While I was backing out about a week ago, I hit my own car(sad story i know). It was the back drivers side area. I hit it softly and my foot was on the break so I immediately hit it.
There were no dents, but I got these 3 areas of scratches, with each area consisting of horizontal scratches above the other. my guess is the bumper got pushed in, and pushed out as i moved away. Making pressure cracks, if thats the right terminology for it.

Could I used 3m compounding and an orbital to get ride of scratches?

I read up on pickus' guide to car detailing. He uses a Porter Cable, i went to autozone and I saw a "orbital" for 39.99. I might just buy that to do all the buffering/coupounding/polishing. Will that orbital do any good for good detailing? I also wanna get into car detailing..

In this pic, you can see two of the areas, with one area unnoticed above the right area.

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35008.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35008.jpg" border="0" alt="pic of all 3 scratch areas(only 2 visible)"></a>



The remainder of these pics should hlep you all determine the deepness of the scratch to see if I need a whole new paint job or if the compounding will work. Also, I know that I can possibly buy my touch up paint and fill it in with putty, sand, fill in primer, fill in touch up pain, and sand again, then polish then buffer. which method should I go with. Personally i might take the easy way out an get the 39.99 machine and 3m compounding and compound.

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35004.jpg" border="0" alt="Zoomed in Main Scratch"></a>

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35005.jpg" border="0" alt="zoomed in main scratch 2"></a>

based off if the scratchs are in sun, determines how noticeable they are.
<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35009.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35009.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35010.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35012.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/?action=view&current=g35013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h100/pakiplayer421/g35/g35013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Sad to say, but those are not scratches, the paint has cracked from the side impact.

You will not be able to remove them, it will require a respray of the side of the bumper, or the entire bumper for a better blend/match.

 

+1 True. Also a 39.99 won't be able to take out sand marks.

 

yea, stress cracks can't be "fixed" with buffing.... You need to repaint

 

what if I were to do methods using Touch up paint, I know this will take along time... but I found these articles:

http://www.langka.com/paint_chip_rep...#repairingdeep

http://www.dccarcare.com/tipowk/tipowk21.html ouch bad scratches section.

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

Sorry to say again, but trying either method you linked will not give you the results your looking for.

The langka system is great for a small rock chip, say the size of a pin head.
This method allows you to blob the paint on, and then sand smooth with your factory finish.

Trying that with your micro fine hair like cracks just won't work. There isn't enough of an area to fill in. You would only be gobbing the paint all over the area, and when you sand/remove the excess, the hair line crack will still be present.

Sorry for the bad news......but you can still go ahead and try it if you like. I just don't think you will be happy with the results. If anything, you will make the area more noticeable than just leaving it alone.

Wait until you can afford to either repaint the section, or better yet the entire bumper.

Good luck

 

I scraped/lightly gouged the rear mudguard of my brand new G35X.. Am I as hell, yes I am! Anyway, I digress..

If you do a google on car bumper repair, you should be able to find kits to repair your own bumper. I did it last night and found a site that gave DIY instructions. Also, I've used paint pens from a company called paintscratch, out of Nevada that sells a bumper repair kit. However, the cost alone would be something in the range of $60, including primer, paint, clearcoat spray cans, and a bumper gouge fill kit. Don't know how much of a DIY person you are. It might be worth a shot.

Good luck.

 

sorry to say but this will not help as well you need to sand the bumper down to the plastic. take all the paint off in that area. those are spider cracks and will not come out with any buffing or touch up paint. sorry but you need to take it to a body shop and get that fixed. or just live with it

 

Agreed about the sanding down to the plastic.

If you notice, I did mention primer so I guess I should have made it explicitly clear that the OP will need to sand down to the plastic or at least make it totally smooth. The primer I mentioned is specifically for bumpers. It can be done by a DIYer but he/she will have to be patient and it will take some time.....

 

Oh yeah sorry to break it to you...

 

I have a similar problem on my rear bumper. It's gouged. The product you found through google, was it the 3m bumper repair kit? Curious, did it work out for you?