Turtle Wax Polishing Compound
The outdated polishing compound

Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound Review

• Easy to apply.
• Very hard to remove.
• Lots of dusting!
• If you cling to old habits then this is the polishing compound for you.
• Surprisingly good finished results considering how old this product is, and the amount of effort needed to get there.

Why You Would Want to Use Rubbing Compound

There are only (3) reasons most people go looking for rubbing compound:

1. Car paint oxidation removal
2. Car paint scratches
3. You don't know any better and you are simply looking for the best car wax for your car.

As an auto detailing professional, I will break these areas down into specific areas and provide alternatives to the outdated technology of Turtle Wax polishing compound. These will include all the basic areas of car paint care. At the end of this page you will know more than that know it all neighbor of yours who claims to be an expert!

Car Paint Oxidation Remover

Unless you are working with car paint that is older than 15 years, you are in for good news! Due to modern advances in car paint technology, the effort required to maintain the value and beauty of your car is easier and simpler than ever!

Car Paint Basics

• Virtually any car made in the last 15 years is made with a clear coat as the top layer of paint.
• At a simplified level, clear coat is simply car paint with no pigment.
• This is also referred to as 2-stage paint; color base coat and top clear coat.
• Clear coats must be maintained just like old school enamels and lacquers.

Car Paint Oxidation Facts

Due to the process of modern paints and the 2-stage process, or the clear coat process, car paint of today, does not oxidize like the cars of past. Anyone who has been around long enough will remember how your car paint would become dry, chalky, and dull. It was during these days that "rubbing you car paint out" with the famous Turtle Wax polishing compound was the solution. This was also about 35 years ago, and back when we had about a 10th of the products we have today.

Clear Coat Failure

The picture above is what is called clear coat burn out, or clear coat failure. Perhaps it would be more appropriately named "owner failure"! That is a little unfair as history is full of case after case of "bad paint" from virtually every car manufacturer. Every car company has their skeletons when it comes to car paint problems; some just more than others.

• Any car made in the last 15 years will have clear coat.
• Clear coats must be maintained just like any car paint from the past.
• Despite misinformed opinions, clear coats are not all the same, meaning sometimes they are hard, sometimes they are softer.
• Despite product labeling, any product is clear coat safe. This is simply a scare tactic by manufacturers to promote their agenda.
• Common sense always applies to anything when choosing products in relation to desired results.

Clear Coat Problems

99% of you will not be dealing with what has been called paint oxidation, but simply lack of care and maintenance to your clear coated car paint. Over time, the clear coat dries out and takes on an effect known as "spider-webbing". By looking at the picture to the right, you can see where the name comes from. It looks as though thousands of spider webs have been laid out in a circular pattern, which is also why many people refer to this problem as swirl marks.

Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Alternatives

If you are shopping for Turtle Wax polishing compound as a solution to this type of problem, you will need to keep the following in mind:

• You will be in for lots of work!
• It is an oversimplification to the problem.
• Other alternatives exist which are easier and better.

Modern Day Solutions to Modern Day Car Paints

The following rules apply to your car whether it is one day old, or 10 years old. It also applies to your car if you have neglected it for years and now find yourself trying to make up for lost time;

• Use of detailing clay to remove embedded pollutants from paint. (This is what creates the texture feel to your cars paint surface)
• Some form of protective layer of car wax or paint sealant.
• Regular use and applications of these.

Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit - G1016 60% More Clay!

• The starting point for any car; regardless of age or condition. Except in extreme cases as at the top of this page with the "clear coat failure".; if this is your case then you are too late.
• To be used regularly as needed for the removal of fall-out, or pollution.

Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax

• A product that promises maximum results with minimal efforts!
• The winning combination of benefits: the durability of synthetic polymers formulated into a paste for superior visual results!
• As easy of a product to use as you will find in a paste.
• Can be used in direct sunlight.

Darren's Tips for Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Alternatives

I have found most people not only do not understand what car paint oxidation is, but also misuse the term. For most of you out there, simply using the quality clay bar and wax from Meguiar's I listed just above, will be all that is necessary as a replacement to the time and effort you think you need from a product like Turtle Wax polishing compound. If you have used these products and you still think you need to polish your car, then refer to car polish of this site. If that is the case, I then further recommend professional products and tips that will also deliver a far better user experience than the Turtle Wax polishing compound for polishing your cars paint.

Car Paint Scratch Repair

While Turtle Wax Polishing Compound remains a popular product for superficial car paint scratch repair and removal, there are better ways to going about the removal of what is called superficial, or surface scratches. Often your car will have light scratches, skid marks, etc. that have accumulated over time. These types of random marks are best treated individually before you wax your car. The follow product from Meguiar's is ideally suited for these types of "superficial" marks:

Meguiars SCRATCH X 2.0

• Use on any miscellaneous scratches, skid marks, paint stains, etc. after using the clay bar first, and prior to application of wax.
• If you can grab the scratch with a finger nail, then this is beyond the abilities of a superficial scratch remover and requires more of a professional level of attention.

Darren's Tips for Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Alternatives

The area of scratches and miscellaneous marks on your cars paint is often where people over-complicate the problem and think they need to deal with the collection of these random scratches and marks as a whole. This is when people will often go looking for Turtle Wax polishing compound so they can "compound their car" and think they will just treat these miscellaneous problems while at the same time, treat their whole car. I do not recommend this as experience has shown me that you will end up with not only a partially "rubbed out" car, but a very frustrated car owner!

Turtle Wax Polishing Compound Review

• Turtle Wax rubbing compound (polishing/ rubbing, whatever) is a good product; better alternatives just happen to exist.
• Can be used to "rub out", or compound your car with lots and lots of effort.
• Most of you will not need to go to this type and level of effort.
• Starting with use of the clay bar and the recommend paste wax products from Meguiar's will go a long way to making you a happy car owner, with far less efforts and better end results!
• If your car does have various and random light scratches, skid marks, or blemishes, use the Meguiar's Polish X first and treat individually; this would be you working smarter not harder!

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