Menzerna polish for every job....

radarryan

radarryan

New member
Since I decided I would help my neighbor's out with their cars over the coming months, I figured that I needed more polishes than the finishing polishes that I used on my and my families cars.

I really like Menzerna polishes ever since I used SF4500 on my soft black Porsche paint. I was figuring that I would pick up the following polishes:

FG400 Fast Gloss
SI1500 Super Intensive
PF2500 Power Finish
SF4000 Super Finish

I already have SF4500 but really I figured that is only reserved for two steps with very, very soft paint or a jeweling process. I was planning on using my favorite pads, Lake Country HydroTech pads.

I know I can always go the M105/M205 route but sometimes I like DAT polishes over SMAT because I know when they're fully broken down. I was thinking about SONAX Perfect Finish but the filling ability is making me think twice since I would probably (almost 100%) be applying coatings after. I hate to have a coating fail because of the "super fillers" that many have talked about.

I am open to other suggestions for polishes and compounds, but Menzerna really, at least in my opinion, steps itself apart from the others.

Thank you for all of your feedback and happy detailing!
 
well if fillers got you worried use Opt compound and polishes, apparently there not supposed to have fillers for OC application.

You dont like to IPA wipedown after compounding or polishing?

Even HD polish and HD cut seem to have nice results
 
psynx said:
well if fillers got you worried use Opt compound and polishes, apparently there not supposed to have fillers for OC application.

You dont like to IPA wipedown after compounding or polishing?

Even HD polish and HD cut seem to have nice results
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I do an IPA wipedown or a Panel Wipe after polishing. After my neighbor's car, I rewashed with a mixture of Chemical Guys Citrus Red and Dawn, dried, and then used GTechniq Panel Wipe before applying GTechniq C1.

I have used Optimum polishes in the past but don't feel like they are anything special, to be honest, and feel that Menzerna is a much better polish.

I have never used HD polishes or compounds but have heard very good things about them. I feel like they have gotten a bit of a bad rap since they were giving free products in exchange for reviews, but hey, you gotta get your name and product out somehow.

The reason why SONAX Perfect Finish has me worried is I've heard that it has "super fillers" that last through multiple decontamination steps and ruin coatings sometimes weeks after application. I read on a different forum some guy had all the swirls removed only to have them reappear three weeks later. That's not the kind of thing you want to worry about when applying expensive coatings.
 
FG400 and SF4000 is an awesome combo, FG400 can be one-stepped on a majority of cars out there. SF4000 provides just enough cut. SF2500 works well and is a classic, it's a bit dated compared to some of the newer products from Sonax and the like.

One thing I did like HD Polish due to it having much less residual oils during removal. I do think Menzerna can be very oily.
 
I have used 105/205 as a combo as well as the Menzerna Line. For me, these 2 systems can get me where I need to be. I do not do this for a living but my winter truck gets pretty beaten up and neglected between seasons and these products have resurected it many a time.

I find that once you know a system it is easier to stick with it. I know what pad with what polish can yield the results I am shooting for. It helps that I know my paint in that I dont think I own and really hard clears so depending on what you own YMMV.
 
ec90 said:
FG400 and SF4000 is an awesome combo, FG400 can be one-stepped on a majority of cars out there. SF4000 provides just enough cut. SF2500 works well and is a classic, it's a bit dated compared to some of the newer products from Sonax and the like.

One thing I did like HD Polish due to it having much less residual oils during removal. I do think Menzerna can be very oily.
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Do you think that the "Super Fillers" in SONAX Perfect Finish should be a concern, especially if coatings were going on after? I have looked at Todd's epic 1-Step Showdown and it seemed that the Perfect Finish's filling wasn't too bad, but what I've heard is sometimes it takes weeks for all the fillings to come off.

Menz PF2500 always pops up as a classic one-step staple. I've never used it but I'm thinking that I should have it in the arsenal where I can pair it with either a tangerine or cyan Hydro-Tech pad depending on the paint hardness.

I appreciate all the feedback. Keep it coming!
 
radarryan said:
Since I decided I would help my neighbor's out with their cars over the coming months, I figured that I needed more polishes than the finishing polishes that I used on my and my families cars.

I really like Menzerna polishes ever since I used SF4500 on my soft black Porsche paint. I was figuring that I would pick up the following polishes:

FG400 Fast Gloss
SI1500 Super Intensive
PF2500 Power Finish
SF4000 Super Finish

I already have SF4500 but really I figured that is only reserved for two steps with very, very soft paint or a jeweling process. I was planning on using my favorite pads, Lake Country HydroTech pads.

I know I can always go the M105/M205 route but sometimes I like DAT polishes over SMAT because I know when they're fully broken down. I was thinking about SONAX Perfect Finish but the filling ability is making me think twice since I would probably (almost 100%) be applying coatings after. I hate to have a coating fail because of the "super fillers" that many have talked about.

I am open to other suggestions for polishes and compounds, but Menzerna really, at least in my opinion, steps itself apart from the others.

Thank you for all of your feedback and happy detailing!
Click to expand...

I have the full range of Menzerna polishes in my garage and think your selections are spot on :)
 
radarryan said:
Do you think that the "Super Fillers" in SONAX Perfect Finish should be a concern, especially if coatings were going on after? I have looked at Todd's epic 1-Step Showdown and it seemed that the Perfect Finish's filling wasn't too bad, but what I've heard is sometimes it takes weeks for all the fillings to come off.

Menz PF2500 always pops up as a classic one-step staple. I've never used it but I'm thinking that I should have it in the arsenal where I can pair it with either a tangerine or cyan Hydro-Tech pad depending on the paint hardness.

I appreciate all the feedback. Keep it coming!
Click to expand...

I think if I were to use Sonax prior to a coating I would definitely want to do a wash followed by an IPA or Eraser wipedown or two. This instead of just going straight to the wipedowns then coating. Although I'd check and see if anyone has used Sonax prior to a coating, I haven't seen any threads lately of that combo but there may be. I'll keep an eye out.
 
radarryan said:
I do an IPA wipedown or a Panel Wipe after polishing. After my neighbor's car, I rewashed with a mixture of Chemical Guys Citrus Red and Dawn, dried, and then used GTechniq Panel Wipe before applying GTechniq C1.

I have used Optimum polishes in the past but don't feel like they are anything special, to be honest, and feel that Menzerna is a much better polish.

I have never used HD polishes or compounds but have heard very good things about them. I feel like they have gotten a bit of a bad rap since they were giving free products in exchange for reviews, but hey, you gotta get your name and product out somehow.

The reason why SONAX Perfect Finish has me worried is I've heard that it has "super fillers" that last through multiple decontamination steps and ruin coatings sometimes weeks after application. I read on a different forum some guy had all the swirls removed only to have them reappear three weeks later. That's not the kind of thing you want to worry about when applying expensive coatings.
Click to expand...

(o_0) wow really thats the first time i heard that? i have used PF and used Carpro eraser, Mineral Spirits, and IPA and havent had that issue but i havent coated a car after using PF only waxed or seal

Kinda worries me now that a 70 dollar bottle does that :(
 
From what I've gathered from other's tests, Perfect Finish does in fact have a considerable amount of filling ability, but the fillers are so durable that IPA won't touch them. It takes something crazy like oven cleaner to remove them completely. I don't see it as a bad thing if you know going in that it fills. For a 1 step/seal job, it sounds like a good product. However, it wouldn't be something I would use for coating jobs. If the fillers break down over time, it would probably cause the coating to fail prematurely, leaving you with a very unhappy customer and probably a redo on your part.
 
mrclean81 said:
From what I've gathered from other's tests, Perfect Finish does in fact have a considerable amount of filling ability, but the fillers are so durable that IPA won't touch them. It takes something crazy like oven cleaner to remove them completely. I don't see it as a bad thing if you know going in that it fills. For a 1 step/seal job, it sounds like a good product. However, it wouldn't be something I would use for coating jobs. If the fillers break down over time, it would probably cause the coating to fail prematurely, leaving you with a very unhappy customer and probably a redo on your part.
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Wow im glad i didnt learn that through experience and had you guys to give me the heads up, that would of looked terrible on my part :(
 
I am a Menz Man too....I have used their polishes for many years and have never failed me...some tweaking with a new product, but once you got that knocked out the results are fantastic....
 
psynx said:
Wow im glad i didnt learn that through experience and had you guys to give me the heads up, that would of looked terrible on my part :(
Click to expand...

That's where all the controversy really stems from when it comes to Perfect Finish. I think everyone can agree its a great product for what it is though. A certain high end "Elitist" is pretty well known for using this on coating jobs and claiming 100% corrections with it, when in fact there was some filling going on. Some folks who don't like him called him out on it, and long story short, PF got a lot of flack as well.
 
radarryan said:
Since I decided I would help my neighbor's out with their cars over the coming months, I figured that I needed more polishes than the finishing polishes that I used on my and my families cars.

I really like Menzerna polishes ever since I used SF4500 on my soft black Porsche paint. I was figuring that I would pick up the following polishes:

FG400 Fast Gloss
SI1500 Super Intensive
PF2500 Power Finish
SF4000 Super Finish

I already have SF4500 but really I figured that is only reserved for two steps with very, very soft paint or a jeweling process. I was planning on using my favorite pads, Lake Country HydroTech pads.

I know I can always go the M105/M205 route but sometimes I like DAT polishes over SMAT because I know when they're fully broken down. I was thinking about SONAX Perfect Finish but the filling ability is making me think twice since I would probably (almost 100%) be applying coatings after. I hate to have a coating fail because of the "super fillers" that many have talked about.

I am open to other suggestions for polishes and compounds, but Menzerna really, at least in my opinion, steps itself apart from the others.

Thank you for all of your feedback and happy detailing!
Click to expand...

I use menzerna a lot, but still find I need some of the megs stuff. especially for heavy defects

often I'll go for d300 over menz fg400 (they seem to cut pretty closely IMO). And if that isn't doing it, I'm a big fan of m100. I don't even really use 105 anymore. you can get m100 to finish down really well on certain paints

For finishing, I'd stick with menzerna. I like 205 a lot, but if you're really focused on getting all the gloss I'd reach for pf2500 or sf4000
 
I have used Menzerna products exclusively on all paints all marques for years and it is proven to be great and very predictable..

Have also just started using Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish 4/6 at mid year, and the over a dozen vehicles I corrected with Rotary Power, have not come back with scratches returning or anything.. None were coated - all received 1 coat of Sonax Polymer Net Shield.

Im not sure how long Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish has been out, but I believe it has been out since sometime in 2012...

I wonder why, if this product is so full of "super fillers", and hundreds of bottles have been sold, around the world, perhaps thousands of bottles, why there are not a corresponding amount of posts talking about how bad this product is for coatings, going back to when it first came out???

Coatings have been out way longer than the product...

Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
I have used Menzerna products exclusively on all paints all marques for years and it is proven to be great and very predictable..

Have also just started using Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish 4/6 at mid year, and the over a dozen vehicles I corrected with Rotary Power, have not come back with scratches returning or anything.. None were coated - all received 1 coat of Sonax Polymer Net Shield.

Im not sure how long Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish has been out, but I believe it has been out since sometime in 2012...

I wonder why, if this product is so full of "super fillers", and hundreds of bottles have been sold, around the world, perhaps thousands of bottles, why there are not a corresponding amount of posts talking about how bad this product is for coatings, going back to when it first came out???
Coatings have been out way longer than the product...

Dan F
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I think its more of a theory than anything as far as coating failure goes. The first person I know of to discover the real filling ability is one of most respected guys in the industry, and when he speaks people tend to listen. For me personally, Im glad to know this before I used it for a warrantied Opti Coat job or any coating job for that matter, just in case. I don't think anyone has actually documented coating failure or anything like that, but it does make sense.
 
psynx said:
(o_0) wow really thats the first time i heard that? i have used PF and used Carpro eraser, Mineral Spirits, and IPA and havent had that issue but i havent coated a car after using PF only waxed or seal

Kinda worries me now that a 70 dollar bottle does that :(
Click to expand...

I know what you mean... Perfect Finish was literally in the cart, ready to hit ship, but then I did a couple more Google and forum searches and didn't like some of the "rumors" in the mill. I thought PF was going to be the "perfect polish" (no pun intended) but I am really waiting to buy this, and probably will end up with the Menzerna package, because of these rumors. Hate to have a $70 per liter polish ruin a $10 per mL coating... Hopefully we'll get some definitive answers posted to the various forums soon...
 
Stokdgs said:
I have used Menzerna products exclusively on all paints all marques for years and it is proven to be great and very predictable..

Have also just started using Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish 4/6 at mid year, and the over a dozen vehicles I corrected with Rotary Power, have not come back with scratches returning or anything.. None were coated - all received 1 coat of Sonax Polymer Net Shield.

Im not sure how long Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish has been out, but I believe it has been out since sometime in 2012...

I wonder why, if this product is so full of "super fillers", and hundreds of bottles have been sold, around the world, perhaps thousands of bottles, why there are not a corresponding amount of posts talking about how bad this product is for coatings, going back to when it first came out???

Coatings have been out way longer than the product...

Dan F
Click to expand...

I am certainly not trying to spread rumors, just repeating what I have read in the hopes that I don't make certain mistakes that others have made along the way. Since the majority of the work I do (in fact, close to 100%) is coatings, I figured that this is a pretty big deal, and worth bringing up, even though it may just be a rumor.

I apologize if you found my original posting offensive to you or SONAX Perfect Finish. On the contrary, I have great love for SONAX products, which is why I brought it up in the first place - I was about to buy it. I have their glass cleaner, dashboard cleaner, Full Effect, etc. so I'm not trying to bash the brand - just trying to get some answers before I spend hundreds of dollars.
 
Todd Helme said:
I have the full range of Menzerna polishes in my garage and think your selections are spot on :)
Click to expand...

Todd, many have said to bag SI1500 because FG400 finishes so well. My thought process was to save the bit of the aggressiveness by bumping to SI1500, but maybe FG400 with a tangerine HydroTech pad rather than cyan pad would be more appropriate?

What's your general opinion on the best polishes to have in the range. If you think that it's worth having in the cabinet, I'll go for it, but it seems that there is a consensus saying that it just is not necessary.

Thank you, as always, for your continued feedback! :yourrock
 
Radarryan -

Thanks for your comments -

But please understand I am not at all offended by these comments..

Since I have used a lot of this product, I am just as interested as the next guy to know all I can about it - especially if it is somehow bad for coatings...

I understand the concern regarding it failing somehow, sometime, and causing coating failure, but I have to just think - how is anyone going to prove that this product caused the failure anyway??

I dont see anywhere a process that outlines how this would happen, so perhaps its really a moot point then, until someday, (with OptiCoat), some year, the coating wears off or comes off, whatever...

Who is going to remember when they did it by then and if they saved the paperwork, again, how does one prove without a doubt, that something other than just wearing out, caused the coating to fail ??

I am Detailing a 2005 Porsche Cayenne in Lapis Blue with an 8 year old clearbra on the front end that is totally scratched from a zillion car washes and/or that man that stands there with the dirty nasty, soapy brush that brushes the wheels and then the clearbra..

I went down one side and found that Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish is doing a beautiful number on clarifying that nasty scratched clear bra ! Its almost perfect again.. I would say its in the 90% range easily...

So, with our without the"magic fillers", I am getting the results I need way faster than any other method out there on an 8 year old piece of plastic !

We are good, ok ?
Thanks !
Dan F
 
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