Initial Review- UDM!!

[budman3]

First off I want to give huge thanks to everyone at Autogeek for giving me this opportunity to test out the new Ultimate Detailing Machine. The UPS guy delivered me a huge box from AG today. Inside were 6 or 7 pads, XMT pad conditioner and cleaner, a couple of German applicators, 5" backing plate, a buffer bag, and best of all the UDM. Sorry I do not have any pictures of the machine.

Of course it didn't take me long to unwrap everything and try it out. I was expecting this machine to be very similar to the Porter Cable 7424, but it is not. It sounds different and very smooth. I tested it out on the hood of my Jeep with a 5.5" light cut pad and it was very nice. Smooth, quiet, and powerful. I then tested it side by side with the PC with a 7.5" LC white polishing pad. I used the UDM with a 5" BP and the PC had a 6". Both machines worked the same... the results were very similar but I will need to do more testing before reaching any conclusions. I don't find the vibration on the PC to be overwhelming and the same is true with the UDM. I know that it isn't good for the machine to run it without touching the surface, but I did. I had the PC in my right hand and UDM in my left, no pads on either one. The UDM has less vibration than the PC under this condition.

Here is a little list that I put together while I was looking over the UDM:
-It is about 1/2" longer and wider than the PC
-The cord is 6' 1/2" long ... 3' 1/2" shorter than the PC
-The weight compared to the PC seems the same
-The dial is backwards from the PC, confusing for a PC user
-The head of the UDM where the counterweight is located is significantly larger than the PC
-The UDM has a very different counterweight- quite unique.
-The plastic housing does not rattle like the PC does, with or without the handle
-The front lip is longer which makes gripping the head easier (without the handle)
-The backing plate stops spinning, without any friction, about half as fast as the PC would... you know when you are polishing and lift your pad and turn it off, the pad continues spinning? The UDM reduces that spinning by 1/2.

Here is a video, well sound, of the UDM. Since I am not allowed to post photos of the machine, you'll have to look at a few of my detailing products. Make sure your speakers are on. These videos are again holding the machines in the air with no pads. I spent about 5 seconds on each speed setting, starting at 1 and working my way up to 6.

UDM:
Speeds 3, 4, and 5 are all very similar in speed.


And the PC for comparison:
Speeds 1, 2, 3, and 4 are very similar in speed.


In the above videos you can tell where the machine speeds are the same. There is a significant tone difference between the two machines. I haven't tested the machine enought to give you any field test information... thus making this an initial review . Hope this helps give some information about this new polisher. Any questions???

[Meghan]

I love the video sound idea!

[AL417]

Thanks for taking the time to do the sound by sound comparison. I opted to wait and get the "purty" model so it will be a few weeks before I get mine. How cool are U?

[budman3]

I love the video sound idea!

I couldn't leave the other members hanging without anything! It'd get kind of boring with all text . Now I just need a few vehicles to play with. I let my girlfriend try it out today. She's used the PC before on speed 4 or 5 and she didn't like the vibration. I let her try out the UDM and on speed 5 she was fine . I pushed my luck and turned it up to speed 6 and she thought the machine was going to fly out of her hands! Quite a powerful little rig.

[Meghan]

I couldn't leave the other members hanging without anything! It'd get kind of boring with all text . Now I just need a few vehicles to play with. I let my girlfriend try it out today. She's used the PC before on speed 4 or 5 and she didn't like the vibration. I let her try out the UDM and on speed 5 she was fine . I pushed my luck and turned it up to speed 6 and she thought the machine was going to fly out of her hands! Quite a powerful little rig.

I have to admit I love the way it sounds, first time we turned it on, we all grinned!

[Truls]

Sounds like music, got to go high in the charts

Great rewiev.......................you teaser...

The UMD with euro el specs will rule

[Gary Sword]

Everything looks and sounds great you lucky guy!

[dengood1]

UDM on 6 sounds like it's got some b@ll$!! Sounds powerful!

Birthday coming up.....hmmmmm........may be time to upgrade Maybe I can get a special "birthday" discount lol....

[bambo2888]

Ahh I can't wait to get mine!

[Surfer]

If the results and time were the same as PC...seems like it wouldn't really be an upgrade from a PC user...might as well get a Cyclo or Rotary?