Can some one recommend a machine polish machine, and some wax?

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

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Going to try and do a proper clay, polish and wax this weekend. Last few time I polish my car takes and absolute yanks and I want to cheat...

Are the Halfords one any good? If not, what is good?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_189810_langId_-1_categoryId_165640

And at the moment I only got a bit of Autoglym Aquawax left, it is ok, easy to use, just wondering if there are anything better?

Ta
 
The halfords ones are tosh, I threw mine in the bin after a day, you honestly might as well just do it by hand.

I then went out and bought a cheap rotary, and it's night-and-day different. Don't believe the horror stories of burning your paint, obviously it's possible, but not if you take your time and do some reading beforehand.

Something like http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-pc-silv...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item35bd18deee

With the above, I acheived this, which wasn't, bad for a 160,000 9 year old car:

34zenno.jpg
 
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Pictures lie so much though, years ago I got the FTO looking like that in a picture taken from that distance, up close it betrayed my hamfisted hand-polishing technique and was covered in swirly yuck :p
 
It looked like that in real life though too :)

I keep meaning to do the A6, but grey is such an unrewarding colour to polish :(
 
TBH, I can do it by hand...click but i am getting lazy in my old age and want a easier life...I did see the Meguiars polisher for like £160 online but i am not sure what the difference are, which I am sure there are !
 
I'd either get a cheap silverline and some good wuality 3m pads from carters consumables. Unless you are a detailing world geek and plan to go into the detailing business, the megs and festool machines wont offer you any more over a silverline.

The megs machine is a fashion thing like the portercable was a few years ago.
 
You have to be careful with machine polishers on jap cars. The paint is very thin, and if you don't pay attention you will have quickly done a lot of damage.

I always forget which way around it is. But I'm sure rotary has a greater chance of causing damage, but you get better results. And DA is for the less skilled, but you still get much better results than hand polishing.

So get DA if you have a jap car :)
 
paradigm said:
Utter rubbish. I had no experience (beyond that of a halfords piece of junk) of machine polishing and I've not done any damage to any car I've polished with my cheap rotary.
Click to expand...

You have been lucky, I have seen many a Fubar car where they have used a rotary.
If in doubt play safe.
 
rossk26 said:
You have to be careful with machine polishers on jap cars. The paint is very thin, and if you don't pay attention you will have quickly done a lot of damage.

I always forget which way around it is. But I'm sure rotary has a greater chance of causing damage, but you get better results. And DA is for the less skilled, but you still get much better results than hand polishing.

So get DA if you have a jap car :)
Click to expand...

This

Also Jap car paint is soft.
 
eatcustard said:
You have been lucky, I have seen many a Fubar car where they have used a rotary.
If in doubt play safe.
Click to expand...

No, I've been intelligent.

I read up on HOW to use a rotary, I practiced on a scrap panel, I concentrace on what I'm doing, and I never let the pad dry out or stay in one place. This IS playing it safe.

You don't have to avoid a rotary, you just have to not be a moron.
 
rossk26 said:
You have to be careful with machine polishers on jap cars. The paint is very thin, and if you don't pay attention you will have quickly done a lot of damage.

I always forget which way around it is. But I'm sure rotary has a greater chance of causing damage, but you get better results. And DA is for the less skilled, but you still get much better results than hand polishing.

So get DA if you have a jap car :)
Click to expand...

What is a DA?
 
Do you actually feel the paint needs correction? I think you'd be happy with the results of a clay/polsh/wax unless the paint is really bad. A DA would be better to use as you're less likely to leave hologramming. If you decide to machine polish be careful on plastics though as they will not dissipate the heat as well as a metal panel so don't go too mad, otherwise there isn't much to worry about if you're sensible.
 
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If the paint is in a bad way then meguiars 105 is fantastic.

After that, or if you only have small swirl marks the 205 really gives a sweet finish.

Finally use the Meguiars 16 to wax it - it's great wax and the beading is mint!
 
The paint is fine is most places but not so in others I.e. around door handles, bumpers, last owner must have lots of rings on her fingers.

I want to get rid of these mark mostly.

How about this DA one then?

http://www.i4detailing.co.uk/acatalog/Kestrel_Dual_Action_Polisher_1.html

Half the price of the meguiars G220.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...&productId=822069&categoryId=165640&langId=-1


And what kind of pads do I need? Wool and foam? Do you need more than 1 set per clean or can ty be reused after a wash?
 
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