One of the highlights of being an author for this blog over the past 4 years has been the ability to work with so many different products for all aspects of detailing.  Paint correction is perhaps the most interesting and challenging part of a lot of my detailing work, so I am always eager to try a new compound, polish, pad, or machine that claims it will make my job easier, quicker, and/or produce even better results.

Of all the products I have tried throughout my time as a detailing enthusiast, there are few that I can say have stood the test of time and have not been replaced by something newer, but Meguiar’s has made a long time believer out of me with some of their Mirror Glaze Professional products.

Compounds

My history with Meguiar’s products began with an article on this very blog published in 2009 titled Polishing How To with Meguiar’s M105 / M205.  After reading this article I knew I had to get my hands on this renowned combo.  I had great success with the M105, demolishing defects and maximizing shine, but it could be a bit of a chore to work with from time-to-time when it decided to dry like concrete on the paint and then required a chisel to remove the residue from the surface (Note: Please don’t take a chisel to your paint).  This moderate annoyance was enough to leave me wanting more out of a compound, which ultimately led me to try M101 and M100.

M101 Foam Cut Compound has proven to be the heavy hitting, fast cutting product that I have leaned on over and over to tackle some very nasty looking paint.  Despite the name, M101 works excellent on microfiber and wool pads as well as foam pads.  When paired with a cutting pad this stuff can plow through some serious defects, and on all but the most delicate of paints, it can finish quite nice for the level of cut provided.  I often get a considerable amount of dusting with M101, though in my opinion that just comes with the territory of heavy cutting so it has never bothered me.  Residue removal is no problem.

M100 Pro Speed Compound is like M101’s slightly less aggressive brother.  This is the compound I reach for most frequently of the Meguiar’s compound trio of M100, M101, and M105.  I find M100 to be a very nice balance of cut, finish, and ease of use.  The product works great on microfiber and foam cutting pads.  Dusting is relatively low when compared to M101 and M105, and the residue is no fuss to wipe away.  M100 is an exceptional option for major swirl removal when paired with a cutting pad and can even serve as a one-step correction option on some paints.

Polish

M205 Ultra Finishing Polish has proven to be an incredibly versatile polish for me.  It consistently produces an excellent finish when used to clean up compounding haze, and has been a great performer at removing moderate swirl marks as a one-step correction product.  I won’t spend too much time discussing its versatility as James has already gone into great depth in his previously published article.

This trio (M101, M100, M205) has had a place on my shelf from the beginning of my paint correction passion, and no matter how many other compounds and polishes I try I simply have not found a reason to stop using these products from Meguiar’s.  I have a handful of other “go-to” compounds and polishes that I am sure to always have on my shelf as well, and these select products combined are responsible for a huge part of my paint correction results over the years.

If you also love these Meguiar’s products, tell us about it in the comments below!  On the flip side, if you’ve tried them and have found that you prefer something else, I’d love to hear what your go-to setup is for eliminating those pesky paint defects.