Menz Power Finish

Just to be sure, I am talking about 203 (power finish), not IP.

Asphalt: this is silly. I am talking from experience, and from the results I have seen on the many cars I have worked on. I have 20/20 vision, and do not see marring that is visible to the naked eye. Can the finish be improved beyond what 203 leaves? Yes, it definately can. I dont disagree with you on that, but it all depends on the types of paint as well. You know as well as I do that your vette would be corrected and jeweled with much more aggressive polishes than a car with a softer paint would. For instance; those pictures are from my mom's Lexus ls430 which has very hard clear. The one step left that. Again, could it be improved? Probably, but not significantly. It certainly looks LSP ready in the halogens and in the sun. But I am still learning I guess.

If I used the same technique on my Saab, then I would leave marring. Bottom line is we work on different cars, but to call BS on something you haven't seen is not necessary. If you politely posted your views on the subject, that would be much more helpful.
 
Lets see, were do we start. We will start with experience and knowledge. I would say you have very little knowledge doing this. I have been doing this for years so I know what pad/product will do what. I do not just do my vette, numerous cars.

Also I believe MotorCity agreed with me and he also has alot more knowledge/experience than you. Then you have Louie trying to explain to you the samething and he is correct also. Posting pics do nothing as far as trying to prove a point. Experience and knowledge is what is going to tell you what is going to work or not. Sorry if you took the bs comment wrong but I will say then you are wrong. What you have said will mar, as far as my techinique goes, I will be more than happy to put it up against yours any day. Yes, I see that you are talking about 203 and I would never talk about a product I have never used or give any type of false information to the forum. It might be direct but it will be correct and honest.

As far as your orange pad/360 combo, 360 fills so what are you trying to prove there. It is plain and simple that pad mars and if you finish with it thats great. It is not what you finish with, experience and knowledge will tell you that. Why would I use a more aggressive jeweling process on my vette? I use the same process for jeweling on my Maxima and Cobra.
 
Last edited:
I used an orange pad, albeit the clear was pretty hard on my parents lexus's but I deliberately took one pass to see if it left marring and it did not. I was amazed, I pulled it out into the sun to check. Also, I was using it on my dads black rx400h in the sun and it performed exactly the same.
Statements like this, makes me wonder about your detailing experience. You used an orange pad and made one pass and left no marring. You did this on a black car also with the same results. Doesn't Menzerna use diminishing abrasives? If so, how can one pass break it down?
 
I have finished out marr free with a foamed wool and yellow cutting pads with Menzerna PO203S. I did multiple wipe downs with IPA, 3M adhesive remover and Acrysol. No swirls no marring.
 
I have finished out marr free with a foamed wool and yellow cutting pads with Menzerna PO203S. I did multiple wipe downs with IPA, 3M adhesive remover and Acrysol. No swirls no marring.
Marr free with a yellow? That pad is like a brick. What color vehicle?
 
Lets see, were do we start. We will start with experience and knowledge. I would say you have very little knowledge doing this. I have been doing this for years so I know what pad/product will do what. I do not just do my vette, numerous cars.

Also I believe MotorCity agreed with me and he also has alot more knowledge/experience than you. Then you have Louie trying to explain to you the samething and he is correct also. Posting pics do nothing as far as trying to prove a point. Experience and knowledge is what is going to tell you what is going to work or not. Sorry if you took the bs comment wrong but I will say then you are wrong. What you have said will mar, as far as my techinique goes, I will be more than happy to put it up against yours any day. Yes, I see that you are talking about 203 and I would never talk about a product I have never used or give any type of false information to the forum. It might be direct but it will be correct and honest.

As far as your orange pad/360 combo, 360 fills so what are you trying to prove there. It is plain and simple that pad mars and if you finish with it thats great. It is not what you finish with, experience and knowledge will tell you that. Why would I use a more aggressive jeweling process on my vette? I use the same process for jeweling on my Maxima and Cobra.

Ok, I think I did take some of it out of context. I was reacting more to the fact that I don't think it is necessary to call someone out like that. I'm definately still learning, don't get me wrong. But I believe that I still have some knowledge of detailing, there will always be someone who is more experienced, no doubt. I think I have a bit more than "very little" experience though, I am not a beginner when it comes to correcting and detailing cars. Also, I didn't know it was a competition.

I used your vette as an example because I assumed your clear was very hard, if I am wrong then sorry. I also didn't mean that you would change the process, I was referring to changing the pad/product combination.
 
Statements like this, makes me wonder about your detailing experience. You used an orange pad and made one pass and left no marring. You did this on a black car also with the same results. Doesn't Menzerna use diminishing abrasives? If so, how can one pass break it down?

I should have been more specific, I didn't read it as though someone would take it out of context. What I meant to say was I tried one pass on the LS, and should have added that I completely broke down the polish (obviously) on the RX and had no marring; I should have differentiated between the two sentences. It was my fault since I have a habit of writing something down knowing what I am implying but I don't proof read as if I was a reader.

Also, I don't understand how can you question anyones detailing experience? You can criticize and correct a mistake like what I wrote but without even knowing someone and concluding that they aren't knowledgeable or experienced is unfair. I don't mind if someone thinks I don't know what I'm talking about, which is fine since no one should have to prove themselves to a bunch of people online.
 
Marr free with a yellow? That pad is like a brick. What color vehicle?

Their is many yellow foams out there ;) but I think this was with the reticulated foam from Lake Country and the car was a grey metallic BMW - rock hard.

Heck I even finished out nice when removing P2000 grit with Menzernas newest compound - POS100 with a rotary and a foamed wool pad. With "finished out nice" I mean no swirl marks, holograms or scuffing and a good gloss, but I refined with PO106FA and the paint came out flawless. Im the MAN
 
Their is many yellow foams out there ;) but I think this was with the reticulated foam from Lake Country and the car was a grey metallic BMW - rock hard.

Heck I even finished out nice when removing P2000 grit with Menzernas newest compound - POS100 with a rotary and a foamed wool pad. With "finished out nice" I mean no swirl marks, holograms or scuffing and a good gloss, but I refined with PO106FA and the paint came out flawless. Im the MAN

Haha, thats why I said I got no marring because the two lexus' had hard clear.
 
Lets keep this civil and a learning experience to all that might consider PowerFINISH as their polish of choice. Everybody here has a right to their opinion and yet can take/make this a learning experience if the valuable insight is shared properly.

Here is my take:

Menz 203 can finish down as well as most finishing polishes on its own and can easily be used as a one step polish for light polishing needs. I do not however think it could be used with a Lake Country Yellow or Orange Pad without needing some additional polishing with a lighter pad to remove any micromarring that the pad specifically introduced. I would likely move to lighter polish and pad combo to try and gem/jewel the paint as a second step if using PowerFinish with the heavier (more aggressive) pads.
 
I have no problems with jeweling, and certainly do so if the detailing job calls for it. 203 is still a great one stepper even with a more aggressive pad, however I am sure that when used on a softer paint would marr regardless and require an additional step to jewel.

I think I made it sound like I don't think jeweling is necessary, and thats not what I think. There are many threads where I used a combination of XMT #3 and then #2 to finish, and some where I finished with Gl0ss it evolution polish or Menz po87mc. If you want or need to take it to the next level, then it definately makes it worthwhile to go the additional step. But if you just want to correct and leave a decent LSP ready finish then I think 203 (at least up to the orange pad) finishs well enough.
 
I got a bottle of Power Finish this past week. Have not tried it yet. I am contemplating ordering a bottle of the PO85RD as a finishing polish for the Power Finish if needed. I notice that it also is a OEM product and lower cut and higher gloss than the Power Finish. I know that some are saying that Power Finish can be used as a 1 step polish and step down pads to finish.
I still would like a finer polish if I needed to complete a correction. This is my first time using Menzerna and want to
have a 2 step process if needed. Anybody concur with this selection? The PO85RD is on sale for 10 dollars off and says this polish is a limited supply. Would love to order enough stuff to get a few of the Cobra 600 MF's. Just can't swing it. I have ordered a bunch of stuff over the last two weeks. lol Feed back please
 
I got a bottle of Power Finish this past week. Have not tried it yet. I am contemplating ordering a bottle of the PO85RD as a finishing polish for the Power Finish if needed. I notice that it also is a OEM product and lower cut and higher gloss than the Power Finish. I know that some are saying that Power Finish can be used as a 1 step polish and step down pads to finish.
I still would like a finer polish if I needed to complete a correction. This is my first time using Menzerna and want to
have a 2 step process if needed. Anybody concur with this selection? The PO85RD is on sale for 10 dollars off and says this polish is a limited supply. Would love to order enough stuff to get a few of the Cobra 600 MF's. Just can't swing it. I have ordered a bunch of stuff over the last two weeks. lol Feed back please

Power finish should be followed up. 85rd or Ultrafina are great final polishes to follow up after Power finish.
 
Ordered the PO85RD. Gonna get my baby ready for the winter.
I have some swirls and water spotting to buff off. Then a couple coats of Klasse and a couple coats of Souveran. Cannot wait for labor day weekend.

:work::autowash::buffing::cruisin:
 
Back
Top