So the wife rubbed the front passanger side fender up against the side of the garage slightly, about 3 scratches a couple inches long. Each looks like it is just a scratch in the clearcoat, I do not think it went down into the paint(Vapor). Can some light clear scratches be buffed out? Im hoping I dont need this entire quarter panel re painted. Ill post some pictures soon.

** some camera phone pics below.

 

Try Meguiar's ScratchX - just a little bit at a time, work it in good with a microfiber cloth. It'll probably take several applications, so have patience.

Remember...you aren't really "buffing out" the scratch...you are removing a bit of the clear coat AROUND the scratch to make it less visible. If it is not as deep as the paint, it should be fine. Plus now, your wife owes you!

 

 

like he said scratch-ex should do a good job, you just need to be firm and work it

 

The important question everyone is missing is can you feel it with your fingernail? If you can then scratch-x is going to do anything for you and you will need go with a more aggressive product or a professional detailer if you are not comfortable using them. If you can't feel it with your fingernail then you can probably get away with a few applications of scratch-x and some elbow grease.

 

after further inspection, I can definatly feel each scratch with my finger and nail. I think ill take it in and have the ford body shop look at it in the morning and give me a quote. I am under the assumption they will need to repaint that fender, It looks like in one area that the paint was affected.

Polly gonna be a 300 dollar fender repaint I am afraid.

 

I would still try Kit's Scratch Out (bright yellow bottle) or Turtle Wax's Scratch Remover (green bottle)...neither one expensive...use a damp soft cloth with it (add a little water each time you rub ...against the grain of the scratches and then with it) and use a dry soft cloth to check your progress...it will take a lot of elbow grease...then use some Meguiar's #2 polish (same thing with a damp cloth). I have used this method on many a scratches in my years of driving and it will really improve it...
If this doesn't work, then take it to the dealer and have them professionally buff it out...re-painting should really be the absolute last resort.
I have had scratches that you can feel with your fingernail and as long as they're not too deep, the above method will work.

Good luck!

 

You might also try some of the touchup clear on the scratches and then polishing compound and then wax.

 

Personally I would NOT repaint the fender. If you are considering that, at least try the ScratchX first because you have nothing to lose. Even if you can't remove the scratches totally, you should be able to make them far less visible.

 

ok after some elbow grease I have atleast been able to camaflouge the screatches fairly well with megs scratchx. Ill try again in a little bit to attack it again and see if I cant clear it up even more, i was able to smooth a couple out , but I can still see all of them if I look at it right.
Being its a month old car, I cant handle leaving it like this it will drive me crazy.
I dont think it needs to be repainted, but I do think it will need to be sanded down, re cleared then buffed out.

 

My car was at the body shop for a new hood(GTS2). The next day I noticed it had some scratches on the top and took it back and they took 2000 grit sandpaper and water and sandpapered the area and then used a 3M wax and buffed it all out. Cant even tell it was there.

 

you are gonna have to get fender repainted if you want to be satisfied. Pay it and never let the wife pull it in the garage again.JMO

 

you may be right

 

Repainting the fender does not have to be done. A good detailer can wetsand/buff those scratches down in no time flat. It will cost significantly less than having a body shop reclear it and will look just as good. Think about it.

 

Im going to go to a couple body shops tomorrow and get some quotes.

 

Sand it down. Repainting is never a good option, and I don't understand why you would even consider that when sanding is cheaper and will have far better results. You'll get tons of rock chips on the repainted fender. No matter even if they bake the piece, its not going to be as resistant as the factory paint job. Oh and as punishment, make your wife wax it (the car that is)

 

Exactly.... You do NOT need to rePAINT the fender. The paint wasn't damaged, only the clearcoat. Fix the clearcoat and leave the paint alone. You will have to choose how the wife is going to pay for the damage.

 

the only reason I considered getting the fender repainted is, one area a big chunk of clear came off( my pic is to crappy to see it), and I was concerned that the paint may have taken damage.
I went to a body shop near me (non ford) this morning they said the paint was ok, they would re apply some clear in that one spot. Then sand it down with 3000-4000 grit paper and then buff it out. About an 1 hour time and $45-50 labor. Cant beat that.
I think ill stop by the ford body shop tonight just to see what they say, but I think ill be taking it into that first shop tomorrow morning.

** I forgot to mention this fender just got repainted about 3 weeks ago The day I picked my car up from the lot it was raining all day. Once we had a nice day and I was able to detail it, I noticed that the front passanger fender (right where the big scratch is now) had a chip of paint missing , the metal was exposed and some red residue around it. The dealer repainted it and chalked it up as lot damage(price tag to paint that entire fender and replace GT emblem was $305). So I am glad that fender wont have to be repainted... again.

 

Your wife scratched up your brand new 08 GT? If your priorities were straight, you'd see that the solution is fairly simple: Pawn her wedding ring set and use the money for repairing the GT.

 

I love Vapor... if I didn't have a black 06 I'd get an 08 in Vapor!

-danny