Best and Worst Car Scratch Removers

There are 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 the most popular scratch removers.

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

Best Car Scratch Removers

Product #1:  Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound

The claim: Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound claims to remove oxidation, swirl marks, light to medium scratches, and water spots. It claims to have a revolutionary formula that cuts as fast as harsh abrasive compounds without damaging the clear coat.

Consumers loved this product and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. There were very few negative reviews, most of them were due to incorrect application of the product.

My results: This product is #1, because it removes even some of the deep scratches that are very hard to fix without paint touch-up. Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound did a great job removing scratches and oxidation on my car, giving it a brilliant shiny finish. This is a high-quality product that you can get for under $10.

Product #2: Quixx Paint Scratch Remover

The claim: The Quixx Paint Scratch Remover claims to permanently remove scuffs, scrapes, and scratches from all paint surfaces. Overall consumers were very impressed with the results giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Users said this product did a great job removing scuff marks and clear coat scratches.

Most of the low scores came from people who were trying to fix very deep scratches without applying paint first (it does say in the instructions that if the primer layer is exposed you need to apply paint). I agree with consumers, Quixx removed the scratches and kept them from reappearing.

My results: I got a high gloss surface after using a polishing compound, that came with a scratch remover. It is a little more expensive than the other two, but you get more for your money.

For less than $15, you’ll get a great scratch repair kit that contains: 4 different types of sandpaper, 2 polishing cloths, a rubbing compound (also called scratch remover), and a polishing compound (gives your car high gloss).

Quixx Step-by-Step Video

Product #3: 3M Perfect-It Rubbing Compound

The claim: This product claims to safely and effectively remove grade 1200 or finer sand scratches, medium oxidation, swirl marks, and water spots, leaving a fine finish.

Consumers gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. This product got such high reviews because it does exactly as advertised, removes fine scratches, and prevents them from reappearing.

My results: It did a good job removing light clear coat scratches on my car. It didn’t leave a shiny finish like Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound, but all the scratches and swirl marks were gone.

For high loss finish follow it with a polishing compound. The price is also around $10, but it is difficult to find 3M products in auto stores. I always end up ordering them online.

Worst Car Scratch Removers

Product #1: Turtle Wax Scratch & Swirl Remover

The claim: It claims to remove minor scratches and swirl marks quickly and easily, leaving high gloss and showroom shine. Consumers gave it 2 out of 5 stars. The results were very poor. Users found it hard to put on and hard to remove.

My results: It did not remove light scratches and was reported to dull the shine of the car. It wasn’t worth the money for me. After 30 minutes of rubbing, the swirl marks on the hood of my brother’s car were still visible.

It also formed a white film that was hard to remove. The price for this product is around $10.

Product #2: Scratch Away

The claim: Scratch Away claims to remove scratches, nicks, and blemishes without painting or sanding. Consumers were not impressed, giving it 2 out of 5 stars. Most of them felt like it was a waste of money and said that it did very little.

My results: I don’t like this product. I had a few light scratches on the side of my car that I tried to repair with Scratch Away. It did reduce the appearance of scratches, but after washing the car, all scratches came back. I think for $10 you can find a much better product.

Product #3: Simoniz Fix It Pro

The claim: This product claims to revitalize paint by removing light scratches, oxidation and minor paint stains and to provide an enhanced look to the vehicle. TV commercials show how easy and fast you can repair deep car scratches.

Consumers were very disappointed with the results. One user wrote in the reviews, that Fix it was absolutely useless in repairing a light clear coat scratch and, despite following the instructions to the letter, just left a raised clear scar-like line on top of the scratch.

Some users wrote that after just a first use, the nib of the pen has jammed. Consumers gave it 1.5 out of 5 stars.

My results: Fix It didn’t do anything for me. It was like putting nail polish on top of the scratch. While browsing different review sites and forums, I saw a lot of complaints about fraudulent charges. I also found a lot of websites that had fake reviews, after a few weeks all the websites were down.

If you still want to purchase this product, to avoid credit card fraud make sure you buy it from a respectable site like Amazon.com.

Other Products

You might be surprised that I did not mention other popular scratch removers like Mothers California Gold, Nu Finish Scratch Doctor, Universal Scratch Remover, and Meguiar’s ScratchX. Most of them got 3 out of 5 stars.

There are a lot of good products on the market, but in this post, I just wanted to highlight the best and the worst car scratch repair products. I hope this helps.