Menzerna FMJ
  FMJ - Menzerna's new super wax.
Menzerna of Germany and
Classic Motoring Accessories have done something that hasn't been done before. They
have met the
créme de la créme of America's waxes. In the rarified world of Concours participants and show car owners, no German wax or sealant has made it into the
Zaino-Zymol-Blackfire club. Gaining membership to this group is hard
with a capital H.
To be fair, there are some
outstanding German products in the marketplace, Klasse®, einszett® and P21S® to name
three.
Part of the problem lies in German products being so well balanced. German
enthusiasts consider "shine" as only one attribute of a protective wax
or sealant. They are equally concerned with ease of application, resistance to
abrasion, atmospheric contamination and weathering. German engineers carefully
craft their waxes to balance each of these considerations without focusing on
one specific characteristic. A wax with a spectacular shine but limited
durability would not sell in Germany.
Menzerna has won the
hearts of American enthusiasts with a super "wax" they call FMJ. The
initials stand for Full Molecular Jacket. FMJ is an advanced, water-based,
polymer paint protectant incorporating the latest in German super-polymer
technology. FMJ is not in the strictest sense a wax. It contains no carnauba
wax, bees wax or German montan waxes. This product started with a
clean sheet of paper and natural waxes, including carnauba, were rejected early
on because of their dependency on a strong petroleum solvent base and their
limited durability.
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While Menzerna does not
disclose where they source their polymers, Wacker-Chemie,
Munich is the logical candidate. I have previously described some of
the breakthroughs Wacker has accomplished in super-polymer technology in describing
BLACKFIRE Products (See BLACKFIRE:
What's the Difference?). BLACKFIRE
incorporates the latest generation of polymers released by Wacker, and Polycharger
Sealant & Wax Booster.
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At
a Glance:
- In our opinion, one of the best paint
sealants in the world
- Captures 95% of the liquid-like
wetness of the very best carnauba waxes
- Lasts 6 months or more
- Can be layered
- Super slippery finish sheets
water to reduce water spotting
- Easy wipe-on/buff-off
application
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Pro: A very rich, liquid shine that compliments any color
vehicle
Pro: Excellent, slippery feel.
Pro: Great water sheeting ability
minimizes water spots.
Pro: It lasts! Wash after wash and
month after month!
Pro: Excellent protection from
abrasion, salt air, salt water etching,
atmospheric contamination
and weathering.
Pro: Can be layered to increase depth
of shine.
Con:
Requires a polish prior to first time application for best results.
(We recommend
Menzerna Final Polish or PO106FA)
Con: Can be hard to buff off if applied
to a hot surface.
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Menzerna FMJ is VOC compliant in all 50 states.
Available in a 16 oz. package
complete with applicator, buffing towel and instructions, a 32 oz.
refill only (without applicator, towel & instructions) and a 64 oz.
refill only (without applicator, towel & instructions).
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FMJ protects your car's finish
like a jacket of transparent armor. This jacket resists abrasion, acid rain,
salt air, industrial pollution and weathering. FMJ wipes on and buffs off easily
and can be "layered" in multiple coats without fear of
yellowing, hazing or discoloration.
What really sets FMJ apart
from it's German and American brothers and sisters is the shine. I've seen FMJ
on a silver, beige, red and black vehicle (all previously cleaned with Menzerna
Final Polish) and was stunned by the enhancement it created. Each vehicle possessed
a remarkably clear, emotionally vibrant shine with a shimmering liquidity. Like
an Armani jacket, FMJ makes any vehicle in any color look its best!
Look out domestic waxes, there's a new kid on the block!
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| FMJ comes with a Microfiber Applicator Pad, a Microfiber
Buffing Cloth and a color application guide for both hand and machine application.
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Use Menzerna's new
companion product, High Gloss Acrylic
Shield, to add an extra layer of
shine or for a quick detail anytime. (High Gloss Acrylic Shield does not
come with FMJ)
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Customer comments:
"I've been using you guys for
some time now for my detailing product needs and I'm very happy with the
products and customer service I've received from your company. I just
wanted to take the time to say thanks and share some of my results with
one of your newer products, FMJ. It's a great product and I've had great
success with it time and time again. I wanted to send you this photo of an
Audi A4 hood with FMJ on it. The surface was prepped using Menzerna Power
Gloss, followed by Intensive Polish and finally finessed with Final Polish
II. Again, much thanks for your professional service."
Doug L., Waterford, N.J. |
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| Thank you, Doug, for sharing this
photo. You can almost see the squirrels in the tree branches putting
on sun glasses to keep from being blinded by the shine!
And
more:
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"Menzerna FMJ...amazing! This appears to be the
shiniest/slipperiest product for use after polishing I have tried to date.
Very smooth and slippery when run over with a towel. My Chili Red MINI
looks incredible. Brilliant shine...deep..."wet" looking. (I)
Just came back from the MINI store and was parked next to a brand new,
detailed for delivery, car the same color and the difference was obvious
enough for my salesman to ask me who had detailed my year old car. I think
that tells the tale.
I can tell you at this
point the shine is better than P21S® wax, my former "favorite".
Now lets see how it lasts and how well it layers...so far...super
pleased...well worth the $$$$."
Jerry, Chicago, IL. |
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Jerry told us by phone that this photo
shows the Mini with one coat of FMJ. He has since put on a second coat but
he can't get a good photo because the shine in direct sunlight blinds the
metering system in his camera! Thank you Jerry, for sharing your results.
and
still more:
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"Following your
advice, I got from you a couple of weeks ago a complete Menzerna Kit plus
Intensive Polish plus a Porter Cable polisher. On Saturday I decided to go
over my 2000 black Porsche 996 and finally remove the swirl marks that
were bugging me under direct sunlight and fluorescent tubes. After 7 hours
going through the 4 steps (Intensive Polish, Final Polish, Glazing and FMJ)
I realized that not only the swirl marks were gone but my car is now in
better looking condition than when I picked it up at the dealership 4
years ago. I'm still amazed with the results. In the pictures you can see
the clouds and everything that surrounds the car with an almost mirror
clarity.
Thanks for the advice
and the awesome line of Menzerna products."
Ricardo G., Miami Beach, FL
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Thank you Ricardo for
sharing your results!
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From San Antonio:
"I
want to let you know how pleased I am with the shine I got from using
Menzerna FMJ. It's like no other, very easy to apply and take off.
Attached is a picture of my car after a Menzerna detail."
Michael A., San Antonio, TX
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and from New York: |
"I have been very
happy after using Menzerna FMJ. It left my red paint absolutely brilliant
in color with excellent slickness and beading. I prepped the surface with
clay and Menzerna Final Polish II then ended up with 3 coats of FMJ."
Sean B., Shoreham, N.Y. |
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Summary:
Comparing American waxes to German
waxes is like comparing the Dodge Viper to a Porsche. While the Viper shines in
straight line acceleration, few would argue that it is as balanced,
sophisticated or real-world livable as the Porsche.
FMJ is crafted in the German
tradition of being a superbly well balanced sealant but breaks new ground with
it's spectacular shine. Imagine the slippery feel of Zaino®, the liquidity of Zymol® and the durability
of BLACKFIRE all rolled into one product!
While no product is perfect, I
find precious little with FMJ to fault. The bottle cautions to "shake well
before using" but I could not observe any separation within the product.
Perhaps this caution applies to product that has set for months. I would take
the caution to apply out of direct sunlight seriously. I made the mistake of
applying FMJ to a car that had been in the afternoon, Florida sun and had a
devil of a time buffing off the residues. I'm sure you wouldn't run into this
problem in Germany but if you live in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii or New
Mexico, make sure the car's surface is at "garage temperature".
FMJ is our best winter
wax. FMJ was designed to last through Germany's harsh winters. If you
store a vehicle during the winter or just want to put a protective winter jacket
on your car, truck, or SUV, this is the product to choose.
FMJ is our best coastal
wax. The polymers in FMJ are highly resistant to abrasion (wind blown
debris), salt air and salt water etching. If you live in a coastal community.
FMJ would be our recommendation for keeping your vehicle looking its best.
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Product Update 5-01-2005
By Terry Freiberg
I
apologize for making these product descriptions too long but I feel
compelled to share observations learned from using our products over time.
I just returned from a two week trip which coincided with our Love
Bug season. I discovered the front of my car peppered with Love Bug
splatter which had been baking under the Florida sun. For those readers
unfamiliar with this demon, Love Bugs have very acidic body fluids which
can etch into the paint in as little as 24 hours. They also stick like
glue to painted surfaces. To remove them, I typically use a tar remover
with the Safe Scrub Bug Sponge and scour the finish. I had a coat of
Menzerna FMJ on my car (I did this 2 months ago) and had just washed the
car prior to my trip and wiped it with Menzerna's High Gloss Acrylic
Shield. When I washed the car, I was amazed to find that 95% of the bug
splatter came right off. The remaining 5% came off using just my car wash
soap and gentle rubbing with my natural sea sponge. I did not use any
solvent or tar removers and did not need to use my normal bug sponge. In
my 18 odd years here in Florida, I have never been able to remove Love Bug
residues this easily. I'm not sure which product, FMJ or the High Gloss
Acrylic Shield, was most responsible but the combination was extremely
resistant to insect smear. If you live or drive in areas with Love Bugs or
other flying insects, FMJ and High Gloss Acrylic Shield would be a product
to consider.
Follow-up Customer
Comments:
" I just couldn't help but come right in after
washing my girlfriend's '05 Santa Fe to tell you what I found...
"She had just driven to
Daytona from Merritt Island and back a week ago. When she returned I
noticed she had killed a massive amount of love bugs. The bumper, hood,
mirrors, and windshield were covered with hundreds of Love Bug carcasses.
It wasn't for an entire week of baking in our southern sun when I was
finally able to wash it. I fully expected to see some etching and I just
knew that I would have to scrub these guys off. To my amazement, 90% of
the bugs rinsed right off! All I had to do was take a Microfiber cloth and
give it a little wipe to get all the residues off. No bug remover was
required.
I had clayed, polished,
glazed and FMJ'd her vehicle some 3 or 4 months ago. I am fully convinced
of the protective properties of Menzerna's FMJ. What a wonderful
product!"
Bill B., Merritt Island, FL
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FMJ, Menzerna's new super wax
will put a brilliant shine on your bike!
Yes, I said super because Menzerna FMJ (Full Molecular Jacket) is an advanced water-based polymer paint protectant incorporating the latest in German super-polymer technology. FMJ is not in the strictest sense a wax. It contains no carnauba wax, bee's wax, or German montan waxes. I'm told that this product started with a clean sheet of paper. Natural waxes, including carnauba, were rejected early on because of their dependency on a strong petroleum solvent base and their limited durability.
FMJ protects single stage paint, as well as clear coated and lacquer finished surfaces, like a jacket of transparent armor. This jacket resists abrasions, acid rain, salt air, industrial pollution and weathering. FMJ wipes on and buffs off easily without yellowing, hazing, or discoloration.
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Protect the paint with
Menzerna FMJ. |
The lower fork tubes on
this bike are clear coated and given a protective coating of FMJ. |
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This product not only protects, it
leaves a remarkably clear, emotionally vibrant shine with a shimmering
liquidity. No matter the color, FMJ leaves a deep, wet looking finish that
lasts. Not only is the shine second to none, but I also like the way it sheets
water.
Apply a small nickel size drop to a
Microfiber applicator or cloth, and spread FMJ thinly across all painted,
fiberglass and chrome surfaces. Then, wipe off with a clean Microfiber cloth.
Note:
Do not apply FMJ to surfaces that get hot such as painted or chrome cylinder
heads, engine casings, brake discs, headers or exhaust pipes.
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After a coat of
Menzerna FMJ look at the reflections cast on the garage door |
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Menzerna FMJ
comes packaged with a Microfiber Applicator, a Perfect Shine Buffing
Cloth, and instructions for both hand and machine application.
This product
meets California's Air Resource Board, Consumer Products Regulations
specifying VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) content and limits for an
automotive sealant.
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Boost This Product With
Polycharger.
If you want to boost
the shine and create even more protection than what this product already
offers, you should consider adding Polycharger®.
Polycharger is the world's first Wax Booster™ supercharging your
liquid wax, sealant, quick detail spray ,
tire dressing or interior protectant
to provide more shine and
longer durability with just a few drops.
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