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2010 MX-5 scratches

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  • #1

    2010 MX-5 scratches

    So I picked up my new MX-5 yesterday. Woo hoo. The bad news is that the roof (power hardtop) and the trunk area have quite a few small scratches and marring that don't seem to go through the color coat. I don't want to let the dealer monkeys touch it again. What should I use that will get these out, but not take off too much clear?

    Thanks.
    2021 BMW X3M Competition - Donington Gray
    2020 Chevy Bolt - Arctic White
    2019 Fiat 124 Spider - Brillante

    Some look better than others....
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

    Congrats on your purchase!

    Photos would be handy but if you're concerned about clear coat removal, try SwirlX first. If that doesn't do it, move up to ScratchX and then UC.

    Good luck!
    Originally posted by Blueline
    I own a silver vehicle and a black vehicle owns me. The black one demands attention, washing, detailing, waxing and an occasional dinner out at a nice restaurant. The silver one demands nothing and it looks just fine. I think the black vehicle is taking advantage of me, and the silver car is more my style. We can go out for a drive without her makeup and she looks fine. If I want to take the black one out, it is three or four hours in the "bathroom" to get ready.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

      Sweet choice DAC, love the 12 second power hardtop!! Are you polishing by hand? Davey's suggestions sound right on.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

        Yes; I wanted to start by hand, since it's a brand new car.
        2021 BMW X3M Competition - Donington Gray
        2020 Chevy Bolt - Arctic White
        2019 Fiat 124 Spider - Brillante

        Some look better than others....

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

          Congrats on your purchase.
          quality creates its own demand

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

            Well, for what it's worth, I had the same problem on my 2009 MX-5 (w/power top) a year ago when I bought it new. As others have said in other threads, the MX-5 has rather soft paint. After lots of trial and error I have found that my paint does not respond to hand polishing at all or to agressive compounds. Finally I have had great results with a dual-action polisher using an orange Lake Country pad and M205 (when I first had to remove a lot of light swirls) followed by M205 and a white LC pad. I won't go back to the orange pad unless I get a lot of swirls again. The combination of the white pad and 205 works very nicely to clean up the occasional errant light swirls. My paint seems to respond very nicely to Gold Class carnauba wax, too.
            I'm also interested in following a recommendation I received here to try ColorX with a polishing pad once a month or so.

            Congratulations on the MX-5. I've never loved a car so much. Fun to drive, great handling, wonderful response--and it looks fabulous with the top down. Perhaps the happiest day of my life was when I drove it from Flagstaff to Salt Lake City the day I bought it. Top down, iPod in ears, and driving down highway 89 on a sunny September day in a beautiful, responsive automobile. It doesn't get much better than that.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

              As others here have mentioned, go with a mild product as the MX-5 is well known for having relatively soft paint. The '99 that used to sit in my garage at home was a breeze to correct (including the time the dealer did me a "favor" and washed it following a catalytic converter warranty replacement - why they would wash a perfectly clean car is beyond me, but I digress).

              SwirlX would be our first choice, along with a foam applicator pad and a fairly mild touch. Don't get really aggressive with pressure unless you have to. If you find you must do so, follow up with the same product and a very mild touch to remove any light hazing you may have caused. We're stating this just as a precaution - odds are that a mild to moderate application will remove the light scratches without creating any haze. In those rare cases of hazing, however, we'd rather you be armed with the proper way to take care of it rather than being surprised and irritated by it.
              Michael Stoops
              Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

              Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

                Thanks guys for all the tips; this is a great forum. I'm buying the products tonight and doing the correction on Saturday.

                P.S. The car is an absolute blast!
                2021 BMW X3M Competition - Donington Gray
                2020 Chevy Bolt - Arctic White
                2019 Fiat 124 Spider - Brillante

                Some look better than others....

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: 2010 MX-5 scratches

                  Be sure to let us know how you go!
                  Originally posted by Blueline
                  I own a silver vehicle and a black vehicle owns me. The black one demands attention, washing, detailing, waxing and an occasional dinner out at a nice restaurant. The silver one demands nothing and it looks just fine. I think the black vehicle is taking advantage of me, and the silver car is more my style. We can go out for a drive without her makeup and she looks fine. If I want to take the black one out, it is three or four hours in the "bathroom" to get ready.

                  Comment

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