Starter Pads/Polishes

[Senak]

Hey everyone! I have a PC 7274XP and am a little lost with the amount of products available. I will be polishing factory clear on a few family cars, mostly daily drivers (but when I tackle a couple special cars I'll make sure to make a thread with some pics :) ). Any help would be apreciated!

Pads

What is a good set of pads to start off with? I am buying the Meg's MF Pad system for sure, but I would like pads for compounding, sealants etc. The LC Hydrotech, CCS and Flat interest me, but there are also a lot of less mentioned brands. Is it the "feel" of the pads that changes?

Will any 5.5" hook and loop pad work with the W67DA backing plate included with the MF kit?

Polishes

Wolfgang Twins, Meg's 105/205/UC, Optimum, Prima, etc...

Am I really going to notice a difference between the different brands? I plan to use UPGP or Klasse as a sealant (I need a long durability for our 5 month winters). And does anyone know a good wax to go on UPGP?

Do I have to wipe the residue from the MF system polish before applying a sealant? Would I be better off to just use 205 instead of the MF Finish Wax?


So many questions!! lol ... Thank you all in advance for your input! Feed back please

[snowking724]

Hydrotech pads are the way to go. Also, look into the Surbuff pads for some extra bite when compounding.

[Jhaight11]

get 105-205. to me its the most universal combo out. i really like the 5.5 hydro pads and yes the megs BP will work. skip D301 and go with 205 and then a wax/sealant.

[sal329]

I have heard great things about hydrotech but Ipersonally have not used them. I use Buff and Shine or Lake Country flat pads for most details, recently I have been using the Meg MF cutting disc and finish with foam. Polishes, Meg D300, M105, Prima Swirl, Menz 203 and Menz 85rd

[silverfox]

With the advent of the new Mequiar's DA Microfiber system, I won't likely buy another foam pad again. I've found that the DA MF pads last a whole lot longer, do a better job (without any chance of swirls, marring or scuffing), and they work perfectly with my DA polisher. I don't have a rotary, and I don't intend to start now. As far as the popular notion that you need a rotary to "jewel the paint"...to take it to that next level...well, I'm not buying into it based on how my own car looks. I once got some advice from a well known detailer on another forum that to jewel the paint I needed a good foam finishing pad (Hydro-tech Crimson), and PO85RD....and just "work the living heck out of each panel" for a show car shine. I did that, it was pretty impressive, but now I can do the same thing in 2 very quick passes with with no pressure with a DA MF finishing disk at 1/2 the speed (and thus much less vibration and wear and tear on me). I get the same result in about 1/3 the time, without killing myself. That's what I'm talking about.

Not to mention you only have two pads to deal with (not 142). Some of you guys spend more on all the different pads than you do your mortgage. With these pads, its just a matter of perfecting the technique, and experimenting with different polishes, glazes, and LSPs. Lots of guys don't like the D301 product...so..?..don't use it, but that doesn't mean you can't use other more popular products with the DA MF finishing pad. So when it comes to strictly pads...for most of the cars I will ever have to deal with (newer OEM clearcoat paint), the new DA MF pads are all I will ever need.

[HeavyMetal]

:iagree:

I'm with silverfox on this one. I've seen so many posts with OUTSTANDING pics from respected guys that I can't wait to try the Megs MF System. The only reason I haven't done it yet is that I bought several flat pads and a bp just before this system came out. But once they're almost done, the mf pads are up - probably next year.

Like sf said, if you don't want the Megs MF System wax LSP, just skip it and use 205 or another fine polish for the last polishing step and then apply your fav sealant or wax or combo. There's enough collective experience showing the mf pads are quite compatible with existing finish polishes.

[dougaross]

Wax to go over sealant for oustanding durability -- collinite 845IW

[FASTFRED]

Wax to go over sealant for oustanding durability -- collinite 845IW
+1 :xyxthumbs:

[Senak]

Thanks everyone for your replies!


With the advent of the new Mequiar's DA Microfiber system, I won't likely buy another foam pad again.

This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I am going to go with the MF + Hydrotech pads since the HT are only a 3 pad system. Hopefully I won't need the hydrotech, but I would hate to short myself. Also if I never use a foam pad, I would never have first hand expeience of how they feel.


Wax to go over sealant for oustanding durability -- collinite 845IW

I just read up on this stuff, they're claiming 5 month durability?!? The perfect winter wax?!? That's fantastic!


get 105-205. to me its the most universal combo out. i really like the 5.5 hydro pads and yes the megs BP will work. skip D301 and go with 205 and then a wax/sealant.

Like sf said, if you don't want the Megs MF System wax LSP, just skip it and use 205 or another fine polish for the last polishing step and then apply your fav sealant or wax or combo. There's enough collective experience showing the mf pads are quite compatible with existing finish polishes.

So if I finish with 205 instead of D301 I can go straight to my sealant/wax, I don't need to do a full wipe down as long as I verify that I'm not filling swirls but actually removing them?


How many of each of the pads should I purchase, the MF kit plus 1 or 2 extra packs of each, plus a pair of each HT? I don't have a budget, however for every extra $200 I spend is an extra night in the dog house ;)