Menzerna PO 85RD results and quick comments on other products

[arenared]

I used the "85RD" as my final polish after a light wet-sanding on my DD, a 10-year old Boxster, which is also my autocross car

Prior to the 85RD, I used Meg's Ultimate Compound and SwirlX. I really didn't think it could get any glossier with the 85RD and was tempted to skip it, but the 85RD did make it wow-glossy. It really is the glossiest this car has ever been. Here's a quick pic (at night with only fluorescent lighting) and before waxing or any final clean up.

I applied the 85RD with a crimson HT foam pad. I was really impressed at how easy it applied, long working time, and also very easy removal.

I was less impressed with the Meguire's products as I felt they were too "mild" in terms of cutting power based on what I had read and the charts I have seen. In fact, the Ultimate Compound (blue cyan HT pad) finished almost wax-ready. On the plus side, application and removal was comparatively easy. The SwirlX on a tangerine HT pad seemed very mild, but finished very nicely.

I also used the Surbuf R pads. I was quite dissatisfied with these. They did not seem to cut any faster or better than a 5.5 cyan HT pad and did not finish as nice. Maybe that's just a credit to the cyan HT pads. Also, the Surbuf pads made a bit of a mess, shedding MicroFingers all over. On the plus side, the Surbuf pads did not absorb much product, but they also gummed up very quickly. Possibly with more experience and different technique, these may work better, but I didn't like them.

In my polishing/removing sanding marks (3000 grit), I also used a small sample of Menz PO 34A Powergloss. This had a cut more like I was expecting, but it was not anywhere as usable as Meg's Ultimate Compound. It seems to like very small sections and quick removal. It tends to dry quickly and, if so, difficult to remove. In the marketing material, it says "even black cars will glow after one or two passes". I think this is a bit of stretch. It left what I would expect as fine compounding haze that would be removed by a subsequently finer polish.

Regarding HT pads, the cyan do not seem to take a lot of hard work. They tend to crack around Velcro pad, and I had one delaminate at the Velcro pad and "explode" with little bits of blue foam all over the place. I didn't have any issues with the tangerine or crimson versions. I also found the 5.5" to be much more effective at cutting than the 6.5". This was using a Griot's random orbital which was a nice power upgrade from my old Porter Cable 7424 (non XP).

In sum: I really like the Lake Country HT pads, although the cyan don't seem to be so durable. (Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do an A/B with say a conventional orange pad.) I really like the Menzerna PO 85RD. I definitely was not impressed with the Surbuf pads. I think the Meg's Ultimate and SwirlX are very good products, but perhaps better suited for more light-weight duty than I was expecting. I thought the Menz PO 34A was only OK. In the future, I think I will try the Meg 105. Hopefully, that will have noticeably more cut than the Ultimate without giving up much in usability. I think I will also try something like a foamed wool pad to see how that compares.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional detailer. I'm sure there are others who have differing opinions. These are based on my experience as a car nut and sharing with other auto geeks here on the forum.

 

[Finemess]

Nice work, love the color.

 

[Harleyguy]

Thanks for sharing you experience i think if you use Megs 105 and the surbuf pads you will change your mind on how they perform .Also if you like the 85rd and have some extra cash to spend on products look into some 3M ultrafina also another great choice. As for the HD pads i also have had the same problems with the Velcro and i also feel they don't last as long as i wished they did . Also with the surbuf pads the key with them is to clean them offen using a brush OR even better if you have an air compressor .

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

In my experience, surbuf pads cut way more than cyan HT pads.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[Flash Gordon]

I used the "85RD" as my final polish after a light wet-sanding on my DD, a 10-year old Boxster, which is also my autocross car

Autocross :hungry:

Prior to the 85RD, I used Meg's Ultimate Compound and SwirlX. I really didn't think it could get any glossier with the 85RD and was tempted to skip it, but the 85RD did make it wow-glossy. It really is the glossiest this car has ever been. Here's a quick pic (at night with only fluorescent lighting) and before waxing or any final clean up.

I applied the 85RD with a crimson HT foam pad. I was really impressed at how easy it applied, long working time, and also very easy removal.

Glossy gloss :cheers:

I was less impressed with the Meguire's products as I felt they were too "mild" in terms of cutting power based on what I had read and the charts I have seen. In fact, the Ultimate Compound (blue cyan HT pad) finished almost wax-ready. On the plus side, application and removal was comparatively easy. The SwirlX on a tangerine HT pad seemed very mild, but finished very nicely.

Order some Megs 105 & 205. These two topped with 85rd are a hard combo to beat

I also used the Surbuf R pads. I was quite dissatisfied with these. They did not seem to cut any faster or better than a 5.5 cyan HT pad and did not finish as nice. Maybe that's just a credit to the cyan HT pads. Also, the Surbuf pads made a bit of a mess, shedding MicroFingers all over. On the plus side, the Surbuf pads did not absorb much product, but they also gummed up very quickly. Possibly with more experience and different technique, these may work better, but I didn't like them.

Surbufs take alot of play time to get adjusted to. Its not natural for me not to apply alota pressure like I normally would, but thats the way these puppies give you the best results. Also try applying less product to your pad :buffing:

In my polishing/removing sanding marks (3000 grit), I also used a small sample of Menz PO 34A Powergloss. This had a cut more like I was expecting, but it was not anywhere as usable as Meg's Ultimate Compound. It seems to like very small sections and quick removal. It tends to dry quickly and, if so, difficult to remove. In the marketing material, it says "even black cars will glow after one or two passes". I think this is a bit of stretch. It left what I would expect as fine compounding haze that would be removed by a subsequently finer polish.

Power Gloss requires alot more working time to break down then 105, but its still a great product to have on hand. Don't chunk it in the round file cainet just yet :nomore:

Regarding HT pads, the cyan do not seem to take a lot of hard work. They tend to crack around Velcro pad, and I had one delaminate at the Velcro pad and "explode" with little bits of blue foam all over the place. I didn't have any issues with the tangerine or crimson versions. I also found the 5.5" to be much more effective at cutting than the 6.5". This was using a Griot's random orbital which was a nice power upgrade from my old Porter Cable 7424 (non XP).

I've never used the HT Pads. I've heard both good and bad concerning these. Mostly good though :dunno:

The Griots unit is very nice 4 sure. Wise choice IMO rops:

In sum: I really like the Lake Country HT pads, although the cyan don't seem to be so durable. (Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do an A/B with say a conventional orange pad.) I really like the Menzerna PO 85RD. I definitely was not impressed with the Surbuf pads. I think the Meg's Ultimate and SwirlX are very good products, but perhaps better suited for more light-weight duty than I was expecting. I thought the Menz PO 34A was only OK. In the future, I think I will try the Meg 105. Hopefully, that will have noticeably more cut than the Ultimate without giving up much in usability. I think I will also try something like a foamed wool pad to see how that compares.

You actually picked out some very nice products. Nothing to be ashamed of with what you have there :help:

Disclaimer: I am not a professional detailer. I'm sure there are others who have differing opinions. These are based on my experience as a car nut and sharing with other auto geeks here on the forum.

Thanks for reporting your findings. Your car looks great Im the MAN

 

[A4 1.8tqm]

Power Gloss requires alot more working time to break down then 105

:iagree: PG can finish surprisingly well when fully broken down. It may even need a little extra lube along the way if it starts to dry out.

Your car looks great BTW! rops:

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I've went away from using diminishing abrasives. They're too time consuming wondering if you've broken them down. Non-diminishing abrasives FTW! In cases where M205 can't finish perfectly, 85rd would be an option, but I don't come across that very often.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Just to double check, you sanded down the paint with #3000 grit, was this by hand or machine?

 

[arenared]

Thanks,everyone, for all the positive comments and suggestions, especially on the Surbufs. I think it is difficult to resist the tendency to press, especially on vertical panels. Must try again, but even lighter! Any comments/suggestions on foamed wool pads?

Harleyguy and Flash, I will definitely add 105 and 205 to my shopping list. In hind sight, these are probably better "spaced" with the 85RD. I picked my products, in part, from the input of guys like you . You are all very expensive. I tried to err on the side of conservative as I figured many newer products are more aggressive for ceramic coats, etc. The Porsche paint is pretty soft.

07 z-oh-6, Mark, I think there is a silver 'vette like yours out at the autocross events. Nice! I tried a few A/B/C tests. Despite my bad technique I would say the Surbuf cut better than the 6.5 HT but about the same as the 5.5 HT cyan. Thanks for your input.

Mike, I used 2000 -> 2500 -> 3000 by machine and 3000 by hand to do some blending where the paint was taped off and some of the smaller areas. This was on factory paint, and I was very careful I have wet-sanded before, but a LONG time ago. This was also after some test spot work on the front which was pretty much sand/rock blasted where a repaint would not have been the end of the world. I could not imagine sanding a whole car (even a small Boxster without a roof) by hand. My arms would have fallen off

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike, I used 2000 -> 2500 -> 3000 by machine and 3000 by hand

This was on factory paint, and I was very careful

This was also after some test spot work on the front

Just another follow-up question just so everyone reading this is clear...

After sanding, you then removed your sanding marks using the Griot's DA Polisher and this was after you confirmed via testing that the Griot's plus the pads and products would in fact remove the sanding marks?

 

[CEE DOG]

Great work! Paint looks nice! I love 85RD as well. Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and results! I have nothing to add beyond what has been said. I simply wanted to say thank you.rops:

 

[arenared]

Just another follow-up question just so everyone reading this is clear...

After sanding, you then removed your sanding marks using the Griot's DA Polisher and this was after you confirmed via testing that the Griot's plus the pads and products would in fact remove the sanding marks?

Ah, yes. I see where you're going. :xyxthumbs:

I would not recommend that everyone go out and wet-sand their car. This is a pretty serious procedure! I certainly did not go from wet-sanding to 85RD to achieve these results but a lot of intermediate work (and some prior experience). Before wet-sanding anything, you should have experience doing so or practice on something you don't care about. And, probably read up on it a bit and assume all risks yourself. This was more of some quick comments --not even reviews-- of some of the products I used. (Hope that helps.)

Mine is a 10-year old car, and I wanted to give it some serious freshening after spending too much time taking care of other people's cars.

Yes, I did confirm by testing that I could remove the sanding marks with products I already had or were on their way. (I actually used my PC 7424, but wanted the Griot's DA for the whole car since it was notably more powerful and things would go comparatively quicker, but not wanting to invest in a rotary buffer -- at least not yet. With the help of Meghan, I've already spent WAY TOO MUCH this year )

 

[arenared]

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and results! I have nothing to add beyond what has been said. I simply wanted to say thank you.rops:

NO comparison to the in-depth reviews you do, for which I am very grateful. Mine are just some quick comments.
:urtheman::urtheman::urtheman:

P.S. For the sealants, I applied two coats of UPGP -- your fave I believe rops:, a coat of Menz Power Lock, and a topper of Fuzion.

 

[jimmyjam]

Thanks for sharing you experience i think if you use Megs 105 and the surbuf pads you will change your mind on how they perform .Also if you like the 85rd and have some extra cash to spend on products look into some 3M ultrafina also another great choice. As for the HD pads i also have had the same problems with the Velcro and i also feel they don't last as long as i wished they did . Also with the surbuf pads the key with them is to clean them offen using a brush OR even better if you have an air compressor .

Can you please elaborate a little more on the best pad combo for the Megs/Menzerna recipe. Likewise I didn't have the amazing results that I always read about using 105,205,and 85r. Thanks!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Ah, yes. I see where you're going. :xyxthumbs:

I would not recommend that everyone go out and wet-sand their car.

The key thing is to understand the importance of doing some testing should a person decide to undertake doing any kind of wetsanding be it a fresh paint job or a factory paint job. You won't know how hard it will be to remove the sanding marks until you first sand... and then do some testing using your compounds, polishes, pads and tools of your choice.

Yes, I did confirm by testing that I could remove the sanding marks with products I already had or were on their way.

Bingo.

I appreciate you're hanging with me and posting follow-up answers to my questions.

The question of can a DA polisher be used to remove sanding marks comes up from time to time and the answer is "yes" with a qualifier and the qualifier is that there are a number of factors involved the primary ones being,

• Hardness or polishabilty of the paint.
• Depth of sanding marks - the higher the grit the easier the sanding marks will be to remove with ANY machine or by hand.
• The type of pad used.
• The compound or polish used.
• Good technique - This is a given but needs to be mentioned.

That's all. Just wanted anyone reading this today or into the future to be sure they can remove their sanding marks to "their" satisfaction using the pads, products and tools they have for the job before sanding down the entire car.

Better safe than sorry and there are a lot of variable involved... so test, test, test...


Thank you.

:bowdown:

 

[arenared]

I appreciate you're hanging with me and posting follow-up answers to my questions.

Better safe than sorry and there are a lot of variable involved... so test, test, test...

:dblthumb2:

Absolutely! I really appreciate a lot of your posts (and others', of course). I can see that you're out keeping AGO a safe place to surf for a such a wide and diverse audience with a lot of variables including paints, tools, experience, and expectations.

One technique I really picked up (perhaps by virtue of your videos always doing a small test area) is to always do a small test area or even a couple to find out what works best.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

One technique I really picked up (perhaps by virtue of your videos always doing a small test area) is to always do a small test area or even a couple to find out what works best.

Very good point. Doing a small test area reduces the work area in case a mistake is made and it also gives you more room to test out different combinations.

Technically, after you do a test spot in one place as it relates to choosing the right pad, product and technique to remove defects, if you want to do a different test you would need to test in an area that hasn't already been worked on or the previous work could skew your results. So by keeping your test areas small you free up more room for testing until you dial-in a process that works best for and your car's paint.

:dblthumb2:

 

[BobbyG]

Menzerna PO85RD is a great finishing polish and I have to agree with you completely! Using this polish makes the finish glow like glass!!

Nice work! rops:

 

[AlPap]

Your Boxster looks great after 10 years. I just bought some PO 85rd and look forward to using it on my car in the spring. It just snowed here yesterday so my car maybe in the garage all winter.

 

[TornadoRed]

Which Hydro Techs did you use? Low profile 7/8 inch or the 1.25 inch thick pads?