Help me fill in any gaps in my detailing lineup!

[SpoolinNoMore]

Trying to better understand the purposes of what/how to use what I've got since I'm a newbie to using a DA polisher.

1) Car Wash - 2 bucket method used here (obvious tep)

2) Clay Bar - obvious again

3) Deep Crystal Polish - normal pre-wax polish/very light swirl remover & deepens gloss

3) Megs Ultimate Polish - same as deep crystal polish

4) Megs Ultimate Compound - heavy swirls and oxidation/water spotting

5) _______ - I think I'm missing a pre-wax cleaner?? Although I think that's referring to just any polish

6) Megs NXT 2.0 Wax - carnauba-like deep glossy wax

6) Megs Ultimate Paste Wax - LSP-type wax, would use this instead of NXT 2.0

7) Megs Ultimate Detailer - in-between wax detailer

I numbered items in the order of use and same numbers for same-use products. I'm a weekend warrior with a 6" GG DA polisher, I've been really tempted to switch over to Zaino when my Meguiars supply runs out, but it seems users on this forum lean more towards other brands. My purposes are for giving my SUV a nice mirror-wet look and to fix (practice) the usual holograms/swirls/dulling on friends vehicles when I'm bored (paint correction/waxing is becoming a sort of hobby for me). Thanks in advance!

 

[Don]

You're over complicating things. Steps 1 and 2 are fine.

Step(s) 3, DCP and UP are not the same thing. DCP does not have any mechanical cleaners in it where UP has Meg's MAT (micro abrasive tech) for light swirl and scratch removal.

Step 4 should come BEFORE step(s) 3 because UC is a heavier cleaner/polish than the UP and is intended for worse defect removal. Step 5 you're not missing anything an step(s) 6 and 7 are fine.



Your process should actually be more like:

1 wash

2 clay

3 Ultimate compound (if needed)

3a Ultimate polish as a follow up as needed

3b OPTIONAL Megs Deep Crystal Polish both UC and UP have a lot of Meg's oils in them so the DCP may not be necessary

4 NXT 2.0

4a OPTIONAL Ultimate Paste Wax

5 Ultimate Detailer for up keep

 

[Accumulator]

Trying to better understand the purposes of what/how to use what I've got since I'm a newbie to using a DA polisher...

As noted, you're making this *way* too complicated and some of the products aren't gonna do what you're expecting (despite what their labels might say ).

1) Car Wash - 2 bucket method used here (obvious tep)

OK, but use a potent shampoo mix to help get things truly clean.

2) Clay Bar - obvious again

Maybe not as intuitively obvious as you'd think; watch you don't instill marring.

3) Deep Crystal Polish - normal pre-wax polish/very light swirl remover & deepens gloss

Skip this, at least for now. DC#2 is functionally nonabrasive so it doesn't really remove swirls; it's "makeup for paint" and your subsequent polishing will just clean it off. There are cases where you *would* do this, but they're special situations and you're not dealing with anything like that.

3) Megs Ultimate Polish - same as deep crystal polish

Not the same as DC#2.

4) Megs Ultimate Compound - heavy swirls and oxidation/water spotting

Yeah, use this and then follow with the Ultimate Polish.

5) _______ - I think I'm missing a pre-wax cleaner?? Although I think that's referring to just any polish

You won't need this as the Ultimate Compound will take care of all that step. For future reference, the Pre-Wax Cleaner in this lineup is the Deep Crystal Step #1 Cleaner.

6) Megs NXT 2.0 Wax - carnauba-like deep glossy wax

OK, nothing wrong with it. Just doesn't last too long.

6) Megs Ultimate Paste Wax - LSP-type wax, would use this instead of NXT 2.0

[shrug] use this or the NXT, but I sure wouldn't do both.

7) Megs Ultimate Detailer - in-between wax detailer

OK, use this after the wash; get most of the water off, spritz some of this on, the finish drying.

My purposes are for giving my SUV a nice mirror-wet look and to fix (practice) the usual holograms/swirls/dulling on friends vehicles when I'm bored (paint correction/waxing is becoming a sort of hobby for me). Thanks in advance!

On an SUV, I'd want something longer-lasting than those LSPs, something like Collinite. But that's no biggie, just see how the polishing/etc. go. With non-diminishing abrasive products like UC/UP you'll need quite a few pads as you need to keep them clean and dry for good results (so just cleaning out one or two pads isn't really all that feasible).

 

[SpoolinNoMore]

Awesome, that is exactly what I needed to know! I'm guilty of over-thinking and over-buying products every time I go to wal mart or auto zone, mostly I get bored and want to try out new products. So the Megs step 1 cleaner would be used instead of UP/UC if the surface isn't scratched and doesn't require correction?

 

[Accumulator]

So the Megs step 1 cleaner would be used instead of UP/UC if the surface isn't scratched and doesn't require correction?

Yes, exactly.



But FWIW, I'd rather use one of the "all in one" products for that, something like Klasse AIO, Zaino AIO, or Autoglym Super Resin Polish. But hey, that's just me and one of the nice things about DC#1 is that you can find it OTC.