Best way to deal with very fine scratches?

[1fastdoc]

A couple days ago I lifted the trunk and unfortunately the zipper on my sweatshirt was sticking out a little. That's a mistake I'll never make again.

With the trunk closed the scratches can't be seen and I really can't feel them with my nail but I also have very short nails. With it up and catching the light reflection there are a half dozen, very faint scratches from the tail light to the lip. Maybe 4 inches by .5 inch.

Also, unfortunately I have become extremely OCD since getting this car. While these scratches are barely perceptible, I want to make them go away. On any one of my other cars I'd just use some polishing compound from Advance Auto Parts but I'm afraid of trading some very faint scratches for some faint swirls that would catch the light and really be visible.

I cleaned the area with some Optimum No Rinse and tried Meguiar's M34 Final Inspection and it made no difference.

Looking online keeps leading me to products that are best used with an orbital. My detailer offered to drive down and fix it for me but I hate to make him kill an hour or two for something so miniscule.

Is there a trusted product that I could try by hand with little to no risk of making the situation worse and needing a detailer to fix my mess?

Thanks

[Vic311]

Compound and polish..get a D/A orbital sander and some product and DIY..its pretty easy..depending on how deep they are you may be able to get away with just a polish to knock them down. just take it easy and dont go too agressive.

(I use Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 and Wolfgang Polish and Finishing Glaze)

[Burn0utsRfun]

Most people don't realize how many paint defects you can actually remove by just using your hands as opposed to any machine polishers. It's easy, safe and extremely cost effective if you're just looking to maintain your own car.

From my personal experience I've found that using Chemical Guys V34 and V36 polishes along with their hex logic hand applicators one can remove some significant scratches, swirling and holograms.

Before polishing or waxing always max sure your work area is as clean as possible. Claying is always recommended if your car hasn't been clayed in a while.

From your description of the defects you'll want to use v34 with an orange hex logic pad. Apply a pea sized amount to the pad and spread it over the scratched areas working with about a 2ft x 2ft section. Start with light pressure and work in circular motions trying to make sure you're working all areas the same amount of time and pressure. If you don't see the scratch giving up continue to increase the pressure until its removed or as invisible as possible. Once the scratch is gone or you've made it as invisible as possible you'll want to slowly decrease the pressure while continuing to work the polish until it becomes completely clear. Wipe clean using little to no pressure with a fresh quality microfiber towel.

Now you'll want to follow this up with v36 and chemical guys black hex logic hand applicator pad. Use the same process as with the v34, except this time you'll just be working out any small imperfections that may have been caused by using v34 (this is technically a compound so it's possibly it can leave behind some imperfections depending on the pressure you had to use). Work in circular motions until polish becomes clear and there are no defects left in the paint. Wipe clean with a DIFFERENT plush and fresh microfiber towel using little to no pressure.

This process will leave your paint with awesome optical clarity that isn't possible with a one step process. Now you'll want to seal in your hard work with a wax or preferably a sealant. Chemical guys offers jet seal 109 which results in awesome protection and adds a great depth to your paint.

Good luck!

[Leonardo629]

You can remove very fine scratches with Meguiars scratch remover, but if the scratches remain after 10~20 minutes of hard rubbing, you'd need a machine to do it. ex. Porter Cable 7424XP.

Or pay a local detailer to knock it out in matter of minutes with the proper polish and machine.