Scratches on my 2017 Mazda6

djonas12

Member
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Mazda 6 2017 Touring
I have the dark blue 2017 Mazda6 that I bought in February. I have taken it to self-service car washes, and I have used the hand-held foaming brush. I have noticed scratches after using the car wash. I have read that the brushes may scratch if they are dirty with sand, etc. Last time I made sure the brush was clean, but I still think I got scratches. I have had a least 5 other cars the past 30 plus years and have always been using self-service car washes, and have never experienced any scratching from the foaming brush. Has anyone else experienced scratching on the 2017 Mazda6? Is the clear coat soft or not applied properly? Thanks...
 
No issues with my 2016 but I have my cars hand washed only. I never trust the coin opp places or automatic car washes.
 
Well, were your past 5 cars darker colors like dark blue or black? the scratching / swirl marks will definitely show up more on dark colors.

Anyway, you can get rid of light scratching from the car wash brush with a decent car polish (I prefer Meguiar's Show Car Glaze) and a buffer, don't need an expensive one, a cheap random orbital buffer will do just fine.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/10-Random-Orbital-Buffer/39881400


If they are heavy, deep scratches then you would likely need a Dual Action Polisher (which are more expensive) and some rubbing compound.

For really, really deep scratches you would likely need a Rotary Polisher which you need to be VERY careful with as you can burn thru the clearcoat.



After the polishing, you will want to use a decent wax like Meguiar's NXT.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Meguiar-...75035&wl11=online&wl12=16550249&wl13=&veh=sem
 
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I was amazed at the lack of scratches on my dark blue '17 when I bought it. It was built in January, I bought it in June so it was probably sitting on the lot for 4+ months, enduring teenage worker washes once a week, and I can't find a single scratch on it. Based on my experience I'd say Mazda clear coat is very high quality.
 
I have taken it to self-service car washes, and I have used the hand-held foaming brush. I have noticed scratches after using the car wash. I have read that the brushes may scratch if they are dirty with sand, etc. Last time I made sure the brush was clean, but I still think I got scratches.

Is the brush composite (nylon, foam, etc) or horse hair? If it's not horse hair, don't use it. And, always make sure to rinse the brush and then run your hand though it checking for any foreign media.
 
I think brushes are always going to scratch, no matter how clean. They push particles across the paint and don't absorb them up and away from the paint as well as a microfiber cloth. Seems like all the experts say microfiber is the best for avoiding scratches. And fully lubricate the surface with water or better before touching it with anything.
 
never, ever, EVER use that foaming brush. kudos to you for using the self serve car wash (i use them myself, great place to keep your car clean) but those foaming brushes are awful for your clear coat, especially since you have a dark paint which shows swirl marks easily.

when I go to the self serve washes, I always bring a bucket and fill it up with the soap that comes out the brush and use a clean mitt to be safe. be sure not to apply much pressure, and do not go in a swirl motion... left > right instead. scrub the mitt to remove dirt that can scratch your clearcoat and flip it around often. i recommend using two mitts and switching between the two for each panel.

i start by pressure washing down the car with the wax wash, scrubbing down the whole car, then use the wax wash again. never had a problem.

and dont worry, you can always have the car polished/detailed and the clear coat will look new again. just be very careful when scrubbing your dark paint.
 
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