Brand loyalty for pad choice?

[therapy1]

I have a good selection of Megs buffing pads but noticed that a lot of forum members seem to use Lake country pads. I have never used them but was wondering if some of you veterans could shed some light on this. Do the Megs pads suck? Maybe I just do not see the post's when people say they used them. If they do its always the mf pads never foam. Thanks in advance for your feed back.

[Quiksilver5882]

The Meg's MF pads I have aren't so great. The hook and loop portion begins to delaminate fairly quickly. I like buff and shine pads.

[Pureshine]

I use Meg's MF pads for cutting and Foam pads for finishing. Meg's MF pads are great you just have to keep them clean and cool I use a backing plate with holes which helps keep them cool.

[MajinAl]

The Meg's MF pads I have aren't so great. The hook and loop portion begins to delaminate fairly quickly. I like buff and shine pads.

Their old mf pads made in China do suck, but lately those new ones made in USA are really good.
But for foam pads I love b n s. Their mf pads are really well made but don't cut as much as megs

Sent from my SCH-I605 using AG Online

[erichaley]

I don't think Meguiar's or B&S pads suck by any means. It just happened that the pads I bought were LC, they serve me well, Eric (aka: The Pad Man) provides awesome customer service, and I have had no reason to switch to another brand.

I own some Meguiar's MF pads and they've been okay, and I just ordered some B&S 4" jeweling pads (I wanted to try a 4" jeweler to go with my LC 5.5" gold pad), so its not that I buy LC exclusively...

Another consideration is that most of my BPs are from LC, so I prefer to use pads that are going to be most compatible. Sure, other brands work fine, but why risk it?

[TundraPower]

Lake Country has a huge and well deserved following. I was the #1 fan of Hydro pads before switching solely to Rupes.

[swanicyouth]

THIS IS GOING TO BE A RANT, so buckle up.

I can tell you I have LC pads for 2 reasons: 1. AG sells them (not BnS) & 2. They come in 5.5" (Meg's don't IIR). However, I've had more than a few LC pads delaminate and have read many posts where others have as well.

I can't recall one BnS de-lamination post. Maybe they are out there, but I don't see them. I'm done with LC pads. IMHO they don't last period. I just ordered some Meg's 4" spot buffs and some BnS 4" pads (with the 3.5" Velcro contact area). I won't be buying anymore LC pads. I received the BnS pads. They look very high quality.

Here is an example: this pad "shrunk" or something and de-laminated:





Now the standard explanation is the pad got too hot. However, this is a wax pad and only used by hand. This Velcro started peeling after the 2nd time I used it. It didn't get too hot, it was used BY HAND only with a Polishin' Pal.

You can blame it on all kinds of other things I DID wrong, however, I have about 50-60 pads (95% of them LC) and they are all used and cared for the same way. Some are fine and some start to peel apart after the first or 2nd use. That's just poor quality control IMHO.

Now that red pad that started to shrink and de-laminate is a 3.5" beveled red wax pad. You can not just but that pad separate to replace it - I've looked everywhere. You must buy a "kit" with 4 x 3.5" beveled pads. Since I actually like the pad, they almost got me for another "kit" at $15.99 just to replace that red 3.5" pad. For whatever reason, nobody seems to make 3.5" wax pads, except in that kit. So, in essence, I'd be buying the "kit" @ $15.99 just to get the 2red pads - as, I have no use for the white pads that come with the "kit".

Now, if this was a singular instance, I could let it go. However, its not. I've also had 3" HT red wax pads (and others) delaminate as well. That red pad in the picture was "repaired" with crazy glue so I can use it until I got a 3.5" pad. Oddly enough, the Krazy Glue is holding the Velcro better than whatever glue LC uses. As, I put the Krazy Glue All around the de-laminating edge, and that is holding - but all the glue in the center is gone.

I've since realized both BnS and Meg's 4" spot buff wax pads have a 3.5" Velcro contact area. So, I ordered the Meg's pads from here, and received the BnS pad from CarPro USA. I won't be buying anymore LC pads.

There was a guy on here a week or so ago, who obviously was a seasoned detailer. He had a new LC pad fail on the first use after like 5-10 mins. He emailed LC and they told him: your fault - pad got too hot. Now how can they say that? The pad failed immediately after the first use. Its obviously a bad pad. Anyone who knows customer service 101, knows you would just replace the guys lousy $10 pad.

I mean, when he came on here and called them out on it, they came off pretty poorly. It was pretty obvious the guy had been detailing a while and knew what he was doing. Does LC think he was trying to rip them off for a lousy $10 pad? Obviously he wouldn't be contacting them if he thought the pad was normal.

Now I'm looking at the BnS website this minute. Under foam pads (5.5") it says:

"We are using and adhesive that will never come off EVER. It is heat resistant, chemical resistant, , & 100% fully washable over and over again.

Remember when you buy BnS products we stand behind OUR products with a 100% guarantee".

Now we know LC's guarantee. They expressed it on this forum. Of pad fails in 5 minutes: your fault. Too bad. They just did a test on Autopia and the LC MF pads did pretty poorly.

I also have the 4" Chemical Guy's pads where the backing plate recesses into the pad into the plastic ring. These are just re- packaged BnS pads. When I saw this design (and the plastic ring), I thought "Uh Oh, these are going to hold up. That plastic ring will come unglued". These were my first BnS pads (and only ones until recently). I have used these 4" pads to death (they are my favorite 4" pads) and they are holding up perfect. They have seen a lot of use.

I bought LC 3" HT pads as well at the same time. Although the BnS pads have seen more use, cleaned and stored the same way, and have been used for compounding and polishing (various colors / heat), the LC 3" red wax pad is de -laminating. Surprised? That is a wax pad, I used it for waxes and glazes on pillars. It saw no heat. The BnS pads are as good as day 1. The plastic ring has been twisted, bent, etc... During cleaning and still holds up fine.

Those BnS pads are the "hex logic" style. I've used them so much the little foam hexes are showing wear from polishing. I have them in almost every color. But yet the BP stays glued like cement. I have since had other LC pads de-laminate.

I don't know. I like buying from AG, but don't think I'll be buying anymore LC pads ever. I'm so irritated but this, I'll order BnS pads elsewhere and pay separate shipping, or just order Meg's pads if the size is right.

[stibuki]

swanicyouth I would agree with you on LC quality control. It's very much hit or miss. Don't really have many problems with the Velcro detaching as I change out pads quite often but the quality of the foam itself leaves much to be desired.

Currently I have about 30 of the LC HT Low profile pads. The Tangerine 5.5's look just about done after 2 large vehicles. They look a lot like your second picture just not as bad. Also strange half moon holes. Looks kind of like a larger than normal foam cell blew out. Cyan pads look like your second picture also and a few with collapsed centers. I know it's not my technique or heat because I swap pads after each panel and they get retired for the day after 3 panels tops, 2 if its a roof or hood. Some of the pads are perfectly fine under the same type of cycling. Had a 3" tangerine pad split and rip in half on a B-Pillar after the first minute over the weekend on a PC.

Have to also agree with you on the Buff and Shine's. I have about 20 of the old Hex Logic 7.5" and 4" with the plastic centering rings and after many uses they still look really good with the exception of some wear around the edges of the hex's. Another me to... as I was sure the rings were going to crack or separate from the pad but their still holding strong!

[goodinblack]

Hex logic made by bns?

Just to clarify

[therapy1]

I have only used Megs foam and mf pads and only had a problem with the early model mf pads delaminating. Maybe ill have to break down and buy a different brand to see if I like them. I was raised on Megs stuff so I am a fan.