# Meguiar's DA Foam Discs: The Steampunk Review



## Steampunk (Aug 11, 2011)

*Meguiar's DA Foam Discs: The Steampunk Review*

*An Excellent, Yet Incoherent Trilogy *










*Begin at the Beginning*​
As all new users of DA polishers quickly learn, pads make or break the capabilities and user experience of these tools… When I first started detailing, rotaries were considered the tools of serious detailers, and normal, free-rotating Dual Action Polishers were just uncomfortable, underpowered, yet relatively 'safe' toys for newbies who would doubtlessly one day upgrade to a rotary as a right of passage… Pads changed that.

Microfiber cutting pads hit the market, and the massive surface area provided by the textile allowed for much heavier abrasive loading than any sort of pad that came before. Thus, granting them truly impressive cutting and leveling performance, but without the holograms and heat often associated with doing heavy cutting on a rotary… The stiffness of their design, and low profile/weight, also transferred much more of the machine's motion to the paint, while simultaneously reducing uncomfortable vibration for the user… Overnight, DA's became serious paintwork correcting tools.

With the microfiber craze, and more and more detailers adopting DA polishers (Even sometimes switching over from rotaries!), the demand for high quality pads to match with these tools bloomed… Detailers wanted foam and even wool pads, that worked as well on their DA as their new microfiber pads did. It has taken years for pad manufacturers to catch up, but there are now some really great pads available in all materials, that really help to maximize the potential of these tools. Between this, and all the new, and better engineered tools on the market (Including long-throw machines; not withstanding forced-rotation DA's.), this is a great time to be a DA user…

*Foam 'Disc' Design*








Different types of DA's have different requirements for pad design to maximize their potential, and make them run smoothly for the user… Pads suitable for long-throw DA's are often totally different than the pads suited to shorter-throw tools (As soon as you use such a machine, why the Rupes pads are designed in a way opposite of these makes perfect sense.), and whether the tool is free-rotating or forced-rotation also can make a big difference in pad suitability.

Meguiar's optimized these DA Foam 'Discs' for standard, 8mm orbit, free-rotation DA's. Tools like the DAS-6/DAS-6 Pro, and Meguiar's MT300/MT320. Machines that are most prevalent among hobbyists, and are still the most affordable way for people to start out in paintwork correction. However, I also find them to be equally impressive on short-throw, forced rotation DA's like my Festool Rotex, or similar tools like the Rupes Mille LK900E, or Makita PO5000C/PO6000C…

Their extremely low profile height (Just 20mm) minimizes the loss of orbital motion to the paint through pad flex (Critical on shorter-throw machines, which have less motion to spare, and less rotation to help stabilize the foam with centrifugal force.), and their lightweight helps to better match the counterbalancing on these machines. They also feature a nice rounded edge design for relatively safe working around and against obstacles.

However, this low profile height comes at the expense of contouring ability, to adapt to curved (Particularly concave.) panels… In such situations, you can solve this most of the time by getting creative with angling the machine, and some practice to maintain pad contact and rotation. However, it does make them less forgiving to use on curvy panels than thicker, more contourable pads like the popular CG's Hex-Logic, Buff & Shine Flat, or Lake Country CCS foams.

Against the norm these days, the Meguiar's DA Foam Discs - like the Meguiar's DA Microfiber Discs - do not have a centering/cooling hole. For the normal, 8mm throw DA's that they were designed for, I am actually very glad they don't… Such machines don't build up heat in the center of the pad to quite the same extent as more powerful tools, so they aren't in dire need of one. Also, it cuts out some structural stability in the center of the pad (Which reveals itself most negatively on tools with lower backing-plate rotation, like standard DA's.), and further reduces the pad surface area; neither things being desirable… However, users of more powerful long-throw, and forced rotation DA's should keep this in mind.

On my old Meg's G110 V2, they're some of the smoother pads I've run, and have great rotation. They're supposed to be even better on the new MT300/MT320, which was balanced with these in mind… On my Festool Rotex RO125, though, they're almost spookily smooth, and rotary-like for a DA. Near _zero_ vibration, and their low height really helps to control the kickback and torque-reaction of a forced-rotation tool. If you are an RO125 user, and reading this, you need these pads in your life.

*The Burgundy Disc*








The Meguiar's Burgundy DA Foam Cutting Disc is the only closed-cell pad in the lineup… The structure, and cut/finish level of the foam is very close to a Scholl Concepts Purple pad, for those familiar with that foam. It's a coarse feeling, very rigid foam, which delivers a surprisingly good finish for its cut level… On moderate-hard paints, you could definitely 1-step with this pad with the right polish or compound. Its wide spread of cut and finish is not dissimilar to a Lake Country Cyan Hydro-Tech pad, though I would actually say this cuts about 20% more, whilst finishing out similarly even on soft paints.

To put this pad into context, if a heavy cutting lambswool pad lets you remove P1500 grit sanding scratches with something like Scholl S17+ (Maxing out its cutting capability), and the Scholl Concepts White Spider Sandwich pad let you remove P2000 grit sanding scratches, S17+ on this pad will let you tackle P2500 grade sanding marks… The Meg's Burgundy is two steps down from the top in terms of its level of aggression. The White Spider Sandwich is still the king when it comes to the width of its spread of cutting/finishing potential, but for the price, this is a really solid pad. It cuts more and finishes finer with most polishes and compounds than the ubiquitous orange, open-cell foam medium-cutting pads that most people have used at least at some point from Buff & Shine, Chemical Guy's, or Lake Country. Closed-cell foams just control the lubricant and abrasive between the paint and the pad that much better…










_[P2000 grit sanding scratches removed with Meg's Burgundy DA Disc & Scholl S3+ XXL]_​
Because it's closed-cell, it pairs great with the German diminishing polishes and compounds; Menzerna, Scholl Concepts, etc. Providing I had access to compressed air for cleaning, I would probably be inclined to go for fiber pads with Meguiar's or Optimum non-diminishing compounds/polishes, as you'll get more leveling/cutting potential with a similar degree of marring on most finishes. However, for products like S17+/MC2200, S20 Black, FG400, or S3+ XXL, this is probably the best pad in this cut range for standard DA or forced-rotation users.

As a final note, compared to the infamous Cyan 'Hydro-Shred' pads, the Meg's Burgundy disc is MANY times more durable, and even a bit more durable than the Scholl Purple foam… It'll last you a long time if not too badly abused, even though it is closed-cell. It still wouldn't be my choice for very heavy correction, as with a lot of heat and pressure it will over-compress and go off-balance, but for the moderate cutting it was intended for it holds up great over multiple panels.

*The Yellow Disc*​
At 14-grams, the Meg's Yellow Polishing Disc is the lightest of the trio (Actually, the lightest 5" pad I've ever come across!), and is almost too light to balance well on most machines… It's a very soft, open-cell foam, and probably the most unusual pad of the trio in how it performs…

First off, there's a pretty big gap between this, and the Burgundy disc in terms of its cutting potential. This pad is also extremely sensitive to lubricant viscosity, in regards to the cut and finish it can offer… The most I've actually ever seen. With Optimum Polish II (Which has more of a 'gel' consistency), it cuts similarly to Buff & Shine / Chemical Guy's White closed-cell medium-polishing pad, and surprisingly finishes even better than a black or red open-cell foam finishing pad with this polish… With Scholl Concepts S30+ it finished pretty well, but demonstrated little more cut than the black finishing pad; notably less than a B&S / CG's Blue closed-cell light-polishing pad, with the same product on the same paint, even. With S17+ it cuts about like a B&S Blue, but the finish isn't quite as good. With M205, it cuts kind of like a Lake Country White open-cell pad, but finishes with a lot more micro-marring on soft paint than I would expect. With M210, Meguiar's actually says this pad finishes better on soft paint than their Black finishing pad… Given the strange behavior of this pad, I can actually believe that, though I have yet to try that particular combo…










_[Meg's Yellow Disc + M205 in Action]_​
If you pair this pad with the right product, like OP-II, it's a great pad. With the wrong product, you'll find other medium-light polishing pads much more effective. You'll just have to experiment with the products you prefer, if they are not listed here, and see how it works for you…

*The Black Disc*​
Open-cell black foam finishing pads are typically 'much of a muchness'; whether you buy from Buff & Shine, Lake Country, Scholl Concepts, etc, you kind of know what you're getting… A very soft pad, with very little cut, that absorbs polish just a little too quickly (At least if you're using a closed-cell pad, like a Lake Country Crimson Hydro-Tech as comparison.)… They aren't all exactly the same foam, but nuance separates them. To my surprise, the Meg's DA Black Foam Finishing Disc is probably the best of these open-cell black pads I have tried.










_[P5000 sanding scratches removed with Meg's Burgundy DA Disc & Scholl S20 Blue, finished with Menzerna SF3500 on Meg's Black DA Disc]_​
Its cut is still very low, but it does a noticeably better job of keeping the polish between the pad and the paint than other open-cell finishing pads of this pore-count… It's still not quite as good in this regard as closed-cell, but well enough it won't prematurely shorten the work cycles with German diminishing polishes like Scholl or Menzerna as badly as its brethren. Nor, does it saturate or collapse as quickly as most similar pads… Due to the thinness, and nature of the foam, more orbital motion will also transfer to the paint for better correction, and it won't 'bunch up' on a DA like taller foams this soft (Which will ruin your finish on finicky-soft paints.).

It works pretty well with Menzerna's and Scholl's finishing polishes, and finishes close to closed-cell, though you will end up going through more pads on a detail than if you were using closed-cell due to loading and saturation… However, my favorite application for this pad, is if using S20 Black to finish on a sticky paint that responds well to high lubrication… The combo pairs brilliantly. It's a little better finishing out on softer paints with M205 than the Yellow Disc, typically, but still isn't anything to write home about with Meguiar's own polishes. Not my favorite pad with CarPro Reflect, either.










_[Scholl S20 Black on Meg's Black DA Disc]_​
For applying LSP's as some people do with finishing pads, unless it is on perfectly flat panels, I would pick a different pad (Like a B&S/CG's Red)… There's simply not enough contouring possible with this pad to properly apply the LSP on curvier surfaces without high or missed spots.

*Quality & Value​*
In terms of the quality of the materials, the durability, and the precision and consistency of the quality control with which they are cut, I would put these in the top three pad brands I've ever used… Tied with Buff & Shine, and almost up there with Scholl Concepts, which is #1 for me… These pads are very well made, and feel it to handle. You can tell these were cut and finished to pretty tight tolerances, but it's also the little details, like the embossed Meg's logo in the velcro on the back… They kind of have a premium feel.








They hold their shape well through many washings, and are not especially prone to going ovoid, or warping over time like Lake Country has for me. The foam itself is very durable, and through many uses with a variety of polishes, the Burgundy, the Yellow, and the Black grades have remained pristine. I've not babied them, either. With the early batch of their Microfiber Discs, Meg's became known for delamination due to not using a strong enough glue, but I have not seen any issue so far even with high-speed/high-heat usage.

When it comes to cleanup, they are a piece of cake. Their thinness and foam structure means that none of the grades retains much detergent, and they rinse very freely. I still hand-wash them with APC, as I do all my pads. I find washing pads tedious, but am always relieved when working with one of these, as I know I won't be spending ages cleaning them up afterwards.

Price-wise, in the US they are sold quite fairly, averaging around $10 each for what will be the most popular 5.5" size (For 5" backing plates.)… Even less if you buy in bulk ($43.50 for a case of 6), or on one of the frequent sales, which actually makes them a bit of a steal for the quality you are getting… However, in the UK they are priced at 13-GBP apiece for the 5.5"/140mm pads, which in my opinion is taking the mickey a bit… They're good pads, but that puts them at or awfully near the Scholl Concepts Spider Pads, which are in a different league altogether in terms of quality and performance. I'd still recommend them to a UK or European user; they're still a good buy in regards to quality, longevity, and performance compared to most of their competitors. They're just not the bargain they are in the States. International shipping, and I'm guessing lower expected sales volume did a number on these pads for UK/EU users… 

*Conclusion*​
This is an excellent, high-quality lineup of foam pads, ideally suited to standard, or forced-rotation DA users to help maximize the potential of their machines… I was so happy with their smoothness and performance on my Rotex, that I actually bought more of each of the three grades, immediately after my first test…

However, when taking a step back, and looking at them all together more objectively… My overwhelming feeling is actually one of confusion…

Viewed individually, when paired with the hodge-podge of polishes most detailers collect, you can make some really great combos with them. However, if you look at them from Meguiar's perspective, as a trio that is supposed to be used together in conjunction with Meguiar's own polishes, they are sort of discombobulated. There is no consistency in the way they feel or respond to the product from pad to pad, like you get with the similarly-aimed Lake Country Hydro-Tech pad trio. Nor do they demonstrate the sort of 'Synergistic Compatibility' when paired with Meguiar's own polishes or compounds, that you get from a company like Scholl, which clearly feels like its pads and polishes were made to work together… Viewed in isolation, each of these pads is really quite impressive. As a trilogy, though, the series is incoherent.

I found myself often recommending the LC Hydro-Tech trio to people starting out with their first DA, and a limited number of polishes, as it was a neat, straightforward pad 'system' that worked really well as a set with most polish lines… It was easy to learn to use, as there was a consistent user feel throughout, and the spacing of cut and finish between the pads was nice and intuitive. Quite frankly, I would love to be able to recommend the Meguiar's DA Foam Disc trio for first-time users instead, as the quality and durability is simply that much better… With a limited selection of liquids on hand, though, it's going to be hard to truly exploit all three pads to their full potential (The Burgundy cutting pad will be the easiest, but either the Black Finishing or the Yellow Polishing pad will probably feel redundant depending upon the particular polishes you have, and the gap between them is probably going to need filling with a pad from a different line.).

Who I would end up recommending the whole trio to, though, are forced-rotation DA users... These pads run so smoothly, and really help to control the torque reaction with these machines that a lot of owners struggle with. It makes them such a joy to use on forced-rotation DA's, that it's worth building a system of compounds and polishes around these pads to take advantage of what they can offer.










If you're interested in these pads, I hope that this review has been of help. As always, thank you for reading…

*- Steampunk -*​


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## AudiPhil (Aug 11, 2018)

Thanks again for another detailed review, very well written and a joy to read.


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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

Thanks for the review

I’ve found the same; the discs work really well on a Flex forced rotation due to the low profile...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Steampunk (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm glad the review has been of help... 

*Note:* Review edited to replace a starred-out word that I didn't catch... I would have thought that the moratorium on certain words (Otherwise normal and polite ones, if not for their association with the wax maker we cannot name definitively.) would have ended by now. :wall:

- Steampunk


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

Steampunk said:


> I'm glad the review has been of help...
> 
> *Note:* Review edited to replace a starred-out word that I didn't catch... I would have thought that the moratorium on certain words (Otherwise normal and polite ones, if not for their association with the wax maker we cannot name definitively.) would have ended by now. :wall:
> 
> - Steampunk


I missed the falling out with the wax maker but I think it was around 2012 so I can only assume there is some kind of legal action which still prohibits the use of the wax which dare not speak its name


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## rlmccarty2000 (May 31, 2017)

Great review and very well written.

Now I have to try and research the “wax maker with an unspeakable name”.


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## mb1 (Oct 5, 2016)

nice review


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

What a great review and write up - thanks for taking the time to do this, has enlightened me :thumb:


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## ad_182_uk (Mar 2, 2014)

the bugundy disc be any good with meznerza polishes (eg 2500 / 3500)? Or too aggresive for finishing? If so would you just stick with the LC pads? For use on a 12mm throw DA for reference.


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## Steampunk (Aug 11, 2011)

ad_182_uk said:


> the bugundy disc be any good with meznerza polishes (eg 2500 / 3500)? Or too aggresive for finishing? If so would you just stick with the LC pads? For use on a 12mm throw DA for reference.


The Meg's Burgundy discs do work very well with medium-cut polishes like MC2500, and can 1-step on medium-hard paints quite well... The combo should remove ~ P5000 wetsanding scratches. However, they would not be my choice for long throw (12-21mm) DA's, and I would probably steer you towards the Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Burgundy pads instead for your machine with this polish. They're one of the nicest long-throw foam light cutting pads on the market at the moment.

Hope this helps. :buffer:

- Steampunk


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## ad_182_uk (Mar 2, 2014)

Steampunk said:


> The Meg's Burgundy discs do work very well with medium-cut polishes like MC2500, and can 1-step on medium-hard paints quite well... The combo should remove ~ P5000 wetsanding scratches. However, they would not be my choice for long throw (12-21mm) DA's, and I would probably steer you towards the Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Burgundy pads instead for your machine with this polish. They're one of the nicest long-throw foam light cutting pads on the market at the moment.
> 
> Hope this helps. :buffer:
> 
> - Steampunk


I have the DA-3 Mini polisher from Autobrite, it will onyl accept 3 inch pads. Do Buff & Shine do 3 inch pads? Are they all closed cell?

thanks


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