imported_Dave KG
New member
For some time, Chemical Guys have sort of been forgotten about in terms of correction polishes for machine despite having some decent products in the range... the old Paint Correction products were lovely to use and forgiving, but were in my opinion plagued by the issues of lacking the cut of their competitiors despite matching the finishing abilities.
However, a new range is here - the V-series Optical Grade polishes, and currently there are three in the lineup:
This review focusses on V36 and V34. V36 has been around a little while, and has previously been tested by Gordon and I in a variety of tests, but V34 is relatively new to the market designed as a heavier cutting polish.
So, for this review, I've put the products alongside Menzerna as a fairly standard benchmark: V36 is first up, and as the middle of the range polish as it currently stands, I have put this against Menzerna's middle workhorse polish, Intensive Polish though recent tests may suggest that V36 is more closely akin to PO203S Power Finish. For testing purposes though... let's see how it does
So, one panel marred with moderate to severe swirls and deeper RDS:
Quite a challenge for a workhorse polish, but there's nothing like giving a product a challenge! V36, applied using a Chemical Guys White Hexlogic polishing pad as shown in the video below. As a water based polish we have found that working the product at slower speeds as benefits as it prolongs the work time of the product and allows greater cut to be achieved and a finer finish as the abrasives seem to be better worked... so maximum of 1500rpm, but with focus at 1200rpm and also in the video the set is very long and the residue comes back allowing a second higher speed session to further refine the finish. The very long work time is a big plus of the product already for flexibility and refining:
1 Chemical Guys V36 Long Set - YouTube
The results of this set are shown below:
The correction level is noticeable and quite impressive - most of the swirls dealt with but a lot of the deeper RDS remain, certainly more than Scholl S17+ on an equivalent panel. However, the finish is very good indeed with good clarity achieved and very easy wipe off of the product residue.
By means of comparison, one of the benchmark workhorse polishes was then used in comparison - Menzerna Intensive Polish, using a long regenerating set as shown in the video to maximise its cut and finishing abilities:
2 Menzerna Intensive Polish Regenerating Set - YouTube
The results achieved from 85RD3.02 on an equivalent white hexlogic pad are as follows:
By comparison, the correction of Intensive Polish is much greater especially looking at the RDS correction and the finishing abilities of the product are also equivalent showing Intensive Polish to be more flexible and capable of greater correction. Take nothing away from V36 here though, it s a very good product that is very capable and in fairness it is perhaps better compared to Menzerna PO203S Power Finish. But in the company of Intensive Polish, it is slightly outclassed.
However, let's turn the attention away from V36 to the new V34, which is more aggressive and will be better placed to tackle deeper RDS. V34 was applied using a Chemical Guys Orange Hexlogic Cutting Pad, and applied to the same region as V36 was above so you can see the RDS that were remaining before the set. V34 applied as shown in the video:
3 Chemical Guys V34 Correction Set - YouTube
As with V36, keeping the speeds a little lower than usual (especially for a correction compound), and a fairly long set to get the best out of the correction and finishing abilities offered. The results achieved are shown below:
The correction level is definitely improved and v34 shows itself here to be roughly equivalent to Intensive Polish in terms of cut, and it also has impressing refining abilities for the level of cut it possesses. If anything, the V34 seems to be more closely aligned to Intensive Polish and viewed this way it is competitive. But this leaves me wondering - where is the more aggressive cutting compound in the range, the Power Gloss or Fast Cut equivalent as at the moment if V34 is the top of the cutting tree, then impressive though it is, the range is missing the heavier cutting compound which is a big hole - hopefully Chemical Guys are on the case for a more aggressive cutting compound
For comparison, Power Gloss (S100) on the same orange cutting pad was applied to test the cutting and refining abilities and delivered the following results:
The compound has again pushed the correction and delivered more than V34 has, but has left light marring in the finish which is to be expected from a heavy cutting compound. Given Power Gloss is not the most aggressive compound on the market, this to me highlights the need for the V-series polishes to have a more aggressive one added to the lineup. The polish range is quite impressive as it stands, lovely long work times and impressive refining abilities and they can correct - V34 is a good rival for Intensive Polish and in my eyes stands up well next to it and the likes of S17+. However, it would be nice to see a more aggressive compound completing the lineup. But - Chemical Guys do have a range that is competitive with others on the market, and should certainly not sit around forgotten about - perhaps this is the most impressive bit, and the bit that should be sung from the roof tops
However, a new range is here - the V-series Optical Grade polishes, and currently there are three in the lineup:
- V38 - Finishing Polish
- V36 - Middle Polish (The Workhorse)
- V34 - Cutting Polish
This review focusses on V36 and V34. V36 has been around a little while, and has previously been tested by Gordon and I in a variety of tests, but V34 is relatively new to the market designed as a heavier cutting polish.
So, for this review, I've put the products alongside Menzerna as a fairly standard benchmark: V36 is first up, and as the middle of the range polish as it currently stands, I have put this against Menzerna's middle workhorse polish, Intensive Polish though recent tests may suggest that V36 is more closely akin to PO203S Power Finish. For testing purposes though... let's see how it does
So, one panel marred with moderate to severe swirls and deeper RDS:
Quite a challenge for a workhorse polish, but there's nothing like giving a product a challenge! V36, applied using a Chemical Guys White Hexlogic polishing pad as shown in the video below. As a water based polish we have found that working the product at slower speeds as benefits as it prolongs the work time of the product and allows greater cut to be achieved and a finer finish as the abrasives seem to be better worked... so maximum of 1500rpm, but with focus at 1200rpm and also in the video the set is very long and the residue comes back allowing a second higher speed session to further refine the finish. The very long work time is a big plus of the product already for flexibility and refining:
1 Chemical Guys V36 Long Set - YouTube
The results of this set are shown below:
The correction level is noticeable and quite impressive - most of the swirls dealt with but a lot of the deeper RDS remain, certainly more than Scholl S17+ on an equivalent panel. However, the finish is very good indeed with good clarity achieved and very easy wipe off of the product residue.
By means of comparison, one of the benchmark workhorse polishes was then used in comparison - Menzerna Intensive Polish, using a long regenerating set as shown in the video to maximise its cut and finishing abilities:
2 Menzerna Intensive Polish Regenerating Set - YouTube
The results achieved from 85RD3.02 on an equivalent white hexlogic pad are as follows:
By comparison, the correction of Intensive Polish is much greater especially looking at the RDS correction and the finishing abilities of the product are also equivalent showing Intensive Polish to be more flexible and capable of greater correction. Take nothing away from V36 here though, it s a very good product that is very capable and in fairness it is perhaps better compared to Menzerna PO203S Power Finish. But in the company of Intensive Polish, it is slightly outclassed.
However, let's turn the attention away from V36 to the new V34, which is more aggressive and will be better placed to tackle deeper RDS. V34 was applied using a Chemical Guys Orange Hexlogic Cutting Pad, and applied to the same region as V36 was above so you can see the RDS that were remaining before the set. V34 applied as shown in the video:
3 Chemical Guys V34 Correction Set - YouTube
As with V36, keeping the speeds a little lower than usual (especially for a correction compound), and a fairly long set to get the best out of the correction and finishing abilities offered. The results achieved are shown below:
The correction level is definitely improved and v34 shows itself here to be roughly equivalent to Intensive Polish in terms of cut, and it also has impressing refining abilities for the level of cut it possesses. If anything, the V34 seems to be more closely aligned to Intensive Polish and viewed this way it is competitive. But this leaves me wondering - where is the more aggressive cutting compound in the range, the Power Gloss or Fast Cut equivalent as at the moment if V34 is the top of the cutting tree, then impressive though it is, the range is missing the heavier cutting compound which is a big hole - hopefully Chemical Guys are on the case for a more aggressive cutting compound
For comparison, Power Gloss (S100) on the same orange cutting pad was applied to test the cutting and refining abilities and delivered the following results:
The compound has again pushed the correction and delivered more than V34 has, but has left light marring in the finish which is to be expected from a heavy cutting compound. Given Power Gloss is not the most aggressive compound on the market, this to me highlights the need for the V-series polishes to have a more aggressive one added to the lineup. The polish range is quite impressive as it stands, lovely long work times and impressive refining abilities and they can correct - V34 is a good rival for Intensive Polish and in my eyes stands up well next to it and the likes of S17+. However, it would be nice to see a more aggressive compound completing the lineup. But - Chemical Guys do have a range that is competitive with others on the market, and should certainly not sit around forgotten about - perhaps this is the most impressive bit, and the bit that should be sung from the roof tops
