Product Comparison

jimbo585

jimbo585

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For the last year, I have been using Ultima Car Care products. I love the results they achieved (by hand) and how easy to apply they are.

My question is, what is everyone's opinion on products like Meguiars or Mothers versus Pinnacle or Wolfgang. Is the extra price for the higher end products worth it or could I achieve a finish just as good.

These products would be used mainly on 2 black vehicles- a 2011 Jetta and 2008 Rav4. Essentially, I would want a flawless finish- no spots or swirls left and have the ultimate, deep shine brought out. (I know that will require a polisher and will purchase one soon)

I would spend more for the Wolfgang products or other more expensive products if people really seem to notice a difference in using them instead of products I can buy OTC at pepboys...

Thanks!
 
I'm not knocking Wolfgang polishes or any other, but I'm willing to bet that if you search many forums the most commonly used are Meg's M105/M205. Menzerna will be a very close 2nd. A killer combo on black is M105/M205/Menzerna PO85RD :xyxthumbs:.
 
I'm mainly looking at polishers/scratch removers and wax/sealants.

I found it interesting to see so many people using meguiars which is what sparked my interest to ask this question.

Being a college student, I'd love to get high end results with a meguiars/ mothers product price, but if there would be a considerable difference (especially on black) I could warrant the cost!
 
I have a black car and I used the 105/205/PO85RD above with excellent results.

As far as compounds and polishes are concerned I would go with Meguiar's or Menzerna. The are both great products, but different is some ways.

The biggest difference is how they work. Meguiar's Polishes use SMAT which stand for Super Micro Abrasive Technology. While you work the compound/polish, there is no need to continue to work it until it breaks down..it never breaks down so you don't have to worry. On the other hand you have Menzerna which uses DAT which stand for Diminishing Abrasive Technology. Unlike Meguiar's you have to break down the compound/polish. This might take a little more time and skill, but in all honesty, it's not that hard to figure out.

Those are the best compounds/polishes in the market in my opinion. Wolfgang is just Menzerna so if I want Wolfgang, I get Menzera..which is usually cheaper and pretty much the same thing.

As for a sealant, I like Menzerna PowerLock. I'm not going to get into Waxes as there are so many and even more opinions on them, but Dodo Juice, DP Max Wax, Collinite and more are great waxes.
 
11Jetta said:
I would spend more for the Wolfgang products or other more expensive products if people really seem to notice a difference in using them instead of products I can buy OTC at pepboys...
Being a college student, I'd love to get high end results with a meguiars/ mothers product price, but if there would be a considerable difference (especially on black) I could warrant the cost!
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One thing you have to realize is that many of the Meguiar's/Mother's products you might buy from here are not available in Pep Boys. Mother's has a professional line and Meguiar's has two professional lines (Mirror Glaze and Detailer), and generally these products come in larger bottles that althogh they may have an equal or lower unit price they will cost you more out of pocket due to the larger packaging. At any rate, the people who are getting "high end results" from Meg's or Mothers are most likely not using the products you could get at Pep Boys.

maximus20895 said:
Those are the best compounds/polishes in the market in my opinion. Wolfgang is just Menzerna so if I want Wolfgang, I get Menzera..which is usually cheaper and pretty much the same thing.
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The advantage I see with the Wolfgang is that (similar to above) they come in smaller bottles, so if you are just a hobbyist who only uses a few ounces of polish a year, you can spend less money out of pocket (even though the price/oz may be higher) rather than paying for a quart of polish you may never use.

PS It should be noted that M105/205 ARE available in small (8oz) bottles.
 
Boutique (and comparatively higher priced products) in my view are fine if price is not an issue.

Would I use these type products if I wanted to turn some serious profit margins, yet maintain a very high level product as a result..?..NO. Frankly, most guys would not use 90% of the stuff they rave about...IF they had to make a living from it, including myself.

With game changing, low cost products like ONR and Meg's Micofiber DA Correction System, the "fancy" shampoos and high end polishes and waxes are not required to turn some serious profits, yet maintain show car results. In my market a person can do very well if he/she can turn out a nicely detailed daily driver car in a short time with low cost (but still high quality) products. I'm not going to make much money spending 8 hours on a car and topping it with $150 car wax. First, nobody is going to give me their car for 8 hours (even 4 most times) to work on. Secondly, they don't care if I use $100 shampoo or $10 shampoo....as long as their car looks better or as good as when they bought it.

When I do dabble in this (its just a hobby so far)...I think of price not so much by what I do or use (hours spent, cost of products, etc), but what I KNOW I'm doing for this person (can this person do this themselves better and cheaper than I can?).

Example...a neighborhood lady came to me once and showed me her car that a local body shop wanted $1750 to fix (repaint panel). The car was keyed for about 10 inches on one door panel (but it wasn't deep enough to repaint in my opinion). I said...let me try...if I can't fix it, you don't lose anything because I won't charge you, and you'll have to get the panel repainted anyway. It took me about 45 minutes (wet sanded), followed by Megs D300. The keyed area looked like new. I charged $200 and saved her $1550. She was so happy, she henceforth has me detail her car every 6 months.


Car care products and reviews are things that really depend on your perspective and how you intend to use them. I don't get out my credit every time somebody posts a raving review or opinion. I'd simply be throwing money away. I used to do that in my earlier years, but I have since realized that keeping things simple, staying within one or two brands, and having more time to enjoy my free time is what makes me the happiest. I do like to experiment with my own car...but now that I've been doing that for many years...I still find myself always coming back to old eliables like Meguiar's, and more recently companies like Optimum... they have high quality products at great prices. Are they the "best"...?...for me, yes because "best" doesn't mean at any cost.
 
You can get great results with either products.

What I have come to find out is that the more expensive products like Wolfgang and Pinnacle ect,ect, is that they are usually a bit easier to use and some of the products give better results.

When it comes to Meg's, there polishing systems are amazing. Basically all of there newer polish and compounds. From the OTC Ultimate Compound, to the MF DA system, all the way to the 105/205 system. They work fast and give amazing results.

For Menzerna, IMO, the polish's are very fool proof and give incredible results. The thing that I love about the Menzerna polish lineup is that they offer quite a few medium level polish's. They are not compounds, but they are more powerful than finishing polish's. I feel very comfterable with a product like Power Finish. It removes defects but also takes off a minimal amount of clearcoat. I feel that I can polish a car more often without sacrificing paint thickness. Menzerna also makes the best finish products as well, for a wide range of soft to hard paints. This is where I much more prefer Menzerna over Megs. With Megs they make super aggressive compounds that produce amazing results (105), than they make 205, which finish's well on hard paints. Menzerna fills in all the inbetween gaps in my opinion.

As for interior and exterior dressings and shampoo's I like to spend a few extra dollars on the boutique products. I feel that there is a big difference between cheap and expensive when it comes to these products. With megs and mothers you will see a lot of inexpensive products that use a petroluim dissilates and product decent results. With Wolfgang, Pinnacle, Optimum, 1z ect ect you will see a lot of water based products that I feel produce better results, faster and easier. For example if you compare Megs Gold class leather products to Pinnacle or Optimum, I find the Megs products to leave the leather harder and stiffer with an unnatural shine and feel to them. With Optimum, Pinnacle and EcoTouch you will get a more natural luster with a softer touch to the leather. Same goes with the tire dressing and trim products.

Some may disagree with me here, but it has cost me a lot of time and money trying products on quality cars to come to these conclusions.

Just to note at the moment I am really liking the Eco-Touch line. There leather care and tire dressing products are absolutely amazing. Especially there leather care cleaner/conditioner. It is absolutely amazing.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
One thing you have to realize is that many of the Meguiar's/Mother's products you might buy from here are not available in Pep Boys. Mother's has a professional line and Meguiar's has two professional lines (Mirror Glaze and Detailer), and generally these products come in larger bottles that althogh they may have an equal or lower unit price they will cost you more out of pocket due to the larger packaging. At any rate, the people who are getting "high end results" from Meg's or Mothers are most likely not using the products you could get at Pep Boys.



The advantage I see with the Wolfgang is that (similar to above) they come in smaller bottles, so if you are just a hobbyist who only uses a few ounces of polish a year, you can spend less money out of pocket (even though the price/oz may be higher) rather than paying for a quart of polish you may never use.

PS It should be noted that M105/205 ARE available in small (8oz) bottles.
Click to expand...

Thats a good point. I dont remember what products they actually sell at a pepboys- I'm sure not the highest end, but its good to know if I found something decent it could produce good results. I only detail as a hobby, maybe do a few family/ friends cars from time to time. Generally I only use the good products on my car because I know anyone I detail for would not notice or even care so I'll get the good stuff for me! :xyxthumbs:
 
11Jetta said:
Thats a good point. I dont remember what products they actually sell at a pepboys- I'm sure not the highest end, but its good to know if I found something decent it could produce good results. I only detail as a hobby, maybe do a few family/ friends cars from time to time. Generally I only use the good products on my car because I know anyone I detail for would not notice or even care so I'll get the good stuff for me! :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...
Up to a certain point you will start to hit the law of diminishing returns; where more money spent on designer products only yields marginally better results at 2 or 3X the cost. The reason Meguiars is so popular is that you get a lot of performance at a reasonable cost. Especially their go to products like 105/205 and now the DA MF system. I don't care for their leather products, but trial and error is part of the fun with this hobby. I would say the majority of detailing is skill and less about product. Get a DA first and practice on the older car. You can only do so much by hand.
 
I really like how they offer samples of products for sale so I think I'm going to order 2 oz. samples of wolfgang because I've been wanting to try them and for only $6 you cant go wrong! 2 oz. should be enough to do a Jetta? I know you dont need to use a lot of product..
 
11Jetta said:
I really like how they offer samples of products for sale so I think I'm going to order 2 oz. samples of wolfgang because I've been wanting to try them and for only $6 you cant go wrong! 2 oz. should be enough to do a Jetta? I know you dont need to use a lot of product..
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Without a DA, you're not going to be able to detect any discernible difference.
 
looking at DA's now. thinking about the PC 7424. ill make a new thread sometime with pictures of what I want to correct so I buy the proper pads. I just have a lot of minor swirls and water marks that just wont come out. I just hope the sample sizes are enough product to finish the car so I can determine what I like to use the best
 
11Jetta said:
looking at DA's now. thinking about the PC 7424. ill make a new thread sometime with pictures of what I want to correct so I buy the proper pads. I just have a lot of minor swirls and water marks that just wont come out. I just hope the sample sizes are enough product to finish the car so I can determine what I like to use the best
Click to expand...
The 7424XP is your best bet. It's the defacto DA. Sample sizes are plenty of product for 2 cars or more. Just get a Kit of foam pads, or skip all that and do the Megs DA system. It's user friendly had has minimal learning curve.
 
You are also allowed 1 free sample in your order so you can add one of the Wolfgang products as the sample if you want for free.
 
Right now in my cart I have:

Samples of:
Wolfgang Vinyl & Rubber Protectant
Wolfgang Auto Bath
Wolfgang Instant Detail Sprtiz
Free Sample of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
Polisher Combo:
Wolfgang Duo & Porter Cable 7424XP

just have to determine if any other pads are necessary.
anyone think I need anything else?
 
Porter Cable 7424xp

Porter cable 7424xp, 7424xp, Porter Cable 7424XP Dual Action Polisher, Porter Cable polisher, car polisher, buffer, sander-polisher

Lake Country 5 1/2" Pads

Lake Country 5 1/2 x 7/8 inch Beveled Edge Pads 6 Pack, foam pad kit, build a kit, buffing pads, curved edge pads

While I have no way to confirm this I believe Menzerna formulates Pinnacle and Wolfgang polishes.


Menzerna Polishes

Super Intensive Polish PO 83
Super Finish PO 106 FA

Menzerna Ceramic Intro Kit, Menzerna polishes, nano polish, ceramic paint, ceramic polish, car polish, how to polish ceramic paint

Menzerna Finish Polish PO85RD

Menzerna Polish PO85RD, Mernzerna 85rd, Menzerna finish po85rd

Menzerna Sealant

Power Lock Paint Sealant

Menzerna Power Lock Polymer Paint Sealant, Menzerna auto sealant, car sealant, paint sealant protectant

Collinite 845 Wax

Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax #845, liquid wax, heat-resistant wax, car wax
 
11Jetta said:
Right now in my cart I have:

Samples of:
Wolfgang Vinyl & Rubber Protectant
Wolfgang Auto Bath
Wolfgang Instant Detail Sprtiz
Free Sample of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
Polisher Combo:
Wolfgang Duo & Porter Cable 7424XP

just have to determine if any other pads are necessary.
anyone think I need anything else?
Click to expand...

Make sure you have 5.5" pads and appropriate back plate.
What type car and color?
 
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