Scratches made worse with crappy compound wax

[BadAtChoosingNames]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, swapped my 2010 FJC for a 2014 Magnetic Grey 4Runner Trail Edition back in August and already I've got some blemishes on her

I parked in a friends driveway not long after getting her and apparently they need to trim their tree/bushes because I noticed the next day after leaving that I had some light pin-striping on the side of my T4R where I had parked in their driveway.

So I found in my garage a thing of brand new TurtleWax Compound wax; said it was good for getting rid of scratches etc....I thought ok cool, this sounds like it will work. Not only did it not work, but it effectively just flattened the finish where I used the stuff so now if you look at it in the right angle, the affected area looks dull along with the original scratches, while everything else around it is shiny and new.

I tried going back over the affected areas with some Meguiars Ultimate wax and that doesn't seem to have helped much either.

Does anyone know of a good method/product that can buff out these scratches and restore the shine?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MONTYMTB]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum, swapped my 2010 FJC for a 2014 Magnetic Grey 4Runner Trail Edition back in August and already I've got some blemishes on her

I parked in a friends driveway not long after getting her and apparently they need to trim their tree/bushes because I noticed the next day after leaving that I had some light pin-striping on the side of my T4R where I had parked in their driveway.

So I found in my garage a thing of brand new TurtleWax Compound wax; said it was good for getting rid of scratches etc....I thought ok cool, this sounds like it will work. Not only did it not work, but it effectively just flattened the finish where I used the stuff so now if you look at it in the right angle, the affected area looks dull along with the original scratches, while everything else around it is shiny and new.

I tried going back over the affected areas with some Meguiars Ultimate wax and that doesn't seem to have helped much either.

Does anyone know of a good method/product that can buff out these scratches and restore the shine?

Thanks in advance!

Try some Meguiars Ultimate Compound, then their Ultimate Polish, then the wax.

 

[T4R2014]

Turtle Wax kind of sucks. Try Ultimate Compound as stating above. It works wonders.

 

[Nashvillerunner]

Yeah I wouldn't suggest using Turtle Wax products. There are plenty of detailing forums you can view that has top notch products. Check out Autopia Forums. It is a great detailing site and forum. I would also check out Griots, Adams and Poorboys products. Also google Chemical Guys detailing.You can email them and they can suggest the best products that will get the job done. Detailing products are like anything else. You get what you pay for. Spend the extra money for a better product and you will get great results.

 

[BadAtChoosingNames]

Thanks for the all of the input! I will definitely look into these suggestions.

Yeah for the record, I didn't buy the turtle wax. I think my girlfriend picked it up at some point before she swapped out her lease, I found it in the garage and I guess out of convenience I figured I would give it a try. I should have known better.

Thanks again!eace:

 

[Rbiggers]

Try some Meguiars Ultimate Compound, then their Ultimate Polish, then the wax.

This will more than do the trick.

I have used solely Meguiars for the last 6 years with perfect results, and I'm a hardcore detailing perfectionist (but not a pro by any means). They have an excellent forum on their website that will give you all kinds of suggestions and advice.

 

[I-4x4]

You also need to clay bar the area before you polish or wax it. Even if you buy the nicest compounds, waxes and a variable speed polisher, you will likely end up with more scratches - if you don't use a clay bar first. Especially with a dark color.

Check this out: Clay Bar Auto Detailing Guide - Detailed Image

In short, the clay bar clears the dirt left on the car after you wash it. Now just imagine, dirt swirling around with your wax at 2,500 rpm..

 

[BrianSD_42]

Wash, clay bar, 1 coat Meg. Ultimate Compound then remove, 1 coat Ultimate Wax then remove.

Use hand applicator, no buffer, wipe of by hand.

 

[Kean]

It's not the brand that is the problem, it the type of product. What you were using was a rubbing or polishing "compound" (not a wax). While terminology in detailing products is not standardized, compounds are typically used to remove heavy scratches and more aggressive ones can be like taking sandpaper to your paint (dulling the finish as you described). Compounds are usually intended to be followed up by a polish(es) to help restore the gloss.

Meguiars Ultimate Compound recommended earlier would probably be a good start followed by a finishing polish like their Swirl-X or perhaps their Ultimate Polish. UC is relatively "light" when it comes to compounds IMO/IME and might even be more appropriate to consider it a heavy polish. You may even be satisfied with the finish it leaves without using anything lighter. It finishes well by machine but IME it can still leave a bit of haze (especially by hand).

None of these products are intended to be used as protection. You will need to apply an actual wax/sealant/coating of your choice after your done. Definitely would suggest reading the product label more thoroughly next time and always do a test panel first when using a product you're not familiar with. .....tape off a ~ 1'x1' section (using painters tape) and try your product(s) there first. Check your progress often under adequate lighting (pull the vehicle out in the sun if needed when assessing). ONce you are satisfied with the result you will have a better idea of the effort needed to tackle the rest of the vehicle. ....and will lessen your chances of any nasty surprises.

 

[Drummer1]

My wife's car had multiple scratches from a bush and I used a clay bar on it first then washed it and used Meguiars M103 and M203 on my Lake Country pads and Porter Cable 7424XP which removed the majority of the scratches.