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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bloody awful day, and now going to cost me a fortune!

62 replies

NoNarnas · 13/06/2018 16:48

Awful day, tantruming toddler all day, feel awful myself, house a constant tip, no energy to do anything, and just been one of those rubbish days.

Then I thought I would clean the car. Couldn’t get the little black bits of black bugs off so I thought I would use a gentle sponge scouter. Didn’t notice the damage I was doing till it dried. Safe to say one side of my car needs a total respray. I feel so stupid, and upset. Now uncontrollable sobbing about everything while trying to stop a toddler from throwing himself off the sofa.

I don’t have thousands to pay for the paint job so it’s going to look hideous for ages. Why can I never have anything nice.

OP posts:
BWatchWatcher · 13/06/2018 16:49

Halfords sells cans of car paint if that helps?

swimmerlab · 13/06/2018 16:50

Try buffing it with some T-cut, thee scratches may polish out.

Cuttingthegrass · 13/06/2018 16:50

I feel your pain. I turned one side of my red car pink first time I used the power washer on it

xyzandabc · 13/06/2018 16:50

Have you tried T-cut or similar high quality polish? Works wonders with scratches and would be worth a try first to save a whole respray.

KioraAdora · 13/06/2018 16:51

They might buff out.

Rocinante1 · 13/06/2018 16:52

Get buffing with T-cut. That's what it's for.

bridgetosomewhere · 13/06/2018 16:53

Oh no! I did that to my new front door, it looks awful, came from Norway with custom paint to match the windows so it’s not an easy fix.

The car Should be ok with T-cut, try that first?

And for next time you get stuff you squirt on and leave for a few mins and it dissolves the bugs and tar spots then you sponge or jet wash off.

AsAProfessionalFekko · 13/06/2018 16:53

Another vote for Tcut. Gently though!

justbinthefeckinbyebyebox · 13/06/2018 16:54

I keep my car quite dirty because of same problem NoNarnas,
it's covered in scratches from previous owner, dealer didn't wash it,
that's how I didn't notice!
It's black, so looks really bad!!! But black car polish is very good,
if not hard work, but looks better for a while!!!

And I also feel that I cannot have anything nice, shiny and new!!!

Original poster
NoNarnas · 13/06/2018 16:55

I’ve tried T cut but it isn’t making a difference!

The car had Diamond Bright on it so I think I’ve taken off the layer of that.

I will get some quotes later in the week but I just can’t afford to do anything about it right now. The car is on PCP so it has to be fixed!

OP posts:
GreatDuckCookery6211 · 13/06/2018 16:55

Yes to T cut scratch remover from Halfords.
Sorry your day has been so shit OP.
Make yourself a cup of tea and take a breather Cake

EspressoButler · 13/06/2018 16:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 13/06/2018 16:55

Oh x post.

AsAProfessionalFekko · 13/06/2018 16:56

You need to put on about 3 lots and buff it gently.

Isadora2007 · 13/06/2018 16:57

We all make mistakes. And it probably doesn’t need to be fixed any time soon so you could save gradually and get it done later.
Don’t beat yourself up or cry any more- it’s a car, you were trying to do a good thing and it went wrong. Chin up. Flowers

theunsure · 13/06/2018 17:01

Please don’t try and fix it yourself!!

DH does the vehicle inspecting for end of finance cars, you get billed more to fix a poor repair than you do for the scratches in the first place.

Either get it repaired properly or leave it alone. You should see the huge bills DH has to dish out to people who bodge it. Honestly, don’t.

Original poster
NoNarnas · 13/06/2018 17:01

Thanks everyone. The car had a scratch down one side from someone in a car park so I knew at some point I would have to sort that, but wasn’t expecting such a big job.

I’ve got a friend who is in to his cars and has an electric polisher so he is going to see what he thinks to it.

OP posts:
Sammyham · 13/06/2018 17:12

T-cut and a bit of elbow grease will buff those scratches out easily. Deep breathes and maybe get your self a G&T or whatever for later and have a relaxing evening, tomorrows a new day

frasier · 13/06/2018 17:14

I was once run off the road into a hedge and scratched one side of the vehicle. Tcut sorted it quite well.

MumofBoysx2 · 13/06/2018 17:26

You need wine and the number of a local scratch-taker-outerer. Hope you have a better day tomorrow Flowers

Lovemusic33 · 13/06/2018 17:28

I did this to my car, the car I had always wanted and had saved for. Took a scourer to it to remove the bugs and removed a lot more than the bugs 😟 There are some good polishes out there that will make it look better or you could look at a re spray but if it’s the whole car it will cost a fortune.

lhastingsmua · 13/06/2018 17:29

Could you post a pic of the damage? Then posters could better advise if it’s worth trying to sort it yourself or not

bunbunny · 13/06/2018 17:32

is the diamond bright thing you mentioned a layer that's supposed to protect your car? Doesn't that usually come with some sort of guarantee?

Is it worth contacting them and saying that their layer has failed, that you needed to polish your car as the bugs didn't come off as you were expecting and now look what has happened to their supposedly impenetrable layer that isn't supposed to need polishing and can't scratch... There's a chance that you might get it covered on their guarantee - has to be worth a shot...

AsAProfessionalFekko · 13/06/2018 17:38

I'm good at fixing bloody scratches. Let's see a photo then (cracks knuckles and gets out the Tcut and rubber gloves...)

LadyGrey66 · 13/06/2018 17:39

They might buff out. I had a prang recently and it scratched down three panels of my car, it was mostly paint from the other car,which I rubbed off with a sponge, but it took the shine of the paint completely and left it really scuffed. Took it to a local body shop and they buffed it out in ten minutes, and didn't charge for it. Was as good as new afterwards. May be worth seeing if there are any body shops in your area before trying to t cut, and getting a quote?