Zymol or Scratch-X -- Best scratch/swirl remover?

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Ãœber~PhLuBB

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Between Zymol Cleaner Wax and Meguiar's Scratch-X, which removes scratches better? Which removes swirls better?



Which do you prefer, and why? The reason I ask is that I have both, and I dunno which one to choose. =)
 
Uhmmmm.... Neither. lol ScratchX isn't for swirls. Its for scratches. If you drive up next to a bush or something and it causes scratches in an isolated area then that is what you use ScratchX for. Its not really for total car use. There are other swirl removers that work sooooooo much better.



Zymol cleaner wax is just that; a cleaner wax. It isn't going to remove swirls.



If you want to remove swirls then you need to use a swirl removing compound. Meguiar's and 3M both make such products. Meguiars has their #9, DACP, Diamond Cut, etc that would work. I am really a fan of the DACP product. 3M has their Perfect It and Finesse It products that have different level products that may work.



The thing about swirl removal is that it is best done with a machine. Do you have a polisher like a Porter Cable or something like that? One of those $30 dollar buffers isn't going to do the trick. Swirls are incredibly tough to even dent by hand. There are very few professionals who are able to do it. You really have to have some muscle to pull something like that off. If you are working by hand then I would suggest just trying to fill and hide the swirls because removing them is going to be pretty difficult to do and is going to take a long time depending on how bad they are.
 
Ugh. :( Both of them say scratch/swirl remover. I'm working by hand, no power tools.



What should I use to fill swirls then? I have meguiar's Polish, Meguiar's #20 and S100 for a final coat. I was going to use Scratch-X or Zymol before all those, but I guess you say it's pointless.



I was going to do this, using MicroPak towels:

Turtle Wax Finish 2001 Wash

ClayMagic

Zymol/Scratch-X

Meguiar's Deep Crystal System Polish

Meguiar's #20 Polymer Sealant

S100 Paste



The swirls aren't very bad at all, you can only see them in the right light, very close up.
 
If you are working by hand, Meguiars #9 is pretty much foolproof for removing swirls. A machine would be faster, but you can still remove them by hand.
 
If you can get to a Harley Davidson dealership and pick up some S100 Shine Enhancing Cleanser then that may be an easier product to use by hand. Even #9 is tough to get results by hand for some but Scott is right with that recommendation. Actually, before I met Scott I used to say that it was just flat out impossible to remove swirls by hand. Everytime I want to say that I just think of the stuff he has done. Scott is one of those phenomenal detailers that can do amazing stuff by hand. His shoulders are also broader than I am tall. lol



Meguiar's #9 isn't a hard product to find and you should be able to get it at PepBoys. Check the yellow pages for a Meguiar's distributor if they don't have it. It will definitely get you better results. Or you can check out the Harley shops and get the SEPC. That may be easier to work with. Good luck. :up
 
I would definitely follow up Meguiar's #9 (and/or SEPC) with your Deep Crystal Polish, which is a glaze. It should help hide or reduce the appearance of some of the swirling. Just don't expect miracles though. ;) Then apply S100 wax.



This combination might not be as tough as if you were to include the #20 in there too, but it will probably look better in the absence of a perfect prep job. You can't combine the glaze and #20 in any way shape or form unfortunately.
 
4DSC said:
I would definitely follow up Meguiar's #9 (and/or SEPC) with your Deep Crystal Polish, which is a glaze. It should help hide or reduce the appearance of some of the swirling. Just don't expect miracles though. ;) Then apply S100 wax.



This combination might not be as tough as if you were to include the #20 in there too, but it will probably look better in the absence of a perfect prep job. You can't combine the glaze and #20 in any way shape or form unfortunately.
Click to expand...



Now there's something ELSE I already bought that I can't use. I got my ideas from this website, how could I have made 2 wrong purchases (I already had the Zymol)? I read all kinds of posts and looked at what other people used, and that in tandem with Meguiar's Car Care Rx, made my choises.



Fine then, here's how it breaks down: I want to use the #20 and S100 for sure. Those were the most expensive, and aren't going to sit on my shelf. (And of course the clay first)



What should I use between the clay and Meguiar's #20 to help hide swirls? Keep in mind the swirls are very minor. Whatever you suggest to use, would 2 coats help even more?
 
Ok, please tell me I got the right stuff finally!



meguiars.jpg




Wash

Clay Magic

Meguiar's #9 Swirl Remover 2.0

Meguiar's Deep Crystal System Polish

Meguiar's #20 Polymer Sealer

S100



Should I do multiple coats of anything?
 
I don't know that you need the Deep Crystal stuff if you are using #9. That's just me though. #9 you may have to use more than once if it doesn't do the trick. Its not really multiple coats though. It is more like washing a dish again when it didn't get clean the first time. If you still have swirls then you have to keep at it. If #9 doesn't get them out then your next step will be to get a machine like a Porter Cable 7424 and use something a little stronger.
 
There are really only swirls on my hood, so that's the only place I'm going to use the #9.



Also, I was under the impression that the #20 would seal whatever wax was used before it, as opposed to being applied to bare paint, and that the S100 was for that final lustrous shine.



So the polish isn't needed before the sealer?



And last (hopefully) question, what should I do to clean in between coats of the various waxes I'll be using? Quick detailer? Wet microfiber towel? Should I do a full on wash between the clay and the first wax? (Yeah I know, that was actually 4 last questions ;) )
 
What Jngr said. :up



I don't think you can do much hiding, since like I said above, you can't use the Deep Crystal "Polish" with the #20. #20 has cleaners that will remove the DC glaze and if it didn't, the glaze might interfere with the polymer bonding. All you can do is to use #9 to polish it was well as you can, then apply a couple coats of #20 before proceeding to wax. Do these last few things a few days apart each though. People debate whether more than 1 coat of #20 does anything, but I think it couldn't hurt and I would try it by applying the 2nd coat gently.



Contrary to what Jngr suggested though, I think you could probably try to use DACP by hand if #9 fails, which a few people have done. You're looking at a lot of work with either polish though. Good luck!



EDIT: I didn't see your latest post, so keep that in mind when reading the above. ;)



Washing is safest in between steps by default, but QDing with a MF is okay if it's only sat in a garage in between.
 
I would wash after claying. Since you are only going to use #9 on the hood you will want to make sure there aren't any drips or clay particles left on the car. You can either wash it or just QD the whole car. I think its a waste of QD so I just wash it again. It doesn't take that long really.



If you are going one right after the other then you don't need to do anything. The only time you need to qd or wash the car is if it has sat for awhile between coats. Like overnight or something like that. If you go from #9 to #20 then you don't need to do anything.





Since you are going to be using #9 then you really don't need the Meguiar's Deep Crystal System Polish because that step is going to be covered already. That product is part of the low end Meguiar's line and you are using the professional end. The 3 step system is basicly clean, polish, wax. You are taking care of those steps. No need to do step two twice. I would just go #20 after the #9 and then top it with your wax. I think it will look just as good. You are going to be really tired after using #9 on your hood anyway. Its a lot of work by hand.
 
Ok, well those last 2 posts just raised 2 more questions.



1: 4DSC says wait a couple days between each product. Jngr says doing them back to back is OK. Which is it? It would be easier for me to do them all at once, and save the washing time.



2: Since I'm only using the #9 on the hood, what about the rest of the car? There wouldn't be anything between the paint and the #20 on the doors or anywhere else, besides the hood. Should I just do a quick coat of #9 over the whole car, without vigorously rubbing it to remove scratches?
 
It depends on what you are using. It is best to go a day between the #20 and the wax. You don't have to wait after #9 though. There isn't a wait time between your swirl removers and your sealants or waxes. That is basicly what 4DSC was saying too. He was talking about the last couple steps being layering #20 and your wax.



I would just leave it. You already clayed it so it should be pretty good. You could go over it with #9 if you wanted but it wouldn't really do much. Maybe you want to use some other kind of paint cleaner product on the rest of the car. Its not really necessary though. I will say that the #20 may be tougher to buff off if you haven't cleaned the surface well enough. I've made the mistake of using #20 without even claying first and it took everything I had to buff it out. It loves to stick to dirt. Since you are claying I doubt you will have the problem though.
 
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