Names for the car care cycle steps

[CieraSL]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

There is no industry standard for the various detailing terms, such as the term "polish" (which is why you get confusing products such as TW ICE Liquid Polish). However, I believe that Meguiar's stance on this is to refer to the term polish as a product without abrasives designed to add gloss to the paint. Hence products like M07 and DC2 fall under the term polish (labeled as step 3 in the 5-Step Paint Care Cycle, and step 2 in your labeling). A polish is inappropriate for the second step as it will not actually clean or remove swirls and scratches. Personally, I think Meguiar's labeling is the correct labeling. A glaze may or may not contain fillers, and I do not believe that DC2 or M07 contain fillers. Please correct me if I am wrong. Just my two cents.

[roushstage2]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

The reasoning is people "polish" the paint to get the defects out and make it shiny. It's just different wording.

[BlackHawk]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

To add some more confusion... Meguiar's #7 Show Car GLAZE- A Pure POLISH For A Deep Gloss Shine. Notice both Glaze and Polish is used to describe this product. And your steps above...

2. Polish

3. Glaze

After reading I don't consider step 2 to be a "polish/glaze" step. It's a cleaning, defect removal product step. I could be wrong though. Step 3 is the step I believe is the pure polish/glaze step followed by step 4... a wax or synthetic sealant.

[Mary S]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

All of the steps are there, they are just listed with different names that often get used for those steps. Same process though. Is that what you were asking?

That's right, it is a question of the terminology, names that would likely be less confusing to the general public, names that would help allow detailers and car care people talk to eachother and have a common definition so it is easier to communicate with one another. And as I have indicated, these terms are supported by the way Meguiar's uses them in the g110v2 and the Mirror Glaze line.

I had another thread related to this, how to talk to potential customers about what Meguiars calls the "cleaning" step.

"Polish" might not be ideal, and would need to be expounded upon in marketing, but for me, better than "cleaning." And I can just let Meguiar's 5-step naming convention continue to drive me crazy, but I will learn to let it roll off me.

[roushstage2]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

All of the steps are there, they are just listed with different names that often get used for those steps. Same process though. Is that what you were asking?

[Mary S]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

For step 2, you'd normally want to use 105 or Ultimate Compound.. although it does depend on the paint condition. Which, if you use 105 or UC, you're still technically cleaning. Then, you'd follow with 205.

Okay, the reason I did not include 105 is because of the label, "Ultra-Cut Compound -- Ultra-fast cutting removes 1200 grit or finer sanding marks." So the impression I have is it is not something a consumer-level user will be using but is rather a compound for pulling out sanding marks by a professional.

Ultimate compound of course is a consumer product. It mentions the cutting as well: "Cuts as fast as harsh abrasives -- without scratching." "Obsoletes traditional rubbing & polishing compounds."

Okay, so they are mentioning it's cutting ability, again which I assume they are referring to sanding marks.

"Obsoletes traditional rubbing & polishing compounds."

My understanding of traditional rubbing and polishing compounds is that they are for removing scratches in clear coat, normally with the help of fine sanding.

Where Ultimate Compound obsoletes polishing compounds, if it is to do what they used to call "cleaning" in the care cycle, i.e. removing light scratches, holograms, swirls, cobwebs, and the like, this has been redefined as "polishing," which is consistent since it is replacing a polishing compound.

So since sanding is not part of the care cycle, the use by Meguiars of the terms "Polish" as in 205, "polishing compound" as in UC, and "polisher" as in the G110v2 DA, this obsoletes the need for the word "clean." The process of removing sanding marks can simply be called "cutting," which is how it is apparently now used.

[LelandGray]

Re: Names for the car care cycle steps

For step 2, you'd normally want to use 105 or Ultimate Compound.. although it does depend on the paint condition. Which, if you use 105 or UC, you're still technically cleaning. Then, you'd follow with 205.

[Mary S]

Here is my suggestion. Any comments or proposed revisions welcome.

I am taking this from the Mirror Glaze product line and the G110V2.

1. Wash and clay using car shampoo and detailing clay as previously defined.
2. Polish with a finishing polish like 205 or SwirlX to level paint surface to permanently remove swirls and light defects from clear coat or single stage paint and to bring out the shine and reflectivity in the paint.
3. Glaze using a glaze like 05 or 07 to add depth of shine, especially to darker colored cars.
4. Protect with paint protectants as previously defined.
5. Maintain as previously defined.

Wash/clay -> Polish -> Glaze -> Protect -> maintain.

Step 2, which used to be Clean, I changed it because of 2 items in the Meguiars product line.
1. 205 is called an Ultra Finishing Polish.
2. The g110V2 is called a Dual-Action Polisher, and although it can apply glaze and sealants, its main purpose as an improvement over a simple orbital buffer would be applying products like 205 or SwirlX to eliminate light defects in the paint.

Comments or suggestions?