What's the best method for removing scratches and swirls...

[watermantra]

under door handles?



Do you guys just polish by hand? Is there a way to get a machine in there? Obviously it depends on the design of the handle. Both my Scion xA and my GF's Mini Cooper have the same sort...



like this...View attachment 13458

 

[imported_smprince1]

I do this area by hand, usually with a terry covered foam pad for scratch removal as it seems to have more bite than foam.

 

[Accumulator]

I do this area by hand, usually with a terry covered foam pad for scratch removal as it seems to have more bite than foam.

Yep, same here. I don't switch from cotton to foam/MF until things are pretty well polished out.



Note that if the scratches are *really* deep they might be too deep to be safely removed (and remember to leave some clear for next time ). Even when they *aren't* too deep, this can be a really long process. I've spent nearly an hour doing one such area on the Audis, and those scratches were so faint that most people wouldn't bother with them (but then again, note that the Audis have hard clear). Just stick with it until you make progress; after the first 15 minutes it seems like a hopeless task!



You'll need to start with something very aggressive that'll still break down by hand. Not sure what products fit the bill these days, but 1z Ultra/Extra is often a good starting point. H-T Heavy Cut comes to mind also. Polish until it breaks down, wipe off, inspect, repeat. You just do it over and over and over, switching to a fresh area on the cotton towel/pad as the cotton gets matted down with product/pressure.