New to forum and need help!

[rahula]

Hi Everyone

First off a big hi to everyone here. This and a few other forums including the Meguiar's online have been very helpful to say the least.

Since a lot of you have been using the products I think it only right that I ask you all for your opinions. I have a 5 year old car and a brand new one. The older one is a dark blue clear coat and the new one is a red one clear coat. Neither is metallic. First let me start asking you in regards to the older car.

This car spends all its time outside and is a daily workhorse. It has been through many automatic car washes and waxes through that but not by hand. I want to bring back the shine to this car and remove the swirls on the paintwork. This is where the confusion starts. The first steps are OK for me but what then:

I will be using a PC and have all the Meguiar's pads.

Wash twice NXT shampoo
Clay
Wash

Which product should I start with:

DAPC#83/#82/MPPC/Scratch X or #9?

Please let me say that I understand that #9 is the least abrasive of the products, next higher MPPC then #82 and finally #83. But it is this which confuses me. I don't want to buy all the products if I can help it but unless someone can help I don't know what to do. I understand the benefits of having so many choices but this is driving me crazy. Which would be the best product to start with?

Do I then polish with #82 then #81 then #80/#7? Do I have to follow those steps or can I skip a few? I don't mind spending the initial time to get it to look good and then doing a weekly hand wash and top up on wax. Would I be better off as per the other thread by following this instead:

#83 DACP + #82 Swirl Free Polish + #81 Hand Polish(or #7) + #20 Polymer + #26 as a topper.
I would do the same but change it to:
#83 DACP + #82 Swirl Free Polish + #81 Hand Polish(or #7) + NXT+ #16 or P21S as a topper


The rest of the steps are fine which are:

NXT Tech Wax
Top Coat #16 or P21S

To maintain the car I assume a good two bucket wash in the future and a top up of NXT and or #16 would suffice?

For the new car I assume after the clay I don't need any cleaners. Is this right? Can I go straight to #81 and then #80?

So, can any of you kindly help? I am really going nuts trying to understand and more importantly make a decision. Sorry for the ramblings.

[2000]

Re: New to forum and need help!

Originally posted by rahula
Hi Everyone


I will be using a PC and have all the Meguiar's pads.

Wash twice NXT shampoo
Clay
Wash

Which product should I start with:

DAPC#83/#82/MPPC/Scratch X or #9?

Please let me say that I understand that #9 is the least abrasive of the products, next higher MPPC then #82 and finally #83. But it is this which confuses me. I don't want to buy all the products if I can help it but unless someone can help I don't know what to do. I understand the benefits of having so many choices but this is driving me crazy. Which would be the best product to start with?


#83 DACP + #82 Swirl Free Polish + #81 Hand Polish(or #7) + #20 Polymer + #26 as a topper.
I would do the same but change it to:
#83 DACP + #82 Swirl Free Polish + #81 Hand Polish(or #7) + NXT+ #16 or P21S as a topper


The rest of the steps are fine which are:

NXT Tech Wax
Top Coat #16 or P21S

.

always use the less abrasive to get the job done, so I would try a spot with #82...if that isn't to your liking than go to #83. some people go from #83 down to #81 (or even straight to nxt), but I always put #82 in between. than I follow up with nxt or #26. on a light color vehicle I would probably skip #81 as well. I like waxing my truck so much that I don't get to worried about it lasting more than a few weeks so I don't use #20 and than top it I just go straight to the nxt for the best of both worlds.

For the new car I assume after the clay I don't need any cleaners. Is this right? Can I go straight to #81 and then #80?

that depends even new cars can be neglected in transport or at the dealer so only you can judge that. unless you see any problems, I would say no cleaners for now but at some point of its life you will have to start.

oh, buy the way
some one with more experience will probably chime in soon.

[jfelbab]

If the 5 year old paint is in poor condition, I'd probably go with the #83 and follow this with #7 and then #16 You could try substituting #82 for #83 but from the way you described the car I think you might wind up needing #83 anyway.

This stuff has a long shelf life so the money you spend will likely not go to waste regardless.

On the new car I'd use MPPC then #7 then #26 or NXT. I think #26 produces a deeper, wetter shine than NXT on dark colors but this is hard to quantify.

[rahula]

Thanks for the help guys. So now that I have read all 11 pages and threads and done even more reading on other sites here are a few more detailed questions:

1. Is there much difference between #7 and #81 and if so what and which do you prefer for dark cars?

2. I now understand that MPPC is the mildest compared to #9 then #82 then #80 and finally #83 in that ascending order. Is this also correct?

3. How do I step-up to a higher grade without buying all the products? I could buy #83 now but it might be more than what is required and perhaps #9 would have done. Is it trial and error or is there another way?

4. Finally if I was to use #83 would you recomend going to #82 and then #81/#7 or would you go straight to LSP?

I am doing this for my own benefit and not business but am anal about these things and want the best shine I can achieve through hard work.

Thanks again for the help.

[rahula]

Sorry forgot to mention, thanks for the warm welcome.

[rahula]

some people go from #83 down to #81 (or even straight to nxt), but I always put #82 in between

what is the benefit of this procedure? does it help the paint even more?

[rahula]

On the new car I'd use MPPC then #7 then #26 or NXT. I think #26 produces a deeper, wetter shine than NXT on dark colors but this is hard to quantify.

Is MPPC the least abrasive cleaner of them all or is DCPC/BSPC milder still? Since the car is not being prepared by the dealer, except for removing the parafin protective wax, do I need a paint cleaner after a good clay on a new car?

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

As I mentioned on Show Car Garage, I would use #82 after the #83 especially on dark colors.

Meguiar's & Show Car Glaze was made during the Single Stage paint era. But Meg's #81 Hand Polish was designed with Clear Coat in mind. Moreover, you will find that #81 is a little easier to remove.

As for buying #83 or #9 etc... there is really no way around stepping down through the aggressive levels. Again, on light colored cars, you could go straight to the NXT after using #83. But on dark colors, I would advise against it.

Here is my truck with 83/82/81:



Tim

[rahula]

Thanks for the info Tim.

It seems to me that perhaps #83 is being used by a lot of people as the first step regardless of how bad the finish is. I prefer to start on the least abrasive that will do the job and move up. We know that #83 is the most abrasive but how abrasive is it? What I mean to ask, is it something I can also use on a brand new car or should I start by using something else or only when the car is 6-10 months old and depending on its condition?

Would I instead be better off buying #9/#82 which won't be as abrasive as #83? Or is it ok to use #83 on all cars and it wont remove too much clear coat? What I was thinking is that I could buy #9 or #82 and just step up to a more abrasive pad rather than a compound if that makes sense. I have all three of the Meguiar's pads so that wouldn't be an issue.

One more, I promise the last one, how do #9 and #82 compare to each other. They seem to be the same on the scale but if I had #82 do I still need to buy #9?

I am inclined to buy the following products and use them as and when needed:

#83
#80
#82
#81

MPPC: is it as good or equal to P21S GEPC? I already have that product so would prefer not to buy any more items if need be.

Thanks once again.

[2000]

Originally posted by rahula


I am inclined to buy the following products and use them as and when needed:

#83
#80
#82
#81

I agree with your list, #80 is still in a weird spot as far as how abrasive it is so I'm still alittle undesided on where to put it in my arsonal, so I only use it if I want a 1 step detail or a short cut if you will. look at this. http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...=&threadid=543

#9 compared to #82...I belive #82 has alittle more cleaner in it. also Imo...it gives alittle more gloss than #9 but thats probably a mind thing more than fact.