product suggestions

[LAfirefytr]

I am writing because I am wondering if any you may be able to offer some suggestions on what products I need. I attended a Road Show with Mike Phillips a few years ago in Tampa Florida and learned a great deal about specific applications and product usage. I got pretty involved with detailing after that show as a side job to my being a full time firefighter, but due to health issues and starting another job over the last few years I haven't been able to do much detailing. This leads me to my question. When I detailed before I used my G110 along with the Meguiars pads (7006,8006,9006 I believe) with # 83 and #80 followed by #21 when I was tackling a job with swirls/scratches ect.
Since I have been away from detailing a while, all my products have gone bad and I am about to order some more. I will not be doing any detailing on other people's vehicles, just my own personal ones. I will need new pads and new products. My question is about the pads and any new products that may have been introduced in last 2 years.
I will be primarily working on a Nissan Titan and Murano, both of which are daily drivers. I am just wanting to "clean the paint" I guess you could say. I have the consumer clay kit that is sold at auto parts store that I will using too. I am basically wanting to remove surface scratches and swirls from both vehicles to make them look the best I can and then top them off with a protective seal. I am wondering if the 83 and 80 combo is still the best for what I am wanting or is there another product application or combo that will produce better results. I am also looking to get new pads as my old ones are toast. I saw the new 2.0 7" pads and the redesigned 7006/8006/9006 as well in 5.5". I'm just wondering if one is better than the other or what is the advantage/disadvantage to one or the other. I know I would have to get new backing plates for 7" because what I have now is for 5.5. I'm guessing the 7" can be used on the G100 and 110?
I was planning on topping it off with #21 unless once again there is another product that you would recommend as a LSP that is better.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: product suggestions

Let's look at the pad situation first as it's probably the most complex. The single greatest advantage of the new Soft Buff 2.0 pads over the previous pads is that these new ones are completely machine washable and dryable. Yes, simply throw them in the washer and dryer, just as you do with your microfiber towels, and you're good to go.

These 2.0 pads are compatible with any popular D/A polisher on the market but will benefit from the use of our W68DA backing plate. The W68DA drops right into the recess on the back of the pads, and gives flexible support across much of the diameter of the pad. You'll want to stick with a few of the W8207 yellow polishing pads for defect correction and one or two of the W9207 finishing pads for your pure polishes and wax/sealant. You'll recognize the yellow color of the polishing pad as the foam is identical to the previous generation pads, but the new finishing pads are black instead of tan and a bit softer, too.

M80/M83 is still a great combination, but our new Ultimate Compound in our consumer line is actually quite a bit stronger than either. It's makes use of some very advanced and specialized abrasives technology that we've ported down from our top line M105 Ultra Cut Compound in the Mirror Glaze Pro line. But UC is much less expensive and you can pick it up locally at most auto parts stores and even WalMart. Use it just like you would the M80/M83 - you'll find it has a very long buffing cycle with very little dust. In fact, the buffing cycle and dust will be lower than even M105. You can immediately follow this with M21 (still an excellent choice LSP) or, for some extra pop if you really want to push things, try some M205 Ultra Finishing Polish. The clarity this can impart to a finish is fantastic! Again, a very long buffing cycle and it's virtually dust free. Great stuff.

[LAfirefytr]

Re: product suggestions

Mike, thanks for the quick response to my questions. I just have a few follow up questions.
Is the Consumer Line Ultimate Compound product going to be comparible to the #83 or the #80 or a combo of both in terms of what results it will produce with a DA?

Would I be able to achieve even better results by going with a M105 and then using the M205 like I previously used the 83/80 combo?

If I use either the UC or M105 then M205, will I still need to follow the M205 up with a LSP like#21, or will the M205 give me good enough results and protection to stop there?

I'm just not sure how the M105/205 combo results will compare to what I got with the 83/80 in the past. I have been spending a lot of time on here the past few days and have learned that the 105/205 abrasives do not diminish like the 83/80 products do. I am a former sales rep for an abrasives company so I understand the dynamics of abrasives. A 83/80 product would be similar to aluminum oxide which dulls and diminishes as it is used and the 105/205 would be like a silicon carbide or aliminum zirconia that does not dull but rather the abrasives "refracture" and remain sharp as they break into smaller and smaller pieces.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: product suggestions

The abrasives in M105, M205 and even Ultimate Compound are what we call Super Micro Abrasive Technology. The specific abrasive material is unique to Meguiar's with regard to automotive paint finish products. The abrasives are extremely hard, which is what gives them their cutting ability, but they are also very uniform in size and shape, which is what gives them the ability to impart such a high degree of clarity to a finish.

As previously mentioned, even Ultimate Compound has more cutting ability than M83 but leaves a much nicer finish, generally, due to the nature of the abrasives. Whether you use M105 or UC, a follow up with M205 is a great idea if you're chasing the best shine you can get. Many people find that M105 or UC will finish LSP ready with a D/A, but others love what M205 does for the finish and will gladly take the extra time to get there.

You will need to apply a wax or sealant after M205 (or any of the other products mentioned) since none of them contain any sort of protectant. M21 still remains one of our most popular, and best performing, LSPs so stick with it if you've liked it in the past. Depending on how long it's been since you've used it, you may now see it labeled as M21 Synthetic Sealant 2.0. The 2.0 designation refers to the hydrophobic polymers added to the formulation a couple of years ago when we upgraded the product.