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How do get rid of hairline scratches?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PriusRos, Oct 3, 2009.

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  1. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    My friend has a beautiful new IV with solar in blue ribbon metallic. To her horror, she recently discovered several fairly long hairline scratches on her hood. They don't come out with waxing and are deep enough to be felt, although they don't look really deep (i.e., they don't seem like deliberate gouges).

    Is there any way she can get rid of them herself without going to a detailer? If not, how she should go about finding a good detailer (Northern Virginia area)?
     
    #1 PriusRos, Oct 3, 2009
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    If you use a hand polish to round off the edges and fill in the 'crevice' somewhat and then seal with a good wax or Zaino, it may appear less noticeable but you will not get rid of the scratch.

    Could it have been caused by a cat(s) jumping onto the hood?

    I recommend using polish and seal it up with some zaino or a good wax. This is actually once instance where a wax may be better as it can moisturize the paint after the polishing... I doubt your friend has an orbital on hand so here's some good hand polish (they also make 4 levels of machine polish)

    Griot's Garage Fine Hand Polish - Polishes - Polishing - Car Care - Griot's Garage
     
    #2 Paradox, Oct 3, 2009
  3. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Thanks, Paradox. She does have cats (huge ones) but I doubt very much she'd let them jump on her hood :p!

    Speaking of orbital polishers -- wouldn't it be pretty risky for an amateur to attempt to use one, especially on such as conspicuous area as the hood? What's the lilkelihood of damaging the finish?
     
    #3 PriusRos, Oct 4, 2009
  4. octavia

    octavia Active Member

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    I have the same scratches! ( Same color of car too) My car is garaged so if a terrible-mean-awful-cat did it, must have happened at work.

    I have noticed the paint on this car shows every thing. I'm mentally preparing for the chips I will most likely find when I wash it again.
     
    #4 octavia, Oct 4, 2009
  5. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    It could have been stray neighborhood cats though, I see them on neighbors cars sometimes and an thankful I use my garage everytime I see that!

    With new random orbitals it's hard to do any damage. When used properly, they work wonders and make doing all the work by hand effortless.

    Griot's one is a bit more expensive than others you can find but again, they give you a lifetime warranty on it. Watch the video's on the bottom of this page and you'll see how to use it.

    Griot's Garage 6" Random Orbital - Griot's Garage
     
    #5 Paradox, Oct 4, 2009
  6. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    She keeps the car garaged, too, so no neighborhood wildcats should have been able to get to it. I have a Winter Grey and I think this color would probably show up any imperfections more readily than the more sparkly Blue Ribbon. (WG definitely shows dirt - almost as badly as black.)

    Thanks for the info on the orbital. I've been thinking about getting one.
     
    #6 PriusRos, Oct 4, 2009
  7. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    my wife let the dog hang out the window of her black SUV. washed with dawn a couple times, clay barred, and Ziano'd about 9 times over a few days. There was one scratch that was really bad, and I used a black sharpie on it before I started with the clay adn polish. After the Ziano, it looks like it never happened.
     
    #7 mgb4tim, Oct 4, 2009
  8. Jim Calvert

    Jim Calvert New Member

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    Usually what happens is that the owner "repair" makes the flaw look worse, especially if the owner has no experience doing such a repair. If that is the case, her best action is to take her vehicle to an honest body repair facility and get an estimate.

    If that is not the case, she already knows how to fix it herself.

    Jim
     
    #8 Jim Calvert, Oct 4, 2009
  9. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    I'd agree except that I don't think trying to rub it out with a good hand polish will hurt anything unless it's too abrasive. It might not work, however. Using touch-up paint on the other hand (which she was thinking of doing before the dealer advised her against it) could definitely make it worse....

    It's probably best to go to a good detailer, but it can be hard to find someone who knows what they're doing and also it can get pretty expensive to go every time some minor ding or scratch appears on the car.
     
    #9 PriusRos, Oct 4, 2009
  10. r_egan

    r_egan Junior Member

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    You should try Meguiars ScratchX 2.0 (Meguiar's Direct ScratchX® 2.0). My wife's dark gray RX350 had some very noticable scratches that this easily removed. As long as they are not through the clearcoat, this should work.
     
    #10 r_egan, Oct 4, 2009
  11. alohabailey

    alohabailey New Member

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    I saw a lady from a detailing shop use a hypodermic needle. Sucked the paint into the needle and then carefully filled in any places that needed paint. :)
     
    #11 alohabailey, Oct 4, 2009
  12. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    I bet it doesn't need any paint, just needs to be compounded and polished.

    If you want a good detailer I can give you the names of a couple locally.
     
    #12 SW03ES, Oct 4, 2009
  13. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Yes, thanks -- it would be good to know. She lives in Fairfax and would prefer one there if you know of any. However, I'd be also interested if you know of any in Gaithersburg/Rockville area, just in case. The last time I went to a detailer was for my white Infiniti -- I went to one recommended by Checkbook Magazine but I wasn't particularly impressed with the results.
     
    #13 PriusRos, Oct 4, 2009
  14. Grateful11

    Grateful11 Member

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    OT: You break a cat from climbing on a car without harming it permanently. You walk up to it
    rub and then grab it by the back of the neck just skin and hair same way a Vet. handles
    cats. You need to have a small piece of newspaper rolled up in other hand and couple of light
    swats on the rear will do it. I'm not talking about harming the cat just some light swats.
    I'm a cat lover myself, have 2 inside and one outside. I'll probably get flamed for
    posting this but it works and it doesn't harm the cat. None of cats
    get on our vehicles. Spraying one with garden hose doesn't work
    but will surely get your hood scratched.

    She's a 13yo long haired Calico that's just a bit spoiled. Some of her hair is 3" long.

    DSCN1449.jpg

    L100DSCN00549.jpg
     
    #14 Grateful11, Oct 4, 2009
  15. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Great-looking cat!
    It seems to me that the Prius hood wouldn't be all that inviting for a cat or any other animal. How can they even walk on that extreme slope, especially if the car is slippery after having just been polished? You can't even rest your towel on the hood without it falling off.
     
    #15 PriusRos, Oct 5, 2009
  16. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    It's been many years ago when I was a kid, but I had a Doberman that jumped up on my Mothers Mercedes because it was warm, scratched out a good bed and went to sleep. It had to be re-painted and the clear coat didn't last and looked bad from then on.
    My Father had just bought the car, walked out in the morning and found the dog on the hood. Broke a broom handle over the dog. Champ (the dog) thought he wanted to play.
    My father tied Champ to the normal sized garage door handle. When we got home, Champ was laying in the front yard with the door, chewing on it.
    Both my parents have been dead for years, funny what you remember.
     
    #16 a64pilot, Oct 5, 2009
  17. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    Hence the use of the claws :mad:
     
    #17 a64pilot, Oct 5, 2009
  18. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    In poor taste, but it is funny
    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-sC-vSIXk]YouTube - car commercial - sun roof feature, cat gets a suprise[/ame]
     
    #18 a64pilot, Oct 5, 2009
  19. Arnold

    Arnold +AT+SR

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    Toyota now sells a Touch-up set for Gen III which so much better than for Gen II (at least here in Europe, it is made in Germany). Works beautifully.
     
    #19 Arnold, Oct 5, 2009
  20. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    #20 PriusRos, Oct 5, 2009
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