MK5 Golf GTI
General => Detailing => Topic started by: Saint Steve on February 14, 2011, 08:39:58 pm
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Guys
Have decided to take the plunge and purchase a machine polisher to polish my car.
I know a dual action machine is recommended, can anyone recommend a good all round, value for money unit, without spending silly money for a novice user.
cheers
Steve
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:scared:
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Crikey! Sorry Steve but could your car actually get any shinier?
Funnily enough I've just given your car as very fine example of shininess in another thread asking about waxing Tornado Reds.
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for ease of use Megs G220 Version2 is just out, or Das-6
I have just got the das-6 and having used both i think the das is a step up. Jay and some more on here will know better though when it comes to m/polishers.
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I've got DAS-6 ,you could always try and get a scrap panel to practice on using different polish and pad combinations ,i found menzerna polish good on my last golf
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Dodo juice have their spindoctor or whatever it's called. Greeners has one.
The kestrel is the current fave. I have the megs g220 and it's been fine.
The important thing is to get your technique sorted. I've put links in a thread and they are links to DW. If you're not a member, I'd suggest signing up. Either way, have a read in the how to guides section.
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It seems very easy to do, having watched stack loads of video's , and unless your a total clux, it would be hard to damage the paintwork.
Mine has never had a machine polish done to it, just endless hand polishing,which will never get it 100%.
Main issue is, i dont get the opertunity to leave the car with a professional for a day or so, as its a working car, and is needed by the family, so if i buy the equipment, i can do it gradually .
Going by costs for a decent polisher, around £100 buys a Dodo juice spindoctor. Thats a tad different to the Halfords own 110W cigerette lighter powered unit for £24 :laugh:
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I'd stay away from halfrauds jobbies.
Steve, it will take all day to do the car properly. You need to prep the car - wash, clay, rinse, dry, which can take an hour or two. To polish properly took me in the region of four hours - go slowly, work the polish, make sure the pad doesn't dry out or overheat, etc. Not to mention the taping up. Once you've polished, IPA wipedown and apply glaze, then wax or sealant. To do my car properly took me 12 hrs the first time I did a full detail. That includes brakes/wheels/rubber trim/windows.
You can always break things up and do things like wheels/exhaust/trim/etc on a separate day but given your car is outside, I'd hit the paintwork all in one go. You could always do a light pass with a finishing pad and something very mildly abrasive light lime prime - would be enough, plus it already contains a glaze/cleanser, so you could skip to waxing.
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Even though I;ve got a rotary polisher, I would say stick to a DA.
With the rotary it's easier to burn through which you definitely don't want to happen.
Though with a rotary you can get very impressive correction, you kust have a spray bottle with water in to spritz the pad now and again to make sure it doesn;t dry out.
The DAS 6 looks very good and gets good reviews and feeback on Detailing World.
All seem very good and will be around the £90-£110 mark (DW have a group buy for the DAS6 :happy2:)
As long as you breakdown the polish enough then you should find they all do the job you need.
It's all about the polishes and pads combo really as this is what determines the correction level and also the finish you end up with.
I bought the Poorboys SSR1, 2 and 2.5 so I have all the grades except 3 and then a polishing pad and a finishing pad. This should give you enough combo to get the level needed.
Tried the Meg pads and thought they weren;t that great though just order the Sonus polishing pad as this can go through the whole spectrum of light cut to finishing shine. depending on the polish obviously.
There is a whole section on machine polishing on DW which should give you everything you need.
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FYI i'm pretty sure the dodo spin doctor is a rebranded Kestrel DAS-6
Clean your car also do a rebranded DAS-6
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The spindoctor is a Rotary polisher. The Buff Daddy is the DA
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The spindoctor is a Rotary polisher. The Buff Daddy is the DA
Ah! Didn't know that. Just heard that the spin doctor was out and was good for beginners. Evidently, misinformed.
Stick with a DA.
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Come someone tell me what DA means please :ashamed:
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Come someone tell me what DA means please :ashamed:
Im presuming Dual Action steve.
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.performancemotorcare.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F09%2FRotary_Vs_Dual_Action_Polisher_Motions.jpg&hash=390c22dea20c7ed570990e1438769e814edd41a6)
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:ashamed:
Cheers, senior moment :rolleye:
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Stick with a DA.
As above Steve. :happy2:
(less damage can be done then! :laugh:)
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ive got a kestral DAS 6 and can not recommend it enough
very good and had some very good results with it
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Stick with a DA.
As above Steve. :happy2:
(less damage can be done then! :laugh:)
Oooh yee of little faith :P
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Id stick to the DA Steve. Its not just about how easy it is to burn thru paint with a rotary, its much easier and satisfying to use a DA. rotarys are very grabby and if you are unfamiliar to using one, it doesnt take much for the machine to jump around and it can end in tears. DA's are much much easier to handle and are far more predictable ;)
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I can recommend the 'Buff Daddy' Steve as its a cracking machine and is easy to use even for a duffus like me! :rolleye:
And I can confirm it is a re-branded DAS-6.......
Of course once you have chosen your DA you then need to decide on pads, polish, finish and wax! :laugh:
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It's alright Nath.
It seems very easy to do, having watched stack loads of video's , and unless your a total clux, it would be hard to damage the paintwork.
Please be careful Steve and a bit of practice on a couple of scrap panels would be money well spent. :smiley:
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Stick with DA, i've got a G220, great machine, but the other mentioned are all getting good reviews. All depends on how much you are going to be using it? Have you had a look at polish and pads aswell?
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Steve, I've had both the Rotary and DA machines.
Rotary machines can offer a quicker correction and superb results but when not used correctly then there is a world of pain...buffer trails, burn through etc etc.
Swapped this for a DA to teach the deliquent son about it and have to say they are so much easier to use. Correction is almost at the same level.
The one i got is a Kestral DAS-6. New they are very reasonable (Clean your car do them for 79.99 with a carry bag).
If you get a set then you'll be looking at about £130 for polisher, pads and polish which is a good deal.
Best advice is to test small areas - maybe 18inchs square on your bonnet. Follow the guides about passes and speeds, use the lightest combos first and you'll be well away.
If you buy the kit and want me to give you a quick demo then I'm free most weekends though you'd need to come to me - Uxbridge.
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Steve, I also assume you've clayed the car and it's ready for a machine polisher..
Seriously you don't want to attack the car with a DA before claying :wink:
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I'm getting close to shelving the idea tbh, only because, I going to have the car resprayed in the area that IMO needs the most treatment, ie, bonnet, wings and front chin and bumper.
So I will be not buying my own just yet.
I have clayed the car before, but understand, it would need re-doing before using a rotary. :happy2:
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i have also been thinking about this but then with the cost of buying all the bits and the time involved i think i woud prefer to get it detailed properly-watch and learn but just keep it topped up week to week etc-over the cost of the year i think it would come out evens?
i know the fun is IN the doing but i want it to be cost effective too.
so roll on the summer for its first proper detail!!
just my tuppence
matsu
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Steve did you ever buy on of these? Im contemplating getting one, because my car looks like its been attacked with 40 grade sandpaper :scared:
Which pads and polish are the best to get?
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Blimey Steve your head must be spinning with all this advice and counter advice so i am going to throw my tuppence in as well. I see you are looking for good value for money etc and i know some people dont rate Halfords but i bought their 240v polisher (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_189810_langId_-1_categoryId_165640) over 5 years ago, i have used it on a Megane, S 2000, Corrado VR6 and it has been excellent for the £40 it cost me. You can spend a lot more on the Kestrels and Megs of this world but i am delighted with the results, have a look at my Tornado Red GTI in the Members rides it came up really well. I dont work for Halfords i must add (!!), anyway, the choice is yours and hope you happy with whatever you get. Happy motoring from Spain!
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Hi rich.......
No i didnt purchase one as yet, as i purchased a Hyundai instead :signLOL:
Young Alex Perkins has offered to do mine with his Polisher as a thankyou for getting a rather large discount of his newly purchased Milltek exhaust system..
Im waiting for both ALex and myself to get a day free to do this, along with some other bits :happy2:
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Hmmmm.. Interesting! :smiley:
I had some horrific water marks on my car that i couldnt remove by washing, so attacked my car with some polish but it left MF marks all over it! :sad1:
Rich
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I would buy some Meguires Smooth clay kit Rich to remove those water marks, and start over.
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I tried claying and it wouldn't budge them. Im gonna try and have a go at hand polishing a panel properly see if it rectifies itself! :scared:
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Are they watermarks?
Usually precipitated calcium, which you must remember is a metal! I think autoglym do a product to remove water marks.
Also prevention is better than cure, so care when washing and dry thoroughly. Consider a water softener to remove as much calcium from the source.
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Vinegar. Distilled malt vinegar apparently will dissolve the calcium and polishing will remove the marks.
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Thanks for the advice Stealth!
I think (know but dont want to admit it) that they have been caused over the last 2 weeks where i have used the local jet wash (just the power washer not the scratchy brushes) and not followed it by a full handwash/rinse and dry.
Ive got AG SRP... is there a better product to use for hand polishing?
Rich
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Thanks for the advice Stealth!
I think (know but dont want to admit it) that they have been caused over the last 2 weeks where i have used the local jet wash (just the power washer not the scratchy brushes) and not followed it by a full handwash/rinse and dry.
Ive got AG SRP... is there a better product to use for hand polishing?
Rich
For hand polishing, not IMO.
Other type of product to try before polishing (or after but would then remove the fillers left by SRP) is a pre-wax cleanser as this is getting the paint a clean as possible, product wise eithe AG HD cleanser kit from Halfords or Dodo Juice lime prime would do....or try Rejuvinate from Auto Finesse (via their own site).
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Have a look on detailingworld. They did photo tests for all hand polishes and AG SRP came out as one of the best. I've link to the test in one of the other threads in this section.
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AG SRP is very good as a hand polish if applied carefully with the right pad
It is fair to say though that nothing polishes like a machine polisher
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What pad would you recommend alex? Ive got some MF pads which seemed to work well last time i SRP'd it!
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MF pads are good
Its vital that they are clean though! I went to use one the other day and it made a right bloody mess as someone had dropped it!!
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What pad would you recommend alex? Ive got some MF pads which seemed to work well last time i SRP'd it!
I've got an Autoglym Perfect Palm Applicator that you can have mate.
Its a foam type surface which is also ideal for applying SRP.
Let me have your address and I'll post it to you :happy2:
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What pad would you recommend alex? Ive got some MF pads which seemed to work well last time i SRP'd it!
I've got an Autoglym Perfect Palm Applicator that you can have mate.
Its a foam type surface which is also ideal for applying SRP.
Let me have your address and I'll post it to you :happy2:
Ta Simon.. PMd you back! :happy2:
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Are they watermarks?
Usually precipitated calcium, which you must remember is a metal! I think autoglym do a product to remove water marks.
Also prevention is better than cure, so care when washing and dry thoroughly. Consider a water softener to remove as much calcium from the source.
Actually its calcium carbonate so no longer a metal :evilgrin: the same stuff that scales up your kettle through electrolysis, but as you say a mild acid will dissolve it even a bit of lemon juice mixed in with some water sprayed on the car.