How can I fix light scratches on glossy plastic (non-transparent/translucent)?

[dandaroy]

Hi,

I bought a 2011 VW Tiguan SE with 4-motion recently and I have a question about interior detailing. Around the touchscreen audio there is glossy plastic black trim (same is there around the climate control buttons) which has light and faint scratches on it (from day one, I did not cause them) which can be seen mostly when light shines directly on it (like sunlight). In diffuse light or dim conditions you can't see much. I tried to used Meguiars Scratch-X and it did not seem to help that noticeably. Susequently, I have used a bit of vaseline smeared (very lightly) and that helps, but also it gives a hazy oily look which I do not like.

Is there anything I can use to buff out the scratches and what kind of wipes should I use? I do not know why VW used this type of plastic because it seems to be very prone to scratches very easily.

Please advise.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How can I fix light scratches on glossy plastic (non-transparent/translucent)?

Colored plastics can be very finicky when trying to buff even fine scratches out of them. They just don't lend themselves to this process very well because, as you know, removing a scratch means removing some surrounding material to level down to the bottom of the scratch. And colored plastics usually don't like being abraded like that. Your thought to apply a bit of Vaseline or similar to try and hide the fine marks is sound, if not the perfect solution. Along those same lines, try using either Cleaner Wax or ColorX instead, applied with a soft foam wax applicator. The light cleaning ability of either product should help a bit with the edges of the scratches, making them a bit less noticeable, and the wax left behind should reduce the appearance somewhat. And it will look a whole lot better than a coat of Vaseline on the dash!

[Flash Gordon]

Re: How can I fix light scratches on glossy plastic (non-transparent/translucent)?

Hi,

I bought a 2011 VW Tiguan SE with 4-motion recently and I have a question about interior detailing. Around the touchscreen audio there is glossy plastic black trim (same is there around the climate control buttons) which has light and faint scratches on it (from day one, I did not cause them) which can be seen mostly when light shines directly on it (like sunlight). In diffuse light or dim conditions you can't see much. I tried to used Meguiars Scratch-X and it did not seem to help that noticeably. Susequently, I have used a bit of vaseline smeared (very lightly) and that helps, but also it gives a hazy oily look which I do not like.

Is there anything I can use to buff out the scratches and what kind of wipes should I use? I do not know why VW used this type of plastic because it seems to be very prone to scratches very easily.

Please advise.

www.truthindetailing.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=4708

Maybe this thread will be of use to you ^

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How can I fix light scratches on glossy plastic (non-transparent/translucent)?

www.truthindetailing.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=4708

Maybe this thread will be of use to you ^

No need to run and hide behind the furniture just because you linked to our friends over at TID, but you ended up dealing with scratches on a nav screen, which is vastly different than scratches in colored plastic. More often than not, attempting to use any sort of abrasive pad to remove a scratch from colored plastics ends up hazing them pretty badly, or at least slightly. Either way, instead of a series of small scratches that you can only see under certain lighting conditions, you now have a slightly dull or hazy area that you can see all the time.