Are your Jeeps scratched and how to fix it

[ostrowele]

My TJ is all scratched up. It has a lot of tiny scratches, some bigger ones. Some parts are slightly broken, some have small dents on them. You can see it doesn't sit in a warm garage all year, but it's driven as a Jeep is supposed to be.

But then, I started wondering how other people treat their Jeeps. Most of them look great when looking on online photos, but I wonder if on a closer look they are also all scratched and chewed up? Isn't it a part of the Jeep's charm? I'm genuinely curious how your Jeeps look in a close-up.

Even though my Jeep has this scratches, I still want to take good care of it. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to eliminate and level out those tiny scratches on the car's paint? A polishing machine and some good car care products should do the trick?

 

[NashvilleTJ]

My TJ is all scratched up. It has a lot of tiny scratches, some bigger ones. Some parts are slightly broken, some have small dents on them. You can see it doesn't sit in a warm garage all year, but it's driven as a Jeep is supposed to be.

But then, I started wondering how other people treat their Jeeps. Most of them look great when looking on online photos, but I wonder if on a closer look they are also all scratched and chewed up? Isn't it a part of the Jeep's charm? I'm genuinely curious how your Jeeps look in a close-up.

Even though my Jeep has this scratches, I still want to take good care of it. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to eliminate and level out those tiny scratches on the car's paint? A polishing machine and some good car care products should do the trick?

A mild rubbing compound, or even a cleaner wax like Turtle Wax paste, will remove most light scratches by hand. I do it all the time.

Scratches into the metal, and dents, not so much…

 

[GregBelleville]

Rule of thumb that detailers use regarding scratches is that if the scratch doesn't catch your fingernail you should be able to polish it out.

 

[Moglocker]

A mild rubbing compound, or even a cleaner wax like Turtle Wax paste, will remove most light scratches by hand. I do it all the time.

Scratches into the metal, and dents, not so much…

Colored wax

 

[ostrowele]

Thanks for the tips!

How about the plastic and metal elements like wheel arches or a metal bumper? Both look faded and grayed out.

 

[B1Toad]

Meguiar's Scratch-X works pretty good

 

[TheBoogieman]

Colored wax

Stop giving away my secrets.

 

[Murf926]

Clay bar makes them look good if you are over 50 years old or 50' away. SEE!
View attachment 558673
Seven years later It looks the same, because my eyes are 7 years older.
View attachment 558674

When I helped a buddy run a super stock car at our local NASCAR track, we used to refer to our paint job as a "grandstand paint job". It looked great from the grandstands, but when you got up close, you could definitely tell we were not professional painters.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Thanks for the tips!

How about the plastic and metal elements like wheel arches or a metal bumper? Both look faded and grayed out.

Paint bumpers and fender flares.

 

[ostrowele]

Thanks so much for all the answers!
I can't stress enough how friendly and helpful this forum is. Glad to be a part of this great community, both online and on the roads!

 

[B1Toad]

When I helped a buddy run a super stock car at our local NASCAR track, we used to refer to our paint job as a "grandstand paint job". It looked great from the grandstands, but when you got up close, you could definitely tell we were not professional painters.

lol I can remember a buddy spraying his race car so thick it would run down the doors and after it dried he'd slice off the drips with a razor blade. Sure looked shiny though.

 

[Rickyd]

My TJ is all scratched up. It has a lot of tiny scratches, some bigger ones. Some parts are slightly broken, some have small dents on them. You can see it doesn't sit in a warm garage all year, but it's driven as a Jeep is supposed to be.

But then, I started wondering how other people treat their Jeeps. Most of them look great when looking on online photos, but I wonder if on a closer look they are also all scratched and chewed up? Isn't it a part of the Jeep's charm? I'm genuinely curious how your Jeeps look in a close-up.

Even though my Jeep has this scratches, I still want to take good care of it. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to eliminate and level out those tiny scratches on the car's paint? A polishing machine and some good car care products should do the trick?

Don't make it so shiny you are afraid to scratch it! Taking you jeep out in nature is a big part of owning one!

 

[pbeach]

My TJ is all scratched up. It has a lot of tiny scratches, some bigger ones. Some parts are slightly broken, some have small dents on them. You can see it doesn't sit in a warm garage all year, but it's driven as a Jeep is supposed to be.

But then, I started wondering how other people treat their Jeeps. Most of them look great when looking on online photos, but I wonder if on a closer look they are also all scratched and chewed up? Isn't it a part of the Jeep's charm? I'm genuinely curious how your Jeeps look in a close-up.

Even though my Jeep has this scratches, I still want to take good care of it. Do you guys have any recommendations on how to eliminate and level out those tiny scratches on the car's paint? A polishing machine and some good car care products should do the trick?

What color is it? I've used this for years. Both on the paint and my hard top. Thinking yeah, Boogieman's suggestion: Turtle Wax COLOR MAGIC is def worth a try!

 

[ostrowele]

What color is it? I've used this for years. Both on the paint and my hard top. Thinking yeah, Boogieman's suggestion: Turtle Wax COLOR MAGIC is def worth a try!

View attachment 558701

Thanks! I have a blue color. I wonder if it will work with the product you sent?

 

[pbeach]

Thanks! I have a blue color. I wonder if it will work with the product you sent?

View attachment 558707

Doubtful. Blue is blue. I'd try the TW Color Magic.

 

[Murf926]

Don't make it so shiny you are afraid to scratch it! Taking you jeep out in nature is a big part of owning one!

Exactly what I was going to say. I think my Jeep photographs pretty well...

But upon closer inspection, you see things like...

I keep it clean, but I don't obsess over cosmetic imperfections because I use my Jeep as God intended Jeeps to be used when he created them on the 8th day.

 

[mudmaster]

I'll have to say I don't care really

 

[gbirk]

Mud and dirt really covers up a lot of the paint issues.......

 

[suicideking]

I make them less noticeable by adding more scratches of varying depth. Gives it character.

 

[AndyG]

All of the above post have merit from some viewpoint for sure

It really gets down to the condition of the paint and the depth of the scratch-


And how perfect do you want to paint

You’ll be surprised what you’re able to get out with the right equipment and products-


And you get into technique when you start getting into really high end scratch repair.

Typically I try to start with a pretty good paint condition on every rig that I purchase- But at this stage of the game a near perfect TJ is almost impossible to find....And then you quickly get into the “well I’m afraid to enjoy the same category”

I like paint that looks good enough to get compliments but not so good you’re not afraid to have fun.