Where does Meguiar's Ultimate Compound fit in the mix?
Just a tick down from M105
M105 and M95 both have the same cut ability, they have different appearances and different feels to them when you physically feel them with your sense of touch, but the primary abrasive technology is identical.
Ultimate Compound is as close as I can find out, about the same or just a tick down from M105 and closer to M105 in appearance, feel and performance than M95
Before Ultimate Compound came out I did a lot of hands-on demonstrations for car clubs removing swirls, scratches and bird dropping etchings
by hand using M105, like this one...
How To Remove a Bird Dropping Etching by Hand using M105 Ultra Cut Compound
Then after Ultimate Compound was introduced, using the same techniques that were used with M105 by hand in the above thread, we started showing UC by hand and with DA Polishers...
Scratch Removed by Hand using Ultimate Compound
After UC and SwirlX were introduced the classes were switched over to show these Consumer products because the classes catered to enthusiasts, not Professionals.
M105, M205, M95, etc = The Professional Line
Ultimate Compound, SwirlX, ScratchX = The Consumer Line
It's generally best to show people products that are more formulated for their needs, thus Pro products for guy working on fresh paint in body shops, Consumer products for car clubs and car enthusiasts just wanting to remove the swirls out of their toys.
I don't tend to get too hung up on charts because while they can be a good "General Indicator", there are too many variables involved to make them the final word.
For example in the chart it shows M04 after M105 and M04 is an aggressive product but it uses Macro-Diminishing Abrasives and is nothing like M105 with it's SMA technology.
That's why forums like this are good because you can look at the chart for an
indicator of the products you might need and then
refine your decision by
posting a question to this forum.
