No result with ScratchX - Where is the fault?

[Tuningfreak]

I tried yesterday scratchX on a hood of a bluemetallic car car, 2 years old. The paint is in good condition, always used all Meguiars parts to clean and detail. Main problem are dealer installed swirls and some finde scratches all over the surface. I always used ScratchX on my personal cars and of different family cars in the past - I was always satisfied!

To show the difference after using scratchX, i taped a quarter of the hood where I used the product. The car has been washed before, it was waxed with NXT around 4 weeks ago.

I started with the Step1 paint cleaner on the taped area. After that I began with the scratchX, rubbing it into the surface with a applicator pad and wiped the area clean with a MF towel. I did this 5 times and not even 1 single scratch or swirl was gone...

I thought about the possibility that the waxed surface would be the problem, so I washed the area with an anti-fat soap to get lost of the wax.

Then I started again with scratchX. This time I did it like mentioned in the description on the tube: Rub in, let dry, wipe, polish. Also I made 4 runs with no result, the paint looks exactly like before: Scratches and swirls...

I dont think that I have done anything wrong, also I used this tube of scratchX since 2 years and had a lot of good results on different cars, but right now I´m helpless... Could the effect get lost if the product is too old (+2 years)??? The surface defects are really low, compared with other shown problems here in the meguiars forum, so its not possible that these problems couldnt be solved with scratchX! But where is the mistake or the reason?

PLEASE HELP!

[_G-DoG_]

Hi Tuningfreak.
Perhaps your paint is really too hard for Scratch X. I've read this thread and mabe you can identify with the things said in there.

Greets
Markus

[Top Down]

Also, don't let it dry. Work it in, then wipe off. Try using a terry cloth since that will give it more bite.

[Tuningfreak]

Okay, I will try with a terry, but I dont think that this will work much better...

I tried both methods: let it dry and dont let it try, both have beend without any result!!!

[BlueTooth]

I too had this prob but I found out that after I clayed my truck I was able to see a difference. I like to wax and polish my truck a lot and when I started seeing swirls in the paint I pulled out the scratchx and nothing, I then got it washed and clayed because it really needed it, and then I tried the scratchx and bamo swirls and minor scratches gone. I think that i was micromarring the wax, cause after I clayed most of the swirls were gone. SO this might be a prob if you have yet to clay ur vehicle

[TH0001]

When you say rub it in, how hard are you rubbing?

You should be doing a 12"X12" square, and working the product with alot of elbow grease behind it until it starts to gum up, then remove with a microfiber. If your not feeling tired after 3 applications, your doing it wrong....

[SL1CK]

If its old, shake it up a bit. ScratchX should not be let dry and should be worked in with passion behind the pad. No pain no gain!!

[OctaneGuy]

This is my ScratchX moto:
If you aren't sweating, and your fingers aren't hurting from pressing hard on the applicator pad by the 2nd pass, then you aren't working it in correctly.


Check out this video clip


Edit: Commercial link removed. - Mike

[BlueTooth]

^^^ wow that cleared up a lot for me, even tho all of the clip wasnt shown. I kinda wish that we didnt have to buy the dvd's to see how things are done, but hey people have to make profit

[OctaneGuy]

Hmmm, do you work for free? Come on, the video is a years worth of work between two guys during their free time who put up their own hard work and money to support it. You really think professional advice that saves you years of mistakes should be free? As I said before, how much is your time worth? I hope more than $25.

Richard

[Tuningfreak]

Thank you guys, but you can trust me: I used scratchX on about 10 different cars, always with a good result. I KNOW HOW TO DO! And you can believe: My sweat runs down my face in rivers, so much pressure was behind my work! ;-) I used the same amount of product and did the same work like in the short video - nothing happened. I washed the car 1 hour before, 1 month ago the whole car has been clayed and the surface is still smooth, that could not be the reason.

A few words regarding the instruction:
Onto the GERMAN tube its written exactly: "rub in a small amount of product and let it dry, then wipe out with a terry..." Thats the reason why I tried both methods, without drying and WITH drying!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Tuningfreak

A few words regarding the instruction:

Onto the GERMAN tube its written exactly: "rub in a small amount of product and let it dry, then wipe out with a terry..." Thats the reason why I tried both methods, without drying and WITH drying!

The directions on the label are wrong. Corrected labels are being implemented. This article explains more on the topic of drying or not drying.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12031

[Tuningfreak]

Thank you Mike, but I know that the labels are wrong! I´m an authorized Meguiars dealer here in germany and I get every "week" new tubes of scratchX & co, but the discription didnt change until last week! ;-) But thats the reason why I tried both versions, just to proof that no way will bring a good result!

What do you think about the problem? Its really impossible that I do it wrong. I rub it in with massive power until the sweat is coming onto my face, I dont let it dry, I used MF towel to wipe off and tried today on a spot also with a terry... not even 1 scratch is gone away! I´m down....

[LS1MONSTER]

I just picked up a bottle and it still has the "old directions" I'm pretty sure tons of labels were pre printed and it would have cost a pretty penny to not use them. But alot of people who don't call or visit the website have been disappointed because they weren't using the product correctly. I for one can't wait to use Scratch X this weekend...4day weekend for me!

[TH0001]

If you did the correct way, and it sounds like you did, your paint is probably to hard to correct. Looks like its rotary time, IMO....