Hairline Scratches - the reality

Hi everyone... I would like to give my opinions on hairline scratches as this seems to be such a popular topic here.

My car is a Honda Civic with German GLASURIT 2pack paint. It's a Ferrari Red and currently in excellent condition even though it's six years old. I wash my car everyday and it really looks like a show car.

Based on my fanatical approach towards detailing all these years, this is my 2cents worth:

1. You can try removing all those hairline/micro scratches with whatever products and techniques you have. BUt the harsh reality is, they will return! Unless you wash your car 100% by yourself using top quality mitts and drying cloths while exercising extreme care, the scratches will come back.

2. Each time you remove these pesky scratches, you're thinning the clearcoat.Period.

3. If you're not entering your car in shows and have it washed occasionally or frequently by the car wash, it's probably a waste of time removing all these scratches unless they are really bad and noticeable in daylight. In my car, they're only visible under artifical lighting. So I decided to leave them alone.

4. Attempts in removing these scratches can possibly result in more scratches!
As you're using a buffer with a polishing or rubbing compound, the immediate result may be impressive. That's because the paint is still slick with oils and resin. But after a couple of shampoo washes when the excess oils and resins are washed away, and you can see the new scratches that you've just created. Very few pros know how to permanently remove swirl marks and micro scratches.

Me? Instead of wasting my time chasing after the ideal 100% pristine show car surface, I've finally resigned to the reliable method of weekly (yes..weekly) treatments of Formula 1's polish+wax product.

I am a Meguair's fan and have tried the cleaner, glaze and carnauba approach.
Although the results are impressive, it's not something you'll want to do every weekend. For me, I want my car looking sharp all the time with minimal work. So, my formula is:

I'm using Formula 1's polish+wax product every weekend on my lovely Civic.
This product gives a tremendous gloss that is on par with a glaze + carnauba treatment and is so easy to use. My Civic is now so glossy that I just simply do not dare to park it anywhere!!!

For those who think that polish+wax products are for the amateur, pls try the Formula 1 product. It'll change your perception.

I've used Zaino, Zymol, Autoglym, Meguairs and Eagle One. My cabinet is full of 1/2 used cans of these prdts. But the sad reality is, you'll be spending so much time and money on these premium products and end up finding that a similar level of gloss and smoothness can be achieved in less time and with less effort with Formula 1's product.

Try it!

Can I get an AMEN for brother Albert? However, most of us are too anal to 'let it go' and will continue to try for perfection.

I've had my best luck with synthetics like Finish First, and I intend to try Zaino in the months ahead. Used frequently (I too tend to wax/seal my car weekly in the summer months) they fill hairline 'spiderweb' scratches nicely. Using plenty of water and suds (and even rewetting the car while drying) has kept scratches & marks to a minimum.



Don M
'02 Cavalier LSSC
2200 DOHC

give that man a cigar! i wish my black bmw and mercedes customers had that attitude. i use an electric leaf blower to dry excess water from the car to keep down on swirls,as the less you rub on a car the better.

albert,excellent article.very true.todays automotive paints are thinner than ever and demand delicate care.props homey

Let's talk about factory paints for a minute. Yes, they can be thin at different portions of the vehicle. Todays automotive factories all have the automated robotic spraying systems. The Siemens computer that controls the amount of fluid that comes out of the robotic spray tips can become clogged at certain areas of the robotic system at times. The factories do have a computer system awaring them of this but proper maintenance still has to be preformed on a daily basis at the factories.

A month ago, a customer had just bought a black new Porsche Boxster S. He accidently let his wife take it for a spin along the coast. She was so nervous in driving it that her hand was shaking while she was putting the key in the keyhole in the handle. She missed the keyhole & scratched a small portion of paint.

He asked me if I would remove the scratch for him. I told him that I could remove the scratch for him & asked him if he would pay me for the re-paint of his door handle since I knew the certain areas of thin paint on his vehicle. He thought I didn't know what I was talking about & he removed the scratch himself. He used the right products that I suggested & he did it right in front of me too.

You should of have seen his face when he saw the black scratch dissapear & turned into a dark gray color. I told him that I could save him $400.00 dollars of having me dismantle the door & remove the handle for a re-paint of the handle. I went with him to the dealer & the dealer took care of the problem in two days & also have him a leased boxster to use while the dealership took apart the door & re-painted the handle.

Before everybody starts disagreeing on the price that would of have been charged if I had done the procedure. Take in account that the vehicle was black, the amount of time to dismantle the door handle without any further abuse around the affected area. Re-paint the handle along with all of the two stage paint system. Remount the handle & safely re-install it on the vehicle along with giving the whole car a new prep finish. The price is nothing to bragg about.

The moral of the whole story, be very cautious when removing any deep scratches that may appear light to the touch.

Thank you for your opinion! I asked some questions awhile back about hairline scratches that boiled down to this: do you try and polish these out or cover them up? Based on my experience (of only 4 weeks!) with a brand new jet black SUV, I agree with your comments. After my daughter scratched the hood just by brushing some iced snow off and then I sat in a hail storm, I realized it was going to be a losing battle to completely prevent these. I was also told by the owner of a body shop that the swirls marks that magicly appeared after about two weeks, were probably due to the dealer polishing the car for show. So even if you buy a brand new car, they're most likely going to be there! I've been focusing my efforts on covering them up, ie. waxing, and preventing them as much as possible when washing. I'm anxious to try the Formula one product you mentioned and I'm about ready to buy a power washer and leaf blower and not even touch the surface myself!

Hey, anyone remember the post about the Mil Gauge, well this is where it is a must, you wont need one if the car only has had one owner, but how about a used car that got swapped owner to owner, theirs no way of telling how many times that finish has been buffed. Anyway, how are you trying to take out these scrathces, what speed are you buffing at, what pad-product are you using?