Product Review: Shine Mate buffing pads

[cli 16v]

Disclaimer: This is my opinion on use of the product following the correct techniques and product use instructions. This isn't my first rodeo.

Decided it was finally time to detail my Audi after more than a year owning it and after detailing a family members car recently saw I was in need of new buffing pads, especially compounding and polishing pads. I have a Shield DA, used Menzerna range of compounds and polishes. I did some reading and research and found that the Shine Mate pads (foam 6 inch) was a fairly good product in terms of buffing pads, durability, quality, performance etc.

I had previously only used Lake Country pads as they have given my good service in terms of life and ability to do what I needed it to do whether it be compounding or polishing. I like trying new car care products, that's just how I am. so I picked up a combo pack of Shine Mate pads (compounding, polishing and finishing) and decided to do the detail this past weekend.

This is what I observed:
1. The yellow compounding and orange polishing pad does not like heat one bit, working on small sections at a time and allowing time for heat dissipation the compounding pad backing started to come off from the foam and that's just after doing just two doors.
2. The orange polishing pad center collapsed midway through polishing the car (roof, two doors, front and rear fenders)
3. I didn't use the finishing pad

Although they look like fairly good, value for money products at first, they do not work well in conjunction with the Shield DA polisher.

But I guess this just gives me reason to try another brand.

I will be keen to hear what everyone else uses and their experiences with their buffing pads.

[DieterMK5]

i found that they work great on the Rupes range of machinery, however i cant comment on the heat dissipation between the two machines but perhaps that is down to that as apposed to the pads themselves? I did notice before the collapsing of lake country pads on the shield DA but havent used that machine in over a 18 months.

[lawrence]

Any chance you were using the 'Long Throw' Shinemate pads?

If so, the problem may very well be that the hook and loop design is totally different due to the additional forces involved with long throw polishing, and this mismatch in the design between the backing plate and velcro may have lead to additional movement at the interface, and therefore the additional heat build up.

I haven't personally used any of the Shinemate pads, so can't give a personal opinion on them, but have come across many threads where the guys in the states have used long throw pads on a non-long throw machine and vice versa, leading to issue with early pad failure.

[cli 16v]

I haven't ruled out the possibility of the machine as that is obvious that it will have a role to play but in comparison I never had this issue when using the Lake Country pads.

@ Lawrence. No they we not the long throw pads.

Sent from my E5603 using Tapatalk

[Zubair]

Initially I thought the Shine Mate pads were okay but now not so much as I experienced the same issues as the OP. Were they around the R90 mark they would make more sense.

[LoW n SloW]

I'm using them with a 15mm throw machine, they not bad but not best either cutting wise, LC pads just feel much better in my opinion