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      01-08-2012, 07:26 PM   #1
TCG
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CF Roof Scratch Help

Folks,

Stupid me, I discovered some fine scratches on my CF roof in night lighting, none of them are deep. I suspect it is scratched from a time i cleaned gunk using a gas station window cleaning sponge handle.

Too late now to regret, anything to be done? Is it possible to remove?

Thanks
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      01-08-2012, 09:37 PM   #2
LTJohn
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Just use some really gentle scratch removers. The CF roof has either a clear coat, or it is just an epoxy layer. Both respond to over the counter swirl removers. I would start with the lightest and gentlest product and test an area first.
I used some meguiars last night on my roof and doors and it worked like a charm. I think it was the pre-cleaner.....
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      01-08-2012, 10:11 PM   #3
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just got some meguiars scratchx, hope that works.

anyone else have any tips, you have a couple days to stop me before i get to this project.
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      01-08-2012, 10:20 PM   #4
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Guys you can't just buy scratch x or scratch remover and throw it on with a towel and hand buff it off! You need a porter cable or other orbital polisher and you basically treat the clear coat of the roof just like your paint.

You need some decent polish. Poorbrothers SSW 2.5(superswirl remover). Followed by SSW1 to finish it back to perfect. All of this with an orange pad for ss2.5 and a white pad with ssr1. If that does not do it than you step up to SSR 3 with an orange pad. If still does not do it SSR 3 plus a yellow pad which is the harshest foam. Detailedimage.com has great tutorials.

I bought one a couple years ago with NO experience detailing and its become one of my favorite things to do for my car. Orbital buffers are not like rotary buffers used in some detail shops which are easy to "burn" paint. As long as you are not a total idiot, an orbital is really simple to use and almost impossible to damage paint if you use the right products.

Poorbrothers is just one brand but its solid. There are many others but unless you are really super picky, all of them pretty much give a great polish and finish.

Then when you have this you can actually polish your entire car once a year or so with a two step job as i mentioned above. First a bit harsher to remove swirls and scratches with Ssr 2.5 and then to finish using ssr 1 (or any other products you choose).

Really makes the paint beautiful, especially if you have any swirl marks. It takes a good 5 or 6 hours to do the whole car well but worth it.

Anyway check out that website for all you need to know. Do NOT just take swirl remover and a rag to your paint!!
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      01-09-2012, 07:36 AM   #5
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take it to a detailer they can get it out no problem.
or do it yourself with a 3 step wax.
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      01-09-2012, 08:32 AM   #6
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If that was my car i'd just buy a new one.


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      01-09-2012, 09:17 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DylanMckay View Post
Guys you can't just buy scratch x or scratch remover and throw it on with a towel and hand buff it off! You need a porter cable or other orbital polisher and you basically treat the clear coat of the roof just like your paint.

You need some decent polish. Poorbrothers SSW 2.5(superswirl remover). Followed by SSW1 to finish it back to perfect. All of this with an orange pad for ss2.5 and a white pad with ssr1. If that does not do it than you step up to SSR 3 with an orange pad. If still does not do it SSR 3 plus a yellow pad which is the harshest foam. Detailedimage.com has great tutorials.

I bought one a couple years ago with NO experience detailing and its become one of my favorite things to do for my car. Orbital buffers are not like rotary buffers used in some detail shops which are easy to "burn" paint. As long as you are not a total idiot, an orbital is really simple to use and almost impossible to damage paint if you use the right products.

Poorbrothers is just one brand but its solid. There are many others but unless you are really super picky, all of them pretty much give a great polish and finish.

Then when you have this you can actually polish your entire car once a year or so with a two step job as i mentioned above. First a bit harsher to remove swirls and scratches with Ssr 2.5 and then to finish using ssr 1 (or any other products you choose).

Really makes the paint beautiful, especially if you have any swirl marks. It takes a good 5 or 6 hours to do the whole car well but worth it.

Anyway check out that website for all you need to know. Do NOT just take swirl remover and a rag to your paint!!
Since we don't know any real details of the issue since the OP didn't provide pics but just a vague description, there may or may not be a need for an orbital.
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      01-09-2012, 09:59 AM   #8
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^^^ Many times, a good coat of wax and a hand polish are all that's needed, but without more detail, we won't know. IF it's through the epoxy, it might need a re-spray or more serious help. Pics please!
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Thickness feels good to me and my hands aren't that big.
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      01-09-2012, 10:05 AM   #9
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it has clear coat, so you can buff it out with no problem. Good luck!
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      01-09-2012, 12:29 PM   #10
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Folks, i'll post pics when i get home.

Side thought, the car was recently waxed with liquid wax from car wash. what are the chances that these scratches are in the wax only?

In that case, i should be removing the wax thoroughly and rewaxing first before I try any abrasives right?

Any product recommendations or methodologies for that one? Clay bar?
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      01-09-2012, 12:31 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TCG View Post
Folks, i'll post pics when i get home.

Side thought, the car was recently waxed with liquid wax from car wash. what are the chances that these scratches are in the wax only?

In that case, i should be removing the wax thoroughly and rewaxing first before I try any abrasives right?

Any product recommendations or methodologies for that one? Clay bar?
Scratches in the wax?
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      01-09-2012, 12:42 PM   #12
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Yes as in perhaps the scratches are in the wax layer only and doesn't touch the clearcoat.

How does one best check this? i'm assuming by removing the wax, and if so what's the best way to go about doing this.

Thanks guys
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      01-09-2012, 12:54 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TCG View Post
Yes as in perhaps the scratches are in the wax layer only and doesn't touch the clearcoat.

How does one best check this? i'm assuming by removing the wax, and if so what's the best way to go about doing this.

Thanks guys
Wax layer? It's not putty. If you can see it, it's in the clear at a minimum.
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      01-13-2012, 09:28 AM   #14
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ok, i'm going to ignore the comments in this thread.


I'm going to ask one simple questio0n that will determine what you need to do..

Can you feel the scratches with your fingernail?

If so, this means the scratch has penetrated the clearcoat, and it needs to be repainted. Very simple.
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      01-18-2012, 09:01 PM   #15
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if its light you can get the 3m step polishing compound and it should come right out, if not you might have to wetsand and polish them out.
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      01-19-2012, 04:06 PM   #16
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guys, the scratches are so light that it's hard to photograph, but half a bottle of scratchx got about 95% of it out over 2 hours. I might do a few more passes or just leave it.

for anyone else googling this in the future, scratchx works just fine on the antenna fin as well.
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      01-20-2012, 12:24 AM   #17
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two hours with scratchX? crap man...thats a lot of arm movement! I hate claying a whole car in two hours (did it today again for the 4th time this week already, my hand/wrist is killing me).

Honestly, if you have to bend over, search in the correct lighting, look for it, etc...its probably not worth removing all the surrounding clear just to level that minor/insignificant scratch. There is a reason people say Daily Drivers are kept in 90% condition and show cars in 99% (no such thing as a true 100% correction) Error on the side of caution or you might be repainting sooner than you think!
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