What are pigtail scratches on car paint?
Short curly scratches in one area are made by grit trapped under a polishing pad and dragged around. The curl is the giveaway. Swirl marks are fine and everywhere. Sanding scratches are straight.
What kind of repair does it need?
A machine polish, done properly, on a clean pad. They are usually shallow.
Polishing works by taking a thin layer off the clear coat. Nothing is added. Clear coat is thin, so a good shop measures it before and after. If the fix would take off more than about 13 microns (0.5 mils), the panel should be repainted rather than polished. Ask what the reading was.
What to do next
If a detailer or shop did this recently, take it back and name it: pigtails from a dirty pad. It should be fixed at their cost. Ask to see a clean pad before they start again. If they resist, get a second detailer to look.
Sources
- Axaltapaint maker
If layers are not cut through, thoroughly dry topcoat and re-polish
- PPG GBpaint maker
Allow the surface to harden fully, flat, compound and polish
- Sherwin-Williams Automotivepaint maker
a minimum film thickness of the clearcoat (2 mils) is required to maintain adequate ultraviolet protection
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