How repairs work · 7 min read
Buffing scratches, the short version
- Only lacquer deep scratches can be buffed out.
- Fingernail, water and colour checks tell you a lot.
- Grey, white or silver in the line means paint is needed.
- A photo check with us is free.
What buffing actually does
Modern car paint is built in layers: primer, then colour, then a clear lacquer on top that gives the shine. Buffing, or machine polishing, removes a whisker of that lacquer and levels the edges of a scratch so light no longer catches it. It does not add anything back. That is why it works brilliantly on marks that live in the lacquer and does nothing for a scratch that has cut into the colour below.
It is also why polishing has limits on the same spot. There is only so much lacquer to work with, so a good repairer takes off as little as possible rather than chasing a deeper mark until the clear coat is too thin.
Three quick checks you can do yourself
- 01Run a fingernail gently across the scratch. If it glides over, the mark is probably in the lacquer. If it catches, it is likely deeper.
- 02Splash a little water on it. A lacquer scratch often fades while the panel is wet, then reappears as it dries.
- 03Look at the colour inside the line in daylight. Body colour means it may still polish. Grey or white means primer. Silver means bare metal.
Marks that usually polish out
- Swirl marks from brush car washes or dirty cloths.
- Light brushes from hedges and branches.
- Paint transfer sitting on top of your paint after a light contact.
- Fine lines around door handles from rings and keys.
Marks that will not buff out
- Any scratch you can feel clearly with a fingernail.
- Lines showing grey or white primer, or silver metal.
- Chips where paint has been knocked off rather than marked.
- Areas where the lacquer is already peeling or cloudy, which need refinishing rather than polishing.
What it costs either way
| If the scratch is | Likely fix | What affects the cost |
|---|---|---|
| In the clear coat only | Machine polish | Depth, affected area and whether paint is needed affect the cost |
| Through to colour | SMART repair or blend | Preparation, paint depth and refinishing area affect the cost |
| Through to primer | Localised filler and blend | Preparation, paint depth and refinishing area affect the cost |
A word on DIY scratch removers
Shop bought scratch removers and pens can help on the very lightest marks, but rubbing hard by hand on a deeper scratch tends to haze the lacquer around it and make the area look worse. If you are unsure, send us a photo first. It costs nothing, and we will tell you plainly if a polish is all it needs.
Questions people ask us
- How can I tell if a scratch is only in the lacquer?
- Your fingernail should glide over it without catching, and the line usually fades when the panel is wet. If you can see grey, white or silver inside it, it has gone deeper than the lacquer.
- Will polishing thin my paint?
- A machine polish removes a very small amount of clear lacquer. Done properly and not repeated on the same spot again and again, it leaves plenty of protection.
- Can swirl marks from a car wash be removed?
- Usually, yes. Swirls sit in the top of the lacquer and are one of the marks a machine polish deals with best.
- What if my scratch is too deep to buff?
- It will need paint. Depending on depth that is a SMART repair or blend, localised filler, or a panel repair, and we will tell you which from your photos.
- Is it worth paying for a polish rather than doing it myself?
- For a few light marks a careful DIY attempt can work. A machine polish by a bodyshop removes more evenly and avoids hazing the lacquer, which is easy to do by hand.
Where to go next
Not sure if it will polish out
Send us a photo taken in daylight. We will tell you honestly whether it is a polish or a paint job, and give you a free no-obligation estimate either way.
Workshop hours
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 6:30pm
Saturday 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday Closed
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