To Menz or Megs???

[slickwilly]

Starting to get back into the detailing thing (non-professional, meaning no clients), so it will be my collection and maybe a friend/neighbor here and there. I`m currently equipped with a PC and some Megs products (step 2 polish, no.26, nxt 2.0, clay, gold class wash, couple of 5.5 LC orange, couple of 6.5 white and gray LC), but not something that really has correction.



I`m looking into taking advantage of AG`s MemDay special and wanted to order some new product.



Is it really overkill to get both the Menz power twins (SIP/Nano) and Megs power twins (105/205)?



Will the product degrade over time?



After much reading, it looks like some products work better than others, depending on paint type, condition, etc. I`d be looking at detailing Vettes, Nissans, Hondas, Chryslers, Lexus, Toyota.



I was specifically looking at the Menz 5.5 pad kit and then also purchasing Megs 105 and 205 with the order.



:thx

[Accumulator]

slickwilly- While neither one would be a bad choice, I think that in your case I`d go with the M105/M205. For one thing, IMO they`ll be easier to get the hang of and will easily cover a wider range of applications. *BIG* emphasis on the ease-of-use though, I`m not in favor of telling typical enthusiast-type users that they need to "master" products.



I *would* recommend 4" pads though, but if the 5.5" ones work for you (big "if" IMO) then OK.



The shelf-life of products like these is almost infinite IME. Protect them from freezing and *really* high temps and you`ll be OK. I use lots of stuff that`s many years old, some of my products are from the 1980s (!) and they still work fine. I`ve stockpiled discontinued polishes/compounds that I like and I`m confident that they`ll stay good for a long, long time.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

First of all, I think you need to figure out what works for your car... for softer clear coats, M105 is too much in most cases, but it`s still good to have around... also for softer clears, M205 might be too abrasive to finish down well.



I would suggest you go with what Accum said, and get the M105/M205 combo, but add to it 106ff/fa and/or FPII from Menzerna. These finish down better than anything I`ve tried (I have yet to try ultrafina, which people says is pretty much the best finishing polish) and not much in the Meg`s line up will compare.



Other than that, you should be fine with 5.5" pads especially if most of your work will be maintenance polishes now and then on yours and a few other cars, meaning you don`t need many smaller pads for unexpected correction details... I would however get 1-2 4" orange pads just in case.



Oh and I really wouldn`t consider SIP/106ff "power twins"... it`s a good combo for a 2-step but IMO doesn`t compare that well with M105/M205 or M95/M80 (which is what I use a lot) since M105 and M95 cut much better/more than SIP but finish out the same, if not better at times.



Long story short, my suggestion is M105, M205, FPII with 2-4 white 5.5" LC pads, 1-3 orange 5.5", 1-2 black 5.5", 1-2 orange 4"...

[Accumulator]

lecchilo- That`s a good point about M105 being a bit aggressive; it`s not something people need to/should reach for every time. Ditto for why something like FPII can be a better choice than M205 in some cases. From `vettes` to Toyotas is quite a wide range of clearcoats! Heh heh, there`s just no way to really simplify this stuff beyond a certain point, huh?



One thing I will disagree with you about is the Menzerna 106FF. After the *VERY* weird, unexpected concealing it did on my Yukon (when ebpcivicsi used it), I would recommend that beginners use something else instead. I`ll skip rehashing the weirdness of what I experienced, but it`s sure not something I`d wish on anybody and I`m trying to keep this recommendation very user-friendly.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

lecchilo- That`s a good point about M105 being a bit aggressive; it`s not something people need to/should reach for every time. Ditto for why something like FPII can be a better choice than M205 in some cases. From `vettes` to Toyotas is quite a wide range of clearcoats! Heh heh, there`s just no way to really simplify this stuff beyond a certain point, huh?



One thing I will disagree with you about is the Menzerna 106FF. After the *VERY* weird, unexpected concealing it did on my Yukon (when ebpcivicsi used it), I would recommend that beginners use something else instead. I`ll skip rehashing the weirdness of what I experienced, but it`s sure not something I`d wish on anybody and I`m trying to keep this recommendation very user-friendly.

True... it`s a good polish but probably not very user friendly as it not only has potential at concealing but if you use too much you`ll be working it forever as well as have a hard time removing it. FPII is even finer and, IMO, easier to use.

[slickwilly]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I took another look and will probably wait on the Menzerna SIP/Nano until I can get some more experience and practice, since it does use diminishing abrasives. I also took a look at my pads I have now and the 2 orange 5.5`s are flat and the 4 (2 each) white/gray 6.5`s are CCS.



How does the following order look?



1. Megs Swirl Free Kit (M105, M205, 2 MF towels, 2 Orange 5.5 CCS)

2. 3 pack of White 5.5 CCS pads

3. Menz PO87MC (Micro Polish)

OR

Menz PO85RD (Polish)

4. Wolfgang DG Sealant 3.0



So item #3, not sure which is better or should I say, not sure which one would be better for my situation.

[Envious Eric]

well, to put it simple...my go to process for most cars I see goes like this:

megs 105 via lc orange pads

menzerna SIP via polishing pad

menzerna FPII via finishing pad



now obviously I would have to change things up depending the clear, the conditions, etc...like the porsche, sip, fpii, fpii - no 105 as it was going to be TOO aggressive as lechillo mentioned...

[imported_Devilsown]

I was in your shoes at one point in time, I decided to go with the whole Menz line up, and I mean it all. from soap to all the polishs to FMJ. I have NO regrets. I am going to give 1z a shot though.

[dan46n2]

FMJ isn`t made by Menzerna though, I wish they would come out with something similar.

[Legacy]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I took another look and will probably wait on the Menzerna SIP/Nano until I can get some more experience and practice, since it does use diminishing abrasives. I also took a look at my pads I have now and the 2 orange 5.5`s are flat and the 4 (2 each) white/gray 6.5`s are CCS.



How does the following order look?



1. Megs Swirl Free Kit (M105, M205, 2 MF towels, 2 Orange 5.5 CCS)

2. 3 pack of White 5.5 CCS pads

3. Menz PO87MC (Micro Polish)

OR

Menz PO85RD (Polish)

4. Wolfgang DG Sealant 3.0



So item #3, not sure which is better or should I say, not sure which one would be better for my situation.

87MC has a cut of 1 vrs. 85RD with a cut of 1.5. Your order looks good, but I would still add a couple of 4" orange pads for heavier correction.

[Accumulator]

How does the following order look?



1. Megs Swirl Free Kit (M105, M205, 2 MF towels, 2 Orange 5.5 CCS)

2. 3 pack of White 5.5 CCS pads

3. Menz PO87MC (Micro Polish)

OR

Menz PO85RD (Polish)

4. Wolfgang DG Sealant 3.0



So item #3, not sure which is better or should I say, not sure which one would be better for my situation.

I dunno which of the Menzernas you should go with...depends on the paints in question. But that PO87MC (which I really need to try some time) is, AFAIK, *SO* gentle that I really wonder if it might be gilding the lily at this point :think:



As Legacy99 said, I`d get some more 4" orange pads. But then *I* would be getting almost all the pads in 4".



Oh, on hard clear (maybe the Corvette?), I`ve been having very good results with 4" *wool* pads and M105 via PC. The wool pads in question are made by Edge for Cyclo. Just something to keep in mind if you find you need them.



I wouldn`t get the Wolfgang sealant, but hey...I`ve never used it so that might be unfair. I get the feeling it`s not in the super-durable category (e.g., KSG and FK1000P) nor is it extra-special in any other way (e.g., UPP = slickness, BF= carnauba-like darkening). Eh...maybe I`m just being a wet blanket :nixweiss

[Bostonsfavson]

True... it`s a good polish but probably not very user friendly as it not only has potential at concealing but if you use too much you`ll be working it forever as well as have a hard time removing it. FPII is even finer and, IMO, easier to use.

I`d consider the 106s to be fairly user friendly. I agree, though, that FPII would *definitely* be the better choice for beginners. It breaks down faster and comes off easier. I also think that it finishes *slightly* better than 106, but not by much.

[slickwilly]

Thanks again for the feedback guys...I ended up just getting a bit of everything...:xyxthumbs



What I`ve also decided to do is to visit the local junkyard and find some good candidates for correction and practice, learning the in`s and out`s of these products...which works best with what pads on which finishes, etc.



Better to practice on some scrap panels than a buddy`s car...:bolt

[imported_Devilsown]

FMJ isn`t made by Menzerna though, I wish they would come out with something similar.

I wonder who makes it then, it seems to be some decent stuff, I am giving Jeff`s Arcrilic Jett a go.