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      10-15-2018, 08:23 PM   #1
NitroBiz
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Self serve car wash scratches

Took my IB to the local self wash car wash and immediately noticed very fine little scratches upon drying it. I'm so pissed! I thought I could avoid these little scratches by taking it self serve, but I was wrong! What to do? What is the best product out there for fine scratches that you can see but not feel? HELP!
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      10-15-2018, 09:28 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NitroBiz View Post
Took my IB to the local self wash car wash and immediately noticed very fine little scratches upon drying it. I'm so pissed! I thought I could avoid these little scratches by taking it self serve, but I was wrong! What to do? What is the best product out there for fine scratches that you can see but not feel? HELP!
'local self wash' as in you wash it yourself with the community brush that everybody else has used on their muddy vehicles?
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      10-15-2018, 09:38 PM   #3
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I live in a high-rise so I don't have access to a hose. I use self washes but I bring my own soap, mit, bucket, and microfiber towel for drying. I don't use their soap and definitely not their brush.

I end up paying about $8 for just water and I'm sure other people at the car wash that see me think im a douche, but whatev.
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      10-15-2018, 09:48 PM   #4
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you mean those wash bays i scrub my muddy truck in? lol
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      10-15-2018, 09:56 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roastbeef View Post
you mean those wash bays i scrub my muddy truck in? lol
But not the paint part. Just the underbody and tire sidewalls.
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      10-16-2018, 03:03 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by jiggz View Post
'local self wash' as in you wash it yourself with the community brush that everybody else has used on their muddy vehicles?
Yes.
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      10-16-2018, 03:15 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by roastbeef View Post
you mean those wash bays i scrub my muddy truck in? lol
Ya I know I know....it wasn't one of my finest moments.
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      10-16-2018, 04:33 PM   #8
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So you basically scrubbed your car with a dirty brush.
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      10-16-2018, 05:10 PM   #9
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LOL cmon man...
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      10-16-2018, 06:13 PM   #10
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I just realized nobody gave him an answer, everyone is just giving him shit haha.

Try a polish if you're comfortable polishing a car. Polishing is not waxing, it's a somewhat different process, it'll help remove super fine swirl-style marks.

I would suggest taking the car for a proper detailing or possibly even a paint correction though, specially if it's a dark color.
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      10-16-2018, 07:22 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjm41 View Post
I just realized nobody gave him an answer, everyone is just giving him shit haha.

Try a polish if you're comfortable polishing a car. Polishing is not waxing, it's a somewhat different process, it'll help remove super fine swirl-style marks.

I would suggest taking the car for a proper detailing or possibly even a paint correction though, specially if it's a dark color.
Can you give me a suggestion on a quality polish that will get the job done?
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      10-16-2018, 07:36 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NitroBiz View Post
Can you give me a suggestion on a quality polish that will get the job done?
Not really. I detailed cars in another life but it's been a long time. I recently purchased Chemical Guys VSS scratch and swirl remover, I did the hood in the shade but with tons of natural light, pulled the car into the sun and my heart sank, took three more rounds to correct what I'd done. I was doing it by hand not orbital or high speed. I wasn't familiar with chemical guys VSS and my technique must be way off. It's been about 8 years since I'd polished a car, probably 15 since i detailed one for real.

I'd include a picture of the scratches look like. It would be helpful to know both what's going on and the color of the car.
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      10-16-2018, 08:29 PM   #13
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opinions on polishes and sealants are like assholes... everyone has one. Topics like these yield good results from a simple google search, but since you asked...

Menzerna
https://www.menzerna.com/products/po.../car-polishes/

you probably want a med cut and finish, then sealant.
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      10-16-2018, 11:23 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shimmy23 View Post
opinions on polishes and sealants are like assholes... everyone has one. Topics like these yield good results from a simple google search, but since you asked...

Menzerna
https://www.menzerna.com/products/po.../car-polishes/

you probably want a med cut and finish, then sealant.
Good post Shimmy...Nitro, this is good advice. For polishes, Menzerna is great stuff. Note - you will NOT find it at your local O'Reilly!

As Shimmy said, there's a lot of polishes on the market and everyone has their favorite, but just as important as picking a good one is knowing what you're doing with it. It's not as simple as buying it, applying it, and boom, scratches are gone! Paint prep (wash and/or clay) is the first step, then choosing the correct polish(s) - (fine cut, medium cut, compound, etc.) is the next step. And then how you apply it is just as important...are you doing it manually, using an orbital, what pads are you using, etc.

There is much research to do on this topic to do it correctly. Watch this video below for starters. If you're not willing to buy good quality products and/or put the time in yourself, find a reputable shop and just pay the price to have it done correctly. BUT, if you go that route, it's important you perform all future washes with a nice wash mitt and quality wash products, or all the scratches will inevitably return.

[/QUOTE]
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      10-17-2018, 12:40 AM   #15
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here is the reality- if you're taking your car to these wash bays, you're not going to use an orbiter right and spend the time that goes with that territory. spend that money and save time and pay someone $300 to buff/clay the car.

its a good time for you guys to get a sealer on your car anyways because you're going to start getting into some real weather.
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      10-17-2018, 07:52 AM   #16
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What roastbeef said. Nows the time to go ahead and get a correction and ceramic coating done. Just to note, with ceramic coatings/sealants, they wont prevent swirls and scratches from improper washing. If you want to drop big bucks, like Im going to do, get Xpel PPF on the whole car and never worry about scratches or swirls again!

Polishing by hands is tedious and exhausting. IF you're going to DIY, Go to Harbor Freight and get their cheap but effective DA and some decent pads. Chemical guys VSS or All In One is all you'll need or something equivalent for swirls you put in. If there are deep scratches you'll need a more abrasive compound and you'll do a 2 step polish which is not for the faint hearted.
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      10-17-2018, 06:11 PM   #17
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Meguiars ultimate compound, finished with a carnuba wax of your choice. the UC is great for a DIY'er with not much experience in paint correction. It will give good results on minor scratches and swirls without use of a buffer. spend a few hours and you'll see some results. Don't expect a concourse level finish however without a proper paint correction.
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      10-17-2018, 07:43 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrGatsby View Post
Meguiars ultimate compound, finished with a carnuba wax of your choice. the UC is great for a DIY'er with not much experience in paint correction. It will give good results on minor scratches and swirls without use of a buffer. spend a few hours and you'll see some results. Don't expect a concourse level finish however without a proper paint correction.
This with a quality orbital buffer and a light cutting pad followed with a polishing compound and pad.
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      10-20-2018, 07:37 AM   #19
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Autopia.org
Trust me it will change your life and lighten your wallet. Some excellent info on those forums by true professionals with plenty of activity and updates unlike most detailing forums.
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      10-23-2018, 10:04 PM   #20
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Yes, watch some YouTube videos on how to use a DA polisher or take it to get "detailed" with a proper polish. They should be able to remove any minor scratches. Hopefully they're minor.

In the future, this is what I do for maintenance washes, too:

Quote:
Originally Posted by cjm41 View Post
I use self washes but I bring my own soap, mit, bucket, and microfiber towel for drying. I don't use their soap and definitely not their brush.
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      11-11-2018, 07:55 AM   #21
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Look for Larry kosilla of AMMONYC to see how it's done. But, it's not for beginners. If it's something you'd like to really consider, go to s junk yard and get a body panel in decent shape. Practice on that before going to town on the M. Interlagos is not a forgiving color.
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      12-02-2018, 08:01 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NitroBiz View Post
Took my IB to the local self wash car wash and immediately noticed very fine little scratches upon drying it. I'm so pissed! I thought I could avoid these little scratches by taking it self serve, but I was wrong! What to do? What is the best product out there for fine scratches that you can see but not feel? HELP!

definitely a positive that you can only see them and not feel them - means the scratches are very light and certainly don't go through the clear coat. Products come in varying 'grit' for attacking scratches but you need something very light, like a paint cleanser, I'd guess.
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