Car Paint Repair Articles Archives - Page 2 of 2

What is the Best Car Scratch Remover?

best car scratch remover

Car scratch remover, also called rubbing compound, is used to remove minor car scratches, oxidation, stains, water spots and general neglect. Repainting a car takes a lot of time and money that many car owners don’t want to spend. Rubbing compound is an inexpensive and a fast way to remove minor scratches and oxidation without the hassle of a full paint job.

Traditionally, most compounds are difficult to work with. After rubbing compound application, it dries to a white haze that takes a lot of time and energy to remove. Also, when removed, some products produce swirl marks on the vehicle’s surface that needs to be removed by special swirl remover or polisher. This is one of the reasons why I was happy when Meguiar’s released a new revolutionary product called “Ultimate Compound”.

New Car Scratch Remover – FixIt Pro. Does It Work?

There are a lot of different car scratch removers on today’s market that claim to fix scratches in no time. But do they really work? One of the new car scratch removers that was recently introduced is FixIt Pro.

The first time I heard about FixIt Pro was from a TV commercial. Billy May, the annoying loud man, was advertising FixIt Pro claiming it can magically erases small scratches on any color car. He said that this scratch remover fills and seals a scratch in just one swipe and dries in the sunlight within an hour, giving the area a shiny polished look.

To demonstrate how easy it is, May scratched a car (I am pretty sure it wasn’t his car) and then used FixIt Pro to remove the scratch. The price was $19.99 for two pens. When you buy one, you get another one for free with some free Microfiber Cloth and Vacuum cleaner. Of course, if you want to get the free stuff, you need to pay extra for shipping.

Best and Worst Car Scratch Removers

There is a lot of car scratch removers on today’s market that claim to fix even the deepest scratches, but do they really work? I decided to do a little research on my own and test most popular scratch removers.

Since my car is in a very good condition, I had to use every car in my family. They were very happy, especially my mom, who gets all sort of scratches. I also wanted to see what other users think, so I read consumer reviews on different sites and auto forums. After few weeks of research and testing here are the results.

Most Common Car Paint Repair Q&A

Q: What is the best temperature for car paint repair?

A: 72F with 50% humidity is the best weather for car painting. Avoid painting in direct sun and in the windy conditions. Temperatures above 80F and below 55F can compromise your paint job. Since all areas have different weather, try to get to the recommended conditions as close as you can. During cold winter, it is a good idea to use heated garage. When painting in the garage, make sure you have enough light and good air flow.

Q: After car paint repair, why do I need to wait 30 days before applying wax?

A: Coat of wax seals the paint creating a barrier coating over the surface, that prevents solvents from escaping through evaporation, or drying up. Solvents, also called thinners and reducers, are used to thin the paint down so that it can be atomized into a spray when applied with a paint gun or an aerosol can using compressed air.

Top 10 Car Paint Repair Mistakes

1. Not removing dirt and wax before paint touch-up.
Applying touch up paint on top of a dirty surface will prevent it from adhering properly. First, you need to wash it with water and some dish soap. Next, follow it up with prep solvent. Prep solvent removes oils, road grease, dirt, car wax, and other surface contaminates and also improves adhesion to the surface.

2. Painting in the wrong temperatures.
Painting your car in the temperatures lower than 55F or higher than 80F is not a good idea. As the weather gets colder or hotter, the behavior of the paint changes which might result in blotches or blushing, bubbling, discoloration, or a gritty texture. The ideal temperature is 72F with 50% humidity.

3. Using wrong sandpaper.
You need to use sandpaper specially designed for car paint repairs. Regular wood sandpaper or sanding block is too rough and will leave scratches. If you want to do wet sanding, make sure it says wet/dry on the label.