IF ROAD rash is getting you down, apply one of these smart ideas to remove the scratches on your motor.
Is there anything more infuriating than finding a new blemish on your pristine paintwork?
Cleaning the car ourselves can often highlight knocks and scratches that we would have otherwise ignored.
Closer inspection gives a more detailed perspective on the family workhorse.
Knocks and scraps are inevitable.
Cars are getting bigger, so parking spaces feel like they’re getting smaller.
Couple that with Blighty’s narrow streets and potholed roads and you’ll be lucky if you and your motor manage to escape without injury.
If you’re one of the unfortunate ones, you might be able to get rid of any unsightly damage with a few pennies and a bit of patience.
Here’s our guide to the best car scratch removers you can buy for your car in 2019, compiled using a mixture of our expert knowledge, user reviews and industry tests.
Car care favourite, Autoglym, has put together this kit that takes you right through the scratch repair process from start to finish.
It’s a bit pricey, but contains everything you’ll need.
The waffle applicator pad not only works the product into the paintwork, but has been effective at reducing hand cramp that often accompanies repairs like scratches.
Though the applicator pad can be tough to get into places like door handles, repeated detailing in these areas will reduce the appearance of scratches.
Buff the excess product and Super Resin Polish for a high-gloss finish all over the car.
“Enhanced by nanotechnology” is another way of saying that science has enabled T-Cut’s boffins to refine the molecular structure of its scratch remover.
This means its particles are even more effective at gently removing blemishes without damaging the surrounding area of the paintwork.
If it goes beyond the clear coats of lacquer, T-Cut’s range of colour choice will help hide the damage and enhance the car’s existing colour.
It won’t be perfect, since that can only be achieved with a respray.
However, for this price, it’ll be marginally less conspicuous.
Like many of the car polishes on this list, Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze is a fine-textured formula for removing debris off the paintwork.
If you’ve only got white hair-like scratches, you’ll be left with a beautifully smooth surface, which you can buff to a high shine.
However, if the scratch goes through to the colour, primer or metal of the car, Mirror Glaze won’t be sufficient to repair it since it’s designed to smooth scuffs and minor scratches from the clear lacquered layers of the paintwork, rather than the lower layers.
Auto Care Repair Paste is worth a mention for those looking to fill in deeper scratches.
A little bit like Polyfilla, Auto Care Repair Paste fills the gap, if the scratch is significantly more severe, or has turned into a hole.
An involved effort is required as you’ll need to colour match your paintwork.
However, the paste is worth a try if the scratch isn’t in an obvious place and you have a gentle hand when it comes to touching up paint.
Farecla is another brand that has been in the laboratory enhancing its formula.
Using a blend of what Farecla calls ‘Engineered Diminishing Abrasives’, the idea is the particles reduce until the scratch remover turns into a smooth wax polishing fluid.
Best applied with the waffle applicators Autoglym also recommend, Amazon does a deal, charging £17.24 for both the remover and pads (and in the process, making Autoglym’s kit look like a bargain).
That said, users report fantastic results, especially when tackling remnant bird poo marks other products won’t shift.
The pros love it and the results speak for themselves.
Quixx is a great product for those with a careful disposition, steady hand and bags of patience.
Quixx Paint Scratch Remover is better at tackling deeper scratches, but if the scratch goes to the primer, you’ll first need to apply a colour correcter and then use this Quixx kit.
Complete with sandpaper to get a smoother finish, the gentlest of efforts will take out scratches and then help blend the damaged lacquer.
A solid buff will mitigate any hazing or dullness, for an almost flawless finish, but we can’t emphasise the effort and patience needed enough.
Still, far cheaper than a garage repair.
If you’re planning on giving your car a bit of love, check out our selection of the best car wax, pressure washers, and car polish.
Looking for more motoring recommendations? Check out our dedicated Sun Selects motoring section.
Enjoyed our guide on the best car scratch removers? Browse our full range of Sun Selects recommendations.
