Surface scratches - product plug.
Discussion
At the grand old age of 27, I never thought I'd be this sad as to recommend as paint treatment product on a car forum - but I was so chuffed with what this stuff does I had to share it.
I lent over my car in a leather jacket the other day and the zip put a very visible 2ft scratch across the panel. I was gutted. But someone recommended the stuff they use for 'polishing out' surface scratches in BMW bodyshops - so I bought some and the results were amazing. I went from moody and kicking the dog for no reason in the morning, to offering to mow the lawn in the afternoon.
It's 3M fine compound. Cost about a £10. Really good stuff - invisibly repaired my scratch anyway.
Oh, and by the way - the best alloy wheel cleaner IN THE WORLD is P21 by Dr Ok Wack Chemie (sp?) - comes from Germany and cleaned the wheels on my old E36 back to showroom standard after 2 seperate places had said they needed a refurb. Trust me.
I lent over my car in a leather jacket the other day and the zip put a very visible 2ft scratch across the panel. I was gutted. But someone recommended the stuff they use for 'polishing out' surface scratches in BMW bodyshops - so I bought some and the results were amazing. I went from moody and kicking the dog for no reason in the morning, to offering to mow the lawn in the afternoon.
It's 3M fine compound. Cost about a £10. Really good stuff - invisibly repaired my scratch anyway.
Oh, and by the way - the best alloy wheel cleaner IN THE WORLD is P21 by Dr Ok Wack Chemie (sp?) - comes from Germany and cleaned the wheels on my old E36 back to showroom standard after 2 seperate places had said they needed a refurb. Trust me.
That's the stuff Grf - either them or i-Auto (who offer next delivery included in the price)
www.iauto.co.uk
Just spray the stuff on, leave it between 15mins and an hour or so - and even the mankiest, ground on winter salty crap comes off with a sponge no worries. I didn't clean my wheels on my old M3 all winter (tut tut) and admittedly that took 3 applications of the stuff, 2 sponges and a lot of elbow grease - but it was still cheaper than getting them re-furbed - which is what I was told they needed! It's a good bit of kit.
>> Edited by jbonnett on Thursday 11th March 14:35
www.iauto.co.uk
Just spray the stuff on, leave it between 15mins and an hour or so - and even the mankiest, ground on winter salty crap comes off with a sponge no worries. I didn't clean my wheels on my old M3 all winter (tut tut) and admittedly that took 3 applications of the stuff, 2 sponges and a lot of elbow grease - but it was still cheaper than getting them re-furbed - which is what I was told they needed! It's a good bit of kit.
>> Edited by jbonnett on Thursday 11th March 14:35
Was that stuff defo called Fine Compound?
I went to the local 3M stockist and they said it was 3M Finesse it, 15 squid a large bottle. I tried this but it doesn't seem to be any better that T-Cut if not worse.
I have a load of fine scratches on my car where some doughnut seems to have cleaned it with a plastic scourer or similar. I looked on the 3M web site and Finesse it is the only related stuff I could find?
Cheers
Mags
I went to the local 3M stockist and they said it was 3M Finesse it, 15 squid a large bottle. I tried this but it doesn't seem to be any better that T-Cut if not worse.
I have a load of fine scratches on my car where some doughnut seems to have cleaned it with a plastic scourer or similar. I looked on the 3M web site and Finesse it is the only related stuff I could find?
Cheers
Mags
My garage and shed look like a museum of the last 20-odd years of car cleaning stuff...I've tried so much stuff!
Here's my current prefered combination when starting from scratch:
1)Wash and rinse car thoroughly 3 times with Fairy washing up liquid...this takes off all the old wax etc and gets you back to 'ground zero'
2)Clay Bar...I've used several and all seem pretty much the same to me. BE VERY CAREFUL!
3)Meguiar's Scratch X Can be used over the whole car safely without worrying that you're putting in more scratches than it's taking out...but it's a fairly slow process. It's been made easier since I purchased one of their random orbital buffers (Swore I'd only ever do things by hand but increasing age and laziness has made me succumb). It's not that cheap at £100 but it's seems pretty difficult to get anything else decent here in the U.K under about £250. The fact that it's operated by rechargeable batteries is also a bit of a pain. Pads seem a bit over-priced as well?
4)Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 1 Again I've taken to using their random orbit buffer with this...seems to save on product.
5)Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 2 Ditto above. Not totally convinced by this product on lacquered metallic finishes but I do it anyway.
6)S100. Wax Easily my favourite wax! Step 3 of the Meguiar's Deep Crystal is their 'Carnuba Step' but in my opinion S100 is hard to beat and so easy to use.
Now that you've read this and my secrets are out I shall have to kill you all!
Here's my current prefered combination when starting from scratch:
1)Wash and rinse car thoroughly 3 times with Fairy washing up liquid...this takes off all the old wax etc and gets you back to 'ground zero'
2)Clay Bar...I've used several and all seem pretty much the same to me. BE VERY CAREFUL!
3)Meguiar's Scratch X Can be used over the whole car safely without worrying that you're putting in more scratches than it's taking out...but it's a fairly slow process. It's been made easier since I purchased one of their random orbital buffers (Swore I'd only ever do things by hand but increasing age and laziness has made me succumb). It's not that cheap at £100 but it's seems pretty difficult to get anything else decent here in the U.K under about £250. The fact that it's operated by rechargeable batteries is also a bit of a pain. Pads seem a bit over-priced as well?
4)Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 1 Again I've taken to using their random orbit buffer with this...seems to save on product.
5)Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 2 Ditto above. Not totally convinced by this product on lacquered metallic finishes but I do it anyway.
6)S100. Wax Easily my favourite wax! Step 3 of the Meguiar's Deep Crystal is their 'Carnuba Step' but in my opinion S100 is hard to beat and so easy to use.
Now that you've read this and my secrets are out I shall have to kill you all!
Mags - the stuff I've got is definitely called Fine Compound, it's written on the bottle. (Black bottle).
But that's not to say that 3M haven't got a trade version and a branded consumer version of the same gunk....it may be that Finesse is the same thing.
All I know is that it was the same stuff that the BMW bodyshop used on my car to get out surface scratches and it seems to work fine - certainly better than T-Cut?
But that's not to say that 3M haven't got a trade version and a branded consumer version of the same gunk....it may be that Finesse is the same thing.
All I know is that it was the same stuff that the BMW bodyshop used on my car to get out surface scratches and it seems to work fine - certainly better than T-Cut?
derin100 said:
1)Wash and rinse car thoroughly 3 times with Fairy washing up liquid...this takes off all the old wax etc and gets you back to 'ground zero'
The reason fairy etc is so cut at cutting through grease is because of its salt content isn't it? Surely not a great idea if you want to avoid rust.....Can't deny it gives a bloody good clean though.
Hearing all these concoctions reminds me of when I was a tea boy for a photographer, during a quiet day he wanted me to wash his Maserati Bi Turbo, and was very exact as to how I washed it...I'd just filled my bucket and was about to start when he leaned out of the office window, shouted "put this in it" and threw a bottle of Miracle Grow plant food to me. I looked baffled but duely poured half the bottle in and got on with the wash. After about 20 minutes the owner came to see how I was getting on and noticed the Miracle grow bottle just kicking about on the floor, he picked it up, somewhat annoyed at my untidiness, and said "I thought I'd asked you to put that in the car" OOOPS. I never told him the truth and soon left.
jbonnett I have been searching all over the web for somewhere to buy the 3M Fine Compound in the UK and cant find anwhere. Could you possibly post a link?
Also, those who dont have an electric buffer type thing, what cloth or pad do you use to apply the compound to your car?
Many thanks...
Also, those who dont have an electric buffer type thing, what cloth or pad do you use to apply the compound to your car?
Many thanks...
Jamesk - I got mine from these dudes....but I don't know where you are in the country.
Automotive Paint Supplies
Unit E, Ash Road Industrial Estate
151, Ash Road
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU12 4DB
01252313141
The other thing to do is go onto www.3m.co.uk - click on Automotive aftermarket solutions, there's an outlet finder thing on there. Not sure if this link'll work but this should be it...
http://cms.3m.com/cms/GB/en/2-29/zuulEC/view.jhtml
With regards to the best cloths to use, I got mine from Auto Paint Supplies as well - had to buy a whole box - which will last me about 2 years - (about £30) - but they're these lint free polishing cloths that you pull off a roll use once and chuck away. Really good.
Hope that helps.
Automotive Paint Supplies
Unit E, Ash Road Industrial Estate
151, Ash Road
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU12 4DB
01252313141
The other thing to do is go onto www.3m.co.uk - click on Automotive aftermarket solutions, there's an outlet finder thing on there. Not sure if this link'll work but this should be it...
http://cms.3m.com/cms/GB/en/2-29/zuulEC/view.jhtml
With regards to the best cloths to use, I got mine from Auto Paint Supplies as well - had to buy a whole box - which will last me about 2 years - (about £30) - but they're these lint free polishing cloths that you pull off a roll use once and chuck away. Really good.
Hope that helps.
I wasn't implying you routinely wash your car with washing up liquid...yes that would promote rust. But I also wasn't suggesting I go through the rest of that list routinely either...maybe once or twice a year for the full process (takes me at least 2 days solid work to do it! ). The rest of the time I use a proper car wash liquid.
Also, after washing with washing up liquid, thorough rinsing and going through the rest of that routine there ain't gonna be a lot of whatever was in the Fairy Liquid left on the car.
Here are pics of my E32 735i and E30 M3...both never repainted and 1989 and 1990 respectively:
www.thee32register.co.uk/attach/10696/Pict0012-embed.jpg
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/m3/bmwc_m3_008.html
For cars of that age, that have never been resrayed and do actually get driven I'm fairly satisfied with the way they look and there's no rust on them.
>> Edited by derin100 on Monday 17th May 18:47
). The rest of the time I use a proper car wash liquid. Also, after washing with washing up liquid, thorough rinsing and going through the rest of that routine there ain't gonna be a lot of whatever was in the Fairy Liquid left on the car.
Here are pics of my E32 735i and E30 M3...both never repainted and 1989 and 1990 respectively:
www.thee32register.co.uk/attach/10696/Pict0012-embed.jpg
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/m3/bmwc_m3_008.html
For cars of that age, that have never been resrayed and do actually get driven I'm fairly satisfied with the way they look and there's no rust on them.
>> Edited by derin100 on Monday 17th May 18:47
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