Scotch Brite Pad Debachle! Help Needed

[JGeorge027]

Hello everyone...first post, and I'm slightly embarrased to be typing this.

Here's the scoop...This past weekend, my girlfriend decided to surprise me by washing my 2002 Nissan Altima. There was some road tar on the door panels, and she decided it would be a good idea to try and remove it with a Scotch Brite pad...you know the one with the green abrasive attached to a sponge.

Well...long story short, she got the tar off, but now there are a ton of spots on the car that look like someone took sandpaper to them.

I'm writing to get your expert opinions on the best way to remove these scratches / abrasions and what products I need to buy. At this point, I'll try anything. Please note that the scratches are not only on the doors, but on the front and rear bumpers, which I assume are rubber / plastic.

Any and all help will be much appreciated.

Thank you, and while I'm waiting for replies, I'll do some searching on ScratchX. Sounds like a good place to start.

Jack

[Pete TSX]

Where is she buried?

[sneek]

to MOL
try some scratchX working with a lot of passion behind the pad

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX
Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

[JGeorge027]

Pete: Trust me, she's very close to being an "ex-girlfriend"!!!

Sneek: Thanks for the links...I'll be referring to the ScratchX article this weekend as I try to get these scratches out!

Jack

[TrufflePig]

man i'd freak and i don't even have me mini yet.

but yeah look at those links Sneek gave you and you'll learn tons.

there are also a ton of links in a thread I started called WAXING A CAR. where i asked for help as well

cheers

GOODLUCK

[sneek]

wow more and more canadians ! 3/4 in this thread ... sry off topic

do you have any sort of machine that you can work with?

[JGeorge027]

Sneek:

Unfortunately, no...it's all going to have to be done manually / by hand.

They're not big scratches (in general), but some are a few inches long and about an inch wide. Not deep or anything, just "unsightly"

ScratchX seems to be the best place to start, unless you've got some other ideas...

[Pete-FWA]

Body Shops use certain grade Scotch Brite pads to "scuff down" before spraying paint. What you have not only look like sanding marks, they ARE sanding marks, just in a very scattered, uneven pattern.

You're not the first one to have this done to your car. Hopefully she didn't grind into the paint too deeply because you're going to have to remove some material to level that damage and make it shine again. Virtually every time, though, these marks will come out.

Often times you'll have to step up to serious paint cleaners with abrasives. This situation generally requires some work with a rotary polisher as well.

Certainly it can't hurt to being with ScratchX, so your search on that is a great idea. See how that product works by hand; however, I'm fairly certain that you'll need the assistance of a machine to work some of these marks out.

Keep us posted, ask questions, and show picture(s) if you can.

[JGeorge027]

Pete:

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna give the ScratchX a try this weekend, and will take some before / after pics.

Hopefully, the "after" will be better than I (and you) expect...but if it comes down to a rotary polisher, I guess I'll have to take the plunge.

I'll keep you posted! Thanks again

[Pete-FWA]

By all means, use the hand method first.

Put the rotary idea on hold without experience.

Perhaps the ScratchX and some heavy effort with it on multiple applications will do the trick.

If nothing else, give that a shot, then come back to get some more coaching.