90crvtec

First off, I

wanabe

lotsa qs, so i am just gonna tackle a few:

first- you prob just "need" two edge pads- one with no cutting action (if you want to apply product with the machine) and one with mild cutting action (to remove your swirls).
since you are already using zaino, you can stick with it or try something new. klasse is similar to zaino- and it isnt really harder to use either.
i have used the sonus polishes... not my favs, but they are fine for slight swirl removal.

since you have been zainoing already, seems to me that applying and removing by machine just might make sense for you- you already know that zaino needs to be applied very very lightly. the machine is great for even application of product.
if you want to use it to remove product, you need a lambswool pad as cushion, and a microfiber bonnet to use over it.
a good way to get the "feel of the machine" is to apply wax or synthetic to a car with good quality paint (yours needs a swirl removal first), if you have one.
another choice is to post up in your local forum for someone to show you how to do a swirl removal- offer to supply refreshments and all products if they supply the know how. great way to learn the machine while making a new friend!

i would add p21s to your list. i see that you said that you dont want carnauba, but you also said that you want durability. carnauba can go over any of the products that you have suggested and will give them even more life and shine. p21s is the easiest product of all to use. after your synthetic is cured, you just wipe on the p21s and wipe it back off!

90crvtec

Wanabe, thanks so much for your input! What didn't you like about the Sonus polishes? How long was their working time and did they dust much?

wanabe

i dont remember them dusting...
just remember that i wasnt that impressed with their cutting ability.
i had to use a more aggressive sonus than i thought that i should have needed... which then forced me to use a second (less aggressive) sonus to bring back the pop of the paint.
i thought that another polish could have done the job with a lower level on the car that i was doing... when you use a low level, you dont have to drop down in aggressiveness to bring back the shine.
this was probably at least a year ago, and i should mention that it is possible that i had a bad batch- or maybe they have changed the product-
am interested to hear the thoughts of others here...

MikeyC

Wow! Lots of questions in the first post. First, thanks for the kind words about my product reviews. I do them for you guys. So, it's always nice to hear that someone has felt they are valuable.

First, I want to say that Menzerna FPII does not dust at all. Menz IP does dust a little, but nowhere near as much as the Poorboy's SSR polishes dust. Right now my favorite compound & polish setup would be Pinnacle XMT #3 and Menz FPII. I did just pickup some Blackfire SRC Finishing polish and some Optimum Compound that I haven't tried yet. Based on all the great reviews I've read on them my opinion could be changing once I try those.

As far as pads go . . . you've made the right decision going with the Edge 2000 pads. Why not just buy the kit of all the pads from Autogeek? It's really the best value for the dollar and is not much more than 2 pads and a PC adapter costs. Plus, you never know when you'll need a more/less aggressive pad and then you'll have it.

When it comes to sealants, I don't really use them because I haven't found one that IMO looks as good as a wax. So, it's hard for me to add much in that category. This being said, I have used a few of the ones you mentioned and I personally like the look of Wolfgang best. It has a much softer more carnauba like look than most other sealants.