Scratches on Car

[RedHawk]

I bought a new car (Hyundai Elantra) four months ago. The car now has small scratches all over it. I have only washed this car using the brush at a reliable car wash and never dried it with a towel. The scratches can only be seen in the sun, they are invisible in the shade or early evening. Is this common and can it be fixed?

I plan to drive this car for a long time so I am not anal about how my car looks but its only been four months. Thanks

 

[73ss454]

Try using a cleaner wax, this should remove all the light scratches which are in the clear coat.

 

[Westernskies]

Billy Mays to the rescue!

TV Infomercials: Fix It Scratch Remover Billy Mays

 

[73ss454]

That stuff would be for a diff. type of scratch.

I gotta laugh at the buffing machine they show. Could you imagine buffing you whole car with that thing. (heh)

 

[RedHawk]

That stuff would be for a diff. type of scratch.

I gotta laugh at the buffing machine they show. Could you imagine buffing you whole car with that thing. (heh)

Yeah that might take a while lol

 

[Westernskies]

But you would save that much time just by using Oxy-Clean on the laundry....

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i haven't run a car through an automatic car wash since the company stopped paying for a new car every two years.

if that brush you mentioned is at an automatic car wash, no matter how soft they say it is, it will spin fast enough to scratch. also it might not be so clean and hard particles on a soft surface negate the advantage. if that brush is at a self-serve car wash, then it is the same brush that i'd only use to get the brake dust off my wheels. by the time you use it, yikes.

i doubt you can entirely stop those microscratches, but to reduce them, stop brushing your clearcoat. use soft cleaning materials only. powerspray off all dust before you start to wash (be careful the powerspray doesn't worsen a chip). wash & dry only with soft clean cloth. keep surfaces waxed so mostly the wax coat damages and not the clearcoat.

lastly, stop looking at the car in the sunlight where you have to really study it at just the right angle so that you see all the microscratches that upset you so much and just enjoy how clean and shiny it is in the moonlight. if you must drive during the day, in the sunlight, only drive very fast so no one will know the scratches are there.

ps. to help hide scratches you might try one of the nanowaxes such as http://www.eagleone.com/pages/nanotechnology/

i might be a bit paranoid but i'd only apply the stuff with rubber gloves on as i've read that nano particles can pass through the brain blood barrier. not real sure taking that chance is worth covering a scratch.

 

[RedHawk]

lastly, stop looking at the car in the sunlight where you have to really study it at just the right angle so that you see all the microscratches that upset you so much and just enjoy how clean and shiny it is in the moonlight.

In the sunlight, no studying is required. They are pretty visible

 

[haha]

I just had my car detailed. It looks like the day I drove it off the lot almost 3 yeas ago. These guys mostly do Ferraris and Porsches, and my Subaru.

Ha

 

[Walt34]

Here ya go:

DetailCity.org - Auto Detailing & Car Care Forum

In the six years we've owned them neither of our vehicles has ever been to an automatic car wash for the reason you mention. It will only get worse with time and those brushes wear away the clear coat.

 

[tgotch]

My son has a Mitsubishi Eclipse that we just bought. The car had small scratches all over the driver's side door. Did some research and found a product called Quixx.

It's a 2 part system, very easy to apply. (They provide 2 tubes, a microfiber cloth, and 3000 grit sandpaper (Sandpaper is only used on deeper scratches. I did not use the sand paper, as the 2 part system worked fine). Yo Apply both applications just as you would waxing.

I was AMAZED at how it took out all the small scratches. You can pick it up at Auto Zone (or was it Pep Boys...)and Wally world I think. If I remember, it was only about $15.

Quixx USA » QUIXX

 

[Mike1968]

You can look at these 2 forums in addition to the detailcity forum mentioned by Walt34. Autopedia will have more solutions for your scratch issues since the cover more online stores etc...
Autopia.org Car Detailing Forum :: #1 in Auto Detailing Discussion!
Autogeekonline Auto Detailing Forum

I bought a Corolla in April and I have "invested" money into quality products bought thru autogeek.net. 3 weeks after I bought my car someone broke a glass window on my rear quarter panel and scratched it up bad enough that I will need to get it repainted. This car will never see a car wash of any kind. It is not that expensive or too time consuming to wash/wax a car. I use the following on my car:

ONR (Optimum No Rinse) $15.99 for 32 car washes<only takes 2-7 gallons to wash the entire car with no mess to clean up on the floor-no water hose needed!
(2) 5 gal buckets-~$10 Walmart, 1 with grit guard($10 online)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax($$$), ordered a starter kit, cheaper.
Just ordered SSII B1G1F ~$50<<Great Wax, Wet looking and WOWO
Cobra waffle Weave MF Towels (~$28/2 sizes)<<These towels suck the water-Very impressive! No Wringing at all. 1 towel dries the entire car.
Buffing Towels ~$8 for 2 (B1G1F)
Clay Bar, I think it was $25.
303 for interior and black plastic on outise of car. WOWO
Stoners Invisible glass for windows, absolutely NO streaking. WOWO
Micro-Restore to clean Towels and pads etc...

My car shines and has a wet look with no scratches or swirls of any kind! After you remove the scratches, you may want to invest in some quality products and DIY...

 

[jambo101]

Never use the brush at the pay and spray car washes as they can be full of grit or sand as you found out and now have a car covered in swirl marks.My routine is to thoroughly wash the car with soap,then wipe the car with a very clean rag,then rinse the car and hit the wax button.
Plenty of detailing sites on the web,just Google "Swirl marks"

 

[73ss454]

There's one product that Mike1968 listed that I use and it's great.

Stoners Invisible Glass is the best window cleaning product I've ever used.