Need help with polish/compound purchase!

[BobbyK]

As I prepare to make quite a large purchase from AG, I've researched and came to a conclusion on all other products but compounds and polishes. I'm looking to put together a set that will take car of most all conditions when used with my PC7424xp. I first leaned towards the CG V series which was in a kit with blacklight, v7, and Pete's... But then I started looking at Mezerna and thought about fg400, pf2500, and sf4500. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[capnp72]

For menzerna, fg400 and sf4000 seem to be the most commonly used. I use sf4500 and like it for finishing polish.

[Jaretr1]

Meguiars M105 / M205

[mwoolfso]

If you have no preference then let's get some additional profiling information from you before you consider products. There are probably a lot more questions to be asked to get deep down into more specifics but I won't do that to you just yet. Let's start off with theses:

1- How many cars will you be detailing "regularly"?
2- Is this a hobby or business?
3- What state do you live in?
4- If you have German or Japanese cars, list make, model and year for each.
5- If you are correcting paint with any compound or polish, will you be performing this work outside and potentiall in direct sunlight or do you plan to do this work indoors?
6- At this stage of your "career" in detailing, if you were to polish a vehicle, would you gravitate towards a process that has 1, 2 or 3 steps?
7- Do you want a "show-car finish" or simply "clean, glossy and wet" look?

[addysdaddy]

For menzerna, fg400 and sf4000 seem to be the most commonly used. I use sf4500 and like it for finishing polish.

after experimenting with many different brands and products, this is the trio I've tried and liked the best. I don't even look anymore - this stuff is the flat out great!

[mavin]

If you have no preference then let's get some additional profiling information from you before you consider products. There are probably a lot more questions to be asked to get deep down into more specifics but I won't do that to you just yet. Let's start off with theses:

1- How many cars will you be detailing "regularly"?
2- Is this a hobby or business?
3- What state do you live in?
4- If you have German or Japanese cars, list make, model and year for each.
5- If you are correcting paint with any compound or polish, will you be performing this work outside and potentiall in direct sunlight or do you plan to do this work indoors?
6- At this stage of your "career" in detailing, if you were to polish a vehicle, would you gravitate towards a process that has 1, 2 or 3 steps?
7- Do you want a "show-car finish" or simply "clean, glossy and wet" look?

Not to hijack his thread, but Im interested in point 4. I have a 2008 Audi A4, does that change your recommendations? I have Ordered FG 400, UC and UP already.

Im planning a test spot with just UC, but wanted to have the FG 400 around if I needed it.

[maximus20895]

I would think that UC and FG400 are pretty similar. Maybe even UC would be more aggressive?

[BobbyK]

If you have no preference then let's get some additional profiling information from you before you consider products. There are probably a lot more questions to be asked to get deep down into more specifics but I won't do that to you just yet. Let's start off with theses:

1- How many cars will you be detailing "regularly"?
2- Is this a hobby or business?
3- What state do you live in?
4- If you have German or Japanese cars, list make, model and year for each.
5- If you are correcting paint with any compound or polish, will you be performing this work outside and potentiall in direct sunlight or do you plan to do this work indoors?
6- At this stage of your "career" in detailing, if you were to polish a vehicle, would you gravitate towards a process that has 1, 2 or 3 steps?
7- Do you want a "show-car finish" or simply "clean, glossy and wet" look?

1. I will be detailing a few family and friends vehicles along with my own.
2. It's a hobby that I use to fund this crazy obsession.
3. I live in NE Ohio.
4. All cars I will be working on are 2011 or newer. The only Japanese cars would be my 2011 Toyota Venza and 2012 Subaru Impreza.
5. All polishing is done in a garage with the aid of decent lighting and a Brinkman swirlfinder.
6. I would say 2+.
7. I want the best look a PC can give so show-car finish.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[af90]

I used SF4000 with M101 over the weekend, and it was awesome. Zero dusting, buffed off extremely easy.

[mwoolfso]

Not to hijack his thread, but Im interested in point 4. I have a 2008 Audi A4, does that change your recommendations? I have Ordered FG 400, UC and UP already.

Im planning a test spot with just UC, but wanted to have the FG 400 around if I needed it.

Ahhh... Ceramiclear.... I suspect UC won't make a dent. I have a VW CC and with my Flex 3401, M105 and a lot of pressure I didn't make one iota of an impact on the light swirls. Menzerna all the way with Ceramiclear.

[mwoolfso]

1. I will be detailing a few family and friends vehicles along with my own.
2. It's a hobby that I use to fund this crazy obsession.
3. I live in NE Ohio.
4. All cars I will be working on are 2011 or newer. The only Japanese cars would be my 2011 Toyota Venza and 2012 Subaru Impreza.
5. All polishing is done in a garage with the aid of decent lighting and a Brinkman swirlfinder.
6. I would say 2+.
7. I want the best look a PC can give so show-car finish.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Thanks for responding.... so with the info you provided here is my feedback:

FG400 is a compound with strong cutting ability and excellent gloss (based on reviews I have seen). Using the least aggressive first approach to save clearcoat you probably won't need a compound at all for 2011 and newer vehicles. Medium and Light polishes a swell as AIO's would be best for your inventory. SF4500 and PF2500 would be good polishes and SF4000 is a very good AIO in the Menzerna line.

Overall, with the make/models you have there are a lot of options for you to choose from since Ceramiclear is not on those vehicles. You are working indoors as well so finicky polishes that tend to dust quickly are also in play.

I would get a medium and a light polish, an AIO, and a chemical cleaner product.

Klasse, Pinnacle, Pinnacle XMT, Wolfgang, Poorboys, Mothers, Meguiars, Optimum, Menzerna, Duragloss, etc... the door is wide open. In my inventory the standouts are:

** For correction work **

Menzerna IS-1500 and SF4500
Meguiars M105 and M205
PoorBoys SSR 2.5

** For light correction with more strength in cleaning the paint **

Pinnacle XMT 360
Mothers Pre-wax Cleaner
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer

[mavin]

Now you've got me nervous...

I won't screw up my paint will I?

[zmanjohn]

Now you've got me nervous...

I won't screw up my paint will I?

Mavin,
I recently used UC on a '96 Avalon, Pearl White with medium foam pad with great results. It removed all the swirl marks, but did not touch the deeper scratches. This was find with me as this is daily driver. I was very happy with the results.
As Mike always says do leat aggessive first. I was happy with results and stayed with what I was happy with, if I wanted full correction, would have had to gone more aggresive.
Im the MAN

[mavin]

It just seems like audi clear coat is a bear to work with. Should be fun for my first ever try...

Sounds like I will end up using FG-400 with the cyan pads, but will try less aggressive and see how it goes.

[BobbyK]

Thanks!