DP Compound and Polish Review

I recently got the chance to test out the compound and polish from the newly revived DP Detailing Products line thanks to the folks here at AG.

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Very hard, black, metallic paint on a 2017 Porsche Cayenne S is the perfect opportunity to test polishing liquids to their limits. High temperatures and humidity in my garage added an additional environmental layer of difficulty.
From the very start there are a couple things I like about the DP Polishes. First is the bottles. They are a good size which are easy to hold and the nozzles built into the lid make it very easy to apply product. Second is the white color of the product. This might not seem like a big deal, but products with any type of color stain the pads. When a white pad is stained, it makes it much harder to tell whether it’s properly cleaned after use.

Compound

I’ll start with what I didn’t like about the compound and finish on a positive note because this is a good product overall.
On this Cayenne’s hard paint, I found myself wanting the compound to provide more cut. Paired with a rather aggressive pad, I still ran the polisher on it’s highest setting and several areas required multiple attempts to get the right amount of correction. The working time of the compound also seemed a little short. Some polishes and compounds with a lighter cut make up for it by allowing you to work an area for a longer time without stopping. This compound, in a hot, humid garage only lasts about five section passes before it dusts, gets gummy, and becomes hard to remove. Other compounds, like the one offered by Blackfire, will easily last eight or more passes, even in hot conditions.
Now for the positives. On lightly swirled paint, I was able to pair it with a less aggressive pad and get a really glossy surface in only one step and no need to follow up with a polish. I really think this compound will serve anyone with soft or even moderate hard paint quite nicely. Another positive is it isn’t oily. This is a big deal for me. I really hate hard to remove polishes that leave oily smears.
Overall, I liked this compound and based on the other products I’ve used in the past I’d put it ahead of Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound, but behind Blackfire’s Compound. Based on price it is significantly cheaper than the Blackfire products and will be a great addition to the inventory of any budget conscious detailer.

Polish

I have a lot less to write about the polish because, quite frankly I really liked it. DP Polish is a real gem.As you see in all the photos, it finishes out really nicely and creates a high level of shine. It is really fun to work the polish on an area and see it really bring out a high level of gloss. Removal is far easier than the compound as well. Working time in a hot environment is better than the compound as well, but still not quite as long as other products on the market like Optimum Hyper Polish or Sonax 04-06.
There really isn’t much more to say. The DP Polish finishes out great and also comes in at a great price point. I’m happy to have this product in my garage.

Here are a couple examples from a job I just posted in the Show and Shine area.

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Nice review, thank you!

Have you tried Blackfire’s finishing polishes, and if so, how does this compare?

Honestly I haven't spent much time with Blackfire's new finishing polish. My go-to for doing a one-step on German cars is the compound on a white pad so I don't have a need for it. On our Japanese cars with soft paint I've been experimenting with Optimum and Sonax simply to gain more product experience, so the Blackfire polish has been a little neglected.

In the past I did use Blackfire's now-discontinued SRC finishing polish and compound. I've found the compounds to be pretty similar in cut and work-ability, but less oily and easier to remove. The newer products probably hold a slight edge in looking better too. If the new Blackfire polish follows the same trend, I'd say it will hold a slight edge over the DP since you can work it longer.

HOWEVER...the DP products do still work really well and are significantly less expensive. When I first became addicted to detailing I was using Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Polish to do all my work. They were readily available and cheap. If I was starting over again or I need to recommend a product to someone just getting into the "game", these polishing liquids should be the starting point. Just be careful not to use them in too hot of conditions and they will serve you really well. They work so well and are at a price where you may never feel the need to move on to anything else.

Great review/info, Nate.

I have only had the opportunity to use a couple of DP products, but they are quality for sure. JMO.