How to hide scratches in the paint?

My truck has a lot of scratches and scuffs. As soon as I clean the mud off then all the scratches come out. It's a lose lose.

My mom said wax will help, my dad said polish. I don't know enough about either to decide.

Can you suggest any products to help hide the scratches in the paint?

 

Polish will remove paint and therefore remove shallow scratches. Wax can help hide very shallow scratches but really won't touch the significant ones.

 

As far as scratches and scrapes go there are a lot of products that can help. Most are abrasive in some fashion so exercise some caution and start in a small area that is inconspicuous. Keep in mind a gauge into the paint may need more than a polish or compound

Start with something more mild like a polishing wax or a clay bar. They are a little less abrasive and will work on minor stuffs and give the paint a nice shine. Follow the instructions on the package

If that isnt enough, polishing compound is a bit more aggressive. And if that isnt enough rubbing compound is even more aggressive.

Just take it slow.

When your all done remember to give it a good waxing to protect your paint.

 

You can try touch up paint, I like after market ones with a felt tip, and follow it up with Langka Blob Eliminator. This works best on deep scratches and chips.

 

Call a paint correction expert and you can have those scratches fixed and not just hid(where they will come back in a few washes). Just know that if someone is doing real paint correction and not filling/hiding the damage, it will not be cheap. But if properly maintained, it will stay looking better than when you purchased it new.

For an idea of what real correction will do here are a few pictures from one I did for a HAMMERED car.

 

^nice work!

 

Thanks

 

Is it possible to do "paint correction" using a orbital buffer? With a scratch/swirl remover paste? Or would I need more?

 

I don't particularly care for random orbit buffers like the Porter Cable but plenty of folks love them and get excellent results.

I generally use a rotary or in special cases, a forced-rotation random orbit buffer like the Bosch 1250DEVS.

 

There's a reason he included "expert" in his post.

This is not something you can "just do"... Regular auto parts stores may or may not have the proper abrasives to do it, but you and I do not have the skills to do anything other than make it worse, even with the proper buffer.

 

I rubbed my jeep down with pledge before I sold it. Worked wonders on the scratches! Good enough to sell anyway

 

I wouldn't buy a Jeep without scratches. It hasn't been loved!

 

Where were you when I was selling, coulda saved a half a can pledge!

 

lol