Hello,

I have an '03 Max SE Dark Gray. I have a couple of tough scratches that Megiars Scratch X (sp) did not solve so I decided to try rubbing compound. It worked but left a dull 1"x1" area. Does anyone know how to bring the shine back on this area? Would clear coat do the trick?

I tried waxing to no avail.

Thanks,

Mike

 

Ouch! This wasn't that horrible Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound in a red can was it?

In the future, try a milder product. I can think of a few that would work on scratches, but shouldn't leave much haze if worked in properly. Also, not all "rubbing compounds" are the same strength outside the TW universe. You have to be careful about scratch removal because if the scratch is too deep you're better off leaving it alone and simply reducing it a bit because you run the risk of either making the clear coat too thin, or rubbing some of it off all together.

Since you have it already, use the Scratch-X on the area. It should be strong enough to take out the hazing. Wax afterwards.

 

That was NOT a good idea. You should have kept going with the scratchx if you thought you could get it out. Abrasive products have a cumulative effect. Technically you could remove the same amount of clearcoat with the mildest polish you can find...you would just have to work for much longer. Not sure exactly what you mean by "compound"...hopefully it was clearcoat safe...whatever it was it sounds like it was way too agressive.

Now that the damage is done, what you need is to use lighter polishes to restore the finish. Try the scratchx again then use something lighter than that to finish. It's just like sand paper on wood (DO NOT USE SAND PAPER ON YOUR PAINT!): you use a heavier grit then work towards a lighter grit to give the surface a smooth finish...you use a heavy polish then a light one to give you a good finish.

That's assuming that you didn't compound away all the clearcoat. If you did then your only solution is getting the panel repainted at a bodyshop. Do not try to spray it yourself if you want anything resembling decent results.

I strongly recommend being more careful and reading this forum before doing any more detailing work. It sounds like you used something WAY too aggressive that may not even have been clearcoat safe. Agressive polishes are nice because they are fast, but you really should be using the lightest possible polish that will get the job done. The scratchx would have worked if you had kept at it.

Good luck.