Instrument cluster swirls/scratches - can they be removed?

Tatey35

Tatey35

2011 A3 2.0 TDI Black Edition
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When in direct sunlight my instrument cluster looks awful because of all the scratches/swirls. The sunlight only hits the bottom but it has really started to annoy me.

Looking online I found various people saying Meguiars plastX helps remove the swirls. Had some lying about so tried applying some by hand but got nowhere. Looks exactly the same as it did before. I wasn’t pushing to hard as I read that they are very soft plastic.

I also found some posts around the web saying that the scratches are actually inside the plastic/Perspex material and you can’t remove them.

Anybody had experience with this?
Do I just need to keep trying with the polish?

07fbcaf6fa352e9d63b8796001f677fa.jpg


3bc229687b5ce1e2302e3977b3ea866d.jpg



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Thanks found the posts in the tread that didn’t come up in my search. Unfortunately that related to the MMI but didn’t conclude wether it will help the cluster and would’ve thought they would be slightly different materials?


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audi upgrades
Tatey35 said:
When in direct sunlight my instrument cluster looks awful because of all the scratches/swirls. The sunlight only hits the bottom but it has really started to annoy me.

Looking online I found various people saying Meguiars plastX helps remove the swirls. Had some lying about so tried applying some by hand but got nowhere. Looks exactly the same as it did before. I wasn’t pushing to hard as I read that they are very soft plastic.

I also found some posts around the web saying that the scratches are actually inside the plastic/Perspex material and you can’t remove them.

Anybody had experience with this?
Do I just need to keep trying with the polish?

07fbcaf6fa352e9d63b8796001f677fa.jpg


3bc229687b5ce1e2302e3977b3ea866d.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I just opened mine up today to mod and nah there glued on you better off removeing it fond a second hand one on ebay woth no scratches and replacing the internals into the new body so your mileage stay om record
362d926656c68788e9cae5d75fadee51.jpg


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Always bugs me they put S3 on the rev counter and not the speedo...
 
There are many plastic polishes you can purchase. Major wax brands like Meguiar's probaly make a very good one.
 
Tatey35 said:
Thanks found the posts in the tread that didn’t come up in my search. Unfortunately that related to the MMI but didn’t conclude wether it will help the cluster and would’ve thought they would be slightly different materials?


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Click to expand...
LOL did you see post 2559? I polished my cluster and it turned out amazing. all scratches gone and took 30 minutes
 
tcardio said:
LOL did you see post 2559? I polished my cluster and it turned out amazing. all scratches gone and took 30 minutes
Click to expand...

Thanks didn’t come up in the search maybe cause it was on mobile. Yours looks good maybe I just need a few more goes. Was trying to avoid getting it out, but might have too.
 
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