Given that a couple of folks have expressed negative views of Meguiar's Online, I'd like to share with you a positive view. As you know, I am new to detailing. I have been visiting various detailing forums for the past nine months or so. In my opinion, MOL is the most helpful and instructive forum on the internet for newbs. The community is welcoming and patient. Folks bend over backwards to help beginners with the most basic detailing and product questions, and they do so over and over and over again, day in and day out. Most importantly, beginners can count on the soundness of the instruction and counsel they are given by Mike Phillips, Tim Lingor, Michael Stoops, Mike Pennington, Mark Kleis, and several others. The detailing instruction provided on MOL is invariably reliable and provides a good foundation for detailing.
Being a community populated with newbs has its disadvantages. For example, because MOL encourages newbs to participate in the forum and to help their fellow newbs, inaccurate information is sometimes disseminated; but one can always count on Mike P. and the moderators to step in and correct the bad information, whether regarding product or technique. Also, I think that the strong emphasis on supporting beginners and intermediates probably discourages more experienced detailers from contributing to the discussion. One could wish that more of the Meguiar's heavyweights, such as Kevin Brown and Joe Fernandez, contributed more frequently. I mention this not to criticize but only because I want to learn from the best; but not everyone enjoys participating in internet forums, nor does everyone have the time. This is the reason I like to frequent other detailing forums, in addition to MOL. At the moment one can learn more about the Kevin Brown Method here on Autopia than on Meguiar's Online.
The "weaknesses" that others have noted are determined by MOL's mission--to assist people in the proper use of Meguiar's products. The forum is sponsored and paid for by Meguiar's. This simple fact has a number of consequences:
First, one should not expect to hear a lot about non-Meguiar's products. Everyone who participates in MOL knows that the forum exists to support and sell the wares of Meguiar's. If a person wants to talk at length about Menzerna polishes or boutique waxes, he will have to visit another forum. On the other hand, MOL does not permit its members to attack (as opposed to briefly criticizing) the products of other manufacturers. One does not find lengthy threads on MOL lambasting Zaino, Mother's, Pinnacle or whatever. One gets the sense that Meguiar's confidently believes that its products, once tried, will ultimately sell themselves. As Mike Phillips repeatedly proclaims, "Find what you like and use it often!"
I think it is true, though, that there exists a reluctance to speak negatively of Meguiar's products. No doubt people feel that to do so would be to bite the hand that is feeding them. Those employed by Meguiar's are understandably constrained. Don't expect Mike Pennington to announce that he secretly prefers Souveran over NXT. Only in Miracle on 34th Street does Macy's send customers to Gimbles. Hence one sometimes gets the feeling that everyone on MOL believes that Meguiar's sells the absolutely best products in every category, and some buy into this a bit too enthusiastically, especially we newbs. Converts are often obnoxious in their zeal. But hopefully we all grow up and our horizons expand. I do not for a moment believe that other companies do not offer products that are as good as if not superior to Megs' products. I like to experiment with different waxes, for example. NXT is nice, but just maybe I will find a wax that looks even better on my Luthien. But on the whole I am content to stick with Meguiar's because I am convinced that I am getting good value for the money and because I know where I can get reliable support when I need it.
Second, MOL is a moderated forum. Forum rules are consistently enforced. I remember my own surprise when I received a gentle rebuke from one of the moderators about my use of a certain word. It had never occurred to me that the word in question was inappropriate in a family-friendly forum. I occasionally yearn for the freedom of expression and debate permitted on other forums. But the positive consequence of MOL's strong moderation is a high civility of discourse. Flame wars do occasionally happen, but they are always short-lived and often preempted by moderatorial intervention. Self-appointed "experts" who like to pontificate on detailing matters without offering substantiation for their views do not last very long. MOL is a pleasant, respectful, and informed community--and that counts for something.
The mission of Meguiar's Online is different from the mission of Autopia. MOL is not for everybody. But if you want to learn how to properly and effectively use Meguiar's products or if you are just starting out on the detailing adventure, then it really is a good place to be.
Cheers,
Al