#5,#7, or #81

[ziggo99]

So I'm getting ready to do a full detail on my car and I want to do the polish step, since it's a 10 year old car and I figure it can make it look a little nicer. The only polishes within a 20 mile radius is the DC2 and #7 Show Glaze. Don't ask why, but ever since I saw #81 Hand Polish, I told myself I must own that before anything else. Problem is, it's an hour and a half drive to a store that may or may not have it, and I'd rather get it in person than buy it online. My questions are
1. Is there a big difference between the three?
2. Which one is easiest to apply (using a buffer)?
3. Could a store like Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts special order it, even though it's not on the shelf?

[Tuck91]

Re: #5,#7, or #81

Might wanna go with a cleaner/polish like M80 Speed Glaze if the paint hasnt been cleaned in ten years. Might want to clay the car too.

[akimel]

Re: #5,#7, or #81

#5, #7, and #81 are what Meguiar's calls "pure polishes"--they enhance the gloss of paint that has been properly prepped. They are nonabrasive and do not remove swirls and scratches. You will want to at least clay the car and apply a paint cleaner (e.g., DC1 or SwirlX) before applying one of the pure polishes. You have no doubt already this this piece, but if you haven't, do read through it:

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

#7 is the long-time favorite pure polish of the MOL brethren. #81 is said to be a tad bit easier to work with. #5 is unique is that it is the one polish you allow to dry before removing, which is very helpful in areas with high humidity. My guess, but it's only a guess, is that #81 would be easier to apply with a polisher than #7--#7 is exceptionally oily and will more easily gum up when applied by a dual action polisher (but that's just what I have read--I have only applied it by hand). Before driving an hour and a half away, why not pick up instead a bottle of Deep Crystal Polish (DC2) at your local auto store or Walmart and give it a try? It's less expensive, and you'll get a good idea whether a pure polish is right for your vehicle.

Good luck and have fun!


Cheers,
Al

EDIT: I found in the archives a posting by Tim Lingor:

Meguiar's has several pure polishes, each depending on the application. The Pure polishes in the Professional Line are: M03, M05, M07 and M81.

M03 Machine Glaze is used by people wanting to apply the pure polish with a high speed rotary polisher, though it works very well by hand as well.

M05 New Car Glaze is used when humidity is a factor. It allows easier removal as it dries somewhat unlike the other pure polishes that do not dry but rather skim over.

M07 Show Car Glaze...the richest of pure polishes Meguiar's has to offer. Was designed for SS paints but work very well on BC/CC paints as well.

M81 Hand Polish...designed as part of the #80's family with BC/CC in mind. Works very well and is easier to remove than M07.

Yes...you can use M07 with a DA though applying and removing it by hand may be easier. If you plan on applying it with a DA, I would use #81 or #3. Both contain a lot of the TS Oils and will apply easier with the DA. Keep the speed down to around 3 and use a two pass mf towel system for removal. Ie. Do a light removal with one MF towel, and then do a follow up with a clean MF towel.

Hope this helps.

[ziggo99]

Re: #5,#7, or #81

I just finished for today, and I left out the polish step since my computer wouldn't let me check the forums before I started and didn't want to start using the polish and then read later I should have used something else. I washed, clayed, and applied a coat of NXT 2.0 and will give it another coat tomorrow morning. My dad gave it the 3 step process a year or two ago, but I wanted to give it my own go. And I'm working all by hand, minus a 6" buffer, which I guess could be used to apply the polish? I may take the #7 back since my area is a very high humidity area all summer long.