Me, the ZAINO FREAK, trying Meguiars!?!?
well....not yet but soon. long thread...but i'm sure it'll be a good read for anybody deciding on a brand to go with...
I just got back from the Meguiars Free Detailing Clinic today up in Piscataway, NJ. Definately a MUST-ATTEND event if there is ever one in your area. Even a detail guru like me learned a ton of new information.
And yes, as you guys know i am a Zaino fanatic, when i find a product i really like i stick to it, but i'm always up to give something new a shot if i'm really impressed. i used to be a liquid glass fanatic, still am actually, but somebody introduced zaino to me in person and i was sold on the spot. Still like L.G., but for my trucks Zaino performed a step above so i've used it ever since.
Lately, meguiars detailing line has EXPLODED! That could either be a good thing since the products could be better and expanded and fit the detailing niche more, or a bad thing getting more commercialized and away from the individual.
after the clinic, it seems they have achieved a nice balance of becoming a big reputable name in detailing products (what i mean is far exceeding the ranks of "cheapo waxes" like turtle wax and mothers, and ranking right up there with Zaino and others), yet still in close relations with the individual customer. I dont see Zaino or Mothers or Zymol or Turtle Wax or any other brands holding free 8 hour detailing clinics. That 1st hand interaction with the company straight with the consumer is awesome for getting idea's across for new stuff, improvements in current products, and suggestions for future products.
Enough about the company...onto the detailing details
i'm finally not scared to living chit of touching a buffer to my paint Rod Kraft who presented the clinic did an awesome job of teaching the class how to use a DA buffer and rotary buffer and the differences, applications, and tips&tricks.
i'm still a little confused on the Meguiars whole product line. They seem to have 3-4 products that are nearly identical just under different labeling. I think it was glass cleaner, they have 3 different ones, but basically all the same exact stuff. Same for the quick detailer, they had 4 different ones, and i'm still confused which is which. I just know Final Inspection Spray smells friggin awesome and they should make a car freshener in that scent
So thats one reason why i like Zaino so much, i can get 95% of my detailing products at one place, and their products dont overlap each other, meaning they dont have 4 different glass cleaners that do almost the same exact thing. two different types of polish, different cuts of compounds, and different vinyl dressings i can understand, but just seems like meguairs is a bit spread out on the products.
Luckily though, with the hands-on learning and one-on-one instruction at the clinic, Rod was able to give me a few pointers on my personal truck and what i should do with it.
Being 5 years old and no garage and daily driven for the first 4 years, the HD has some swirling, its inevitable, but i bought a gallon of #82 swirl free polish...so SWIRLS BEWARE! once i scrounge up enough moola for a DA, i'm gonna go crazy with that buffer plus the compounds for removing swirls is the one area Zaino has no products for, so in the end, for you other Zaino guys, i'd definately pick some #82 up. and its not just fillers, it'll actually remove the swirls, so no worries of zaino not sticking!
I also got a smaller bottle (8 or 12 oz.) of #21 Synthetic Sealant, and i'm gonna do a one-on-one comparison on the HD between that and Zaino. i'll do the #82 on the entire truck to remove the swirls (after a dawn wash, claybar, and rewash), then i'll probably mask down 1/2 the truck and do 1/2 in zaino and 1/2 in the #21 Synthetic Sealant and do a direct comparison.
From the few hoods that were done at the clinic with the meguiars line, i wasnt incredibly impressed with their waxes/polishes, i mean the paint looked really really good after it was used, but it didnt blow my Zaino away IMO. BUT, it was a crappy day out with overcast and clouds and rain, so it was hard to get a true idea of the shine/reflection/gloss, and also its different seeing it on another vehicle. i'll have a better opinion on the stuff when i use it on my own truck since i know pretty well how my own paint looks with zaino. I'm sure i wont be disappointed, still looked great from what i saw, but time and testing will tell if i will switch from zaino or not. its got some pretty tough competition to do that but also using the same thing for years gets boring, and change is good. so who knows what i'll end up with
still gotta read up a bit more. not sure if i can/should layer the #21, or if i can/should layer NXT over top and give that stuff a shot out as well. (dont think i saw NXT used on a hood at the clinic..cant remember) i'm also gonna apply/remove the Zaino with a buffer for a change as well. I disproved the "zaino is no good for dark colors" rumors on the boards 2 years back when i switched to it, so who knows, maybe the "zaino wont look any better with a buffer" thing will be the same.
Sorry for such a loooong post. I just wanted to type all that up before i forgot
if anybody has some tips for the meguiars or DA (or links to where to get a DA at a good price ) please post up.
also wanna thank Kromdom for sending me the link to the meguiars forum and let me know about the clinic coming to NJ. he was definately right, i'm gonna go even crazier in my detailing with a buffer in my hands
and also wanna thank Pal Automotive Specialities and Rod Kraft from Meguiars for having the detailing clinic today.
definately if they ever come nearby any of you's,...SIGN UP!
okay, i cant resist. you guys know me....i gotta post pics
unfortunately i didnt take any at the clinic. taking pics of somebody using a buffer doesnt really tell much so i was just paying attention instead of screwing around with my camera. lol
but i took one of my dirty truck before i left . of course it HAD to rain....no wait...MONSOON. this is only the 5th or 6th time the trucks been driven this year ...and the first time its been driven in the rain in 6 months
hasn't been zainoed since october or november, just been sleeping under its cover all winter and spring so far, so definately needs some detailing attention soon!, but figured i'd hold off on my ritual dawn wash, claybar, and umpteen coats of zaino til after the clinic incase i bought some meguiars to give a shot, which i did
the drive absoutely SUCKED! drove 200 miles today in non-stop monsoon category rain storms
every friggin time i left a stop sign or light, or turned, crappy azz goodyears went spinning and azz of truck went fishtailing out no matter how light i stepped on the gas
Saw FOUR MULTI-car accidents on the drive back alone between exit 10 down to exit 2 on the turnpike. people flipped in the ditches along the side of the road, multi car accidents, everything. raining so hard ended up driving 30 mph most of the way
doesnt look too bad in this pic, but i'm a pic whore, and the cluster needles look cool illuminated like that, so i'm posting up
Awesome Josh! I have the Meguiars Mirror Glaze wax stuff on the Harley right now. Came from the shop in Sept. like that, still looks awesome! Swirls need to be taken care of though!
I think the use of Meguiars products released the same under different names is they appeal to different ages. I know the NXT stuff is the same as something else they offer, but my eyes always go to the NXT cuz it looks cooler. While i noticed an older gentlemen grabbed the other Meguiars product. Same stuff, not 100% sure but i think it was just different packaging.
Glad you made the roundtrip safely. You can get the DAP from Lowe's (Porter Cable brand, same as Meg's) for under $120. I got mine when Meg's had a X-mas special last year (was a pakcage deal).
If you have further questions, suggest posting or searching over here: http://www.meguiarsonline.com/
Heck, PM MIke Phillips directly, feel free to use my name (I told him about you, the detail class and your devotion to Zaino)
How do you find out when and where they have these clinics? I coundnt get into their site for some reason.
Mothers does do some good clinics at shows and Rod Runs like the GoodGuys shows and the Hot Rod Power Tour.
One reason I use products by both of these companies is because the both put a lot of time and money back into the car hobby by supporting shows and other things.
TX: I've been watching Meguiars site to see about a Texas class. So far there isnt one. But some guys have been trying to get one. Mainly more down south.
just keep an eye on their homepage of meguiarsonline.com
when one comes around it'll be an announcement on the page.
email them or post up in the detailing day clinics in their forum to spark up interest. classes are 25 people, so if you can get a bunch of the THT guys together that wanna go, and maybe some L guys from around your area, i'm sure they can figure something out.
8 hours of a dedicated class to all detailing is friggin awesome. we are trying to get an intermediate level class up for next year, in addition to an entry level for newbs to detailing, then an intermediate one for more tips and methods on using the buffer
Krix....i do have a gallon of swirl free polish #82 here and a DA is really easy to use, so if you wanna have a little detailing day, just lemme know.
this site has pretty good prices on DA's http://www.autodetailingsolutions.co...20Specials.htm
i think the porter cable only has a year warranty, but the same DA from megiars has a lifetime warranty. i wanna try and buy that 2nd package on there. for 70 bucks more, you get a few extra pads, a MF bonnet, clay, NXT stuff, some MF towels, and a duffel bag to keep the buffer in. pretty damn good deal!
once i get one, i'll do a little extra practicing on my stock hood up in the attic, or on my 85's hood since i'll be getting a new one when i do the motor swap in it.
Krom, which of their stuff do you use? i'm still confused on their whole product line. most of their stuff seems like its "this product cleans, polishes, protects all in one step" type stuff, yet they have like 100 different things you can throw on your paint. i'm a fan of multiple coats and layering, but i dont know which stuff i can use when still
Josh,
I use their PROFESSIONAL product line which is considered one of their more "abrasive" products. I arrived at this choice after the detail guru personally examined the paint of my truck. The other products won't have enough cut/bite to fix the defects.
I'll PM you the "custom" recipe that was hatched out just for me. In essence, their product line is split into 2 classes:
1. Professional: for paint/body shops (polisher, buffer application)
2. Consumer: regular joe's who DIY (hand application) http://www.meguiars.com/estore/
thats what i have here so far. #82 swirl free polish from the professional line, and #21 synthetic sealant from the professional line. i was looking over a few notes i sribbled down, and i think i wrote that the #21 was a new product using the best of #20 polymer sealant from the pro line and NXT from the consumer line used to make #21 in the pro line, but i'm not sure.
Rod Kraft from meguiars said that those 2 products were the best starting point for me, and he said that the #21 would give my zaino shine a run for its money, and if it does, if there's stuff i can layer over top of it, i wanna get as bling as possible lol
another thing i like about the pro line, i can buy it in gallon jugs, which with 2 trucks, with how often i clean them, plus every now and then i get a few detailing small jobs, i'll have plenty to use.
the one other product i didnt get to see get tested was hyper dressing. but i saw a post over at MOL of pics of peoples engine bays who used it and it looked killer! and can be diluted to different ratios for different shines. have you ever used this stuff?
i'll be back online from around 6:30 til around 12 tonight
anyway, that calendar is from HARLEY6LF250SDU. he posted pics of his and i asked if he could hook me up with one. there's not enough ads in it to be a FTW calendar lol