Do polishes and glazes expire?

[chromecarz00]

I`ve had some meguiars stuff for a few years now and haven`t touched them. Looking to bust them out for some polishing time this weekend. Do these things expire?

[JSFM35X]

I don`t think so on polish not sure about glaze.

I have some Poorboys polishes I purchased at a detail weekend in 2008 and 2009 that I still use today. I did not realize how little you need to do a car and over bought. Probably because I was with Ron lol. Love you buddy. They seperate out over time but you can shape the heck out of them and they go back together for a long while and work just fine.

Same for my old menzerna pf108.

[ShawnF350]

The only thing I could suggest from a past experience. If you have anything many many years.
(I don`t throw anything out that I think is good)
I had Prowax brand products that were quite old.
I thought this metal polish I had which was as old as heck shook up fine. Until I started stocking up from Autopia.
If it`s not a in a transparent bottle, eventually transfer it to one.
I decided to finally toss this metal polish. I poured it out in the trash and the bottle still felt heavy. I sliced the white bottle and find one inch of hardened product at the bottom.

[Accumulator]

Other than certain QDs, I consider my products to have an infinite shelf-life until they prove me wrong. I`m still using a *LOT* of stuff that`s well over a decade old, plenty of my polishes date from the `90s. My little jar of Zymol Detail (sold by BHMA as Interior Wood Wax) dates from when I bought the Jag in `85 (still OK despite the cap having cracked back then). Somebody (Joe at Superior Shine?) once polished/glazed/waxed an old single-stage hood with some `60s vintage Meguiar`s products and it turned out fine.

Supposedly newer Post-VOC products don`t last as long, but again, I`ll @$$ume my stuff is OK until it doesn`t work properly.

I had Prowax brand products that were quite old...

I have a tin of Pro`s Yellow Wax (can`t quite remember the pn for it) from the *1970s* that still looked pretty OK the last time I opened it up. Still smelled like 1977 too (I keep it primarily for that Way-Back Machine effect )

[chromecarz00]

Wow, thanks guys! Mine is only 4-5 years old so it should be good then.

[Billy Jack]

Those old Meguiar`s products have a shelf life that`s nearly infinite, probably due to the oil content. I have stuff that`s from the 80`s-90`s that`s still good after a hearty shake.


Bill

[EdLancer]

Most of the newer water based products separate and no amount of shaking will mix them back.
Older Meg`s products like #80, #82 and #83 that used mineral spirits and banana oil are good for over a decade and more. Funny all my so called high end products had separated when I wanted to use them on a detail and watched hundreds of dollar being pour down the drain having to come back to the original products I had used for detailing from Meg`s decade or more ago.

[Accumulator]

When my more modern products start to go bad I`ll be one [displeased individual]. I`m not used to stuff having a functional shelf life.

[Jpostal]

I`m not sure about Meguires stuff specifically, but I just did a shop clean and threw out a bunch of half used bottles of stuff. In particular, I had a bottle of Pinnacle 360 that was probably 5 years old and half empty...no amount of shaking would mix it up. Too bad because I really liked that stuff for a quick spiff up AIO.

[EdLancer]

I poured at least 12 quarts of Optimum Compound, Polish and Poli-Seal and a gallon of Meg`s M21 down the drain this summer more like into a money pit. I am now hesitant to stock any Mezerna F4000/F4500 since they are all water based products and cost a pretty penny. Luckily my cases of Meg`s #80 and #82 is still fine.

I think there should be a thread/database on product longevity since real world experience is the best data and help others choose products based on shelf life.