Ouch! Someone just scraped bumper
 

Been in the parking lot no more than 10 minutes, and some ignorant clod nicks my rear bumber's right corner. Fortunately, there's no dent or crumple, but a nice unwanted brushed look instead. Upon inspection, the damage is minor, but would require some sort of remedy at DIY at home short of taking it to the body shop. The scrapes seem less than 0.5mm in depth, so I think I want to apply some elbow grease. Anyone out there with some suggestion on what kind of stuff I can try?

Meguiars Scratch X is a nice first step.

Go easy, more strokes, less pressure.

Report back.

Good luck!

Not to contradict my marshal arts friend, but I've demonstrated scratch-X's ability to add scratches/haze in the past. Maybe I just have a bad batch, but I've retired that product to my "cars I don't care about" box after a couple of bad experiences.

The 3M "Body Repair Finish Restorer" (P/N 03902 - UPC 0 51131 03902 5) has done wonders for me. I've not experienced anything but reduction in surface imperfections with that one. Found mine at Wal-Mart of all places. Was able to remove a fairly deep scratch stretching from the headlight all along the front fender to the leading edge of the door with it. Couldn't even tell where it had been afterwards. Before I started, I thought it was going to require a respray for sure!

The 3M product is great stuff too! I have not had that issue with Scratch X but it could happen.

Don, I happen to have one. How will it work on the nicks on the plastic bumper scrapes about the size of a little kid's fist? How do I smooth down the scrape mark? The damage seems to have been caused by the sandy bumper ( common here in NE during winter ) from the other guy's.
Also, what after 3M treatment? Do I polish wax it afterward? :confused:

Hi Tom, I don't quite get the first part of your reply. As for waxing after using the 3M stuff, it contains wax itself so just another coat or two of wax over it should be fine.

I meant that will the 3M finish restorer work as well on the plastic(bumper) as it would on the metal surface?

Yes, it should work fine, as it is just paint over plastic. Can you see "plastic" in the scratches?

Not quite sure... don't look it. I plan to wash it in a few days. I'll post afterwards or PM you. This crazy NE weather. I am sick of it!

Double OUCH
 

Was not one of my finest hours, like a bonehead, I will be the first one to admit it, my car rolled in the parking lot into a chain link fence. To make a stupid story shorter this is going to cost me One thousand dollars to fix. The chain link scratched the paint in the left front light, and cracked the plastic cover of the front bumper. I was ready to leave when I went back into the office for my cell phone when I walked out and saw the car resting against the fence my heart almost stopped. As stupid as this was I was very lucky that the car did not roll out of the gate into the street and causing an accident with a gruesome outcome.
So in the end I was lucky eventhough it was a totally bonehead move. :(

It happens! Go easy on yourself/

:cheers:

Yep - it happens.

We had our first Boxster roll into our garage door. Thankfully no damage but it could have been bad.

-Rey

I had the exact thing happen to my Boxster, and with black paint (non metallic), I used the scratchX stuff, went VERY gently on it and repeated a few times. The bumper was all scartched up about 10" by 10", i had great results with the scratch X. My scratches are completely gone and it looks better than new.