Woops, put scratches on my new car!

[waxyboard]

Haven't had a new car in awhile, and had some bird poop on the hood and I cleaned the spots off with a paper towel! Uhh, didn't realize it would scratch the paint where I rubbed off the poop. My car is a 2013 black accord.

I bought a Meguiar's kit on amazon, it came with cleaner, swirlx, and wax, and a yellow foam applicator.

I did a small section in the corner of the hood using swirlx and the yellow pad the "kit" came with using very light pressure. At first I did not rub swirlx until it dissapeared, maybe have used a bit too much. Then I wiped, and then I did it again with a little less and LIGHT pressure cuz I didn't want to do anything else to the new car. This time scratch2.0 became clear. I understood the instructions that the abrasive breaks down so I need to make sure I keep rubbing it till it turns clear.

Anyway, the area I did looks slightly more faded that the rest of the hood. Only a new car owner would really tell , and also it looks like there are very fine swirl marks introduced to the area I did. I am curious.

#1 What did I do wrong

#2 Should this product be introducing very fine swirls? I thought at the minimum it would do nothing and I would just be left with my original paper towel rub spots.

Any help is appreciated. Yes, I am watching the videos and reading tons of posts.

Thank you!

[Murr1525]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

1. 'Slighty more faded' is intriguing. Are you sure it isnt 'slightly more clean', withough extra dirt darkening the surface? Fine swirls could also refelct light and make it look brighter.

2. It depends. ScratchX 2.0 is on the stronger side of products, close to the Ult. Compound. And Hondas have had doft paint (easilly marred) in the past, so could be an issue with yours as well. If that is the case, it would mean stepping back to a milder product.

You mention both SwirlX and ScratchX in the post, but say applied again, so not sure if both products were in the kit, or just confusing names? If you used SwirlX, then ScratchX .0, yu would probably want to go back to SwirlX.

[goldenlight]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

You might have left some product behind on car. No biggie. Apply a pee size drop to foam pad apply light pressure in a circular motion for a couple of minutes then wipe off. You need to add Wax over the worked area to protect what you just cleaned. Unless you you a cleaner wax.

[C8N]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

I have a black 2012 Acura and I applied SwirlX by hand before and never noticed any hazing.
However, when UC was applied (by hand as well) with some pressure... did notice a little hazing.
Went over with UP and ColorX and the hazing cleared up.

[Detailing by M]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

Pictures would help us diagnose this problem for you.
But I can say it's your technique. Your doing something wrong. But this is normal.
I can suggest keep rubbing it until the scratches are gone.
Think of it like sanding. If you don't sand hard and long enough it won't look right. Faster and more pressure might be needed. But this is the art of detailing and the learning process.
What city are you in? Maybe I can suggest a detailer that can show you how/what to do.

[Car Potential]

Did you wash the car or at least the part of the hood prior to applying the swirl x?

[waxyboard]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

Hi guys. Thanks for the replies. Yeah, no worries, I know I am learning and will not being doing it right at first.

FIRST, I got the names confused. I have ScratchX2.0.

I used meguiars soap and the nice microfiber hand and washed the hood and clayed the area before I applied the ScratchX2.0. That came with the amazon.com package as well.

I was probably doing TOO LITTLE if anything. I was trying to be very cautious. I figure too little could always be fixed easier than overdoing something. Since it is abbrasive I thought maybe the first application was not worked in enough and I didn't give it a chance to break down to where it was clear.

Hazing is VERY slight, bearly noticable, just looks a like the area I did doesn't have as rich of a color. I am very scrutizing now because I did not want to take the chance of diong the entire hood if I didn't know what I was doing first. I thought maybe cuz I have to wax the area now?

I live in the North Bay area, up past Marin county.

Should I not bother with scratchx 2.0 and go with something milder before I try again??

I can send pictures when I have a chance. Thanks

[ffboy]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

You can switch to SwirlX. It is milder, it can help restore the clarity. Try another test area on the car, some place not easily seen to determine if it does finish well (in my experience it does finish nicely). I'm just not sure how ScratchX2.0 will work if you try a lighter application method but still allowing the product to become clear. So swirlX is for me, your best bet. Another option after all of this is Ultimate Polish, but then try SwirlX again.

[Murr1525]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

I was probably doing TOO LITTLE if anything. I was trying to be very cautious. I figure too little could always be fixed easier than overdoing something. Since it is abbrasive I thought maybe the first application was not worked in enough and I didn't give it a chance to break down to where it was clear.

One of the keys would be if you could focus on a swirl or scratch, and tell if it was removed, or moving around. Obviously if not removed, then too mild would be an issue. But if just moving swirls around, then the marring would come in.

Hazing is VERY slight, bearly noticable, just looks a like the area I did doesn't have as rich of a color. I am very scrutizing now because I did not want to take the chance of diong the entire hood if I didn't know what I was doing first. I thought maybe cuz I have to wax the area now?

Doing a test spot is the right idea.

The area should look perfect before waxing, then waxing just enhancing after.

Its just hard to determine offhand if you are seeing a removal of dirt, or if some marring may be lightening the color.

Pictures certainly wont hurt.

You could consider a milder product like SwirlX or Ult. Polish, and if you had the same lightening effect, on the same or a second spot, I would start to think it is dirt removed, and what you are seeing is the true color.

[Wheelzntoys]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

Where in Cali are you located?

I shaved off 10 microns of paint, got too close to a truck bumper trying to squeeze through.

M205 and a finishing pad cleaned it up well with a DA, took few seconds. I also have an Accord (Silver).

[JDarby89]

Re: Woops, put scratches on my new car!

Did you get it figured out? I live in Petaluma and work in Novato if you need a hand figuring it out let me know I would be more than happy to help out a fellow shineaholic!! Lol I have a polisher if its needed. Let us know either way how it turned out.