I have a couple scratches to my clearcoat that I want to remove. Can anyone recommend a product for removing clearcoat scratches without having to respray clearcoat on the car? Any help would be appreciated

 

The basic idea for scratches (and swirl marks) is to use something as mild as possible, and if that doesn't get rid of them, try something a little bit stronger.

For scratches, I would suggest starting with a swirl mark remover like Meguiars #9 Swirl Mark Remover. It is a very fine abrasive; it wears down the paint but it does so gradually and leaves the finish smooth enough to wax over without any additional steps. I wouldn't use it for routine care, but it's a great place to start with scratches.

If the Meguiars #9 isn't strong enough, then you need to get into harsher abrasives like rubbing compounds or sanding. Be very careful because they work by wearing down the finish, and you have to make sure you don't wear down too much.

P.S. I thought there wasn't any clear coat on the ITR paint finish...?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

P.S. I thought there wasn't any clear coat on the ITR paint finish...?
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That has been debated before and I think we have reached a stalemate. Doesn't Meguire's make some kind of clearcoat polish? Careful with abrasive...you'll do more harm than good.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by factoryfreak &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That has been debated before and I think we have reached a stalemate. Doesn't Meguire's make some kind of clearcoat polish? Careful with abrasive...you'll do more harm than good.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Regardless of whether the finish has a clearcoat or not, you still need to smooth down the finish to get rid of scratches (whether you are smoothing down clearcoat, or pigmented paint).

The nice thing about Meguiars #9 Swirl Mark Remover is that it's such a fine abrasive that, used properly, you're not likely to damage the finish. It smooths it down - yes, by removing paint, but does so gradually - exactly what you want for light scratches.

 

Don't you need to use a buffer in combination with Meguiars #9 Swirl Mark Remover ?

http://store.auto-geek.net/meg9swirrem.html

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by factoryfreak &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't you need to use a buffer in combination with Meguiars #9 Swirl Mark Remover ?[/url]</TD></TR></TABLE>

No. You can apply it by hand using a cotton or microfiber towel. The link you provided even says this: "You can choose your favorite method of application opting for hand rubbing, orbital buffer, or duel action polisher!"

However, I disagree with the part of that link that claims this product is non-abrasive. It is a FINE abrasive. Use it on your finish and you will see the paint color on your towel. But it works so gradually that it is relatively safe for your finish.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by factoryfreak &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't you need to use a buffer in combination with Meguiars #9 Swirl Mark Remover ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nope.

Check this out - https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=790409

I have used alot of stuff, and I think the Meguiars professional products (not the stuff you see in vatozone, pep boys, etc!) are the best on the market. Can order them from the meguiars website if there arent any shops near you that sell it.

Zaino stuff is good as well, but its an absolute pain in the *** to use.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Zaino stuff is good as well, but its an absolute pain in the *** to use.</TD></TR></TABLE>
definitely.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have used alot of stuff, and I think the Meguiars professional products (not the stuff you see in vatozone, pep boys, etc!) are the best on the market. Can order them from the meguiars website if there arent any shops near you that sell it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Check your local auto parts store. A lot of the auto parts stores do carry the Meguiar's products that are part of their "professional line". (And in some cases the products in their professional line are very very similar to those in their consumer line - as one of their regional sales reps once told me.)

You can find out more about the various Meguiar's products from their website. Click on "The Meguiar's Store" for their "consumer" products, or on "The Professional Store" for their "professional" products, then on "Automotive Appearance Care".

 

regular zymol has worked great for me in the past.

 

Do it the easy way and go to Walmart automotive section and buy some M3 Rubbing Compound, a few 100% Cotton Terry cloths, and some microfiber. Read the instructions and have a nice day.

After you're done with that, hit it with some Gold Class.

PS: Works great for scratches around the doorhandles, fenders (from working on the car with a belt on), and minor scratches.

 

http://www.meguiars.com/store_...G-103

 

I use the 3M machine polish and 3M swirl mark remover. They work excellent! Especially for you unfortunate black car owners

 

I've found that Meguires scratch X works the best for me, especially considering I have to do it by hand.

 

Meguiars # 9 and Meguiars NXT wax have been very nice to me. This combination on my ebp em1 removed (or hidden ) vitrually all of the swirls i had. Both are easy to use also.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Zaino stuff is good as well, but its an absolute pain in the *** to use.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not anymore than meguiars, and in my opinion is a better product for the money. Search for the test one NSX owner did on car polishes and waxes, Zaino tops all (including the $1500 Zymol NSX wax)

Zaino Bros

 

You don't need to use a polisher to remove scratches using a polish, but it is very helpful. The main two benefits are:
#1 way less work
#2 this is the main one, it is that you get a lot more consistent finish.

When you are polishing by hand, it is very difficult to get even pressure across the surface, and even more difficult to polish consistently across the entire surface. What you get becuase of that is a lack of swirls and scratches in some places, and a remaining presence of them in others. You can get some really awesome polishers such as the Porter Cable (this is the one that I have) from someplace like http://www.toolmart.com for about $120. It isn't that much considering that it will last you for years, and it saves you a lot of time and effort, as well as improving the outcome, in the long run.

J N

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.meguiars.com/store_...G-103</TD></TR></TABLE>

Scratch-X is great stuff - I use it as a follow up to claybar to remove stubborn stuff bonded to the paint, but there are better products for scratch removal, IMO. Scratch-X is more of a filler, and the scratches will re-appear.

I need to buy a buffer. Maybe I'll detail the car again this winter.