Review: Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax by Mike Phillips

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Review: Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax by Mike Phillips



Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax

First - Frequently Asked Questions

Or at least questions I think some of you may have..



Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax

Question: What is it?

Answer: D166 is a one-step cleaner/wax. It will do 3 things in one step,

1: Remove paint defects - both above surface and below surface.

2: Polish the surface to a clear high gloss.

3: Leave behind a durable layer of protection using a blend of polymers, silicones and carnauba wax



Question: Who is D166 for?

Answer: D166 is in Meguiar's Professional Detailer's Line of products, this means it's formulated and primarily targeted at the commercial detailing industry, i.e. detail shops and mobile detailers as well as dealerships and car auctions. Basically anywhere cares are reconditioned to look new again. Because Meguiar's has a strong and loyal following among car enthusiasts and do-it-yourselves, it will also be very popular with this segment of the market. The good news is it's available in both one-gallon jugs for those that use and prefer to purchase their products in bulk and also in 16 ounce consumer friendly bottles.



Question: What kind of cars is this product designed for? N

Answer: New or used cars, trucks, suvs. Historically speaking, a one-step cleaner/wax is for restoring neglected paint in a single step. That said, high quality one-step cleaner/waxes are also great products for refreshing the paint on new cars to remove light wear-n-tear and/or maintain that factory new finish.



Question: How should D166 be applied?

Answer: By hand, orbital polisher or rotary buffer.



Question: Which type of buffing pads are recommended to apply D166 by machine?

Answer: Meguiar's recommends a very wide range of their own brand of pads from soft foam polishing pads to more aggressive foam cutting pads and also their microfiber pads. The most important factor when choosing the right pad is to,

A: Use the least aggressive pad and in this case the least aggressive pad to get the job done.

B: Before buffing out an entire car, do some testing first and choose the that pad that does the best job of removing defects while at the same time does the best job of leaving customer pleasing results. Paint and paint systems are different and a pad that works great on one car may not perform the same on another car simply because the paint can react differently. A professional knows this important aspect of exterior car detailing and has an assortment of different pads to choose from when dialing in a process for each car they detail.​

Question: Can D166 be applied by hand?

Answer: Yes. For best results, use either a clean, soft microfiber applicator pad like the Meguiar's Even-Coat Applicator or a clean, soft foam applicator pad.



Question: Should D166 be wiped-off immediately or can it be wiped off after applying to the entire vehicle?

Answer: D166 uses Meguiar's easy-wipe-off technology which means you can apply to the entire car and then wipe off all at once if you like.



Question: What type of abrasive technology does D166 use?

Answer: Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax uses Meguiar's SMAT or Super Micro Abrasive Technology for it's defect and polishing removal ability.


Question: Can Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax be used to restore the paint on severely neglected vehicles?

Answer: It's formulated for moderately neglected vehicles but you could always try buffing the worst panels a second time.



Question: Is this product safe for clearcoat paints?

Answer: Yes.



Question: Anything else I should know about this product?

Answer: Meguiar's has been the world's leader in surface care technology for over 100 years. They have a reputation of making best-in-class car care products.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...



Comments


This is a nice one-step cleaner/wax. Formulating a product that can do three things at the same time has always been a mystery to most people. In fact, I meet people that are even skeptical about products like these because it can be hard for some people to wrap their mind around how a single product can actually remove defects while at the same time leave behind protection.


The though process goes like this,

If at the same time the abrasives in the product are removing paint and thus removing defects... how can the product at the same time be leaving something behind?


Wouldn't the same abrasives removing paint remove itself?

​

Great question!


Me? I don't pretend to be a chemist and never play the part on discussion forums or facebook. Instead, what I do is put my trust in brands I've used for years that have a record of putting out quality products that do what the company says they'll do. That said, there is something called chemistry and that's the field of expertise of a real chemist and I trust that companies like Meguiar's actually hire real chemists that have the expertise to do their job just like I do my job.


The thing I look for in a "real" one-step cleaner/wax is where the directions state to allow the product residue after application to dry to a haze on the surface before wiping the residue off.

This shows me that the product, that is the complete mixture of abrasives, polishing agents, chemical cleaners, good solvents, polishing oils and this is key... the protection ingredients, are all working together. Thus while the abrasive, polishing agents, lubricating oils, etc. are all working to remove defects and create a more clear more level and smooth surface, the protection ingredients embodied in this mixture upon being left on the surface to DRY (to a haze), are also doing their part and that is bonding to the surface or in simple terms, leaving themselves behind (on the surface).

You see, I can wrap my brain around some type of chemistry where when left on the surface, the protection ingredients form some type of bond to the paint and leave themselves behind via the drying process. A chemist once even explained this to me using scientific jargon like hydrogen bonding, whatever that is.


Now if you apply a cleaner/wax, work it and then wipe it all off... it's a tick harder for me to understand how its leaving anything behind? I'm sure there are great chemists and great products that do this I'm just saying for me personally, it's easier for me to wrap my brain around the idea, or in other words understand how a product can do all three things at once as long as there's some kind of science to the last aspect of an all-in-one product that actually does leave something behind on the surface to protect the paint (and make it look shiny).


I worked for Meguiar's as a Trainer, a Writer and Instructor, and I know from personal experience Meguiar's hires real chemists and this makes it easy for me to trust them and the products they create. There are other great brands out their where I also know the chemists and trust them and the products they create.

If you don't know any chemists that work for car care companies you're welcome to borrow my trust.




Detailing my daily driver truck

My daily driver truck is a 1987 Chevy Silverado 4x4 with 40" tall Toyo Tires and a 12" lift kit. I like a big truck, last I checked this is America and as long as we all obey the laws, have a job and pay our taxes, we're free to choose what we drive, be it a Toyota Prius or in my case, a classic Chevy truck.

The frame cracked due to the stress of the large tires. So a few months ago, I removed the engine and had the frame repaired and then installed a frame brace to prevent the frame from flexing and causing the frame to crack again. The result of having the truck down for a few months while the repairs were made meant the finish took a beating both in the paint overspray department and the swirls and scratches department.


Prepping to remove the engine

Engine out...

Here's a major crack behind the front crossmember...

These are cracks in front of the front crossmember...

Yep that's me cleaning out 30 years of oily, greasy grime in the engine compartment. I can run a buffer and I can also turn wrenches and prefer to do all my own mechanical work.

Here's the cracks after they were Ved out and then welded up by my good friend Robbie DiTerlizzi, (son of Robert DiTerlizzi)

This is a heavy duty frame brace from Autofab.com - A shout out to the owner who personally took my call and answered some questions about the front re-enforcement bracket.

This is the front re-enforcement bracket going in...

Two more grade 8 bolts and cap nuts and the front bracket is installed.

This is where the frame brace goes. This prevents the frame from flexing when you turn the steering wheel as the large tires will then twist instead of the frame.

Installed.

Motor back in...

Using a cleaner/wax - my choice for my daily driver

I normally maintain my truck using one-step cleaner/waxes. It's too tall to fit into a normal garage and because it is outside 7 days a week, 24 hours a day I know from experience and via all the articles I've written and shared on this forum that PAINT GETS DIRTY as in a film-build of dirt that builds up on the paint. I also know this takes place whether you use a carnauba car wax, a synthetic paint sealant or a ceramic paint coating. Yes - even ceramic paint coatings get a film-build of impacted road grime that builds up on the exterior of your car's finish.

Knowing this, instead of going hi-tech I go low-tech and simply use a one-step cleaner/wax to keep the paint on my truck looking good and looking shiny.


Because the paint was trashed after the R&R of the engine and because I normally use a cleaner/wax anyways, it was perfect timing for the launch of Meguiar's new D166 Ultra Polishing Wax and the perfect candidate.





Review

Just to be fair, I've only demonstrated this product on my primary black demo hood I use for all our car shows on my own daily driver truck and a BMW that we detailed last night, I'll include the links below.

It's a nice product. From my experience so far I would even say it's an exceptional product. From experience I would even say it's one of the top 5 one-step cleaner/waxes available on the market today that I've used.


It has a nice long smooth buffing cycle with zero dusting that I could see
This is a nice feature as it makes buffing on >you< easy. Some products are gummy and that makes physically moving a buffer over a panel difficult, not so with the D166.


Excellent correction ability
Meguiar's pioneered Super Micro Abrasive Technology with the introduction of M86 Solo back in the mid early 2000s. With SMAT, the abrasives are microscopic in size, uniform in size and uniform in cutting action. The cutting is fast and the results are equal to the results from a high quality polish, not the scouring that is common to a lot of abrasive technology.


Easy wipe-off
This is an AWESOME feature. No one thinks about wipe-off until they have to wipe-off. Easy wipe-off is a true blessing because it makes wiping off product residue easy on you and that prevents you from becoming tired and drained but also makes wiping off an entire car fast and easy.


Excellent shine and clarity
When I type or talk about polishing car paint I always talk about clarity or clearness. That's because most of us are working on clearcoat paints and the key to seeing the beauty under the clearcoat is making the clearcoat as clear as possible. Inferior products will cloud the surface by dulling it down, so products that create clarity or clearness are vital to the end result. D166 creates a very clear finish and this makes for a very beautiful finish and you can see the full richness of color for the basecoat.


Durable protection
Yeah I have nothing on this... I've only used it three times as of the date I'm typing this and to be honest I buzz around my truck often, like every other month or so because it's so fast and easy to machine buff. I don't have to bend over to reach lower panels, there's zero trim to tape-off and all the panels are flat, this makes my truck truly fast and easy to buffer out and because it's fast and easy to buffer out I enjoy buffing it out often. This is another reason I use a one-step cleaner/wax.

A one-step cleaner/wax will,

1: Clean the surface, this means remove all the road grime that builds up on car paint.

2: Polish the clearcoat clear and glossy.

3: Leave the paint protected with excellent shine.​

So while I don't have any experience with durability, for me it's a non issue. If durability is an important factor for you when choosing a one-step cleaner/wax then my guess is you can expect about 3-6 months of actual protection as long as you wash your vehicle CAREFULLY and don't scrub the paint when you wash the vehicle. Scrubbing is also micro-scratching and if you wash your car carelessly then it doesn't matter what you use for protection, you're going to micro-scratch it off. Make sense?



Versatile
You can apply D166 by hand or with ANY orbital polisher, (both free spinning and gear-driven), or rotary buffer. You choose. My recommendation for using one-step cleaner/waxes is to use the least aggressive "foam" pad to get the job done because on softer more finicky paints, sharper, coarser foam and fiber cutting pads can leave micro-marring. That is the pad itself can be the culprit leaving the micro-marring, not the cleaner/wax. So try to use foam polishing pads for consistent high quality results but if you need more cut then be sure to TEST more aggressive pads on the car in front of you to make sure you're getting the results you hope and dream about and your customer will appreciate.


Final thoughts...

Overall I was impressed with Meguiar's new introduction to the cleaner/wax category. If you already like and trust Meguiar's products then pick up a bottle or even a gallon of the D166 Ultra Polishing Wax. If you detailing for dollars, then get the gallon as this is a great value for your detailing dollars.



On Autogeek.com


Meguiar’s D166 Ultra Polishing Wax

Meguiar’s D166 Ultra Polishing Wax 128 ounce (128 ounces = 1-gallon)

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....


Pictures!

Who doesn't love pictures?


Multiple tools!
Below are the pictures I took showing the before condition of the paint and then the wide spectrum of tools I used to test out the Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax.

If you have any questions about ANY of the tools show, please reply to this thread with your questions and I'll do my best to answer them.


Foam polishing pads
Also note how all the tools have foam "polishing" pads on them. Not foam finishing or foam cutting, but foam "polishing" pads. I don't pretend to maintain a "Show Car Finish" on my truck. It's a truck. It sees a lot of normal wear-n-tear. I don't mind a few deeper swirls and scratches. Moving forward into the future it's going to see MORE wear-n-tear and get more swirls and scratches. So I keep m sanity by realizing all of this and instead of aiming for perfection I aim for shiny. Shiny swirls? You bet. It's a truck, not a show car.


Here's the before shots...

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...


Here's all the tools I used...


FLEX PE14 with a DRC1000 Green Light Cut Foam Polishing Pad
Section buffed = passenger side truck bed

FLEX 3401 with Lake Country Hybrid Force White Foam Polishing Pad
Section buffed = passenger side truck bed

Makita PO5000C with Buff and Shine 6" Yellow Uro-Tech foam polishing pad
Section buffed = passenger side truck bed

RUPES BigFoot 21 Mark II with RUPES 7" yellow foam polishing pad
Section buffed = passenger side door

RUPES Duetto with RUPES 6" yellow foam polishing pad

Griot's BOSS 21 with Griot's BOSS 7" yellow foam polishing pad
Section buffed = passenger's side front fender

Griot's 3" Mini Polisher with Lake Country ThinPro 3" white foam polishing pad
Section buffed = driver's side door window frame and back of cab

Griot's 6" DA Orbital Polisher with 5" backing plate and Griot's BOSS 5.5" yellow foam polishing pad
Section buffed = passenger side front fender

FLEX XFE7 with Lake Country 6.5" ThinPro White foam polishing pad
Section buffed = Passenger side hood

RUPES Nano Long Neck with RUPES 1" yellow foam polishing pad
Section buffed = red insert in grill

Meguiar's MT300 with Meguiar's 5.5" Softbuff yellow foam polishing pad
Section buffed = drivers side hood

Porter Cable 7424XP with Lake Country 5.5" CCS white foam polishing pad
Section buffed = driver's side front fender

RUPES Cyclo Mark 5 Orbital Polisher with Cyclo orange foam cutting/polishing pads
Section buffed = driver's side front fender

Chemical Guy's TORQ 10FX orbital polisher with Lake Country 5.5" ThinPro foam polishing pad
Section buffed = driver's side door

RUPES Prototype Mini 12 with RUPES 4" yellow foam polishing pad (this is a prototype out of my antique wax and tool collection, not a new tool in the works from RUPES)
Section buffed = driver's side door window frame and back of cab

Chamberlain PolishMaster orbital polisher with microfiber bonnet
Section buffed = driver's side truck bed

Not pictured - I knocked out the tail gate, both sides using the FLEX PE14 and knocked out the front and rear chrome bumper using the FLEX 3401

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...


Results...

Note you're not going to see 100% correction as that's not the goal of a one-step cleaner/wax. "

Good" correction is the goal. IF you want perfection then either spend more time with the cleaner/wax, that is maybe buff each section twice instead of once or simply start with a dedicated compound and do a multiple-step detail job.

On Autogeek.com


Meguiar’s D166 Ultra Polishing Wax


Meguiar’s D166 Ultra Polishing Wax 128 ounce (128 ounces = 1-gallon)

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....


This may be my last post for a while, it's 2:30pm as I type and everyone here at Autogeek is finishing up their work and prepping the building for the hurricane. Any updates as to what's going on I'll post to the below thread from home.


Autogeek Hurricane Update - Closed Friday - Saturday - Sunday - Monday - possibly Tuesday



Even though my 1987 Silverado is just and old truck, it is 30 years old and straight and original sheet metal is hard to find (and you get what you pay for).

So I have her buried with her fresh coat of Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax inside Autogeek's Show Car Garage along with a Fisker, Bobby's big Dodge Ram, Willy's 1972 Buick Boattail and our 2006 SL500, (factory sticker price is $98,000.00).

In order to get the Fisker to fit I pushed my truck all the way back, look at the clearance between the rear bumper and the workbench...

And yes, that's a 16 ounce bottle of Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax on the bench there...

Check out Meguiar's new D166, it's a nice new addition to the Meguiar's line and the perfect one-step product for professional detailers or for enthusiasts taking care of their daily drivers.

 

[The Guz]

Great write up Mike. Your truck looks great and it's tucked away safety to survive the hurricane.

 

[Kamakaz1961]

Great Review as always! Be safe from the hurricane! My prayers that everything will be all right! God Bless!

 

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Great job on the mechanical and detail work! Always loved seeing your truck parked outside when I would stop by. Robbie is awesome at building and welding trucks. Good guy to have on your side.

Once my current bottle of HD Speed runs out D166 is on the list to pick up. Wishing you and everyone there well and praying everyone stays safe!

 

[custmsprty]

Awesome review Mike.

Where else will you ever get to see one vehicle polished out with all those different tools, answer, nowhere else.

Thanks for taking the time to use all of those machines and take the time to do such an extensive write up.

Especially with Irma heading our way.

 

[boomdone]

Awesome review Mike.

Where else will you ever get to see one vehicle polished out with all those different tools, answer, nowhere else.

Thanks for taking the time to use all of those machines and take the time to do such an extensive write up.

Especially with Irma heading our way.

Totally agree. He basically used D166 with every machine and pad on the market on the same vehicle. Pretty awesome.

 

[silverfox]

This is an example of the only kind of products I buy...works on any paint, on any machine, on any pad, and always produces consistent results. In detailing there are actually few products that do. That's why my shelf has only a handful of products.

 

[fightnews]

Let me ask you this about polishing backwards. Let's say you had a car with a 100% perfect finish on it. If you used something like d166 or a less fine finishing polish will that bring the finish backwards?

"Obviously" or I assume it would if you used a compound on it or a swirl remover? Same idea, can you bring the finish backwards if you used something with less then the finest abrasives to remove road film

 

[JustJesus]

Nice write up, Mike.

And such a beautiful truck. LOVE IT.

Stay safe out there.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Let me ask you this about polishing backwards.

Let's say you had a car with a 100% perfect finish on it.

If you used something like d166 or a less fine finishing polish will that bring the finish backwards?

Great question - and to clarify so that everyone knows what we're talking about (and I'm reading you correctly), what your asking about is the idea of

"always working forward as in the paint polishing process"

Correct?

This means each step in the process should be making the paint look better and better, never worse as that would be working backwards in the process.

In this context, working on paint that is 100% perfect - then whether a cleaner/wax makes the paint look worse or maintains the 100% perfect finish would come down to the abrasive technology first and pad choice, tool and technique in that order second.

I have not tested D166 fully yet so I don't know enough about the abrasive technology on this specific formula to know its effect in the context of your question.

That said, while normally and historically you wouldn't use a cleaner/wax on perfect paint but instead you would use a finishing wax.

Finishing wax or show car wax = NON cleaning or non abrasive wax - the opposite of a cleaner wax.

The exception to the rule now days is there are cleaner/waxes available that use top notch abrasive technology that "yes" you can use them on 100% perfect paint without degrading the appeance or "working backwards".

Make sense?

This is a deep subject and probably going over the top of most people's heads.

:laughing:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Nice write up, Mike.

And such a beautiful truck. LOVE IT.

Stay safe out there.

Thanks! I prefer classics over modern technology. I'm actually going to put the truck up for sale. I like it but want something 10 to 20 years older with similar running gear and a Big Block. This truck has the stock 350 in it and it runs strong and smooth.

It no longer has the junky 700R4 or the NP208 transfercase but now has a Dana Sniff Turbo 400 short shaft and a NP205 transfercase.

It also has 3/4 ton running gear with positive rear and 4-wheel disc brakes. For those that don't know, the factory running gear for the model would be wimpy 1/2 ton running gear and rear drum brakes. So she's been upgraded dramatically while still keeping her very streetable.

The next upgrade to what's already in her would be 1-ton running gear but once you go full bore 1-ton front and rear Axel's it becomes a lot less practical as a daily drive - at least in my opinion and experience.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Here's a truck I like but to date, the owner isn't ready to let her go yet.

This is a 1946 Dodge Powerwagon wth modern Chevy running gear.

Last time I saw it - it could use some D166 Ultra Polishing Wax.

I'll give the owner a shout and see if he would like to bring her down for a Wednesday class.




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[Eldorado2k]

@Mike Phillips. I know you're talking trucks right now, but switching gears a bit, do you still own a Cadillac? If I remember correctly it's more like 2? But I haven't heard you mention in so long so I'm not sure... If you do still own 1, how often do you drive it? Is it white? It'd be cool to hear more about it.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I've owned three 1959 Cadillacs, two 1960s and one 1949 Caddy.

I sold all but one when I moved from Oregon to California to go to work at Meguiar's.

I kept the 1959 Coupe that I stuffed a 468 BBC into and brought it to California with my family along with the 1966 Milk Truck but when I took the job to work for Autogeek and moved from California to Florida we sold the Caddy to a car collector in Apple Valley.

You can see the BBC in the engine compartment in this shot of the car with the hood off.

Once in a while I have people contact me and ask me how difficult it was to install the Big Block Chevy 468 into the Caddy.

It was actually fairly easy. The most important aspect is to install the engine as far forward as possible so the valve covers don't obstruct the throttle linkage coming from the firewall to the carburetor.




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[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Is it white? It'd be cool to hear more about it.

You're thinking about this 59 Flattop, and we sold that Caddy while we were still in Oregon.

We bought the Flattop with only 52,000 miles on it. It was a real cream puff and had the original single stage white paint.

The 1956 Tbird next to the Caddy belongs to my friend Brian and he still has it.

And to bring this thread back on topic - the last time I buffed out the 1959 Flattop I used Meguiar's #6 Cleaner/Wax.




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