Good OTC final polish?

D

dazco

New member
I have been using mothers scratch remover to polish out my bike's tank and fenders about once every couple months. It works great, but i worry the abrasive is too coarse to use it with this kind of frequency, plus i wonder if theres something that will look even deeper and glossier. It's a newer water based paint, so it's very soft and develops spider webbing degree scratching just looking at it. So i'm looking for a OTC product that is priced reasonably and will gloss that puppy up real nice w/o wearing thru the clear coat.
 
scratch x, ultimate compound and swirlx are all excellent. IMO, they all finish the same, but the compound is more aggressive than either swirlx or scratchx.
 
Are you doing this by hand or machine? If by hand then you don't have to worry as much about an agressive product since its much less agressive then when using a machine. Anyway Swirl X should do the job.
 
rfinkle2 said:
scratch x, ultimate compound and swirlx are all excellent. IMO, they all finish the same, but the compound is more aggressive than either swirlx or scratchx.
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The original Scratch X was a very mild polish, a few notches more aggressive than a simple paint cleanser, IME. Scratch X 2.0 is considerably more aggressive. Finishing results are not nearly as good as with the previous version. Harley dealers have a Swirl & Scratch remover that I always suspected was relabeled Scratch X V1. Looks the same, smells the same, packaged similarly and works the same as the milder, original Scratch X. Of the options given I'd vote for Swirl X.



TL
 
If your bike's paint is as soft as you say it is, SwirlX might fit the bill nicely. I've found it to be nearly useless on hard paints.
 
ThrillHo said:
If your bike's paint is as soft as you say it is, SwirlX might fit the bill nicely. I've found it to be nearly useless on hard paints.
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It is ! Thats why i've decided t try swirlX. You can run your finger lightly over it and see the trail of scratches in the right light.
 
dazco said:
It is ! Thats why i've decided t try swirlX. You can run your finger lightly over it and see the trail of scratches in the right light.
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Lemme guess, H-D Vivid Black?



TL
 
I never thought Mothers Scratch Remover was that aggressive. It always had finished very well... no local marring, etc.
 
Well, turns out mothers scratch remover works better. Some of you mentioned scratchX being almost too mild, and i'd have to say i agree that it IS too mild. I had to rub like crazy even as soft as my water based paint is to get any joy. And the result wasn't as rich and deep as it looks after a dose of mothers.



I guess maybe if used with a buffer it may work better. And it certainly MUST be very safe to use often w/o going thru the clear. Oh well....$10 more in detailing product money down the tubes. Lesson learned for the 100th time....if something works, don't try and improve on it.
 
I'll find a use for it i suppose. maybe not even for car or bike but something else. Who knows. Actually, i just thought of another use where it could be very good, so i'll give that a shot.
 
Powerpolish is a good one.



However, my personal favorite for finishing polish that you can get OTC pretty much everywhere is this one:

Finishing polish from certain company not very liked on autopia

Make sure you get the premium one in the black plastic container, not the regular one in the can or you will be in trouble.



It has good cut, even by hand you will get decent results, it is very creamy, minimal dust, bottle design helps to apply evenly to the pads, almost no sling with a rotary, can be worked for a long time, has virtually no fillers, and the most important: It leaves a very nice finish.



I got it by accident (I miscalculated and ran out of polish, car was almost done, had to get polish ASAP...) If only I could have more accidents as fortunate as this one :P It's brother, the compound, is as good as the polish
 
I'm sure your bike's tank and fenders are full of fine scratches now due to the scratch remover. You shd get these removed professionally. Then, you apply something simple and economical frequently.



Cleaner waxes: Meguiars Cleaner Wax, Meg's Gold Class (helps cover up fine scratches), Megs NXT (for a deep, sophisticated carnauba-like look), Autoglym SRP.

Lots of choices, but the above are my favourites.



If you want more durability, top up with a layer of something durable. Collinite's waxes, FK1000P etc.



I do lots of BMW bikes, and those customers love REJEX because it's so easy to wash off the bugs and other road-trip stains. 3 layers of REJEX especially on a fairing = Superb!
 
I'd try Duragloss PreCleaner #652 with a coat of wax or a sealant, such as Duragloss Clear Coat Polish #111. Can be found at CarQuest Auto Parts.
 
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