I hope I’m posting this question in the right place, I wasn’t sure if I should post this here or in the ‘cleaning and detailing’ section’. Anyway, I’ve ha my 5 for just over a week and this afternoon, while washing, I noticed a set of minor scratches low down on the back bumper. Here’s a picture…
I’d like them fixed and am sure I could do it myself, but I’m not sure how. I’d welcome some suggestions if anyone would mind? I must stress, I’ve never really been bothered about this type of scratch on my previous cars but I adore my 5 and want to understand more about how to perform minor maintenance jobs myself. The most I’ve done is wash my pervious cars and therefore I don’t have a great grasp of technology so please fogive me if I seem rather dim and ask a million questions!
It really depends on how much you want to spend! Best solution is a respray, expensive. Then as suggested a local repair specialist such as Chips Away. Less expensive. Then there is the cheap option of cleaning the scratches with methylated spirit, finding a matching waterproof lipstick, several coats of same and polish. Better than lipstick is theatrical greasepaint if you can obtain it!
Thanks both, I’ll look at Chips Away and get a quote, not sure I’m ready to go down the re-spray route just yet, the scratches are on the downward curve and almost under the car so you can’t really see them.
Geoff, loving the idea of putting lipstick or greasepaint on my car though, brilliant!
Thanks again for your help, I’ll let you know how I get on.
I’ve had some similar marks and stone chips on my lower front & back bumpers. Turtle Wax Colour Magic has done a decent job of hiding the marks. You get it in basic colours (so green for my car). Washes out in time, but easy to re-apply. Also comes with a colour matched solid ‘chipstick’ similar to ‘lip-stick’ trick that’s been mentioned.
I wouldn’t recommend it for a worse scratch in a more prominent position, but fine for disguising Minor marks in out of the way places.
Thanks very much for your welcome and reply Ray, I think I know the stuff you’re talking about and will give that a go. The marks aren’t visible when you’re standing looking at the car so I am hopeful that disguising them might do the trick.
Will I eventually need to get them ‘seen to’ properly to avoid rust starting?
If you are patient good results can be obtained for this type of scratching from filling with waterproof lipstick. Wash thoroughly first to avoid further scratches. Clean the scratches with methylated spirit, to remove any wax then build up in layers allowing each one to dry. Can take time, the more layers the better. Then polish, leaving the lipstick only in the scratch marks covering the primer. On the lower part of the bumper nobody will notice.
Don’t be too sure - I’ve just had a quick google and found a nice shade of sparkly green on ebay that might be okay for my chips. I do hope Mrs Berkeley will appreciate it as a birthday present and be accommodating when I ask to borrow it
Silver lipstick, sparkly green lipstick. The mind boggles. Must be getting old. (I am actually - 68 this month). I mentioned this topic to SHMBO who told me silver greasepaint is available. A quick check on Ebay confirms this so will be trying soon.
If you combined a bit of this powder with a bit of vaseline or similar, it would produce a water resistant gel which would work on the same was as a greasepaint or lipstick.
This thread got me looking at and thinking about a few minor blemishes on the Berkeley that I’ve been meaning to sort out. There’s quite few stone chips around the front end that had already been bodged up when I got it.
I’ve tried the touch-up, wet sand back and polish route previously on other cars with mixed results, and don’t really fancy sanding my beloved Berkeley.
So, after a bit of googling last night, I came across Chipex, which I know has received mixed reviews on here and elsewhere, but decided it’s a safe (if rather expensive) option that I’d like to try myself. 25% off at moment so £42 for the colour matched set delivered. Should be delivered tomorrow.
If you haven’t heard of it and want to, google Chipex. I’ll post some results up when done. Ray
and be accommodating when I ask to borrow it 