Expert: Gary - 9/25/2008

Question
2006 BMW X3 had bumps on front and rear bumper.  Took it to body shop recommended by BMW dealership.  Service man said he could also "buff out the scratches on the sides of the car while it was in the shop.  Got the car back with total destruction on areas he "buffed".......swirls and scratches galore.  Owner said he would try to fix X3 as it never should have left the shop in this condition.  (Also had drips of rubbing compound on it)  Now he's telling me that I have to keep wax on the car to cover the buffed areas.  I think he's a crook who tried to cover up his mistake rather than fix it correctly.

Answer
Hi Debra,

It sounds like to me he's afraid that he has buffed the clear too thin and is worried that it may delaminate (peel). He probably should not have offered to buff the scratches out because many times when attempting to buff out scratches you remove too much clear and the thinner the clear coat it is more likely to peel. Another problem is he was probably trying to use a compound that is not recommended for the clear on your car. Mercedes and BMW's use a Scratch Resistant Clear Coat from the factory. With that type of clear it's very hard to buff out scratches with a standard compound. 3M actually makes a Scratch Resistant polish. You can check it out at this link: http://www.repaintsupply.com/pd_3m_05927.cfm

You might should talk to the shop owner and try and have the buffed area sanded and re-cleared to prevent your clear-coat from peeling in the future. It would be easier to do it now than after it begins peeling. Good luck with it!