Just noticed my car was keyed. It's on the passenger side only, on the fender, door and quarter panel. It's three separate scratches and they're somewhat light. My car is pewter, a 2002. Any ideas? I'll try and take pics later once I can get my camera. I'm hoping a rotary or even a buffer can take it out, but it might be just a little too deep and I don't know how to use a rotary.

 

Did this happen at Costco?


If you don't know how to use a rotary, then I would not suggest going that route. Try a simple "repair kit" and buff by hand and see how bad it really is. Paint gurus will be more helpful after you post pics.

 

^heh, no, didn't happen at Costco. Long story, but to make it short, no, I did not steal anyone's girlfriend or **** anyone off recently, though I guess those two would be mutually exclusive

So I went ahead and ordered a touch up paint kit from an online vendor that I won't mention (I don't think they're a sponsor here, but they're reputable and they went off my car's paint code, model year and VIN just in case). I haven't washed or buffed my car yet because I didn't want water to touch the key marks. Well, the other night I parked in a plaza for dinner and it turns out the sprinklers turned on and sprayed my car. The side of my car was pretty soaked.

This paint set comes with a primer, pewter metallic base coat, and clearcoat, all brush-on. How should I prepare the key marks? I was going to get 2000 grit sandpaper to wetsand the paint between coats, but should I also sand the metal? After I wash, right? I don't think I'm going to bother buffing since it very slightly catches my nail in most parts. At some parts it seems even deeper.

Thanks in advance. Hope the pics help. Order goes from fender to door to quarter panel. I'm almost definite the fender and quarter panel will need paint.

 

youre gonna be sorry if you mess with that.
take it to a good detailer and pay to have them buff it out.
Find a good one by asking a high end car dealer who fixes theirs.

 

The door and most of the quarter panel looks like it will completely buff out. You are not gonna be happy with the results of the touch up paint... you will still see the line. Have it wet sanded out and rebuffed... I'm gonna say that from the looks of the pics, at least 90% will buff out. Good luck man... sorry it happened!!!

 

It will buff out

 

I 4th the buff out. Mine had that happen and I wetsanded and buffed. Can't even tell it's there anymore.

 

some people have no respect... looks like its still in the clear so it should be able to be wet sanded and buffed out.

 

Man your lucky that it was a light job.. they made sure to show me how much i was not liked..all the way down to base..

looks like it will buff out.. i saw a thread on here about some a really long detail job.. the scratches were way worse and he cleaned them all up..

 

Thanks for all the advice guys, I appreciate it. Prevented me from doing something stupid.

Sadly I've been lazy and broke.... I'm an unemployed student, was laid off a while ago. I cannot afford a professional detail, though I did get quotes. At least I didn't start sanding or applying touch up paint.... I was just paranoid about rust. Hopefully I never have to use the touch up stuff.

I am pretty lucky... but someone definitely did not like me. I love my car, but I doubt they'd be jealous of a 9-year old F-Body that looks like it hasn't been washed in a couple of months. When I went on a road trip to a graduation, I parked my car at a friend's neighbor's house for the weekend but left em space. I have a feeling it was one of the neighbors, but whatever.

 

With the damage done, you dont need to worry about rust... mostly because the fenders are plastic and the doors are fiberglass. The quarters are metal, but that scratch looks the smallest. The scratch would have to go clear down to bare metal to have a concern for rust. Go get a quote for a shop just so you know how much it will take to fix it. It may not be too bad.

 

^ what they said or read up on threads here and other places if you dont know how to buff out cars and learn then go buy the stuff and just try and do it yourself if you feel like you can do it yourself and all that

 

Save up some money and get that buffed out. Like others have said, no rust will start with this light of a scratch.

 

What about if it is down to the metal? I have about a 6" scratch above my passenger rear wheel. What's the best route to go?

 

repaint

 

What's the cheaper route? Stay away from the touch up paints I heard? Even the ones from the dealer?

 

there's a small box called quixx that works great... unless a sponsor has a solution???

 

if you want it to look good, repaint it. as a temporary fix touch up paint I guess, and buff what you can out, but there's no magic solution. it will still be there if it's down to metal no matter what you do. just be glad you don't have a black car haha.

 

DO NOT USE TOUCH UP PAINT! do what the others said and take it somewhere for paint correction, touch up paint makes it more noticeable. for the love of god dont use it

 

to quote John Travolta " Boy, I wish I could've caught him doing it. I'd have given anything to catch that ******* doing it. It'd been worth him doing it just so I could've caught him doing it"