What's the Diff

[codewize]

I've been using the latest and greatest Meguiars stuff for years. One of my questions is what the heck is the difference between the

Meguiars brand
Mirror Glaze brand
Detailer Brand

This makes for very confusing shopping.

[Kickin Griffin]

In the UK, the Meguiars brand (Gold Class and NXT) we know as the consumer range - they are aimed at the everyday people who just like to keep their cars looking nice.

The Mirror Glaze range and the Detailer range are not widely available in the UK - you have to buy them online - and are aimed more at the very serious enthusiast or pro-detailer.

Thats my take on things over here anyways.

[codewize]

Ok, well I'm obviously a consumer, but, if I didn't mind taking the time to use the other products, what line is going to give me the best show car shine and protection.

Secondly on the non-show times is it ok to use the NXT or gold class products on the same car.

I'm only talking about the exterior here. When I show the car I want it to be as pristine as possible but when I'm driving it to work the NXT and others works just fine.

[inthedetails]

Many of the formulas are similar, bt in the Detailer line you can buy in quantity, which if you are trying to make some $$$$ can be an advantage.

You can intermix products as far as my experience shows, w/o any problems whatsoever. You may find that NXT all the time works fine too.

[the other pc]

As Kickin Griffin said, the different lines are aimed at different markets/end users. There's obviously quite a bit of functional overlap among the lines but the formulas and packaging options for each product are tailored to meet the differing needs of various customers.

From its earliest days Meguiar's was a supplier to body shops and car manufacturers. The Mirror Glaze line is tailored to the needs of painting professionals.

The Consumer line products like Meguiar's, Deep Crystal, Gold Class and NXT are designed to be used by hobbyists and the general public.

The Detailer line is meant for high volume users like professional detailers and the carwashes.

Getting "the best show car shine and protection" is more about using the right techniques and applying products to their best advantage than choosing one line or another.


PC.

[codewize]

So PC are you saying that using something like the NXT product correctly will yield excellent results. I mean show quality results.

I understand the volume part of it now. That makes sense.

[inthedetails]

That is exactly what he is saying.....

[kokketiel]

Most of the Mirror Glaze line of products are also "body shop safe" which, I believe, means that they don't contain products that will interfere with painting.

[codewize]

Okaly Dokaly. So do we all agree that Micro Fiber cloths are the thing to use now a days? I've always used baby diapers for buffing and lint free cotton for detailing.

Thanks guys

[the other pc]

Yup, NXT, used properly, will yield show quality results. You can get show quality results from products in all the lines.

The caveat is that you need to match the product to the task at hand. That's where skill and know-how come into it, knowing what task must be performed, knowing which products are suited for the task and having the skill to use the product to its best advantage.

Meguiar's describes paint care as being a cycle with five different parts:

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain


Perform each well and you'll get the shine you're after. Missing (or messing up) any one has the potential for diminishing your results.

The NXT Tech Wax you mention is a perfect example. You can apply it to a car and get truly spectacular looks. But its function is step 4, protection. If a finish is neglected or abused and needs the earlier steps skipping them and applying NXT gives you a car that's protected but still looks neglected and abused.

As kokketiel points out, most of the Mirror Glaze line is safe for use around paint spraying activities. That's part of formulating products for the targeted end users.

Body and paint shops do everything from heavy duty reconditioning of old paint to massaging fresh paint to maintaining either. The Mirror Glaze line has many products to do many tasks (and combinations of tasks). They're formulated to be used by trained operators using industrial methods and tools in a shop environment.

Consumers (other than hard core enthusiasts) don't do heavy reconditioning or painting and don't have industrial tools or the know-how to use them. The products aimed at consumers must be easy to use, forgiving and safe. It's OK if they're limited in scope and it's good if they aren't too aggressive.

The Detailer line mostly has products for the sorts of tasks done by carwashes; washing, de-greasing, waxing, dressing, etc. They're sold in bulk sizes at reasonable prices. It's not so critical that they're paint shop safe but some are.

Most of us around here love microfiber but there are still those who use natural fiber towels and get terrific results (our comrade Leo uses cotton towels and has plenty of trophies on his shelf). Meguiar's recommends either (and sells both). Meguiar's does recommend that you only use towels with a lot of nap. They say that if you get any grit between your towel and the finish smooth fabrics like t-shirts and diapers have no place for it to hide and it will scratch. A fabric with nap will also distribute pressure more evenly and its individual fibers will be less likely to scratch.


PC.

[OctaneGuy]

While this is normally true, and I use MF towels exclusively, in practice I find that MF towels with lots of nap like the Supreme Shine MFs hold a hidden danger and that's holding particles that can damage your paint if you aren't careful.

I use tweezers to extract any particles that I find in them before using them, but not everyone will take that care. These particles won't be removed even after washing and drying, so if you're polishing to show car finishes, its essential to examine any towels before they are placed against your paint.

In contrast, with the Ultimate Wipes with very little nap, there is little chance of this happening.

Richard

Originally posted by the other pc
Meguiar's does recommend that you only use towels with a lot of nap. They say that if you get any grit between your towel and the finish smooth fabrics like t-shirts and diapers have no place for it to hide and it will scratch. A fabric with nap will also distribute pressure more evenly and its individual fibers will be less likely to scratch.
PC. [/B]