$4.99 Shipping over $49 w/coupon DI499 | 3,000+ Products | 95 Brands | 12,000+ Reviews | 1,850+ Detailing Articles
Close Menu
Clean ⋅ Shine ⋅ Protect
Cookies are disabled in your web browser. To shop with Detailed Image, please turn cookies on and then refresh the page.

6 comments on Ask-A-Pro: What Pad to Use with Meguiar’s M105 Ultra-Cut Compound?

  1. Rick says:

    How can you tell if your paint is “hard,” or “soft?” I have heard that Mercedes paint is hard. I have a black 2003, and it scratches very easily. I would think a “hard paint” would not so much.

    I also have a black metallic 2008 Dodge Caravan SXT, I see lighter imperfections with this paint, but it is still sensitive to scratching and marring.

    Does hard or soft have to do with how easy the imperfections can be removed?

    Thanks for your response.

    • Rick,

      Without knowing which manufacturers produce hard or soft paint, the only way to tell really is to start polishing. If you start with a lighter polish and pad combination, and it barely removes any imperfections, then you know that you’re dealing with hard paint.

      Mercedes typically uses hard paint. PPG came out with CeramiClear clear coats in 2002, and Mercedes started using it right away. These finishes are quite a bit harder than most, and react best to polishes like Menzerna Super Intensive Polish and 106FA as they were designed for this particular clear coat. I’ve seen Chrysler use medium to hard. It is vehicle/plant dependent, and I’m not sure what your Caravan uses.

      Just because the paint is hard, it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s more scratch resistant.

      And yes, the softer the paint, the easier it is to remove the same level of imperfections.

  2. Mike says:

    is it bad to use 105/205 each yr for my yearly detail?

    • Mike,

      It depends on a lot of factors…how much previous heavy compounding the car has been through, how heavy you need to go each year, etc, etc. Once you do a heavy compound/polish, you really shouldn’t need to do the same each year if the car has been cared for properly. At most, you should just need to spot compound, and then do a light/medium polish with 205.

  3. Tom Bergen says:

    Todd: I’m new to 105/205. I’ll be using a Porter Cable 7424 with Meguiars cutting and finishing discs.

    As I understand I use the 105 on a 2X2 area using speed 5-6 with medium pressure going to lighter pressure for 4 to 6 total passes. Follow with 205 on the 2X2 area using speed 4-5 with medium pressure and another 4 to 6 total passes. Will this really take care of the swirls and scratches? I usually have to spending 3 to 5 minutes for each step using other products.

    I then wash the car, glaze and then wax.

    This seems to easy. Thanks for the info.

    • Tom,

      First of all, if you’re using the MF discs you should refer to my review / tutorial on the proper use of them. This article will give you more detailed information about speeds, pressure, etc. Although the article is designed around the D300 compound, it all should still apply.

      As for the total amount of passes, there’s no “set” amount as it’s paint dependent. You simply have to determine what system is going to work best on that particular paint, on that particular day.

      Unless you’re working with very hard, light colored paints, you probably won’t get the M205 / Finishing Disc combination to finish down as well as it could. If using M205, you’d probably be better off pairing it with a black pad, slower speeds, and lighter pressure. Once again, the exact speed, pressure, and amount of passes will be determined by the paint you’re working on…do your initial test to determine this and then apply that method to the rest of the car.

Leave a Reply to Todd Cooperider Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Commenting Rules

  • Try to keep your comments as relevant as possible.
  • Don't be abusive: no personal attacks or any other nastiness.
  • Feel free to express your opinion, but do so in an eloquent way.

If you do not respect these rules your comments may be edited or even deleted.

My Offers
25 Off Brand Sale
Big Discounts While Supplies Last - Clearance Items - Shop Now
Quantity Discounts - Buy More, Save More!
Free Stuff
Close overlay