Well, I filled up with gas the other night, but then, like an idiot, forgot to screw the gas cap on...then drove about 100 miles before I realized it. Anyway, the gas cap was hanging out and rubbed on the paint below the fuel door for those 100 miles and left a couple of marks...I'm not sure, but I think it probably rubbed through a bit of the clearcoat and left two, inch-or-so long marks. Is there anything out there that I could use myself to get rid of these marks or am I going to have to take it in to have this taken care of. I was thinking about just waxing that small area to see if that would fix it or at least make it a little less noticable, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks!!!

 

I think I would wax it first to see if that would help it look better. As far as products out there to do anything for I don't know of any so go to a auto store and look and see or ask if there is anything on the market for that kind of damage. If all else fails take it to a pro.

 

I've some scratches on my truck made by tree limbs and then there's the big scratch on the back where the lawnmower attacked me... Anyways I just wax these areas more often than the rest of the truck. This does'nt get rid of the deep scratches but it's a Little less noticable. If you really can't stand to live with the scratch then you will need to take your truck to a painter.

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

For light scratches try using a light polish or glaze before you wax. If you can actually "feel" the scratch with your fingernail there's probably not much you can do, but if it's just a scuff mark you might try Meguiar's #2 Cleaner, #9 Swirl Remover or #3 Glaze (decreasing in abrasiveness). It only takes a little product so you may want to borrow some from a friend instead of buying a whole bottle.

 

That gas cap tether is the culprit in my case. I noticed the scratches while waxing. I initially thought that it was the gas jockey being careless with the pump gun, until I unscrewed the cap & saw for myself. BTW, NJ has no self serve stations. So it took me a little while to discover it. Some cleaner wax, polish or glaze should take care of it. An excuse to try out the Wax Shop's Safe Cut & Super Glaze, I just got.
LM

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'99 Black F250 SC 4x4 4.6L 5Sp 3.73LS
Bug Shield, 'Snapless' Tonneau, Alarm, K&N FIPK.
Plenty of mods in the plans.
ICQ: 153462, http://members.tripod.com/hoggy /

 

The day after I first bought my truck and refueled, I pried open the cap and took off the loop and placed it in the glove box so the cap wouldn't hang on the paint. Just got to remember to put it back on after refueling!

 

I cut that gas cap tether, too, so I can just leave the gas cap on the bed. But I bought my truck used, and it did have those scrathes where the cap hangs. I borrowed some of that "color match" wax from a friend, the stuff that you get the same color as your vehicle. I applied then, then used polish, then waxed over it. The scratches were barely visible, and about every 3 months I do the same thing and it seems to keep them unnoticable. I wouldn't use the stuff on the rest of my truck, it's mainly for older finishes, but it filled in that spot really well, and when I waxed it blended in with the rest of the truck.

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97 F-150 XLT 4.6L, Black, S/C, 4x4, ORP, K&N, Chrome Westin nerfs, Omniguard SE bug deflector, Extang snapless tonno, Kenwood CD, Kenwood 6x8's, Kenwood tweeters, Kenwood 300 watt amp, MTX thunderform dual 8's.

 

I left the tether on, however when I refuel I do not let the cap hang down on the bed. I put the gas nozzle in while holding the cap, then set the cap on the top of the nozzle. The tether is kind of wedged between the filler door and the strip of metal that holds it onto the truck. The weird angle it creates for the tether keeps my cap pushed down on the gas nozzle and free from touching the truck.

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The Truck: 1997 Black F-150 Flareside. Regular Cab ORP and Towing Package
The Mods: K&N Filter, Eurolid Hard Tonneau and Ford Bug Deflector.
The Site:
Triton's 4.6 Liter Web Page
www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index.html