# Menzerna 3.02 or Meg's M105



## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi guys,I am looking on buying some polish to correct the paint on my Lotus Exige Cup 260..as many of you may know Lotus paint is particularly hard,I already have some m205 for finishing but I am not quite sure what to use for polishing,I see many people who have detailed Lotus cars use Menz 3.02 with excellent results..what make and sort(colour)pad would you recommend I used? I would like to obtain best result possible..the car is graphite grey and for wax I have chosen Dodo Supernatural..once polished and rinsed to get rid of polishing dust should I pass the body with some lime prime lite I happen to have at home?

Cheers


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## Black Widow (Apr 6, 2009)

Are you gonna use it by hand, DA or rotary?


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## CH!P (Apr 29, 2010)

Paul260 said:


> once polished and rinsed to get rid of polishing dust should I pass the body with some lime prime lite I happen to have at home?


I'm fairly new to all this but it was suggested to me that it's always worth using a pre-wax cleaner after polishing before you put your wax on!
Plus it certainly can't do any harm, i'm sure


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Sorry Guys I forgot to say I am using a Megs G220 DA..


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## Black Widow (Apr 6, 2009)

Megs Ultimate Compound works VERY well on DA.
Take an Yellow and Green Hex Logic pad and go ahead.
Use 205 for finishing.
(OPTIONAL) Next an IPA wipe down to remove all the oils etc.
Last step before wax: Lime Prime Lite


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Black Widow said:


> Megs Ultimate Compound works VERY well on DA.
> Take an Yellow and Green Hex Logic pad and go ahead.
> Use 205 for finishing.
> (OPTIONAL) Next an IPA wipe down to remove all the oils etc.
> Last step before wax: Lime Prime Lite


so m105 is fine? better than menz 3.02?


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

any other suggestions guys? It's rainy here and it looks like the great time to have a nice polishing session in the garage..


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## 99hjhm (Dec 25, 2009)

Just based on systems, Menzerna is better in my experience, are you planning to use final finish also?


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Well..I have Meguiars 205 for finishing so I would like to use that and I've heard it's a great product..was just wondering what's better..I would like to spend as much time as it needs to detail my Lotus (over here in Italy they are very rare cars) and achieve best possible result..


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

why limit yourself to one or the other? 105 is pretty much a compound, where 3.02 isnt

get both imo  :lol:


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

ianFRST said:


> why limit yourself to one or the other? 105 is pretty much a compound, where 3.02 isnt
> 
> get both imo  :lol:


Quite right but even if I do so I would be unsure on what to use..Is there anyone who is an expert on Lotus paint and would be so kind to suggest best polish products to use? I already have:

dodo wookie fist
Snow foam lance
Hyperwash
Born to be mild dodo shampoo
Sonus green clay
last touch clay lube
apc megs
Bilberry wheel cleaner
M205
Dodo supernatural wax


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

exactly, if you need something stronger than the 3.02 then you can step up to the 205. start with the 105, then 3.02, then 205 if needed 

its about starting with the least aggressive, and working your way up to find the best combination.


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## Black Widow (Apr 6, 2009)

Least agressive is M205 not M105 (which is more agressive than 3.02)


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Black Widow said:


> Least agressive is M205 not M105 (which is more agressive than 3.02)


Exactly! let's say I want to buy one or another is M105 or 3.02 better?
do you think the other products I have are ok?

Thanks


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

thats what i ment, always get the 2 mixed up :lol:


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## Black Widow (Apr 6, 2009)

Paul260 said:


> Exactly! let's say I want to buy one or another is M105 or 3.02 better?
> do you think the other products I have are ok?
> 
> Thanks


Both are totaly different products. 3.02 is a medium polish where M105 is a compound. Buy them both!


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Black Widow said:


> Both are totaly different products. 3.02 is a medium polish where M105 is a compound. Buy them both!


Definatly! Your other products are fine, add both these 2 to them and your sorted. If the 3.02 isn't strong enough or you need multiple hits, save time, do 3 step polish, 105 then 3.02 then 205 for perfection. If you are chasing perfection then i would suggest a ptg to stay safe


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

205 and 105 are very versatile as polishes or as you have said compounds.
But learn to work within these. 205 on a finishing pad with a standard set size supporting the weight of the machine fitted with a finishing pad can have a cut right down to 85RD. But the same polish on a heavy polish pad or Lt cutting pad can also have a cut right up there with PO85 RD3.02. You can increase the cut by adding pressure or working within a smaller set. This way you have more abrasives per sq inch and have a longer working time and also cut.

Same goes for 105. 105 on a Lt polishing pad with support can cut right down to below 85rd 3.02 and once mastered can even be finished off on certain paint types.
But if you increase the pads cut and density and also vary the pressure you can take the cut to a really high level. Cutting down the work area will also increase the cut that is required.

So as you see these polishes are very versatile and the user decides on the amount of cut that is required or maintained. You also have the ability to decided when to finish down and start to refine. Not like the diminishing abrasive on the market. That must be fully work and broken down.

Hope this helps and saves you some money.
Gordon.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

As Gordon mentions above, while 105 _looks_ like a compound, it is versatile to the point where it is not always one and it can be made to cut equivalently t 85RD3.02 so to this end it is not a case of them being different products. If I was only to buy one (and at the end of the day, with correct pad and technique choice, this is all that is required), it would be Megs 105. Cutting pad and pressure if you want a compound, light pressure and polishing pad for an equivalent to Intensive Polish, and it can be made to finish down with no holograms and pass the panel wipe wipedown tests.


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi guys,in the end I bought Megs M105,hoping to give it a try this week,I am a bit worried of it beeing to harsh and no one on this site seems to have used it on Lotus paint although I read all over that M105 is a great product,after having clayed the car I will use M105 on 4" white Lake country polishing pad and then M205 on black Lake country Finishing pad followed up by an application by hand of lime prime lite to prepare for the supernatural,does that sound good?


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## jimmy_b_84 (Jan 11, 2009)

You've bought a great product, but remember using a compound on a smaller pad will create more "cut". Vary your pressure or use a PTG to be safe.

Look forward to seeing the results please post them up


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

I will do! I will be very careful,I think it only needs a slight pass on most of the car,only in a few points it actually needs proper correction..how does the cycle I am going to use sound?


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## jimmy_b_84 (Jan 11, 2009)

From what i can make out you know what your doing, just take your time, relax and enjoy it.

The G220 is a very forgiving machine from my experience, i'm sure you'll be fine.


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## Guest (May 10, 2010)

Paul260 said:


> Hi guys,in the end I bought Megs M105,hoping to give it a try this week,I am a bit worried of it beeing to harsh and no one on this site seems to have used it on Lotus paint although I read all over that M105 is a great product,after having clayed the car I will use M105 on 4" white Lake country polishing pad and then M205 on black Lake country Finishing pad followed up by an application by hand of lime prime lite to prepare for the supernatural,does that sound good?


Experiment with M205 first. It is the least abrasive product of the two and, as already has been said, you can vary its cut level quite significantly by varying pad and pressure.

With glass fibre bodywork, unless you have access to an ultrasonic paint depth gauge, I would rather use a less abrasive polish and take my time to get the finish I'd like.


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

I have tried M205 first but it takes far too long and doesn't correct so well,as you will know the paint is rock hard and I don't want to insist because panels warm up quite fast if you apply pressure..I thought M105 on a polishing pad (so not an aggressive combo) with light pressure followed up by M205 on a finishing pad could do the job quite well..then lime prime lite and finally SN


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

anyone else?


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## Paul260 (Jan 26, 2010)

Weather at the moment is horrendous here on the lakes in Italy,fortunately this afternoon it stopped for 5 hours so I completed the washing and decontaminating stage as follows:
Foamed the car twice with foam lance Hyperwash mixed with a drop of apc,agitated all the crevices with envy brush+apc,washed wheel arches with apc,black wheels with Bilberry and EZ brush and carefully cleaned the tire side with a medium brush,all the wheels were done 3 times to reach perfection.Then I washed with TBM using Dodo yeti fist and Dodo BTBM dried and then clayed including rims and glass using Sonus Green clay and Megs M34 final inspection,engine degreased with Megs Hyper degreaser.Car now is spotless and ready to proceed to paint correction stage


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## Guest (May 12, 2010)

caledonia said:


> 205 and 105 are very versatile as polishes or as you have said compounds.
> But learn to work within these. 205 on a finishing pad with a standard set size supporting the weight of the machine fitted with a finishing pad can have a cut right down to 85RD. But the same polish on a heavy polish pad or Lt cutting pad can also have a cut right up there with PO85 RD3.02. You can increase the cut by adding pressure or working within a smaller set. This way you have more abrasives per sq inch and have a longer working time and also cut.
> 
> Same goes for 105. 105 on a Lt polishing pad with support can cut right down to below 85rd 3.02 and once mastered can even be finished off on certain paint types.
> ...





Dave KG said:


> As Gordon mentions above, while 105 _looks_ like a compound, it is versatile to the point where it is not always one and it can be made to cut equivalently t 85RD3.02 so to this end it is not a case of them being different products. If I was only to buy one (and at the end of the day, with correct pad and technique choice, this is all that is required), it would be Megs 105. Cutting pad and pressure if you want a compound, light pressure and polishing pad for an equivalent to Intensive Polish, and it can be made to finish down with no holograms and pass the panel wipe wipedown tests.


Does this not apply to 3.02 also, I appreciate it's a diminishing abrasive? I mean by adjusting pad, pressure, area?

EDIT: I guess it will only have so much cut? So at the finishing end it may apply but will ultimately only give you so much cut??


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

DaKine said:


> Does this not apply to 3.02 also, I appreciate it's a diminishing abrasive? I mean by adjusting pad, pressure, area?
> 
> EDIT: I guess it will only have so much cut? So at the finishing end it may apply but will ultimately only give you so much cut??


To an extent yes.
But as you said it diminishes. So it breaks down.
205 &105 does not so continues to cut at the same rate. I also has a longer working time, so can cut longer.

You also have to watch diminishing abrasives as they are brittle and to much pressure at the start can shatter the micro particles and cut down there effective ability to cut also.
Gordon.


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## AustinTexas (Feb 26, 2008)

105 with the Hex green pad is great for all but medium to deep scratches (wet sanding came right up). I have been extremely happy with that combo and it leaves the surface very close to the Menz products. Then finish off with the 205. I did like the 205 better than Menz 106 as a final polish. Good luck, go slow and enjoy!


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