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screwed the extioror of my neon pretty bad...
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:20 pm
by boostinss
Alright so i was washing my car today and i thought it would be okay to use a Scrubby that would be used to wash dishes in the sink, a couple hours later i come back to look at my car and there are scratches EVERYWHERE on it...they arnt too deep but you can deffinetly see them....
anythign i can do to get rid of them? buffing?? How would i buff it?? what kind of wax???
i need all the help i can get.
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:46 pm
by jrumann59
If you have no experience using a buffer do not try you will screw it even more. Take it to a detail shop and have them do it.
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:57 pm
by -Devil-
i second the detail shop ...
about the only thing that will remove the scratches .. is a good buffing ... which you will kill yourself trying to do by hand ...
meguires scratch X works ... but again .. by hand, whole car ... ouch ...
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:24 pm
by boostinss
how much about will a detail shop charge me?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:29 pm
by Jamie
depends on how bad you juiced the paint... atleats 80 for a detail but i would think around 1-150...
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:29 pm
by -Devil-
depending on how bad it is ... most likely 90+ ... you could even carry it to a body shop and ask them how much would they charge to buff it out .. may be cheaper then the detail shops if they are slow on business and wanting some pocket money ...
but if the whole thing looks like you took sand paper to it ... (not rough, but that many scratches) ... then be ready for 100+ ...
you can try doing it by hand .... but if you messed it up this bad ... by washing it ... i could only imagine how much worse it can be if you don't read up on scratch removal and buffing ... (don't try a powered buffer for your first time .. trust me ... even more of a chance to screw it up if you are not used to using one)
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:34 pm
by boostinss
shit...yeah it looks like i took sand paper to it..
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:57 pm
by Jamie
if it looks liek that... i seriously doubt your gonna be able to cut the clear down enough by hand to make a dent... your gonna have to eat it and get a shop to do it... just be ready when they try to tell you that it needs to be shot again... painted that is...
J
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:36 pm
by INVUJerry
You didn't use a brillo pad did you?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:38 pm
by Anonymous User
invujerry wrote:You didn't use a brillo pad did you?
im thinking he did.....i still dont get why people use them. you can get a car washing sponge or mit for like a dollar or 2..
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:43 pm
by 03blackrt
Cheap electric buffer, a good polishing compound (Race Glaze, Wizzard, Zano) and a weekend and it could probley be fixed. A shop will be around $200 I'd guess (depending on how bad).
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:52 pm
by fixitmattman
Good waxing will take care of it.
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:58 pm
by boostinss
if by brillo you mean the thing that one side of it is a sponge and the other side of it is a green thing.
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:12 am
by jrumann59
03blackrt wrote:Cheap electric buffer, a good polishing compound (Race Glaze, Wizzard, Zano) and a weekend and it could probley be fixed. A shop will be around $200 I'd guess (depending on how bad).
Thats all fine and good but if he has limited to no knowledge how to do it will cost him a lot more when he burns the finish.
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:15 am
by 03blackrt
A cheap random orbital buffer from walmart won't burn through the paint.
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 7:51 am
by occasional demons
You could try one of those clay bars, like clay majic or similar. they come with a spray lubricant and you just work the paint with the clay. Pretty hard to screw it up. I think the kit is around $10. From the sounds of it you're gonna need some lube!

But seriously the stuff works pretty well if any thing your paint will be smooth as glass which will help hide the scatches if they don't come out competely. Depends on how much effort you want to spend VS dollars you want to spend. I think with a cheap electric polisher with the sponge and some MILD polishing compound you'll be safe. if you use the rubbing coumpound or heavy cut cleaners then you could get into problems with an electric buffer. Just make sure when you're near an edge that the bonnet is spinning away from it,not into it!
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:21 am
by -Devil-
does the car have full coverage?
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:23 am
by MyNeonSaysHi
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:31 am
by bone-yard-racing
03blackrt wrote:A cheap random orbital buffer from walmart won't burn through the paint.
+1
I'll get a link to this detail kit I bought
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:49 am
by OverDrive418
WAY back in the day I used a kitchen sponge (yellow spongy oneside / green scratchy otherside) to get some stuborn bugjuice, tree sap and road tar off and I didn't notice all the scratches until it was dry. I ended up taking it to a body shop to get the clear resprayed and buffed out for like $100. But that was a while ago so I don't know what the going rate is now but shouldn't be too far off from that. If you feel nervous about doing it yourself save yourself the time and effort and take it to a shop.
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:03 am
by jrumann59
An orbital polisher doesn't have the juice to do what is needed but you can still burn it if you press too hard even with an orbital.
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:02 pm
by bone-yard-racing
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:15 pm
by fixitmattman
Man, I've been using them green/yellow sponges on my front bumper and lower side sills for ages. It's the only way I can get all the crap off my bumper. You could fill an entire issue of national geographic just from all the insect life squished on my front bumper. I only have a non-clearcoat paint, but I do know after a wax it looks great.
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:13 pm
by boostinss
Well i waxed my car and it didnt do to much, i asked my dad about it and he said try rubbing compound...what do you guys think?
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:44 pm
by lambostealth
05neonsxt wrote:Well i waxed my car and it didnt do to much, i asked my dad about it and he said try rubbing compound...what do you guys think?
Be careful with rubbing compounds they are very aggressive!
Get yourself a cheap random orbital buffer from wal-mart or wherever and look for 3M Perfect-it2 wal-mart carries it, as well as auto-zone or pepboys.
Also, I have been detailing for a few years, YOU WILL NOT BURN THROUGH YOUR CLEAR WITH A RANDOM ORBITAL BUFFER!!!!! Even my high powered porter-cable buffer would need a heavy compound and a heavy cutting pad to cut through clear. You will be just fine .
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:30 pm
by boostinss
alright well im taking my car into a detailing shop tommarow to see what they will charge to fully detail exterior and interior of my car because i am putting it up for sale.
anyone know ballpark how much they will charge me
?
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:47 am
by lambostealth
05neonsxt wrote:alright well im taking my car into a detailing shop tommarow to see what they will charge to fully detail exterior and interior of my car because i am putting it up for sale.
anyone know ballpark how much they will charge me
?
I normally charge about $125 for a complete, but my prices are going up to $165 as are a lot of shops increasing thier prices as well. But if a car requires correction, that price can triple or quadruple.....you would be looking at around $300 if you came to me with a full+correction.
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:19 am
by titansxt
Problem solved. End of topic.
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pc7424.html
Just practice on an old car's hood. A dark color car with plenty of scratches will get you going. Unless you tilt the buffer so you buff with the edges, there is no way to burn through... Just like brushing your teeth, pressure isnt always better.
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:33 am
by lambostealth
titansxt wrote:Problem solved. End of topic.
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pc7424.html
Just practice on an old car's hood. A dark color car with plenty of scratches will get you going. Unless you tilt the buffer so you buff with the edges, there is no way to burn through... Just like brushing your teeth, pressure isnt always better.
GREAT advice!!! But I would steer away from the Ultimate Detailing Machine for now, it's entirely new, and it is having some problems, one of which is a HIGHLY SENSATIVE power switch that has turned on while people are applying polish. The Porter Cable 7424 is a GREAT tool, less than the cost of a great detail, and you will get addicted to the results, and find yourself doing friends/family cars in no time.
Get yourself the 7424, and hit up chemicalguys.com, they have some of the best polishes, and, Diamond Cut 1500, and Pro Polish+, would be PERFECT for repairing the damage to your ride. Then put a good polymer sealant on it to lock in the look, and a good TRUE carnauba (like Chemical Guys 50/50) to add rediculous wetness to your paint.
good luck man!
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:25 pm
by titansxt
I was refering to the 7424. I prob should have added that in there....

Yea def the PC.