Which Car Scratch Repair Kit Brand Wins?
We compared 9 car scratch repair kit options head to head. 3M Auto Advance Scratch and Scuff Removal System came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
3M Auto Advance Scratch and Scuff Removal System
Price shown in test: $19.18
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Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit
Price shown in test: $18.40
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Meguiar's Ultimate Compound
Price shown in test: $18.40
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Clear coat scratch (trunk lid) | Faded single-stage paint (Ford Ranger, 1-minute test, rubbing compound only) | Faded single-stage paint (Ford Ranger) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13M Auto Advance Scratch and Scuff Removal System$19.18 | removed the scratch in about 6 and 1/2 minutes; narrator says he really likes 3M a lot, sandpaper very high quality, buffing pad makes quick work of it | seems to have done the best so far, almost completely removing the scratches and removing the oxidized paint | not tested |
| 2Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit$18.40 | kit (Scratch X 2.0 + drill-mounted eraser pad) removed scratch in right about 5 minutes, described as a very good job | not tested | amazing job, by far the best so far at that point, almost completely removing the scratches and removing the oxidized paint |
| 3Meguiar's Ultimate Compound | after 10 minutes of effort completely removed the scratch; narrator says he is really impressed | not tested | definitely did a lot better than the Nu Finish Scratch Doctor, but some scratches were still left |
| 4Turtle Wax Premium Scratch Repair Kit$16.78 | using the number 3 (3600 grit) then number 4 sandpaper steps plus clarifying compound, did a very good job, scratch no longer visible | not tested | clarifying compound only used (sandpaper skipped due to time constraints); did not do very well, but narrator notes it would likely have done a lot better with the complete system |
| 5Fenyx Scratch and Swirl Remover$16.99 | did not do a very good job removing the scratch | not tested | did not do nearly as well as the Meguiar's rubbing compound; still quite a bit of scratches and faded paint remained |
| 6Carfidant Ultimate Scratch and Swirl Remover$19.95 | just wasn't able to get the job done; after 10 minutes the scratch was still very visible | not tested | seems to have done just about the same as the Fenyx, and just didn't make very much progress |
| 7Formula 1 Scratch Out$6.95 | after 10 minutes the scratch was still very visible, hadn't made much progress | not tested | seemed to do about the same as the Carfidant and the Fenyx, and just didn't make very much progress |
| 8Nu Finish Scratch Doctor$19.97 | after 10 minutes the scratch was still very visible; wasn't able to get the job done | not tested | tested first on this vehicle; didn't do a very good job at removing the scratches or the oxidized paint |
| 9WD-40 | did not remove the scratch; still very visible | not tested | not tested |
How it was tested
- removing a fresh clear coat scratch (Mohs hardness tester scratch on a trunk lid, marked with permanent marker, each product timed)
- restoring shine and removing scratches/oxidation on faded single-stage paint with no clear coat (Ford Ranger trunk area, 800 grit sandpaper as needed)
“If you do have access to a drill, 3M is going to be very hard to beat and definitely came out in the number one position. However, Meguiar's scratch eraser kit came in a very close second place and also did a really good job.”
Data notes and caveats
Verdict is split by drill access: 3M (drill required) is framed as the overall number one with Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit (drill required) a close second; Meguiar's Ultimate Compound (hand-applied, no drill) is separately recommended as the best option for anyone without a drill, at a fair price, so it is recorded here as budgetPick even though it is really the best no-drill pick rather than strictly the cheapest. Two brand-name auto-caption mangles resolved against the description's Products Tested list and amzn.to links: 'Fenice' to Fenyx, 'New Finish' to Nu Finish. Meguiar's appears as two distinct product lines (Ultimate Compound rubbing compound vs Scratch Eraser Kit drill kit), resolved independently by test context, not merged. Only 4 of 9 products have chapter markers, so chapterMap is false.