microfiber pads - megs vs. optimum
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Marc08EX
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- May 10, 2008
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Sorry but :laughing:
tommythecat
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- Aug 17, 2010
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A cutting/polishing pad that uses microfiber for correction instead of foam.
silverfox
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- Oct 5, 2010
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Let's not forget the CG Optical MF buffing pads. They just might surprise you. The Meg's pads were designed for DA polishers which limits their viability. The other two work on rotarys as well. At this point I prefer the CG pads, then Optimum, and lastly Meg's although they all work as advertised.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
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Since you started this thread, how about sharing which one you prefer and why?
I would be interested in reading your detailed answers.
Feed back please
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2010
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Are the CG pads different than the Optimum? At the regular price the CG are the most expensive of the bunch, although the sale price seems to be about the same (of course everything is always on sale at CG, isn't it?)
RhetoricMixes
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- Dec 13, 2011
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I'd like to know this as well since ive been looking into getting some MF cutting pads. The most cutting pad i have is the LC ccs orange, how would those compare to one of these MF pads?
I am in process of writing up the side by side Megs to Opti compare I did.
I do not have my CG MF pads yet, only the Megs and Opti ones.
From the marketucture info, the CG polishing / finishing pad is stated as able to apply LSP, where the Opti MF polish pad is just that a polish pad.
I don't think it is chance that Opti choose similar colors to LC, with the yellow cutting MF pad and the White MF polish pad.
If you are using Orange CCS pads, you might get more correction out of a flat LC orange pad ( I seem to ) and the yellow pad is heavy cutting.
Obviously do not let the terms scare you off, a yellow cutting pad with M-81 on it will remove less defects than an orange with M105. Product can make a pad act very different, and the product delta from SMAT to DAT will make a difference as well.
If CG stated usage is correct, the MF polish pad is really a finishing pad, and it is no cut where the Opti one acts like a white LC pad / medium polish pad.
- I call the green LC pad a heavy polish pad, this is in the VC pad line, not the CCS green pad, that thing is useless to me, softer than the white. LC has said there are 2 green pads, one is more aggressive than the white, one is less aggressive than the white. Got me why they did this.
megs vs. optimum testing on f150 hood
I did a test on the hood of my '06 F150 using the Megs and Opti side by side.
Megs 6" kit on Flex using the Megs products in the kit.
Optimum 6" MF polishing pad & Hyper Polish ( get to the lack of cutting & compound down the post ) on Flex.
The minor defects looked similar ( they look the same to me, but that is a subjective opinion, so I can only really stand by similar ).
The hood has been polished with PB ProPolish prior to this ( on going ), so the gloss of the paint was good, just picked up a few defects over the winter months.
I thought the defects were minor enough, not to need a compound / cutting pad combo.
Megs Side
I started with the Megs "wax" step. and the Megs black MF pad. I use the speed in the AG video for this step ( Flex speed of 3 ). prime the pad ( even copied the pattern in the video and best I could tell the same bead width ).
I did move at the speed of the compound step ( slower ). I did 2 passes at moderate pressure and 2 passes at lighter pressure.
Remove wax and IPA that half of the hood. The defects were still there, did not touch them. Blow the pad out.
I tried 2 passes at moderate pressure at speed 4 ( pass speed of the compound again ) , this made no difference after a IPA wipe down to check. Ok, not too sure what the video meant by skipping the compound step for minor defects, but this is something that PP would take out with a white ( maybe even a black ) LC pad.
Prime the maroon MF pad with compound.
Speed 4 on the flex, run 2 passes at moderate pressure and 2 at a lighter pressure, close I could copy the pass speed. Remove product from paint.
Dot add product to the black MF pad ( already primed from before - just blown out ) change speed to 3, the light pressure 'faster' passes.
remove product form paint and check. Defects are gone. Looking to the PB PP side of the hood, the shine is on the paint, but seems to have an opaque veil on it. IPA the hood, check again same thing. Black LC VC pad with PO85RD and preform a follow up polish. Remove product from hood, IPA check. Looks right now ( actually a bit better ).
My take, Megs had a product that is geared towards someone that has been taking care of the paint. Maybe hand applying glaze / LSP or DA application. This person has some defects that are not able to come out with the products they have on the shelf ( pad & products ) and wants to take the step into defect removal. For someone doing hand application, this is a huge step for them, and they will be very happy with the results.
As a hobby / shade tree detailer, I look at the finished Megs application, and find it lacking from what I have with PB products and LC pads.
Optimum side
I was sticking with the defects are minor, and do not need a compound step. If I could not do defect removal with the MF polishing pad, then I am stepping backwards, as I should be able to remove these defects with a white LC pad and PB PP.
Prime the Opti Polish MF pad with Hyper polish. Run 2 passes at moderate pressure, and 2 at light pressure. Following my normal white pad polishing speed ( about what step 1 in the megs is ). Remove product from the paint, IPA wipe down and check.
Defects are gone. It is what I consider a white pad step to be, so the next for me is always a black LC VC pad follow up polish. I stuck with PO85RD on the same black pad ( just to try to keep it the same ).
Gloss is back to the hood, and looks the same as the Megs side, no defects and the gloss and shine are the same.
If I had to try to qualify my subjective opinion, I would say the Optimum MF polish pad and Hyper polish is in between the Megs maroon / compound combo and the Megs “wax” black Mf combo.
Summary
The Optimum MF pads and Hyper polish are not in kit form, and for the example person above, might not be as intuitive/easy to use the least aggressive first method.
The Megs kit is out of the box, step 1 then step 2 and stand back.
That ( to me ) is not a marking problem to be solved. Hard to provide the target consumer directions in the form of least aggressive first.
Megs has made a MF kit that can be pushed out to the masses with poster of directions in the kit and online a < 10 min video showing how to do it. They passed the 30 seconds to get their attention, 2 min to keep it rule with the poster.
Does it make Megs the better solution to the problem ?
Not to me.
I am going to guess I am not the target consumer they were after either.
- If I had to give my sister or parents something to use, the Megs kit would be it.
Megs need to expand the consumer base of people using the products.
They have the likes of this forum on a semi regular purchasing of something, but this is not a hockey stick increase. This kit gives them the ability to expand the user base in drastic form. For every AG forum type member, there are 10 non AG forum types that could buy this. They want a nice looking car but don't want to spend hours figuring it out.
Take a look at the early Megs youtube video on it. The finish of a rotary without the problems. Why do years of training and certifications to get this finish on your car, see dirt easy anyone can do it.
I would still stick with the Optimum MF pads and compound / polishes I use today. I get quicker results with the white MF pad. At least that is what it seems right now.
Word to the wise, do not clean the MF pad on a rotary @ 1500 RPM in the pad washer.
I got away with it 1 time, the 2nd time I peeled the MF right off the foam.
Blow them out with an air compressor when done, let dry and store. When you take them out, blow them out again, and go back to work. MF pads ( in my limited knowledge & testing ) are product specific pads as you are not able to clean then back to white, and they will always have some of the previous product in them.
If you are a single compound single polish user, this is not an issue. I vary what I am using depending on what I am going after. I don't have room for a MF pad for hyper polish, for PB ProPolish and for SSR2 & 2.5. I can use the rotary on 1500 with the pad washer and the pads come out looking as clean as the day I bought them.
Hope this helps someone. Keep in mind I am not a professional, just a DIY detailer doing this for fun. I do not get any income of any kind from detailing.
I did a test on the hood of my '06 F150 using the Megs and Opti side by side.
Megs 6" kit on Flex using the Megs products in the kit.
Optimum 6" MF polishing pad & Hyper Polish ( get to the lack of cutting & compound down the post ) on Flex.
The minor defects looked similar ( they look the same to me, but that is a subjective opinion, so I can only really stand by similar ).
The hood has been polished with PB ProPolish prior to this ( on going ), so the gloss of the paint was good, just picked up a few defects over the winter months.
I thought the defects were minor enough, not to need a compound / cutting pad combo.
Megs Side
I started with the Megs "wax" step. and the Megs black MF pad. I use the speed in the AG video for this step ( Flex speed of 3 ). prime the pad ( even copied the pattern in the video and best I could tell the same bead width ).
I did move at the speed of the compound step ( slower ). I did 2 passes at moderate pressure and 2 passes at lighter pressure.
Remove wax and IPA that half of the hood. The defects were still there, did not touch them. Blow the pad out.
I tried 2 passes at moderate pressure at speed 4 ( pass speed of the compound again ) , this made no difference after a IPA wipe down to check. Ok, not too sure what the video meant by skipping the compound step for minor defects, but this is something that PP would take out with a white ( maybe even a black ) LC pad.
Prime the maroon MF pad with compound.
Speed 4 on the flex, run 2 passes at moderate pressure and 2 at a lighter pressure, close I could copy the pass speed. Remove product from paint.
Dot add product to the black MF pad ( already primed from before - just blown out ) change speed to 3, the light pressure 'faster' passes.
remove product form paint and check. Defects are gone. Looking to the PB PP side of the hood, the shine is on the paint, but seems to have an opaque veil on it. IPA the hood, check again same thing. Black LC VC pad with PO85RD and preform a follow up polish. Remove product from hood, IPA check. Looks right now ( actually a bit better ).
My take, Megs had a product that is geared towards someone that has been taking care of the paint. Maybe hand applying glaze / LSP or DA application. This person has some defects that are not able to come out with the products they have on the shelf ( pad & products ) and wants to take the step into defect removal. For someone doing hand application, this is a huge step for them, and they will be very happy with the results.
As a hobby / shade tree detailer, I look at the finished Megs application, and find it lacking from what I have with PB products and LC pads.
Optimum side
I was sticking with the defects are minor, and do not need a compound step. If I could not do defect removal with the MF polishing pad, then I am stepping backwards, as I should be able to remove these defects with a white LC pad and PB PP.
Prime the Opti Polish MF pad with Hyper polish. Run 2 passes at moderate pressure, and 2 at light pressure. Following my normal white pad polishing speed ( about what step 1 in the megs is ). Remove product from the paint, IPA wipe down and check.
Defects are gone. It is what I consider a white pad step to be, so the next for me is always a black LC VC pad follow up polish. I stuck with PO85RD on the same black pad ( just to try to keep it the same ).
Gloss is back to the hood, and looks the same as the Megs side, no defects and the gloss and shine are the same.
If I had to try to qualify my subjective opinion, I would say the Optimum MF polish pad and Hyper polish is in between the Megs maroon / compound combo and the Megs “wax” black Mf combo.
Summary
The Optimum MF pads and Hyper polish are not in kit form, and for the example person above, might not be as intuitive/easy to use the least aggressive first method.
The Megs kit is out of the box, step 1 then step 2 and stand back.
That ( to me ) is not a marking problem to be solved. Hard to provide the target consumer directions in the form of least aggressive first.
Megs has made a MF kit that can be pushed out to the masses with poster of directions in the kit and online a < 10 min video showing how to do it. They passed the 30 seconds to get their attention, 2 min to keep it rule with the poster.
Does it make Megs the better solution to the problem ?
Not to me.
I am going to guess I am not the target consumer they were after either.
- If I had to give my sister or parents something to use, the Megs kit would be it.
Megs need to expand the consumer base of people using the products.
They have the likes of this forum on a semi regular purchasing of something, but this is not a hockey stick increase. This kit gives them the ability to expand the user base in drastic form. For every AG forum type member, there are 10 non AG forum types that could buy this. They want a nice looking car but don't want to spend hours figuring it out.
Take a look at the early Megs youtube video on it. The finish of a rotary without the problems. Why do years of training and certifications to get this finish on your car, see dirt easy anyone can do it.
I would still stick with the Optimum MF pads and compound / polishes I use today. I get quicker results with the white MF pad. At least that is what it seems right now.
Word to the wise, do not clean the MF pad on a rotary @ 1500 RPM in the pad washer.
I got away with it 1 time, the 2nd time I peeled the MF right off the foam.
Blow them out with an air compressor when done, let dry and store. When you take them out, blow them out again, and go back to work. MF pads ( in my limited knowledge & testing ) are product specific pads as you are not able to clean then back to white, and they will always have some of the previous product in them.
If you are a single compound single polish user, this is not an issue. I vary what I am using depending on what I am going after. I don't have room for a MF pad for hyper polish, for PB ProPolish and for SSR2 & 2.5. I can use the rotary on 1500 with the pad washer and the pads come out looking as clean as the day I bought them.
Hope this helps someone. Keep in mind I am not a professional, just a DIY detailer doing this for fun. I do not get any income of any kind from detailing.
RoyalBlUE08
New member
- Jul 13, 2011
- 175
- 0
after one panel of use on speed 4 on my GG 6 inch the optimum pad ripped already........i will be calling autogeek or optimum later today. ive had about 15 uses of my meguiars MF pad before it ripped, not just after one panel.
Bamaboy007
New member
- Jul 27, 2011
- 325
- 0
on meguiars pad with their dual action I use setting 4