Someone parked behind my 2018 Prius C and hit it while parking too close to me. Now there is this light scratch on the black matte plastic bumper. There is no metallic paint on this part of the car like the previous Prius C models. I tried to wipe off as much as I could. How do I get the scratch out? Someone suggested waxing it. I attached a generic image of the bumper. Please help. I appreciate it! Thank you.
There is no way to blend touch up paint in without painting the entire bumper. Wax will not help. You do not want to polish a matte finish. I'd use a black restoring coating like Maguir's or Armor ALL.
Yes, here is the scratch. It kind of looks like white chalk on the plastic bumper. Thanks for the recommendation.
I would not recommend Armorall, especially for outside surfaces. First, it's glossy - for about a day - and then it dries and leaves the surface blotchy. And if applied to rubber parts, e.g. in the engine compartment, it dries out the rubber and leaches out the natural oils that keep it supple. It's just not a good product IMO. My recommendation would be to first thoroughly clean the surface with a non-scratch dish washing pad (or towel) and soap. Rinse well and let it dry. Examine the surface with a magnifying glass to see if the "chalk" was from the other car (and hopefully it came off), or if it's the hair-like structures that are the result of scuffing. Then call your local detailing supplies place and see if they have Autoglym Rubber Cleaner or a similar product. This stuff is an oily substance and it leaves a deep, lustrous, matte finish on rubber and black plastic parts, and it lasts through several car washes. It also does a superb job on tires BTW. Apply it with a soaked sponge, wipe with a terry cloth towel and let dry. If it's scuffing, and you want to go one step further, some people have had good luck with applying a short blast of hot air from a heat gun, but honestly, I can't recommend that method to a non-professional. I think there are a couple of YouTube videos on it, if you want to investigate.
I'd say do nothing for a year, see how you feel about it then. I'd wager if you're 5 feet away it's invisible? Don't get me started about "bumpers", I'll be ranting for hours, lol.
