pb_mb

Hey all, just wondering if any of you have this problem also. It is very annoying under the sun when millions of tiny scratches appear on the center console and wood trims on the door. I ordered a product called "Plexus" which is a plastic cleaner and polisher. Hopefully that works well, I will update once I get it.

Anyone else have any tips or products that work well?

htn75

What do you use to clean the interior with? The polisher should help. After all, its only the clear coat that's scratched. i wouldn't sweat it.

jbean114

I just noticed those the other day too and I was wondering what I would use to take the scratches out. Let me know how the "Plexus" works out.

Thanks!

pb_mb

Alright will update, might take a few days until I get it. I just clean it with water and a towel for now but that seems to make it worse on the wood trim. I guess it is very easily scratched, same thing in BMW.

Dema

It is first problem I noticed with the wood trim, much softer than previous generation had. My driver side wood trim wasn’t glossy at delivery. The car had 64 miles, so just test drivers’ jeans made it dull. My 10 years old W210 wood trim is shiny as new.

WDB124066

Makes me wonder if it can be spray painted over with a hard clear coat, similar to the clear coat on the paint??

Are there any painters on here that could coment on this possible fix........

K-A

There's lots of large, flat pieces of wood on this car. Unfortunately, I feel it's inevitable that tiny scratches will appear. All I can think is, just use a soft cloth/chamois when cleaning it (carefully), don't get any large/very noticeable scratches on it, and just don't look when you get under very bright and/or fluorescent light.

htn75

Peter.
Do not use paper towel. I'm 99% sure that's why your trims are scratched.
I only use microfiber towels or the absorber that is clean. This is also why I never bring it to a car wash.

I've never tried this on wood trim, but I'm pretty sure it's the same concept.
Use a non abrasive compound and work slowly to buff out the scratches. If you are not comfortable with this, bring it to a paint correction specialist.
GL

pmb600

I have been spending a lot of time on detailing forums lately and have a few things I've learned. I would advise all to be very, very careful cleaning the wood it's easy to put more fine scratches in it. To the OP, test the Plexus on a very small spot, maybe on the wood in a rear door in case it causes further scratches. At least if you make it worse, it will be in the back, and then you won't have to see it all the time when you're driving.

I noticed that a few spots of the wood in my car were probably not properly cleaned before delivery and also had some fine scratches so I used some rubbing alcohol on a soft, clean microfiber cloth to remove residual adhesive and grime. Then I tried Meguiar's PlastX on a small spot. At first it looked good, but I noticed in direct sunlight what looked to be more scratches that I think I put in from the PlastX. I did not continue with the PlastX.

I finished with Swissvax Wood Polish which I got from Detailer's Domain (a sponsor of the detailing forum here on MBWorld.) The wood polish is not really an abrasive polish, it is a wax specifically for car wood trims that I think helps to hide some scratches and gives the wood a beautiful shiny and very smooth feeling finish. I was very happy with the results. You warm it up with two or three fingers and then apply by hand to the wood. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and then buff off with a clean microfiber. Make sure to clean up any that gets on plastic and try to avoid the chrome trim that surrounds he wood in many places.

I had these pictures because I was planning on doing a writeup for detailing forum. Sorry they aren't a direct one for one before and after, it was impossible to get the same angle of the sun.

Passenger door wood trim with some scratches:



Wood Polish applied and drying:


Driver's door wood trim after:


Sorry for the long writeup! Hopefully it is somewhat helpful.

Dema

Is it intentionally shown a passenger door before and driver side after?

ejsheltra

What also works very well is a good carnuba yallow wax buffed lightly with a microfiber towel. As mentioned, keep in mind what the scratches are actually in. It is not the wood but the clear coat over the wood. My center ashtray door was heavily scratched by the former owner. I used Griots Garage machine polish #3 and then #4 with their three inch random orbital polisher and then sealed with carnuba wax. Came out looking like new. The trick with the polisher is to let the polisher do the work, lightly. Not to bear down with your weight as that causes heat markings. The pad used was the red polishing pad as it is the softest pad available.

ash_cpe

I have hair line scratches too, do you guys recommend suing Klasse All 4 one? I got more scratches after using Microfiber towels, any ideas for a better applicators? anyone tried wax foam pads?

agstacker

I would imagine klasse aio would be fine. Also a foam pad would work but I imagine you will have to still wipe off the product. Did you use a polish microfiber towel? I usually buy my microfibers for the exterior paint,drying,glass and interior from online. Tires,door jams,and under the hood I use the microfiber towels from walmart or Target. Maybe the towel you were using was not completly clean?

Dema

Costco sells a bunch of microfiber towels, not sure if they are any good. I use just a cloth supplied with my glasses, not sure if it is good for wood as well. I guess suede based cloth shouldn't bring more scratches.

K-A

I use a chamois on everything on my car (different ones for different sections of course, being exterior, interior, and wheels).

I find it to be the most efficient, and safe-for-surface material really, or at least comparable to anything else, where the efficiency of it still outweighs anything else.

Only problem with the chamois on the wood is; you have to get it really really damp (almost dry without being completely dry) to not get those tiny water mark residues that are slightly noticeable.

pb_mb

thanks for the write up & pics pmb

JK73

I agree with those stating the wood is covered with a clear coat of paint.

The finest scratches are in the upper surface of the clear coat. Use the finest polish you can get to gently polish the surface to remove the fine scratches or at least round the sharp edges of the deep scratches so they are not as noticeable. If you can feel a scratch with your fingernail then it is deep. Don't try to polish that scratch to the point where it disappears as you may sacrifice too much of the clear coat thickness and then you would have to respray the surface with clear.

You can gently apply the very fine polish with a poly pad, microfiber, cellulose sponge or soft cotton cloth but make certain there are no tiny gritty particles stuck in the pores or fibers of these applicators. Gritty particles in applicators can cause more scratches then you remove! Dampen any applicator with distilled water before using. Distilled water will not leave white spots on the surface. Plain tap water containing dissolved minerals will leave spots.

All polishes contain an abrasive. Without some form of abrasive, you cannot polish anything. All polishes leave polishing lines. The trick is to use the finest polish you can get. The polishing marks are then extremely hard to see unless you look with a magnifier.

After you are satisfied with your polishing efforts, apply a thin coat of a good carnauba wax. The wax should fill in any visible polishing marks so that they become invisible plus the surface will be more glossy and have a protective coating.

I polish both MB "wood" surfaces and exterior paint this way resulting in a very nice improvement in fine scratch reduction and heightened gloss.

ash_cpe

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of polish do you use for wood and exterior paint?

Thank you.

JK73

I certainly don't mind you asking. I use Malm's Ultra-Fine Polishing cleaner. When satisfied with the surface gloss and reduction of fine scratches I then apply Malm's Extreme concentrate carnauba paste wax.

Of course you can use any very fine polish and good carnauba wax. There are many good ones available from quite a few manufacturers.

Why do I personally use Malm's products? That is an easy question to answer. I founded the company in 1979.

ash_cpe

Thank you, good to know.

newyorktoLA

Does anyone have white spots in the wood trim like me? This is the passenger rear side trim...the spots don't come out ...WARRANTY issue, maybe?

BM2BZ

definitely warranty issue. go back to the dealer and have them check.

hyperion667

ww

K-A

What are we looking at there?

I'm trying to spot a defect on the wood but all I see is a gorgeous color combo and insanely rich and shining wood. Who's car is that and wtf is used on the wood to give it that sheen?

I just put some AEROSPACE 303 all over my interior, wood included, and man does everything have a rich look to it.

steelgrey

K-A check post #9 this thread.