Need advice on scratch, brand new 2006 4runner

[duketogo]

Hi all,

I just bought a 2006 Toyota 4Runner, unfortunately, not 3 days after I had it, my wife closed the garage door while the hatch was up, and the metal arm on the door scratched it.

If you look at the picture, needless to say, it passes the "fingernail catch test".

I've been reading through this forum and I think there are a number of you that might be able to give me some good advice.

I was considering getting some touchup paint and other supplies and trying to work on it myself. Or I can bring it into a body shop. Or I can bring it into a touchup place.

Thoughts? Tips?

I do much of my own mechanical work, but haven't ever touched up anything, but I'm motivated to learn. But if this is something I shouldn't attempt, then let me know.

 

[Jacobzky]

wow that is deep. sorry to see that happen to your 4runner.

if you DIY, you need a rotary or dual action polisher, with some good scratch remover not just some over the counter stuff.

or ask for an estimate just to see how much its gonna cost you.

did it penetrate the paint? or just the clearcoat?

is that a black 4runner?

 

[duketogo]

wow that is deep. sorry to see that happen to your 4runner.

if you DIY, you need a rotary or dual action polisher, with some good scratch remover not just some over the counter stuff.

or ask for an estimate just to see how much its gonna cost you.

did it penetrate the paint? or just the clearcoat?

is that a black 4runner?

Thank you for the suggestions. I have a random orbit polisher that use for waxing. I don't have any polish. Any recommendations on polish?

How can I tell if it has penetrated the paint or just the clearcoat?

The color is shadow mica.

 

[Jacobzky]

you need to use an aggressive pad for your ro polisher and try scratch x or a good scratch remover something more abrassive compound( check on 3M, Meguiars found on pepboys). as far as ro polisher, im not sure if it can take the job done but a dual action polisher is more capable to take that scratch out.

 

[duketogo]

you need to use an aggressive pad for your ro polisher and try scratch x or a good scratch remover something more abrassive compound( check on 3M, Meguiars found on pepboys). as far as ro polisher, im not sure if it can take the job done but a dual action polisher is more capable to take that scratch out.

Thanks again for the advice and the empathy. I'll hunt around the local shops for some scratch remover that might be appropriate.

So you think, based on looking at the scratch and my description, that it can be polished out? My initial reaction would be that I need some factory touch-up paint.

 

[Uneek]

Is the scratch visible from all angles? If so and it does catch your finger nail, it's through the base coat (actual paint color, Shadow in your case). (Not sure if you meant by "pass" fingernail test, it catches or doesn't catch.) If it's only visible from certain angles, like swirls, then it's probably only the clear coat.

If it broke through the base coat and it's down to primer. You will need to use touch up paint to fix it. You can try Langka afterwards to smooth out the paint and blobs. I've tried the product and it does work pretty well. An alternative would be to wet sand the scratch after touching it up and then follow up with polish. A detailer might be able touch it up for you.

If it's just a clear coat scratch, you can try something like Meguair's Scratch-X. It's not as abrasive as other polishes. If it doesn't work, then try something more aggressive.

IMO, you don't have much to lose by trying it yourself first. Chances are a bodyshop will have to repaint the whole door. The good thing is because it's new they should be able to match the paint and it would be harder to tell that it was repainted since it's all on the back vs. the sides.

Sorry to hear about the accident.

 

[duketogo]

Is the scratch visible from all angles? If so and it does catch your finger nail, it's through the base coat (actual paint color, Shadow in your case). (Not sure if you meant by "pass" fingernail test, it catches or doesn't catch.) If it's only visible from certain angles, like swirls, then it's probably only the clear coat.

If it broke through the base coat and it's down to primer. You will need to use touch up paint to fix it. You can try Langka afterwards to smooth out the paint and blobs. I've tried the product and it does work pretty well. An alternative would be to wet sand the scratch after touching it up and then follow up with polish. A detailer might be able touch it up for you.

If it's just a clear coat scratch, you can try something like Meguair's Scratch-X. It's not as abrasive as other polishes. If it doesn't work, then try something more aggressive.

IMO, you don't have much to lose by trying it yourself first. Chances are a bodyshop will have to repaint the whole door. The good thing is because it's new they should be able to match the paint and it would be harder to tell that it was repainted since it's all on the back vs. the sides.

Sorry to hear about the accident.

I appreciate the comments!

Doh, I should have worded that more clearly. I mean to say that, yes, my fingernail catches the scratch. Also yes, the scratch is visible from all angles.

Based on the feedback I've received so far, I plan to purchase factory touch-up paint, polish, and see how it turns out.

Continued feedback is welcome. Otherwise, I'll just post pics when I'm done.

Wish me luck!

 

[Uneek]

Here's a write up from ToyotaNation.com. Read the post by member Pb.

Here's a guide that explain it in more detail.

I hope this helps. Good luck. Post pics, if the info above works out. I got a nasty scratch on my Camry's front bumper and I'm thinking about going the wet sanding route.

 

[duketogo]

Here's a write up from ToyotaNation.com. Read the post by member Pb.

Here's a guide that explain it in more detail.

I hope this helps. Good luck. Post pics, if the info above works out. I got a nasty scratch on my Camry's front bumper and I'm thinking about going the wet sanding route.

Uneek,

That is a great resource, I really appreciate your bringing it to my attention. I have bought most of the supplies I need. Luckily, I have a 1996 Camry with a number of scratches and chips that I will use for practice before I try the 4Runner.

I'll post pics and updates this weekend.

Thanks again.

 

[ronsta]

Any pics

Duke, any luck with that scratch ? I have some scratches on a brand new truck that I have no idea where they came from...

 

[qballjr13]

An alternative would be to wet sand the scratch after touching it up and then follow up with polish. A detailer might be able touch it up for you.

If your thinking about wetsanding you need to seriously understand how thick your paint is and the consequences of what it will look like when you sand through your clearcoat. The way the scratch goes right over the small ridge in the body under the license plate would make me very nervous to sand that area. Paint is thinner at any corners or edges. If it comes to this point please take it to a professional body guy or detailer that can measure the thickness and use the correct products. If I were you I would try the touch up and try with a little polish to knock it down after its dry.

 

[blindside]

How's it goin with the scratch? I had used touch up paint on my bumper before when i accidentally hit a cement post. Polished it after it dried and the outcome was pretty good, not noticable unless you really know where the spot is. By looking at the picture of your scratch it looks like its a little deep and long, you could always touch it up like what i normally do then just polish it. Might do the trick since you already bought all the materials.. Goodluck!

 

[duketogo]

Thanks again for the well wishes. Here's update.

I had imagined that it would be possible to "touch up" this scratch so that I couldn't tell it was there. I'm not sure sure what my probability of success was before I started, but based on further research and some feedback, I understand that this would have been tough.

While I didn't achieve that lofty goal, I did touch the scratch up to a point where its noticeability is greatly reduced. Despite my preparation, I believe I misstepped at a few points, so here are a few pics and posts. Perhaps it will help others.

 

[duketogo]

The above pic is right after I touched it up. I purchased a felt tip paint marker from paintscratch.com. This worked a lot better for a rock chip that I had on the front fender than it did on this long scratch. It was difficult to keep the paint flowing and even.

That being said, it doesn't look too bad. But at the time, I didn't like it, so I proceeded to mess it up some more.

This next pic is after some wet sanding by hand to smooth it out. I used some soapy water, a sand block, and some 1200 grit wet sand paper.

 

[duketogo]

Here's another angle.

 

[duketogo]

Here it is after cleaning it up with some polish. I had some 3M rubbing compound and some Meguiar's fine cut polish.

If you'll notice the first ridge/curve, there is a oval shaped grey area. That is not a camera artifact.

That is where I burned through the paint. :-( I have a random orbit polisher, and I found it difficult to control around those two curves and spent too much time at that spot.

 

[duketogo]

I took a picture the next day in the daylight. And I discovered I also burned through the clear in a line along the curved ridge.

NOTE: These are my opinions, I'm not sure if I actually (a) burned through the base coat in an oval shape and (b) burned through the clear coat in a line across that ridge. That's what it felt like.

 

[duketogo]

So I fixed it my re-touching up those areas. Now it looks a lot like the first pic after just the touch-up paint.

If I was wrong about burning through the paint, I probably could have polished it out, but I was kind of panicking at the time.

Anyways, hope this satisfies the voyeur in you. Any feedback or criticism is invited and welcome.

Here is a picture of the 4r after its first detail. It takes me to a happy place.