Coming most recently from a 4x4, offroad, hunting, camping vehicle, I haven't really paid much attention to the world of detailing and paint protection. I owned my Xterra for 10 years and never once put a coat of wax on it. I kept in the garage at home and work, and when I sold it the paint was pretty decent. Or so I thought.

I'm learning a lot (maybe too much) from this site about maintaining and improving the paint, as I am much more concerned about keeping this car looking spectacular. For a 7-year-old car I think it looks fantastic, but I know there are some blemishes, and I'd love some advice on how to tackle each of them.

#1 - The Hood Zit



I have no idea what caused this, but it was the biggest defect I first noticed when I went to buy the car. Something had eaten through the clearcoat here and has not been addressed. I'd love to know how to get rid of this myself, but I'm afraid it might need professional work. As you can see in the reflection:


#2 - Swirlies



I realize this can be corrected with hours of polishing. My question is - if I wash and dry, then clay bar the car and follow it up with a nice sealant and finish it all off with a decent wax, will this be as noticeable? There are also some light scratches (white, but not noticeable with a fingernail) here and there along the paint. Can these be lessened by this same strategy?


#3 - Curb-Checked Front Bumper



Not only is most of the underside of this panel scratched all to hell from concrete contact, there is also the unsightly scratch on the side. This is all past the paint and into the plastic(?) so I'm thinking it's beyond my DIY help, but I'd like to hear some thoughts.


#4 - Rear Bumper Bumps





It looks like someone bumped up against the bumper with a front license plate, most likely in a parallel parking situation. Again this is down into the plastic.


I love this car, but I simply do not have the time to stay on someone like M0nk3y's stringent paint care schedule. Way too many other hobbies. I'd love to hear how others keep their cars looking their best without making it a part-time job.

Thanks, y'all!