Meguiars Ultimate Compound Review (with Tips)

I just spent a weekend detailing my car and I made some detailed notes on the different tools I used. I hope they are some help to you.

I used Meguiars Ultimate Compound to make the paint look amazing before waxing it. I applied it entirely by hand.

I have used Ultimate Compound for several decades. If there were a hall of fame for detailing products, this would be in the top 10.

Brand-new cars look great when you drive them out of the showroom But over time, most cars begin to look a little faded.

This fading can be caused by a number of factors. Including weather and washing and drying methods. Many of these imperfections can be erased with Meguiars Ultimate Compound.

Meguiars Ultimate Compound Review

So how does Meguiars Ultimate Compound compare to other compounds on the market today? Well, I can confirm it’s one of the best pure compounds you can buy.

Many compounds on the market contain fillers or waxes. These have their uses but if you have your own wax you want to use then a pure compound is what you need.

I love how easy Meguiars Ultimate Compound is to use. I had one section of my car that had become hazy. I don’t know exactly why just one section looked like this. So I tested some Ultimate Compound on it by hand and buffed it off and it completely removed the haze. It only took a few minutes.

I also used it around the door handles. These light scratches build up over time and are caused by fingernails. So they are not very deep. I used a fine foam pad and simply polished the area for a minute or so. The results were fantastic. It’s these kinds of small jobs the Ultimate Compound excels at.

These are just some of the reasons I have Ultimate Compound my number one spot on my list of best compounds for black cars.

What is Meguiars Ultimate Compound?

It’s a cutting compound which is a more aggressive type of polish. It doesn’t contain any wax or sealant. Nor does it include any glaze or fillers. So it’s considered to be a pure compound.

It’s considered to be a consumer product rather than a professional product. But plenty of professional detailers use it too.

Think of it as a product used to clean car paint. It removes haze and light scratches like those around your door handles.

Leave this field empty if you're human:

What is Meguiars Ultimate Compound Used For?

It greatly helps remove swirls, scratches, and water spots. Can improve the clarity of paint. In other words, it can make black paint blacker and red paint redder, etc.

It’s especially useful for dark-colored cars. But it can give great results on any paint type including white paint or metallic paint. It’s not recommended for use on matt paint.

It can be used on older single-stage paint as well as modern paints with clearcoat layers.

A simple hand application of MUC will boost the color and gloss levels of any car.  

It’s fantastic at removing that foggy look some dark cars can have.  It makes the color look deeper and richer.  Use Ultimate Compound before you wax your car to give you much better results than waxing alone.

You can use it to clean and restore paint by hand.

Or use it with a Dual Action Polishing machine to restore a deeper shine all over your car in no time.

Meguiars Ultimate Compound Usage Tips

• Shake the bottle until your arm hurts.
• For hand application, apply Ultimate Compound using a Meguiar’s Even Coat 5″ Microfiber Applicator Pads. 
• Use circular motions and try to keep it away from plastic trim as it can stain it.  Use a few small drops of the product and work it well into the clean paint.
• It’s easier to work on a small section of a panel at a time. Doing a large section such as the hood in one go could be too difficult to get even coverage.
• Use an inspection torch to confirm that it’s applied and buffed properly.
• The right type of buffing cloth is very important when buffing compound.  Use something like Meguiar’s Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels.
• If it has dried too much and you are having trouble buffing you can apply some more Ultimate Compound and buff it off immediately.  You might not see these until the next day or when you have better light.
• Spend extra time on particular bad areas of your paint.  You don’t need to worry about damaging your paint when applying it by hand.
• Use plenty of pressure to get the abrasive to work.  You should use more pressure than you would if you were waxing your car.  
• I like to buff it off before it dries too much using a soft microfiber buffing towel as the residue can be difficult to remove.
• If your applicator is getting clogged, you should grab another clean one or wash it in warm water with some laundry detergent.
• Remember that Ultimate Compound is used to smoothen and clean your clear coat which is a clear coat of automotive paint that sits on top of your main coat of paint.  So it doesn’t leave anything behind on the surface like wax or sealant.  This means you don’t need to let it dry or cure like you should some waxes.

How to prepare your car for Meguiars Ultimate Compound

1. Your car should be properly washed using one of the safe methods like the two-bucket method. 
2. As much dirt as possible should be removed from your paint as this dirt could scratch your paint when you start using Ultimate Compound.
3. If your paint feels rough to the touch you can make it super smooth using a clay bar or clay mitt.  I like to use a light clay bar to remove bonded contamination.  This will help you get much better results.  But be careful, clay bars can scratch the paint.
4. If you have tar spots on your car you can remove those with a Tar Remover.
5. Many cars have bonded iron deposits on their car.  These spots can rust over time and damage paint.  They can be dissolved using an Iron Remover.  Doing this before compounding and polishing is a perfect time.

Meguiars Ultimate Compound FAQ

Should you let Meguiars Ultimate Compound dry? No, you don’t need to let Ultimate Compound dry or haze. It’s much easier to buff off if it’s still wet.

Should I wash my car before using Meguiars Ultimate Compound? Yes, your car should be as clean as possible before using compound or polish.

Should I dry my car before using Meguiars Ultimate Compound? Yes, your car should be dry before using Meguiars Ultimate Compound.

Should I wax my car after using Meguiars Ultimate Compound? Yes, it’s a good idea to wax your car after using Meguiars Ultimate Compound.

Is Meguiars Ultimate Compound a one-step? Not exactly. It can be seen as a one-step correction product because you don’t need to use polish after if you are happy with your results. A one-step product usually contains some wax or sealant. Meguiars Ultimate Compound does not.

How aggressive is Meguiars Ultimate Compound? It’s pretty aggressive but it depends on how you are using it. If you are using it by hand it’s not very aggressive. But if you are using a DA machine with a hard cutting pad it can be quite aggressive.

How long do you leave Meguiars Ultimate Compound on a car? You can buff off Meguiars Ultimate Compound right away. No need to let it bond.

Does Meguiars Ultimate Compound have fillers? No, Meguiars Ultimate Compound does not have fillers.

Does compound remove wax? Yes, Meguiars Ultimate Compound can remove wax.

How do you remove Meguiars Ultimate Compound from a car? Use a good buffing cloth like Meguiar’s Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels. If it has gone too dry the best way is to use more Ultimate Compound by hand with a microfibre applicator.

Can you use Meguiars Ultimate Compoundon glass? Yes, you can Ultimate Compound on glass.

Can you use Meguiars Ultimate Compound on plastic? Yes, you can Ultimate Compound on glossy plastic. But don’t use it on rubber or matt plastic such as bumpers as it will stain. You can remove the stains with an APC or a pencil eraser.

Is Meguiars Ultimate Compound easy to apply? Yes, it’s easy to apply Meguiars Ultimate Compound. Especially if the panel is cool to the touch.

Can you use Meguiars Ultimate Compound on a black car? Yes, it’s excellent for black cars

What is Meguiars Ultimate Compound used for? It’s used to clean and polish paint and remove swirls and scratches and water spots.

Can you use Meguiars Ultimate Compoundon matt paint?  No, Meguiars Ultimate Compound should not be used on matt paint.

Can Meguiars Ultimate Compound remove water spots? Yes, it can be very effective at removing water spots.

Can you ruin your paint with Meguiars Ultimate Compound? It would be difficult to ruin your paint with Meguiars Ultimate Compound. Unless you spent too long polishing your paint with a machine. This could wear away the clear coat but it would take a long time.

How do you buff Meguiars Ultimate Compound? Use a microfibre cloth like Meguiar’s Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels. If a spot is difficult to remove try applying a little more. Try not to let it dry on your paint.

Do you need to polish after Meguiars Ultimate Compound? No, you don’t need to. But if you look at your paint with an inspection light and you find that’s it a little hazy, you can use a polish to bring out a mirror finish.