Turkeys scratched up my hood...

[Biffster]

...no, really...

Since we retired about three years ago and moved from the NYC area to a farm we purchased here in 'Bama my wife has been acquiring livestock non-stop -- Black Angus beef cattle, Jersey milk cows, a wide variety of chickens for both meat and eggs, etc. We're basically on the all home-grown, fully organic meat, veggies, and fruits kick (we have tons of fruit trees and gardens) and it's become a bit of an obsession (understatement) for my wife. We've basically become virtually self-sustaining and self-sufficient.

Well, her latest acquisition was Turkeys -- some exotic and other breeds. They're a hoot. They are very curious and inquisitive and fear nothing. They follow us around the pasture like puppies.

Anyway, they also get onto EVERYTHING (!) including our new 2010 JSW TDI, which has the added misfortune of being BLACK (Ugh). Now the hood is all scratched up from them sliding all over it with their claws. The scratches are not deep and they don't appear to have made it through the clear coat, but regular washing and waxing does nothing to abate them.

What is the best method, short of taking it to a body/paint shop, to "work" them out and get the hood back to like-new condition? Is there anything in particular that I should *not* do to exacerbate the problem?

Afterward, I intend to apply the full 3M Clear Bra to avoid such problems in the future. I meant to do it already, but just never got around to it. Living in such a rural area makes it difficult to find a place within a reasonable distance.

 

[740GLE]

thanksgiving may come early!!!!! got a hatchet?

 

[dpg]

get a porter cable. its a great investment and saves a bunch of labor. There is a more powerful one out there thats practically just as safe but it does cost a little more.

I have this porter and love it. and take a look at this site, but i would recommend this kit just bc it has everything you need to get started. great price too. ive been very happy with menzerna products.


http://www.autogeek.net/menzerna-porter-cable-intensive-shine-kit.html

Here is a shot of the detail work i did with the porter and the menzerna polishes

good luck and that website also has great tutorials. oh and remember, let the machine do the work and take your time. its like anything else, patience will pay off.

 

[gforce1108]

Haven't had to deal with turkeys yet... had a peacock on the roof of my convertible one day and a horse chew on the hood of my truck. That one's not buffing out.

 

[Biffster]

Mmmm... thanks DPG... any reason to get a new tool is the best advice, in my book.

 

[dieseldorf]

Biff, get the tool (for later) and get the car to your local professional so it can be corrected without doing additional damage.

 

[dpg]

Mmmm... thanks DPG... any reason to get a new tool is the best advice, in my book.

no problem. i used to be obsessed over detail as you can tell, haha. They make a bunch of other kits as well. so by all means take a peak and see if there is something else you might like instead. The kits are nice because you dont have to worry whether you got the right adapter or pads for the attachments. but like i said, ive been happy with menzerna products and am most familiar with those and meguire.

 

[dpg]

Biff, get the tool (for later) and get the car to your local professional so it can be corrected without doing additional damage.

pretty hard to do damage with this one. its a random orbital. only way you can do damage is by using too rough of a pad with an agressive compound. which from what i've seen isnt included in the starter kits. you are right though, you can do damage if you dont know what you're doing, but the site has great tutorials as well

 

[dieseldorf]

pretty hard to do damage with this one. its a random orbital.

Thank you, I'm familiar with it. I've owned one for the past 17 years

 

[Biffster]

Biff, get the tool (for later) and get the car to your local professional so it can be corrected without doing additional damage.

I actually like DD's advice. I am a one-man wrecking crew and, without the least bit of effort, find new ways to destroy things that were once thought to be indestructible.

Off to the pros, it is! (Though I ordered the kit, 'cuz it looks cool, and I have swirlys on the hood since I bought the car at the dealership that I want to remove).

Thanks guys.

 

[nhdoc]

A black car is the hardest to get to look good. I was really angry when mine was delivered and it was covered in swirls and wheel marks done by the prep shop at my dealer. I am sure they were not as severe as your turkey tracks. I brought it to a real detailer who took them out using a foam pad and some compound and swirl remover. He had to go over it 3 times and took him 3 hours. The doors still have some minor swirls when the light hits them just right but the hood, roof and trunk are like a mirror now. The work would have taken me much longer than him and I couldn't have gotten it to look better...probably would have ruined it if I tried...anyway, it was the best $85 I spent. My advice, leave detailing to the people who do it every day and next time I buy a new black car I will tell the dealer that I'll pass on the complimentary prep-buff.

 

[Ski in NC]

Build a garage. Best thing in the world for cars and trucks. Keeps the sun, weather and critters from ageing your vehicles. For say 20grand, you can make 40grand worth of vehicles last twice as long.

 

[Rod Bearing]

Look on Billy Mays website.

He's dead now but he's still selling Mighty Putty, The Weed Aug with a free Power Aug and drill, and some other great inventions, including The Magic Pen free with a lifetime supply of Wax On Wacks Off, that erases ALL paint scratches, solves the mystery of the spaceship behind the Hale-Bopp Comet, and makes eggs come off a frying pan in a flash.

 

[dieseldorf]

I actually like DD's advice.

It's a great device for maintaining a flawless finish. I don't know that I'd recommend a novice buying the equipment + pads + polishes etc. if they can pay someone local to do it. It might be a one-time deal and it doesn't make much sense to lay out a bunch of dough if it's never gonna be used.

 

[dpg]

Thank you, I'm familiar with it. I've owned one for the past 17 years

Nice! i love mine and have had mine for 5 yrs now. I will have to agree with ya on future use. I use mine usually in the spring to clean up all the winter damage that occurs and for a clean base to apply wax. oh the things we do for these cars, lol

 

[JSWTDIPilot]

Man sorry to hear that! I've been seeing turkeys in flocks of 10 or more lately driving through Connecticut. Hmm... I guess I should be concerned when I see them on the driveway into work!

My $.02. Take your care to a professional and have them buff it out.

Take plenty of pictures before and after for your own insurance in case something goes wrong.

 

[Biffster]

Build a garage. Best thing in the world for cars and trucks. Keeps the sun, weather and critters from ageing your vehicles. For say 20grand, you can make 40grand worth of vehicles last twice as long.

That's the "funny" thing... the car WAS in the garage (we have a 6-car garage) when the Turkeys made their "mark."

Fresh turkey meat anyone?

 

[Biffster]

OK, took The Black Pearl to a guy today (Tony, a one man show) and he actually made the entire finish look better than when I picked it up new at the dealer back in May! I hated the fact that the dealer had apparently used some sort of cheap "buffer" and put "wheel marks" into the paint. They were painfully obvious on the hood during the day in sunlight.

Not any more! No wheel-marks anywhere, and no turkey claw marks either! He manually rubbed the car down with compound, then put two coats of finish and wax on, now it looks better than ever! Showroom new!

Here's the best part: It cost me $60. Actually he charged me $45, but I felt guilty. He had the car from 8AM to 5PM (though he didn't put 9 hours into it). He detailed it inside and out, and it looks better than the day I picked it up new.

This is one of those rare occasions where I actually got more than I paid for.

 

[dpg]

great to hear biff! now where are the pics? haha

 

[nhdoc]

OK, took The Black Pearl to a guy today (Tony, a one man show) and he actually made the entire finish look better than when I picked it up new at the dealer back in May! I hated the fact that the dealer had apparently used some sort of cheap "buffer" and put "wheel marks" into the paint. They were painfully obvious on the hood during the day in sunlight.

Sounds like your 'bama dealer and my NH dealer took prep lessons at the same place...my comments mimic your deliver experience exactly and my car also now looks so much better - the finish is like a mirror. Of course I had to pay $85 for the service but I am still not complaining...and I even gave the guy a $10 tip on top of that. A bargain at twice the price.

Makes you wonder how prevalent this practice is? When I pointed it out to the salesman his only response was "black cars are very hard to get looking perfect" which I already knew. The black one they had in the showroom sure looked good was my response...at that point I just decided to drive away and never look back as it would be too annoying to deal with those pinheads any more.

 

[DoctorDawg]

From the title of this thread I thought it was going to be another horror story about a dealership service department.

 

[magiriano]

Haven't had to deal with turkeys yet... had a peacock on the roof of my convertible one day and a horse chew on the hood of my truck. That one's not buffing out.

How old is the horse? Colt up to 4 yrs makes for fine meat ........

 

[TDIinMA]

OK, took The Black Pearl to a guy today (Tony, a one man show) and he actually made the entire finish look better than when I picked it up new at the dealer back in May! I hated the fact that the dealer had apparently used some sort of cheap "buffer" and put "wheel marks" into the paint. They were painfully obvious on the hood during the day in sunlight.

Not any more! No wheel-marks anywhere, and no turkey claw marks either! He manually rubbed the car down with compound, then put two coats of finish and wax on, now it looks better than ever! Showroom new!

Yep, black uni 2011 JSW here with a crappy buff job. I have washed the car a few times only to find that even when totally clean the paint looks like it has minute scratches all over in swirl patterns when in direct sunlight. I bet I have the same issue and plan to find this service soon! Thanks

 

[aja8888]

Look on Billy Mays website.
He's dead now but he's still selling ........., solves the mystery of the spaceship behind the Hale-Bopp Comet,...............

I thought that was a well kept secret? Did you work for Billy maybe???