint, then you use the chemicals included in this kit to remove the excess. It works VERY well.

If you have any questions, PM me, I'll be glad to help.

[Dangerously Amused]

8. Wow, thank you for all the great information

...and all the links! You really put a lot of effort into your your reply and I sure do appreciate it! I will definitely make use of your recommendations.



:hug:


:7