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

[NoNarnas]

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.

Thanks everyone you have made me feel much more hopeful. It’s the shine I’ve managed to scratch out of it really. Will take a photo in a minute.

We had someone vandalise our car by spraying paint on it. Local garage used something to remove it free of charge so always worth asking. T-cut is wonderful but please don’t ever try over-spray or touch up yourself. You know when you see cars where it’s got an obvious touch up down because the paint is different colours....that’s is what comes from doing it yourself and the paint oxidising. Professional touch ups done by a body shop use primers and lacquers to prevent that.

Pictures below.

Or I thought they were... will try again!

1

Think I’ve done it now! I was on mobile site and couldn’t see them!

Oh dear, I’ve done exactly the same! It was my toddler who drew all over DH’s car with a crayon and when DH threw a strop and yelled at DS I tried a sponge scourer and then noticed I’d scuffed it when it dried. Queue another big strop from DH and more crying from the toddler and me.

Put it down to experience, pour a glass of wine once the toddler is in bed and ring a sympathetic local garage tomorrow! Or ask on Facebook (community groups are good for this) if anyone knows a spray technician - someone always does!

Cars always get scratched. I used to be proud of mine too. I would try some T cut or ring up a car spray place for advice.

Can't you just leave it? I scraped one side of my car all along a wall. It looks shit but since I'm not selling it or anything I have just left it as it is.

That's VERY similar to the damage that was on mine OP! Honestly, have a glass of wine tonight and try not to worry, then get it looked at tomorrow - I think you might be pleasantly surprised. Good luck!

My mum once had a blue car. I thought I'd be a nice 13 year old if I gave it a wash for her. I used the green scratchy side of the sponge and thought I'd done a great job.

I will never, ever live that down

Coincidentally, the car was written off the next week as someone crashed into the side of us so she didn't have to put up with it for long!

Posted too soon.

Have a cup of tea OP, you can fix this but at the minute you need to relax. Be kind to yourself

If the t cut doesn’t work it won’t cost as much as you think to respray. Had to have panel beating AND respray of door and rear panel of my (large) car when son opened door while i was reversing and door hit the fence. It cost me £600. I know it’s still money but it’s really not as much as you fear! Hope your day improves.

I did exactly the same with my brand new black fridge! That awful feeling when you realise what you have done!! You do stop noticing though.

I was similar to itsBritney, I just left my car damage while I thought about what to do. And then the car got stolen. So I guess someone else is repairing it now.
You might as well leave it until closer to the day you hand the car back.

I won’t have those scourers in the house since someone helpfully cleaned my new hob with them 😭

big hug (my car's awful now three kids later, but they do love car washes! so you have that to look forward to)
just a thought if you have no energy, might it be worth checking vitamins and iron via blood test from GP? Can be easily overlooked as fellow mumsnetters will attest.
Hope tomorrow's a better day and tantrumming toddler feels better too It is very muggy round here!

I met someone who's children took green scourers to his Aston Martin in an attempt to clean it... it cost £20,000 to repair!

for you OP.Some days with a child/ren are way beyond the pale.

How did you get on OP?

A good quality polish should get them out, as others have said. Something like Meguiars Ultimate Compound would be a good shout...and lots of elbow grease! You have to work surprisingly hard on the paintwork, not just give it a gentle wipe if that makes sense 😊

My former fil used sand paper on his metallic car!!

Just seen your pictures...I’d be very, very surprised if you couldn’t get them out! Especially with a machine polish...but only let someone who knows what they’re doing with one of those things go anywhere near it or they’ll do more harm than good! DP paid ‘a mate’ a decent amount of money to mop his car and he took paint off

DP says next time for bugs Google 'citrus based bug remover spray for cars' as loads of manufacturers make it.

However he also says that if the black bits were on the side it was likely to be tar and that requires clay barring to remove (bit like rubbing blu tack all over). If you search for clay bar and lubricant detailing kit that will give you some options.

There's a company called Polished Bliss and on their website they have tutorials for how to get different types of stuff off cars without damaging them.

I am not trying to belittle you and this may or may not offer you any comfort. But it’s just a bloody car. It’s made of metal. It would be hard to keep it from bumps and scratches forever. Look at it when you have the energy. After a couple weeks you won’t even notice the scratches. I used to be like this about my car I would get angry and beat myself up when I scratched it. But now I just say what the hell.

These are first world problems