Scratches in the clear coat 2011 Highlander - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

pahunter · 07-11-2011, 03:36 PM

I have a ton of hair line scratches in the clear coat of my 2011 Highlander by using a dirty car wash brush. Never noticed it until it was to late. Anyone know a good way to get rid of them? They look like Hell!!!!!

organ · 07-12-2011, 01:55 PM

It depends on how deep. I'd start with a polishing pad (white) and something non-abrasive (I like Klasse All-in-one) if they are really light. More than that try swirl remover and finishing polish. If that isn't enough, you get into compounds and cutting foam pads (orange or yellow).
All of this assumes you have an orbital polisher and familiar with its use. You can probably do it by hand if you've got the time. If that seems like too much work, you can take it to a reputable detailer and see what they say.

There really isn't an easy fix in my experience. The colored "scratch remover" waxes will cover them up temporarily but are not permanent.

Loudog2 · 07-12-2011, 02:40 PM

I have a black 2011 limited and the thing gets scratches just by looking at it. I have polished it twice and am very careful when washing. I detail cars on the side and know what I am doing.

It is mostly causes by washing. You need the right wash media and shampoo's. Like stated above, the only way to get rid of them is to polish it. Or pay someone to do it.

Ralph6410 · 07-12-2011, 05:59 PM

The paint / finish is the one thing that really disappoint me with my HL. It takes next to nothing to leave a ding or scratch.. surely they can make a better paint.

pesticide1480 · 07-12-2011, 06:41 PM

I would clay-bar the whole car and then polish and wax it. They make two differant grades for the clay-bar fine and coarse for stuff jobs. Good Luck!!!

***Highlander0614*** · 07-13-2011, 08:16 AM

I have had several cars over the years that have had scratches for various reasons. There is a product called QUIXX that works well for small stuff. Had good experience with it. I am sure it is not what a detail shop would do, but like I said, for small stuff it works well.

matt0420 · 07-13-2011, 08:52 AM

A few days after I picked up my Highlander, I noticed the dealer left on some wax/glaze that seemed to have dried on the truck.

I very lightly tried to remove it, but it didn't want to come off (and I didnt want to be rubbing overly hard on a brand new black vehicle), so I called the dealer and asked if they would mind removing it for me...they agreed...
What a mistake! They completely over-buffed my entire quarter panel. It was mega swirled and looked to even have a blue haze. I was livid...

I ended up browsing Ferrarichat.com and searching their Canadian forums to see who exotic car owners use for detailing haha...
I found one guy who did an amazing job, the quarterpanel that I thought was destroyed looked better than brand new.

He mentioned that Toyota and Honda use really soft paint, and that it would therefore scratch VERY easily...so be gentle with your paint!

caf2461 · 07-14-2011, 06:26 PM

The only way to do it and do it right is clay it and then use a PC7424 with a polish. I hate to say it but it is a tool that does wonders. Well worth the investment. Hope this helps:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-polisher.html

luck123 · 07-14-2011, 09:56 PM

I too use the PC7424XP polisher. Great investment and is relatively fool proof for the average user.

Normally I use a polish with an orange pad, and it works well. This spring, I had to use a compound followed by a polish to get the fine scratches and spider webbing out of the paint. But my HL is black, which really shows every mark. On the flip side, once it's polished and waxed (I use Zaino), it looks stunning.

***becks*** · 07-16-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pesticide1480

I would clay-bar the whole car and then polish and wax it. They make two differant grades for the clay-bar fine and coarse for stuff jobs. Good Luck!!!

Clay bars do not remove scratches in clear coat or paint. What they will do is remove dirt from the paint, and provide a smoother surface. This will in turn make the removal of waxing easier, and result in a cleaner surface. I use products from Zaino, and have found them to be great. They have products to remove swirl marks from the clear coat, without removing paint.

If you really want to know what claying does in detail check out this site.
http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detai...-cleaning.html