Quit wet sanding your car. It's not a show car, right? Just keep it as nice as you can via polishing, etc... Wet sanding is not for factory paint - unless your looking for trouble. Wet sanding is for re-paints where the clear coat may be 2x as thick and the orange peel may be 3x as bad.
I guess you could try it as a last resort if you have a scratch - and the alternative would be the body shop. From what I hear, Subaru paint is pretty soft and sticky - I'd be real hesitant to go at it with any type of sand paper.
no offence, but until you have some experience under your belt, then wet sanding Japanese paint may not be a great idea. it's all too easy to get it wrong, especially if you're working without a paint gauge. what i'd suggest, and i'd suggest this to anyone starting out with a machine polisher as well, is go to your nearest scrapyard, have a word with the guys that work there and see if they'll let you have the bonnet or boot lid off a car. you might have to part with a few dollars, but if you explain why you want it they're unlikely to charge you very much. then take it home put some scratches in it (if there aren't already some) and try getting them out without wrecking the paint. it's a great way of learning just exactly what you can and can't get away with without risking your own pride and joy. it you can get a panel from a car of the same make and model as the one you drive, then so much the better :xyxthumbs:
Although I tried to help you on the fix, I must plentifully agree with members above. Some may say it's 'excess of precaution', but I always play on safe side, however, that's because just like you I went into trouble in the past. :nomore:
Wet sanding any OEM finish is popular in my country, and a work like this (complete sanding + rotary buffing + wax) may go for $50.
In the case, I suppose the guy above was able to get rid of sanding marks, that's why I've said earlier regarding the 'excess of precaution'. It may be done.
alright thanks for the tips. Is it safe to use compound with a da to try to remove light scratches on my car?
Try to work your way learning how to use the machine, then go stepping up in speed, pads, compound, until you master the technique, and more importantly, the 'do's and don'ts. If you tried to remove that scratch with a very coarse approach, even with a DA, I suspect you would end with the same messy results. It's not 'force', it's way.
Ouch.... you're not the first one so don't feel bad.
Sometimes it's better to improve a scratch than to try to 100% remove a scratch
And the reason why is because factory clearcoats are THIN. You just don't have much material to work with.
If you must sand, get some #3000 or even #5000 Trizact 3" sanding discs as you can use these by hand or by machine.
Credits of the 'Towel Test' for striking through clear coat assessment goes to Mike Phillips.
+1 on the crowd you are not the first, neither the last.
Do more test spots, stop during work to observe what's going on, before going too far at once.
Definitively get a test panel if you are willing to learn safe and fast.
Best Wishes
