I accidentally scratched my rear panel above my gas cap... its actually really light.. so i figured itz on the clear coat so some sandpaper should do it... so I put the 2000 grid sand paper to my paint....

Scratch is gone... but prob now is that THE DAMN place I SANDED IS DULL and not glossy!! :cry: I figured... i could just use some car wax and it'll be gone but NO~~!

What have I DONE!!!??? :shock: Would a detailing shop be able to fix this? or am i doomed for a repaint?

Any help will be greatly APPRECIATED!!! :bow:

You could try wet sanding to get it even again.

That was a terrible idea!!! About hte only way to fix that up is to have the panel re-cleared and then buffed. A body shop should be able totake care of it but i'd guess you are looking at a coupla-hundred bux for that mistake. Next time just have the car buffed. :nope:

ouch y did u take a sandpaper to your car?

ouch y did u take a sandpaper to your car?

Some guy in a detail shop told me that if the scratch is light enough... like still within the clear coat... wet sanding till you can't see the scratch.. and then buff it...

However! i've surprised at how thin our clear coat is! I sanded a couple second.. and its gone! WTF!?

since it seems like i've sanded down a small part of the clear coat, i'm hoping some spray clear coat, buff it, wax it will solve my problem.. if not, Detail shop can help me right?

SANDPAPER????

:doh:

.............................wow

You could try wet sanding to get it even again.

NO! DO NOT DO THAT! I did that--I had to get my hood spot-painted afterward. Went straight down to the primer, even with 2000 grit sandpaper. You already sanded it once, leave it be!

Try some Scratch-X and some Deep Crystal #1. Both by Meguiar's. Of course.

holy hell...shouldve just went with rubbing/polish compound and it wouldve come right out...leave the sanding to the professionals...

ouch y did u take a sandpaper to your car?

Some guy in a detail shop told me that if the scratch is light enough... like still within the clear coat... wet sanding till you can't see the scratch.. and then buff it...

However! i've surprised at how thin our clear coat is! I sanded a couple second.. and its gone! WTF!?

since it seems like i've sanded down a small part of the clear coat, i'm hoping some spray clear coat, buff it, wax it will solve my problem.. if not, Detail shop can help me right?

It could be that it's your clear coat that is hazy. Using Scratch X like Somnambulated said would probably work or you could try Meguiar's DACP. Just give it a coat of wax after and it should look like new.

never ever sandpaper your car unless your a trained professional!!! just get some touch up paint makes it easier :wink:

Some good advice about rubbing compound and wax.
Take it easy on the guy, he knows he screwed up.

The clear coat and paint on our cars, as with most cars today, is super thin.

Good luck on the fix.

It's hard to tell just how far you went, but with a little luck you might be able to fix this.

You're going to need the following:

1. A buffer - not an orbital.
2. Foam buffing pad.
3. 3M Finesse-it II finishing material, part #051131-05928

You can get the 3M stuff & foam pad at a automotive paint store. Finesse is an incredible product, very gentle. It's expensive, but worth it.

You'll only need to buff a little bit, but if you did not go too deep, this stuff will save it.

Good Luck! :pray:

David -

Try some super light rubbing compound then some cleaner wax and then some polish wax. The sanding will take the shine off, but with some careful work, you can shine it up again. You may want to take it to a professional detailer's shop and see what they can do. If you weren't too harsh on it, it can be restored without needing repainting. Good Luck.

From someone who does body work..

First thing you need to do really is find out how far you sanded. If you sanded all the clear coat off your in trouble. You will need to get the panel re-cleared. shouldnt be too bad tho. If not you CAN do this by hand.. you need to go to any parts store that seels wax/cleaners.. and whatnot. You have to get a polishing compound that is fine. and you need to pick up some swirl mark remover /polish.. You also need a soft soft rag. 2 would be preferred.

1) Apply some polishing compound to the towel and in a circular motion wit not a lot of force applied.. start rubbing the are that is dull. you may have to put some motion in there.
2) wipe off wit a clean soft towel. then look at it. You should notice the area starting to get some of the shine back. You may need to apply more than one coat. YOU WILL GET A SHINE back..
3) Once you get most of the shine back take the glaze/swirl mark remover and do the same thing. Apply it a towel and in a circular motion with not a lot of force again. Work the area. Once again you may need to do this a few times.
4) aplpy a nice few coats of wax. will also help hide some of the small fine scrathes that mey be left... ( cause... not using buffer).

If all that does not work then I suggest takin it to a body shop and ask for an estimat one a re-clear of that panel..

If you have any other ?'s or need more information.. feel free to pm me or im me on aim..

Aim: slammed96ga.

And goodluck

YES, Do this ^^^

FYI- Finesse with a buffer & foam pad will not leave ANY marks. It will leave your paint like glass!

From someone who does body work..

First thing you need to do really is find out how far you sanded. If you sanded all the clear coat off your in trouble. You will need to get the panel re-cleared. shouldnt be too bad tho. If not you CAN do this by hand.. you need to go to any parts store that seels wax/cleaners.. and whatnot. You have to get a polishing compound that is fine. and you need to pick up some swirl mark remover /polish.. You also need a soft soft rag. 2 would be preferred.

1) Apply some polishing compound to the towel and in a circular motion wit not a lot of force applied.. start rubbing the are that is dull. you may have to put some motion in there.
2) wipe off wit a clean soft towel. then look at it. You should notice the area starting to get some of the shine back. You may need to apply more than one coat. YOU WILL GET A SHINE back..
3) Once you get most of the shine back take the glaze/swirl mark remover and do the same thing. Apply it a towel and in a circular motion with not a lot of force again. Work the area. Once again you may need to do this a few times.
4) aplpy a nice few coats of wax. will also help hide some of the small fine scrathes that mey be left... ( cause... not using buffer).

If all that does not work then I suggest takin it to a body shop and ask for an estimat one a re-clear of that panel..

If you have any other ?'s or need more information.. feel free to pm me or im me on aim..

Aim: slammed96ga.

And goodluck


Followed this instruction!! WOW :clap: Excellent result!! I sanded out the scratch... so after following scionman05's advice... now my thing looks like new!! Hollycrap! I couldn't even locate exactly where the scratch was anymore! I'm in love with you! :love:

U in the area? maybe i'll buy u beer or something!

:love: Get a room! :love:

Get in car. Drive to body shop.

Well im from south jersey so you tell me.. And dont worry bout it anyway. No big deal. Thats why I posted. Figured it help.

So its like brand new again? Any kind of haze? (usually get a lil bit of that without using a buffer) But saves you money on buying one if you can deal wit it. If it is still a little hazy. Just rub some more glaze on it a few more times.. then some more wax.. But glad to help bro.. Anymore ?'s just ask..

Even rubbing/polishing compounds can destroy the clearcoat. I don't recommend just buying one off the shelf and using it.

If it was done properly, its totally fixable. I used to work in a body shop. Typicall this sanding is done with a wet surface and then using a high powered wheel, compound is applied in stages. As long as the clear coat wasen't penetrated, meaning you didn't touch the paint itself, all you need to do is have a body shop compound the area, maybe even wetsand it if the area was done poorly.

yikes

you're only going to get the gloss back by having that area re-clearcoated by a body shop.. take it to a good bodyshop and let them fix it for you.. wet sanding should really be left to the pro's.. because they know how to do it.. sorry that happened, i know what that's like.. thinking you can do it yourself, but in this case, you learned a pro is a better idea.. don't do it anymore or you'll go down to your primer..

SANDPAPER????

:doh: