Menzerna PO85RD Vs 106FF

[Danspeed1]

Quick question I am sure has been discussed before but I can`t seem to find. I am looking for a good finishing polish to use to remove holograms and extremely light swirls. I already have 106FF but I see that many on here are using PO85RD which technically is being advertised by Menzerna as their TRUE finishing polish. I do mostly GM cars... lately VW`s (don`t ask) and in three weeks I am doing my first Mercedes. Do I need this or am I not gaining anything.



I usually use either Meguiars Swirl Free Polish (Megs 82), Zaino ZPC, or Menzerna 106FF to finish on a black or white (usually black) Lake country pad. I have never had any issues but i am placing an order and I figured I would investigate this further.



Thanks,



Dan

[JohnKleven]

The 85rd is a good way to save $5.00 on a quart of compound. They both will finish the same, but 106FF works quicker. If you talk to the people at Menzerna, they will tell you that they have the same diminishing abrasive in them, but 106FF just works faster.

[imported_advs1]

unless it is extremely soft paint such as bmw`s then 106ff is a must

[Legacy]

The 85rd is a good way to save $5.00 on a quart of compound. They both will finish the same, but 106FF works quicker. If you talk to the people at Menzerna, they will tell you that they have the same diminishing abrasive in them, but 106FF just works faster.



If you look at the Menz chart, 106ff has a cut of 2.5 and 85rd has a cut of 1.5. 106ff or 106fa is a great finishing polish, but 85rd is really your last step polish. I finish off with 85rd on a rotary @ 1800rpm with a 3M blue pad and that is my last step to polish.

[imported_advs1]

doh... i was thinking sip sorry!!

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

From my somewhat extensive experience with both 85rd and 106ff I can tell you they`re both finishing polishes on a 3+ step and that`s it. That is unless you`re working with pretty damn soft paint (Porsche black, bmw jet black, nissan black, etc.) in which case it might work as a 2nd step to clean up a more aggressive polish AND finish down LSP ready.



Until M205 came out I would use 106ff as a 3rd step, otherwise M80 was used. Lately I`ve been using M205 on both 1-step and 2-step polishing because it cuts a lot better than 106ff and/or 85rd but finishes down nearly as those two. On a complete correction or 3-4+ steps I`ll still always finish up with 85rd with a black or white LC pad (depending on the paint and whether I`m "jeweling" or actually still finishing some very light swirls).



Long story short, I`d say stick to M205 or the 203s from Menzerna (haven`t tried it yet but have heard great things from reputable sources) for finishing if you need a little more cut than 85rd, etc.

[wfedwar]

The 85rd is a good way to save $5.00 on a quart of compound. They both will finish the same, but 106FF works quicker. If you talk to the people at Menzerna, they will tell you that they have the same diminishing abrasive in them, but 106FF just works faster.



By owrks faster, do you mean cuts more or breaks down faster?

[David Fermani]

Both finish out the nearly identical, but I wouldn`t count on either to remove substantial halograms. Stick with the 106ff your already have and try some 85rd the next time around to see for yourself. I`m certain you`ll be hard pressed to differentiate either.

[Danspeed1]

Both finish out the nearly identical, but I wouldn`t count on either to remove substantial halograms. Stick with the 106ff your already have and try some 85rd the next time around to see for yourself. I`m certain you`ll be hard pressed to differentiate either.



This sounds like the answer I was expecting. I just want to be clear real quick though because I think my post may have been misleading.



I have 106FF already, and I usually use that for Jeweling and/or removing really light holograms and leftover swirls. It hasn`t failed to leave a finish ready for wax or sealer yet, but I just want to make sure I am not "missing anything." I see alot of guys on here finishing up with PO85RD, which seems to be less aggressive than 106FF. I wondering about PO85RD... I am wondering if it really makes the finish pop any better than 106FF or if its basically the same, and I can do without it.



I am doing a car for someone important coming up soon, and I am a little tweaked that`s all. I want to make sure it looks like a mirror.



DG

[Danspeed1]

Let me give you an example of what I am thinking of doing. Mind you, I have not seen the car yet. Its a corvette. If its bad I will:



M105 on LC Orange ----> M205 on LC White ---> 106FF on Black ---> P21s



DG

[JohnKleven]

By owrks faster, do you mean cuts more or breaks down faster?



The technical guy at Menzerna was telling me that they both actually finish out the same, but you get a little more cut out of the 106FF. So basically the diminishing abrasive once it has been worked for a while is exactly the same. In certain occasions at the car manufacturer factories they could skip a two step and only do a one step with 106FF.





John

[Accumulator]

I know that regulars here have heard my broken record before, but here goes again anyhow-



I trust that people using 106FF to remove light holograms/other light marring are using IPA/PrepWash/etc. to make sure the 106FF isn`t doing its concealing thing.



Sorta impressive (in a scary way IMO) what it can conceal; I had to use quite aggressive measures to fix things that "came back" on hard GM clear. What I really found odd was that stuff "came back" (after quite a long time) even though the overlying LSP was still pefectly OK :think:

[Danspeed1]

Believe me the car is getting a 1:1 IPA Wipedown before I put an LSP on it. I know all too well, products stating they have no fillers... have filllers. But then again a nice finishing polish on a grey pad,... even if it has fillers it really shouldn`t matter, by the time to get to the grey pad and 106FF all the swirls and holograms should be gone anyway. There should be nothing to cover up.



Ok so it seems like the general consensus is that 106FF is fine for finish/jeweling and since i have it PO85RD is unnecessary. What I understand from this thread, 106FF has a little more cut but finishes absolutely identical to PO85RD. I am not at all concerned about the extra abrasives, 106FF on GM clear is not at all damaging as the clear is rock hard. So basically what my understanding is that PO85RD is for like a really soft clear in which case even though 106FF will work, it is considered harsher than necessary.



I am however ordering a bottle of Optimum final finishing polish to try for jeweling. Hey for $9.95 why not?



Thanks for the advice.



DG