Cupholder door scratch removal?

My new to me 840i is in immaculate condition... except for the cupholder door. I get it, it'll spend much of its life open and invisible. But when it's down, I fixate on the scratches.

They're not deep, i.e. can't feel them so I'm thinking about doing a very gentle paint correction. My fear is that any polishing - thinking something like 3D all-in-one - will burn through. Obviously, it'd be by hand and verrry gently.

Claude, my personal assistant, said that panel is "Piano Black", a high-gloss plastic lacquered ABS plastic. He also said to use Novus #2 instead of 3D.

Anyone have any experience with this piece?

Thanks!

You can certainly polish piano black interior trim. Polishing it will bring it to a brand new mirror finish, where every little flaw will be more noticeable. So if you decide to do so, you’ll have to see the process through.

It’s tough to tell from photos, but I don’t think you’ll really be able to get those scratches out by hand. A mini polisher is ideal, but a small drill-mounted pad could work if you have a drill that can get in there (the top edges being the challenge).

You can just use a regular automotive compound on a wool or microfiber cutting pad, followed by a polish on a finishing pad. Keep the speed low, clean the pad often. Don’t let it get too hot, don’t polish after the car has been sitting in the sun. After machine work, then you may follow up last step with the polish by hand with a microfiber to refine it.

Piano black is tough. I have the Adams Swirl Killer Micro for this type of work and it does well. It’s worth having around if you do detailing. But try your luck with a drill and hand finish if buying something dedicated to the task doesn’t make sense.

Manhattan wrote

My new to me 840i is in immaculate condition... except for the cupholder door. I get it, it'll spend much of its life open and invisible. But when it's down, I fixate on the scratches.

They're not deep, i.e. can't feel them so I'm thinking about doing a very gentle paint correction. My fear is that any polishing - thinking something like 3D all-in-one - will burn through. Obviously, it'd be by hand and verrry gently.

Claude, my personal assistant, said that panel is "Piano Black", a high-gloss plastic lacquered ABS plastic. He also said to use Novus #2 instead of 3D.

Piano Black is a terrible interior surface choice. It is impossible to keep it fingerprint and scratch free.

If this was my car, I would shop for vinyl wrap materials to hide "piano black" under a layer of something matte, or carbon-fiber looking. Or whatever makes you happy that can be maintained over the long term.

HTH,
a

I would use a plastic polish (Mother's is my favorite, but there are others like Meg's stratchX) and not a typical exterior paint polish. Just to error on the side of caution AND guarantee a fine fine finish.

That's how I maintain the piano black trim in my E46.

Actually, something like Carpro's Essence would prob be perfect since it's both A) a super fine final polish and B) has ceramic coating/UV protection. I have extra, I'll have to remember to try it. But it's expensive.