Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Last year I stupidly put a taupaulin over my other classic car for a couple of weeks in windy conditions. This has had the effect of putting some scuff marks on the paintwork. Luckily they are only light. I need a polish that is just slightly abrasive to polish these out. Anyone got any recommendations?

3M Finesse it.

If they are deeper than you think Farecla G3 or the halfords equivalent. Gets finer as you polish.

It is the elbow grease that takes the scratches out! If you have a hazy finish with either of these you haven't tried hard enough!

Not the cheapest but by far the best 3M Perfect-it III Fast Cut Plus Polishing Compound 50417 (green top for deeper scratches) or 3M Perfect-it III Extra Fine Plus Compound 80349 (Yellow top for minor scratches or bits of Tarp stuck to the finish)

3M Perfect-it III is designed to be used with a hand help machine buffer but works just as well by hand (just need more elbow grease). I only use this stuff because the Yellow top doesn't Hologram.

In my opinion G3 works ok and is cheaper but is quite messy (turns to white powder that gets everywhere as it dries out) plus Holograms quite badly. If your doing allot of area it will be hard going.

Before buying all the polish etc might be worth inquiring what it would cost to have it Detailed (may be cheaper to get some one else to do it )

What do you mean by "hologramming" Grizzly? - leaving smears?

I have used the G3 with a mop and know what you mean about the powder, I use a plant sprayer when it starts to dry on the panel and/or mop.

Take a look here:
http://www.3mdirect.co.uk/automotive-ma ... ounds.html

G3 starts off quite aggressive and gets finer as you go so if you add more, disturb the mop, have too much, stop too early you will get new rough bits and create fine scratches or swirl marks. It is good for attacking the worse scratches by hand. Not really what you would use to get your final perfect gloss.

3M is worth the money, But as Grizzly mentioned you may have a more satisfying result by paying someone else to do it - It is blooming hard work!

A detailer may want an eye watering amount of money (that's why they like to be called Detailers) also try asking at a friendly body shop, who merely paint and polish cars!

I use Britemax products. Perfect prep seems a good compromise between their ultra fine cutter and too much elbow grease.
I've used 3M products in the past when I painted the shell, but am happy to continue with the Britemax.

Chancer wrote:What do you mean by "hologramming" Grizzly? - leaving smears?

I have used the G3 with a mop and know what you mean about the powder, I use a plant sprayer when it starts to dry on the panel and/or mop.

This is an Extreme version of Hologram. (Often holograms gets confused with swirl marks)


This is a more common Hologram on a light colour and only appears when the sun hits it.


What happens is you use too course polish which scratches the hell out of the finish then the minor scratches are filled with the Compounds lube agent (so it looks great until you have washed it a couple of times). The Hologram effect gets worse as the colour gets darker and once it's done there a nightmare to remove.

Some call them Swirl marks but in my world Swirl marks are the Scratches left by a Contaminate in the Mop head or the colour sanding / DA marks haven't been completely removed by the cutting process. The Wax layer often covers Holograms but won't cover Swirl marks, if Holograms are present you will loose a fair percentage of your Gloss (the wax just takes your eye of the Scratches) and the effect will come back as the Wax layer starts to get thinner.

I used G3 and G10 for years but the Polishing makes or breaks a good paint job and i can literally spend days colour sanding and Buffing back fresh paint jobs (Can't tell you how much i hate Polishing cars) so if there is a product that cuts time, gives better results and produces less mess i'm all for it.

If ever I get to return to my previous life where decent paint jobs and polishing were of importance I will follow your advice, I have an air powered polisher with an imperial thread, I had to buy an adaptor to fit any of the modern buffing pads, last time i looked most of them had decomposed.

My life currently consists of cleaning my rental apartments with the same obsession I once had for vehicle paintwork, it easier and pays much better

For my own self satisfaction I would choose the previous life.

I know where your coming from, i worked at a Bonus driven Accident repair body-shop for many years and the Money was great but the work was mind numbing to put it mildly, so i moved to a Restoration shop which frankly is poor pay but the feeling you get seeing the finished car roll out into the sun is worth it. (it's like an Addiction )

Just a shame i can't keep them