how to remove and keep away very fine scratches?

[BSeery]

I have a torch red 1980 Corvette with paint that is in decent shape. The problem I have is VERY fine lines that look like scratches in the paint. They are so fine you can't feel them with your hand. The appear all on their own and usually run lengthwise on the body panels. They really really show up under the sun, but not in my garage under the florescent lights.

2 - 3 times a year I use an orbital buffer to wax the car. I have tried to use the buffer to apply swirl remover to get rid of the scratches, but it either does not work or they come right back. I am using the #26 yellow wax and I apply it by hand then machine remove it.

I have tried to apply and remove both the swirl remover and wax by hand, but I always have these scratches. If by chance they go away, they come right back - and soon.

I've included a couple pictures - click the links to get the full size shots.
In picture #1 you will see them easily, along with some very small fish eyes in the paint - very hard to see normally.
#2 picture you will see them just to the left of the light relection.





Picture 1

Picture 2

a: what is causing them? Is it the dust in the air (I live in Phoenix).
b: what do I need to use to get rid of them?
c: how do I keep them away?

[rdarwa]

I have tried to use the buffer to apply swirl remover to get rid of the scratches, but it either does not work or they come right back. I am using the #26 yellow wax and I apply it by hand then machine remove it.

What are you applying the wax with...type of applicator? You say you are using swirl remover...what is it? What do you use to wash your car with...car wash soap? What type of mitt do you use to wash the car?

[BSeery]

I use car wash soap, always a name brand but not always the same stuff.

Last time I had to wash the car I had to use a coin op car wash and one of their brushes (I washed it out first). I had to wash the car because I had a transmission line burst and cover the car with fluid from the hood line rewards - very messy. But I get these scratches no mater how I wash the car.
I usually use a mit to wash the car, but most of the time the car just has dust so I don't rub the car I just rinse it off. I usually just spray it off and drive it till it dries then come back and get the rest with quick detailer.

I put the wax on by hand with the little wax applicators by Meguiars - looks like little round pieces of foam.

The swirl remover I am using is the Meguiars swirl remover 2.0.

[NewlyCarCrazy]

I think the fine scratches may be caused by a slight rub against a shrub or tree. I had similiar "mystery scratches" that kept on reappearing. They were very minor and I removed them almost weekly. Finally I saw that there was a shrub just on the edge of the driveway that just touched the paint if I got too close. I trimmed the hedge and no more scrathces!



Think where do you drive on a regular basis. Do you park in the same spot by some hedges?

[BSeery]

No -- these are not "contact" scratches. They are lighter than bush scratches and are all over the car. The picture is on the top of a fender.

And no, I have no bushes or trees anywhere near the car.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi BSeery

A couple of things

1) I have buffed out a plethora of Corvettes of late and the one thing I have found them to all have in common is very hard paint. This means they will be difficult to remove. #9 applied with an orbital will not be effective at removing them but instead will act to fill them in.

You would have better luck using ScratchX by hand, or using a Porter Cable Dual Action Polisher with #83 DACP on a W-8006 foam polishing pad.

2) Your pictures are too big for most people to see without horizontal scrolling. Before posting a picture, please resize the pictures using some type of photo imaging software. I use Easy Thumbnails which is free, here's a link to a tutorial on how to crop, resize and upload pictures.


Forum Technical Help Desk


How-to Crop and Resize your photos before uploading them to your gallery


Step-by-Step Picture-Posting HOW TO

Mike

[Mike Phillips]

Below I have cropped out a 700 pixel wide portion of your original photo to show the scratches you are describing.



People can see what your talking about without having to download a huge photo and without having to horizontal scroll.

Hope this helps...

Mike

[BSeery]

Sorry about the picture size, I fixed them.
Other forums that I have used will "auto size" the pictures until you click on them. I thought this did the same.

So, you think #83 would be best for removing them. How about a wax / sealant /protectant / way of keeping them from always coming back?