Am I going to miss FPII

**BIOLINK** · 02-23-2009, 02:32 PM

I have been getting away with using only Menzerna FPII but now that I am starting to tackle bigger issues when I polish I decided to step up to some newer polishes with greater abilities. When I ran out FPII and replaced it with 106FF. I also picked up some Menzerna Super Intensive Polish. I did this at the recommendation of the associate at CMA who said he uses these in place of IP and FPII. So my question is, am I going to miss FPII? Are my new polishes going to fill the role of my old polish? Should I replace the FPII for softer clear coats I encounter? Any input would be appreciated.

**Eisen Hulk** · 02-23-2009, 03:00 PM

Umm...I would definitely keep the FPII in the arsenal.

To me, all three are needed. Just my dos pesos.

Originally Posted by biolink

I have been getting away with using only Menzerna FPII but now that I am starting to tackle bigger issues when I polish I decided to step up to some newer polishes with greater abilities. When I ran out FPII and replaced it with 106FF. I also picked up some Menzerna Super Intensive Polish. I did this at the recommendation of the associate at CMA who said he uses these in place of IP and FPII. So my question is, am I going to miss FPII? Are my new polishes going to fill the role of my old polish? Should I replace the FPII for softer clear coats I encounter? Any input would be appreciated.

**diabolus** · 02-23-2009, 11:19 PM

Keep the FPII around for sure. It`s probably the mildest polish around, and works wonders for cleaning up holograms on extremely soft paint

**BIOLINK** · 02-23-2009, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by EisenHulk

Umm...I would definitely keep the FPII in the arsenal.

To me, all three are needed. Just my dos pesos.

Gracias!

Originally Posted by diabolus

Keep the FPII around for sure. It`s probably the mildest polish around, and works wonders for cleaning up holograms on extremely soft paint

I`m ordering more this week. Looking into this a bit more I see that I will need it. Thanks.

:waxing:

**Junebug** · 02-24-2009, 06:19 AM

If you do any Hondas, FFII is about all you`ll need to correct that soft paint - I know, I had a 2008 Accord with the enviro-weenie friendly white wash they call paint. I have a GTI now.

**BIOLINK** · 02-24-2009, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by JuneBug

If you do any Hondas, FFII is about all you`ll need to correct that soft paint - I know, I had a 2008 Accord with the enviro-weenie friendly white wash they call paint. I have a GTI now.

Which polish do you use on your GTI?

**Wren** · 02-24-2009, 07:41 PM

I used 106FF on my VW Passat with very good results, not sure how close the paints are though.

Either way, SIP, 106FF, & FPII are all musts. You`ll need em all at some point.

**BIOLINK** · 02-24-2009, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Wren

I used 106FF on my VW Passat with very good results, not sure how close the paints are though.

Either way, SIP, 106FF, & FPII are all musts. You`ll need em all at some point.

I think the paint on the Jetta and Passat are very similar. I have noticed that my clear is harder than other cars I have done (ie Honda).

I am going to pick up another bottle of FPII this week. I may also pick up IP for tougher problems on softer clears. Thanks for all your input.

Has anyone ever seen Menzerna in a paint supply store or only online?

**Wren** · 02-24-2009, 10:38 PM

I`ve only seen it online.

**RAG** · 02-25-2009, 09:02 PM

My opinion (used to be worth something on this forum, but I haven`t been contributing like I used to)...is that you will NOT miss FPII or IP. I`ve literally used at least 3 gallons of each FPII, IP, 106FF and SIP in my time as a detailer...on all kinds of cars. Don`t concern yourselves so much with the hardness of the paint. Fact is, 106FF or FA will finish down just as good (actually slightly better) than FPII, and yet it has more cut (accomplishing the same thing with less passes). As for SIP versus IP, they have about the same cut, but IP will not finish down as well, requiring more follow-up polishing. SIP still serves its purpose for me from time to time, but mostly I can go directly from M105 to 106FF/FA.

**BIOLINK** · 02-25-2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by RAG

My opinion (used to be worth something on this forum, but I haven`t been contributing like I used to)...is that you will NOT miss FPII or IP. I`ve literally used at least 3 gallons of each FPII, IP, 106FF and SIP in my time as a detailer...on all kinds of cars. Don`t concern yourselves so much with the hardness of the paint. Fact is, 106FF or FA will finish down just as good (actually slightly better) than FPII, and yet it has more cut (accomplishing the same thing with less passes). As for SIP versus IP, they have about the same cut, but IP will not finish down as well, requiring more follow-up polishing. SIP still serves its purpose for me from time to time, but mostly I can go directly from M105 to 106FF/FA.

Insightful. Thanks. Menzerna certainly has many choices and trying to match a polish to a certain paint/need Menzerna had in mind can be tricky. I may have to try them all and see which ones work for me and the type of polishing I run in to. :buffing:

**blk45** · 02-26-2009, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by RAG

Fact is, 106FF or FA will finish down just as good (actually slightly better) than FPII

I respectfully disagree. I have never had a situation where I used FPII after 106 and didn`t see an improvement in the finish. As long as you and your customers are happy, that`s all that matters.

**Junebug** · 02-26-2009, 11:41 AM

On my car - yes I have to polish out the hood again due to a damn cat, I plan on using IP on an orange pad (4") on my PC to hit the spots. Then follow up with FFII, ZAIO and Z2....

**RAG** · 02-27-2009, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by blk45

I respectfully disagree. I have never had a situation where I used FPII after 106 and didn`t see an improvement in the finish. As long as you and your customers are happy, that`s all that matters.

I appreciate the respectful rebuttle. But I`ll explain how I arrived at my conclusion.

FPII was my favorite final finishing polish for a lot longer than 106FF has been my favorite, and because 106FF was so much more expensive, I was kinda hoping I would not find the 106FF any better. But within a week or so of the 106FF being released over here, I put it through the paces on two vehicles (jet black BMW and jet black VW Phaeton that proved to one of the most sensative and finicky paints I`ve ever worked on). Essentially I did side by side comparisons using a stip of tape via a rotary and via a PC. With a rotary, I looked to see which finished down the best without buffer swirls...both left no buffer swirls on the BMW, but on the awful Phaeton paint, both had trace buffer swirls left behind...but the 106FF clearly had less. I then used a PC with a white pad and used fairly heavy pressure to see which would finish down the best - the FPII left slight micro-marring marks (undectible if you didn`t know what to look for) whereas the 106FF left a perfect finish with no micromarring.

To test the stregth of the polishes, I tested to remove 2000 grit sanding marks - it wasn`t even close, the 106FF removed the marks in nearly have the polishing steps. At this point, I knew I no longer had a need for FPII.

I don`t know how to explain why some people have found FPII to finish down better...I`m guessing it`s the oils. I have a simply philosophy - if there are no buffer swirls or scratches when I`m done (rotary), then I know the paint can`t get any better - if the abrasives/mixture wasn`t finishing down fully, buffer swirls or halograms would be present.

**ramhunter24** · 02-28-2009, 07:16 AM

RAG-getting ready to use 106FF with 7424 and White LC pad on my Black 300C that has the metalic flakes. In your process where you found the 106FF to really work well how much did you put on the pad and at what speed, 5 or 6?

Thanks!