stuck in a rut.

[Mike@ShineStruck]

Combo depends on paint issues and what client wants..
But these are what I always grab
3D Hd Speed
3D HD Poxy
3D HD Adapt
CarPro Reflect
I need to get some.WF Liquid DGS
Have scholls s3 xxl and Carpro essence comming to test

Boss yellow and orange pads
Out of whats listed that ive used,
3d speed put out the most shine
Then adapt
Reflect

[GSKR]

I think almost any of the main lines from AGO would do you good.
3D, Blackfire, Pinnacle, Wolfgang, Menzerna, just to name a few. Research a bit on their equivalents to Meguiar's cutting and polishing combo.

Like 3D's combo here
3D AAT Paint Perfecting Combo

3D's other combo here
3D HD Cut
3D HD Polish

Pinnacle's compound and polish
Pinnacle Advanced Compound, swirl remover
Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish

Now I'm too lazy to list the rest lol. Just check the rest by brands, and pick a system that appeals to you by price, style, and all that.

pinnacle stuff is great.

[dlc95]

There is so much truth in this statement.

I have never run into 2 cars that acted the same. Some are very similar and I can guess what to expect based on my experiences.

Having a variety of pads and compounds/polishes is very beneficial. Learning how those products act and how to work around how they react to different paints will take your abilities to the next level.

Test spots are your friend. Being able to figure out what it takes to get a small section to perfect before attempting the rest of the car will help you figure out what pad/compound combo gets the job done.

Read up on Kevin Brown's articles about residue control. This will also help you.

Which megs burgundy pads are you using? The new thin ones? They provide more cut than the older thicker pads. Maybe give some microfiber pads on a DA/Flex a try.

Maybe pick up a black trunk from the junkyard to practice on. See what it actually takes to get it perfect.

I almost got caught up in the "try everything" quagmire.

But to follow my personality, I ended up pushing what I had to it's limits. This left me with a couple of choices, rather than a shelf full of product.


Kevin Brown also mentions the testing he did with M105, and how he tried using it every which way he could. He's an expert on that product because he's used it in every imaginable way. He know what it will do, how, and why it will do it.

I also did this with pads. Specifically the green foam. I wrestled in my mind with what I was marketed to vs what actually worked for me. The yellow, and orange pads just never worked for me. I always went back to the green hex logic to cut. Simply by looking at the residue load on the faces of the pad after one section cycle told me all I needed to know. Not to mention the defect free surfaces.

Now, that pad probably won't work for 99% of other detailers out there, but the technique I developed with that combination of tool, pad and product really works efficiently for me because I tried them every which way imaginable. Different pressures, speeds, etc.