Screwed up my car - please help!

With what did you apply the ScratchX?

That is, what type of applicator?


Welcome to AGO

Doing things by hand makes it tough. ScratchX is pretty abrasive, so that is why it left a haze. You will need to polish it with something less abrasive in order to remove the haze. Doing this by hand can be really tricky since it is hard to generate the speed and friction necessary to break down compounds to finer particles to avoid hazing. I don't think Duragloss 105 is going to work for you. You need another compound to cut the paint and not just a wax that doesn't really do any cutting. Maybe head to the local auto part store and grab some Meguiar's Ultimate Compound or Polish. One of those should help make a dent. Pictures would also help to know better how to advise.

Jman136 said:

I am doing everything by hand.

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I used to teach how to work by hand when I taught all the Meguiar's classes in Irvine, the thing I like to point out is that working by hand actually requires a LOT more technique to do it right than working with the simplest of tools, the Porter Cable 7424XP with a simple foam pad.

You could take a PC, a Lake Country 5.4" white foam polishing pad and ScratchX and go back over that area and it would look perfect.

Then apply any wax to seal the paint.

Jman136 said:

Is there a really good product for this?

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ScratchX is as good as any normal compound or polish that uses great abrasive technology.

The problem is when working by hand you have uneven pressure PLUS whatever it is you're pressing the ScratchX against the paint with.


Normally to remove defects out of hard, scratch-sensitive clearcoats by hand you start with a fiber pad like a microfiber applicator pad because FIBER is a form of abrasive and it gives the ScratchX or whatever compound or polish you're using more BITE.


Then you can re-apply the same product, ScratchX or whatever compound or polish you're using only this time apply with soft, clean FOAM applicator pads. You basically use the abrasive, not the foam to shmoo over the area you worked the fiber applicator pad to remove the MARRING caused by the fibers.

Jman136 said:

I applied the Scratch X 2.0 with a yellow Meguiars foam applicator. I worked the product in until it appeared to broken down all the way. I then wipe away the residual.

So, my question is, at this point what do I do to correct it? I really hate to go to a professional, but that may be the case.

Will Duragloss #105 (says it cleans and polishes in one step) correct the haze? I could always do an extra application of it?

Last, where is the best place/price to buy a Porter Cable. I should just invest in one!

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If there are any members on here close to you I'm sure they wouldn't mind polishing out one little spot for you using a polisher, I know I wouldn't. where do you live?

The best place to invest in a Porter Cable is right here where the advise is free.

The black Rogue paint is very very soft.

Give Chicago Auto Pros a call in Glenview, IL.. That's not too far from Kenosha, and they are open on Saturdays. Call ahead.

GenesisCoupe said:

The black Rogue paint is very very soft.

Give Chicago Auto Pros a call in Glenview, IL.. That's not too far from Kenosha, and they are open on Saturdays. Call ahead.

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That's interesting. Every Nissan and Infinity I'be worked on have had hard paint. Good to know the Rogue is soft. All the Rogues or just black, do you know?

Jman136 said:

I live in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Right at the WI/IL border. Does anyone on this forum live around here? I'm more than happy to PT for their time!

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I am about an hour North of Milwaukee.

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You make the trip here I will fix it free of charge for you.

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DaveT435 said:

That's interesting. Every Nissan and Infinity I'be worked on have had hard paint. Good to know the Rogue is soft. All the Rogues or just black, do you know?

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I worked on the previous generation rogue and the red was soft but the white was on the harder side. The black Nissan's with no pearls i always experienced them to be soft. There was someone with a new black Leaf and the paint was also super soft.

GenesisCoupe said:

I worked on the previous generation rogue and the red was soft but the white was on the harder side. The black Nissan's with no pearls i always experienced them to be soft. There was someone with a new black Leaf and the paint was also super soft.

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The only black one I did was an Infinity. It was a solid black and rock hard. It was swirled pretty bad, I ended up hitting it with a rotary and wool. Of course they may use different paint on Infinities. I've got a black Sentra coming up. It'll be interesting to see what the paint on that one is like.

I live in Oak Park, IL.

Heck, if you come down here next Sunday to the Rise and Drive event, forum member Klasse Act and I will be there and can take a look, and I'll bring some products if you come! (I don't speak for Klasse Act, but he's such a Class Act and all around nice guy that I'm sure he'd agree with me to take a look and lend a hand!)

https://www.facebook.com/riseanddrive/

Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:

You basically use the abrasive, not the foam to shmoo over the area you worked the fiber applicator pad to remove the MARRING caused by the fibers.

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Mike, I have read your book, "Complete Guide to a Show Car Finish" Cover to cover and did not see the section on how to "Schmoo" the finish.:xyxthumbs::urtheman:

I am guessing about the "circle"

Leave the car in hot sun for a few days, and it will probably clear.

Jman136 said:

I applied the Scratch X 2.0 with a yellow Meguiars foam applicator.


I worked the product in until it appeared to broken down all the way.

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That sounds right.

Normally when working ScratchX by hand you work it for a few moments, about a minute. I've timed myself and around a minute is right for a section of paint smaller than 1' by 1'. That's about as large as you can work too.

As you work it for this long it will turn clear and oily looking.

Jman136 said:

So, my question is, at this point what do I do to correct it? I really hate to go to a professional, but that may be the case.

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What you did is normal. To correct it you could re-apply only this time don't rub as hard. Like I always say,


Polishing paint is an art form, not a grinding process

Jman136 said:

Will Duragloss #105 (says it cleans and polishes in one step) correct the haze?

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The "haze" is micro-scratches IN the clearcoat. To remove them you need to level the surface and this means abrade or remove more clearcoat.

This is the PROBLEM for most people when trying to work on scratch-sensitive clearcoat paints is they don't possess the skill to work by hand and create results that meet their high expectations. Don't blame ScratchX, they didn't make the paint. It's the paint that is difficult to work on [by hand].

The Duragloss #105 is a cleaner/wax or cleaner/sealant for the AR among us and it won't do any better of a job at removing the haze or micro-scratches than the ScratchX did assuming you apply it the same way. The "sealant" in the product may mask or hide the micro-scratches but not remove them.

The only way to 100% remove scratches or any other below surface defect out of a clearcoat paint system is to abrade and level the surface. This leads us into the topic that I type about all the time called,

Abrasive Technology

There's good and there's bad and in my opinion, (for what it's worth), and my experience, it is THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR when it comes to working on paint, not the pad, the tool or a person's technique.

Jman136 said:

Last, where is the best place/price to buy a Porter Cable. I should just invest in one!

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As mentioned, Autogeek is the LARGEST online supplier of car detailing supplies, pads, products and yes... tools.

We sell these tools and as a part of our customer service we provide this discussion forum to answer questions and help people do it right the first time or in some cases, recover from mishaps.

andy0902 said:

Mike, I have read your book, "Complete Guide to a Show Car Finish" Cover to cover and did not see the section on how to "Schmoo" the finish.

:xyxthumbs: :urtheman:

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You know... when I wrote the first book, and even the second, third, fourth and fifth books, I kept wanting to use the word schmoo but I could not find a definitive spelling or definition.

It's a word I use to convey the thought of smooth or fix when working on delicate surfaces with complex procedures where expectations are high but sometimes the reality is something different.

As I work through my new book I'll use the term and then like other terms I've coined in this industry, LSP, RIDS, Test Spot and now VIF, I will both define it and finalize the correct spelling.

kevincwelch said:

I live in Oak Park, IL.

Heck, if you come down here next Sunday to the Rise and Drive event, forum member Klasse Act and I will be there and can take a look, and I'll bring some products if you come! (I don't speak for Klasse Act, but he's such a Class Act and all around nice guy that I'm sure he'd agree with me to take a look and lend a hand!)

https://www.facebook.com/riseanddrive/

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I'd recommend taking Kevin up on this offer. In probably less than a half hour he can bring you up to speed on all sorts of car detailing topics that will save you time and headaches plus save your car's paint.


:dblthumb2: