Of all the luck i have, today it finally it stopped raining in austin and i went to wash my car...on the way home, freaking huge rocks (ones that you can actually see flying...id say golf ball sized) on the freeway ate my car for dinner...now i have this lame scratch on the side of my car....when u run your finger over it, u can barely feel the scratch so it's pretty superficial. what do u guys think i should do?

 

another angle...

 

first--- I would cry
second-- I would apply meguiars step 1 wax

 

Ouch. x.X Did you buy the appearance package (service contract extra) when you bought your car? If so you can take it in and they should be able to fix it up for you. Otherwise I'm not familiar with storebought products. :\

 

buff it out? scratch x? KILL THE ROCKS!

 

MS Front bumper =)

 

thx for the sympathy...this is my first major blemish to my car, and initially when i heard the rocks splattering against her body, i was really upset . It could have been worse and there could have been an actual dent...

i didnt purchase any extra services from the dealership. =/


ill probably end up using some meguiars product to get the scratch out. Have you guys heard anything good from 3M products?

if only i had the $$$$$$s like mikeb!! id be there already...

 

3M does have an excellant very mild abrasive scratch product available (I forget the name), but try the Meguiars ScratchX stuff first IMHO. It's even more mild than the 3M product. If scratchX doesn't work then use the 3M stuff.

 

Naaaan da ga?

What a big stone chip Johnathan!

Time to repaint the damage and count your misfortune... lucky it is the bumper... if I were you - I have the excuse to buy the MazadSpeed front spoiler

 

thanks for the tip. i wanted to use the less abrasive compound first.

 

MS only in my dreams for now....

 

well after washing the car with meguiars gold class, drying the car and applying scratch X 3 times....the attempt was unsuccessful....3M here i come...

 

super macro...

 

Hmmmm ... a couple look pretty deep ... may need some wetsanding followed by compounding and polishing ... but if the scratches have penetrated the color layer, no amount of buffing will remove all the scratch. All you can do is try and if it works, great .. if not , a little touchup/sanding/buffing should fix it up where it is hardly noticeable. The trick is to be VERY patient.

 

im definitely new to this type of body detailing bc ive never had this kind of problem before...i already exchanged the scratch X for some 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compound ("It safely removes grade 1200 or finer sand scratches, other fine scratches, etc..."). What grade do you think my scratches are? I dont have a power sander/buffer so i dont have many more options other than to take it in somewhere.

this is after a wash, 3 coats of 3M, and a coat of NXT wax...

 

...

 

take it to a shop.. get it buffed out !! .. then it may need a fresh coat of clear coat after the repair.

that will cost you less than 500 bucks at a shop to get buffed out ! they can apply touch up paint to the scratch and thend buff it and spray a new coat of clear on the area !!

thats really the only good way to fix your new 30k car ..

 

and then install a clear bra !

 

For $500 id rather add a little more and buy the MS bumper that mikeb has...:D

 

If you are ever in the Dallas area I will buff it out for you. I have the right equipment and knowledge. It will take me about 5 minutes tops. No charge for a fellow 8 owner.

 

i might have to take you up on that offer...it would be worth the drive from Austin to Dallas.

 

Right on!

 

UPDATE...

I went to the dealership last Saturday to have my tires rotated, and I asked one of the guys there to look at the scratch....He said it feels like it went thru the clearcoat....He gave me an estimate of about $100 to fix it....what to do what to do...

 

For the same $100, spend it on gas, make the drive to Dallas and have a great day with a fellow RX8 fan (one who can fix your scratch!).

 

I caught a rock on the drivers side front fender, and it went clear thru to the metal! Makes me wonder how thick the clear coat and paint are? Does anyone know? I only have 9K on the OD and I hope this doesn't happen al the time. Maybe clear bra is the way to go.