By Sage McHugh on February 26, 2010 in
Simoniz Fix It promises to remove scratches from your vehicle in just three easy steps. According to the instructions, all you need to do is apply the compound to the scratch, buff and wipe clean. Prominent scratches disappear almost instantly in the infomercial demonstration, but how well does Fix It perform in real-world tests?
Harry Sawyers of Popular Mechanics uses Fix It on a 1996 SUV with its original paint job. Although the compound works well on superficial scratches in the clear coat, it fails to remove deeper scratches in the paint. In fact, Sawyers notes the deep scratches were more visible and "appeared to have been highlighted with clear fingernail polish."
Lauren Keith, a reporter for KFVS (Cape Girardeau, MO), enlisted the help of an auto mechanic to try Fix It on a scratched black car. Aster testing it, the technician deemed Fix It a failure because it simply can't remove any scratches -- not even small ones on the surface.
Simoniz Fix It doesn't fare any better in user reviews than it does in professional testing. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Public Investigator blog examines a complaint by Regina Urbanek, a consumer who was charged $75 for a $30 Fix It order. Ms. Urbanek accepted two free mini-vacuums as a promotion with her purchase, but was unaware of their high shipping cost. Despite spending hours on the phone with customer service, she was unable to get her money back. Only after the distributor was contacted by the Public Investigator Team was Urbanek issued a full refund.
That Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's investigation was conducted in back in 2008, and it doesn't appear the company has improved its business practices since then. Fix It's distributor, Simoniz USA, currently receives a grade of F from the Better Business Bureau. Twenty-seven complaints were filed against Simoniz USA, and five remain unresolved. The scratch remover also earns a fairly dismal rating of 1.5 out of a possible 5 stars in Amazon.com customer reviews. Over 30 users weigh in there, with the majority reporting that Simoniz Fix It doesn't work at all.
While Fix It might, in some instances, work on superficial scratches, it's not going to remove deeper scratches, which tend to be more much noticeable because the car's paint color is affected. When you consider the high number of consumer complaints, this lousy performer certainly isn't worth the risk of unauthorized credit card charges and the ensuing poor customer service headaches. Spare yourself the aggravation and steer clear.