Getting paint marks off

[suzye]

Unfortunately someone decided to hit the rear of my vibe which I have only had for 2 months! on the hatch while it was parked and then just drive away. So I am left with a dent some cracked paint and a bunch of silver/gray paint marks on the hatch of my vibe (This happened in my neighborhood so I am keeping an eye out for a silver/gray truck or SUV since the dent is so high up it couldn't have been a sedan. I hope to find out who did this at least for my own knowledge even though I probably couldn't prove anything). I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to get this silver/gray paint off. It doesn't look like any of my paint came off, but it is cracked around the edges of the dent so I am also looking for the best way to treat this to prevent rust.Thanks for the help!Suzye

[Voitek]

Maybe a bit off of topic. I tried several different touch paints on my cars in the past. So far the one I've got from GM is the best. Although the package/bottle is identical to Canadian Tire supply (being from Canada...), but you can feel the difference. Bit more expensive though.

[Stang2Vibe]

Rubbing compound will work, but will leave fine scratches in the clearcoat, making it look dull. You would then have to polish them out with an electric buffer. I would try rubbing the paint marks with a rag and 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. Polishing compound will work just as well, also. It is different from rubbing compound because the abrasives in the polishing compound are much finer and won't dull the clearcoat.As for the cracked paint, my best suggestion is to get it fixed. If I am picturing this right, the paint cracked and could now possibly be peeled off. If the damaged area is large enough (larger than about the size of a quarter), I would have it professionally repaired. There are now paint repair shops that don't have to repaint the entire section of the car to restore its condition. This is much cheaper than just going to a body shop and having the whole body panel repainted. If the area is small enough, some touch up paint from the dealer will do the trick. A word of caution, you should wait until warmer weather if you are going to touch up the mark yourself or the paint will not cure properly. A good coat of wax or two on the damaged area will get you through a few months until warmer weather arrives. If you plan to send it out to a professional later, coat the cracked areas with clear nail polish. They will have to sand the surface anyway, so you can seal off the cracks with the nail polish. In any case, dont let the surface rust. That can lead to costly repairs. And remember, rust can start to form within a day or two on bare metal, so don't put it off too long.Hope this helps and good luck!

[suzye]

I used some turtle wax polishing compound after getting all of your suggestions and it worked great! I got all the paint marks off. Then I covered it with wax to protect the cracked paint until warmer weather when I can touch it up. Thanks a lot for all your help!

[Stang2Vibe]

Yes, always glad to help. I'm happy to hear that you successfully got the marks off, polishing compound can be some amazing stuff when used properly. Just don't forget to take care of the cracks in the paint once the weather gets better !