Repairing Minor Scratches And Spider Webs

GazzaS

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Hi,

I have a one year old E220 and have a few very minor scratches by the door handles and on the front bumper (from stones I presume). I cannot feel them with my finger but they look white in certain light.

I also have just had it cleaned as part of the first service and have observed spider web patterns on the boot top, but only when looked at in direct sun light.

Is there any recommendations on how to minimise or remove these minor scratches with making sure I minimise the impact on my one year old paintwork.

Thanks for any advice.

Gary
 

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Spiders webs as they are called takes place when there is a chemical reaction taking place in the metal, it is the gasses that lift the paint into these webs.

There is no cure other than a complete strip down to bare metal and repaint, but even then this could be in the metal and return.

For touching up stone chip marks just use a tooth pick dipped into the paint (if aerosol spray some into the cap) and drop it into the hole or chip. when applying wait a few seconds, say 30 and smudge the paint with you finger then T cut the next day as the surrounding paint will wipe off like butter.

If you just apply the paint as is, it will look too dark as the metallic flakes sinks.

Its a waste of time applying any clear coat as this will look too dark as well and not needed on a plastic bumper for instance
 

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The "spider webs" are known as "swirls" by those poor OCD-afflicted people over at Detailing World. How you deal with them depends on your intended future care regime. (edit: Malcolm's "spider webs" are a different beast, and hopefully not what you have on a year-old car. I'd imagine you're describing very fine scratches that show up only in sunlight, looking like spider silk on the car?)

The easy way is to apply a few coats of a filler-polish like AutoGlym Super Resin Polish. This isn't particularly durable, so you'd want to top it with a decent wax or sealant. I've had good results with AutoGlym Extra Gloss Protection, but prefer the super-durable Collinite 476s paste wax.

For more on this, here's the best thread:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10656

The proper way to do it is by using a polishing machine and a polish with proper cut on in, that actually removes a tiny amount of the lacquer coat of your paintwork to smooth everything out. You're then back to square one, but if you don't treat it differently, you'll be where you are now in another year except with a thinner lacquer coat.
 
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Whilst the above post will remove them, it does not solve the reason that has caused the paint to lift from the metal in the first place.
 

Troon

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Whilst the above post will remove them, it does not solve the reason that has caused the paint to lift from the metal in the first place.

We're talking two different things here Malcolm. I believe the OP is referring to "swirls", which are tiny scratches in the lacquer - damage, rather than a defect - that look like spider silk when the sunlight catches them. You're talking about a genuine paint defect, crazing, which I'd hope a one-year old car wouldn't be exhibiting.
 
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Just had the OH's black car paint corrected. The difference is unbelievable. I'll post some pics laters.
 

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We're talking two different things here Malcolm. I believe the OP is referring to "swirls", which are tiny scratches in the lacquer - damage, rather than a defect - that look like spider silk when the sunlight catches them. You're talking about a genuine paint defect, crazing, which I'd hope a one-year old car wouldn't be exhibiting.

The op refers to spiders webs forming on the boot and not like swirl marks.

We have had quite a few late cars where this takes place, it is not crazing as such, and the paint is lifted away from the metal, usually because of gasses escaping from what is going on under the paint, these are cured paints and once cured it should stay as it was put on. A common place to see this is on the filling strips that run along the roof at the ends through some reason. It could be poor cleaning before painting, or pin hole where moisture has got in.

Maybe the OP can put up a picture
 
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GazzaS

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Hi Chaps,

Thanks for the replies. The spiders web scratches are very fine and are more like swirl marks that can only be seen in direct sunlight.

Troon - I'll take a look at your link, I believe I need to polish these out. I presume there are companies out there that will do this sort of minor repair?

Malcolm - Regarding the other minor scratches. They are not really stone chips and more like the size of a hair and cannot be felt with the finger.

The problem with my paint color (dark metallic blue) is it seems to show any minor scratches very easily. Is T-Cut or similar ok for these or is there a product that is less harsh.

Basically I treat my car so carefully (takes me ages to park anywhere ;) ) and am really cautious about applying any products to the car that could damage the paint. However these marks really bug me.

Thanks again,

Gary
 

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television

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If the things you call spider marks has not raised the paint, then as Troon said.

Real spider marks will often have a core in the center where moisture has got in, so let us hope that Troon is right and just swirl marks
 

whitenemesis

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I'd steer clear of T-cut personally...

I have been testing Meg's Ultimate Compound on my black CLS and it's doing what it says on the bottle!! Using a DA polisher is a lot less hard work than doing it by hand..

[YOUTUBE]PRokMbzUcoc[/YOUTUBE]
 

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I'd steer clear of T-cut personally...

I have been testing Meg's Ultimate Compound on my black CLS and it's doing what it says on the bottle!! Using a DA polisher is a lot less hard work than doing it by hand..

[YOUTUBE]PRokMbzUcoc[/YOUTUBE]

There again I have used diluted T cut for 50 years and I defy anyone to find a mark of any description on my cars. My 129 and 230 were like new regarding any paintwork. My RR polished with T cut took best car in the SHOW in Sweden, in some cases its what you do with it.
 

NW_Merc

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I'd steer clear of T-cut personally...

I have been testing Meg's Ultimate Compound on my black CLS and it's doing what it says on the bottle!! Using a DA polisher is a lot less hard work than doing it by hand..

[YOUTUBE]PRokMbzUcoc[/YOUTUBE]

I'd have to agree with you, T-Cut is too harsh in most cases and on modern paints the effects may well be detrimental. The paints used on older cars were not only very thick but solvent based so T Cut wouldnt really cause a problem. Newer paints are water based.

I'd go with meguiars or sonus do a swirl removing polish specifically for use with the porter cable or other DA polishing machine.
 

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. Newer paints are water based.


The top coats on all cars other than black and white are finished in a 2 component clear coat as been used for years. Black and white car are finished in a 2 component colour coat other than those that have the nano coating

The base coat maybe water based, but not the rest, and very hard to get to the base coat.
 

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Hi,

I have a one year old E220 and have a few very minor scratches by the door handles and on the front bumper (from stones I presume). I cannot feel them with my finger but they look white in certain light.

I also have just had it cleaned as part of the first service and have observed spider web patterns on the boot top, but only when looked at in direct sun light.

Is there any recommendations on how to minimise or remove these minor scratches with making sure I minimise the impact on my one year old paintwork.

Thanks for any advice.
Gary

Working on the principle that "gently does it", I would first try just using a plain simple polish, and see if that does the trick. Make sure that everything is meticulously clean before starting, though, otherwise you can end make making more swirls than you started with. ;)
 

Benzworx

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We're talking two different things here Malcolm. I believe the OP is referring to "swirls", which are tiny scratches in the lacquer - damage, rather than a defect - that look like spider silk when the sunlight catches them. You're talking about a genuine paint defect, crazing, which I'd hope a one-year old car wouldn't be exhibiting.

Take it easy and dont have a go at Malc he was only trying to help out here
 

whitenemesis

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Working on the principle that "gently does it", I would first try just using a plain simple polish, and see if that does the trick. Make sure that everything is meticulously clean before starting, though, otherwise you can end make making more swirls than you started with. ;)

I think that's the whole point of Meg's Ultimate compound. It will remove swirls and scratches without introducing maring, something traditional cutting compounds will do.
 

Benzworx

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I'd have to agree with you, T-Cut is too harsh in most cases and on modern paints the effects may well be detrimental. The paints used on older cars were not only very thick but solvent based so T Cut wouldnt really cause a problem. Newer paints are water based.

I'd go with meguiars or sonus do a swirl removing polish specifically for use with the porter cable or other DA polishing machine.


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !

Bilt-Hamber try it ?
Meguiars products started out life as marine based mould release wax !
 

Benzworx

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OK pro tip if you really want that bling shine then 3M ROSA before wax :)
 
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