Scratch X or #2 Fine cut cleaner for Swirl Marks

ej8tunerman

New member
My car was recently hit by a drunk driver and the rear bumper and QP were repainted along with the door getting wetsanded/buffed. Obviously they do not using the best of washing techniques because my car now has Cobbweb swirls and light swirl marks. As of right now I use #26 Yellow Wax as a bi weekly chore along with #9 swirl remover/polish bi monthly. I claybar about every 6 months, and up until this point my paint was in excellent condition with little to no swirls/cobbwebbing. My quesiton is, of the products that are readily available to me at the moment(nearby store), I am left with either the New Reformulated #2 Fine cut cleaner or Meguairs Scratch X. I am also left to work with either my hand or my orbital buffer. Though I know these are neither the BEST products nor tools, Which will yield better results for what im lookin to do?
 
ej8tunerman said:
My car was recently hit by a drunk driver and the rear bumper and QP were repainted along with the door getting wetsanded/buffed. Obviously they do not using the best of washing techniques because my car now has Cobbweb swirls and light swirl marks. As of right now I use #26 Yellow Wax as a bi weekly chore along with #9 swirl remover/polish bi monthly. I claybar about every 6 months, and up until this point my paint was in excellent condition with little to no swirls/cobbwebbing. My quesiton is, of the products that are readily available to me at the moment(nearby store), I am left with either the New Reformulated #2 Fine cut cleaner or Meguairs Scratch X. I am also left to work with either my hand or my orbital buffer. Though I know these are neither the BEST products nor tools, Which will yield better results for what im lookin to do?

I would use scratchX by hand. I am not sure #2 would break down by orbital.
 
If you get the *new* formula #2 you can use it with a DA polisher. It's a very good and easy to use product that doesn't get talked about much anywhere.
 
ej8tunerman- If you're doing the whole car I'd go with the #2, and I'd plan on a follow-up with something milder (maybe the #9 but that's awfully mild stuff, maybe the Scratch-X if the #9 doesn't remove any micromarring from the #2).



Note that the repainted areas might be pretty soft, especially for the first 6-8 weeks or so. And don't wax those areas for 3-4 months (I'd use one of the Meg's "pure polishes" on them in the meantime).
 
SpoiledMan said:
If you get the *new* formula #2 you can use it with a DA polisher. It's a very good and easy to use product that doesn't get talked about much anywhere.

Agree with you totally. The NEW #2 is pretty darn good.......as is #9.
 
SpoiledMan said:
If you get the *new* formula #2 you can use it with a DA polisher. It's a very good and easy to use product that doesn't get talked about much anywhere.

the only problem is that most of the old bottles say "new formula"...well at least in canada.
 
sneek said:
the only problem is that most of the old bottles say "new formula"...well at least in canada.



a way to tell if it's the *new* version is look on the back and see if it says it can be used with a DA...
 
Accumulator said:
Huh, wonder what they changed about it :confused:



it's now been re-formulated for use by both hand AND pc.



product_G10307.jpg


The most effective way to safely remove fine scratches and swirls...Now by hand OR with a dual action polisher! Our new and improved ScratchX uses diminishing abrasive technology to safely and effectively remove fine scratches, swirls, and oxidation. As you work ScratchX into the surface of your vehicle, the abrasives diminish and your paint surface is polished to reveal brilliant color and clarity. Clear coat safe, ScratchX will not create new scratches and will not simply "cover" fine scratches as most conventional products do.
 
Well, I'm curious about what they actually altered. Some people have always said it works OK by PC and others say it gums up their pads, so I was just wondering...
 
Accumulator said:
Well, I'm curious about what they actually altered. Some people have always said it works OK by PC and others say it gums up their pads, so I was just wondering...



Biggest thing was their directions. Used to say to let dry.......now it does not. It's one of the only products Meg's sell that you will never let dry. It also has more oils in it now.
 
justin30513 said:
Biggest thing was their directions. Used to say to let dry.......now it does not. It's one of the only products Meg's sell that you will never let dry. It also has more oils in it now.



OK, thanks. I figured it had something to do with the oils/lubricants in it. Noting that I've never used the stuff, I didn't know that the old instructions said to let it dry...I'm used to Meg's polishes being buffed off while they're still wet so I figured that was how you used Scratch-X too.
 
I’ve only used the new ScratchX by hand and it does feel a bit less viscous than before. They say the reformulation is to eliminate the gumming up when it's heated and be easier to remove when used by machine.



Last Wednesday night at “Open Garage� a noobie who’d never used a PC before used the new ScratchX to polish his Jeep. He had no problems at all.



I watched Mike Phillips use it by PC on a black Bentley on Saturday. Seemed pretty easy to use, no signs of gumming up. It was the first time he’d gotten a chance to try it too so he did three test spots, new ScratchX by hand, new ScratchX by PC and #80 by PC.



The Bentley had been a total mess, scratches and buffer trails everywhere. I guess the paint wasn’t too hard (single stage black). The hand section was seriously improved and both machine sections were massively improved.



The ScratchX had less cut than #80 so if your paint is hard or your scratches significant new #2 may be the way to go.





PC.
 
sneek said:
...:eek: mike didn't post any sun shots!
He did, but unfortunately only managed to catch “befores.�



2RollsRoyce009.jpg




Afterward, the owner pulled it out into the sun and you heard copious ooohs, aaahs, and holy #$@!s from the crowd, everybody was amazed. Then we went back inside to finish up the official portion of class, fill out eval forms and grab goodie bags. Mike was going to take the “after� shots and polish the rest of the guy’s bonnet (hood to you colonials out there) but he drove off while we were still finishing up. :confused:



Mike was bummed he couldn’t get the pix and felt bad that the guy’s driving his Bentley around with a checkerboard bonnet (but I think the owner sort of wanted to do the rest himself anyway :waxing: ).





PC.
 
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