Ordering DA Polisher intimidated newbie needs advice on pads and products

[eyost]

Hi all,

I am about to place an order on a DA Porter Cable polisher and have some questions.

I have a nine month old Honda CRV with dark brown metallic paint. In looking closer at it I see some light swirls randomly on the vehicle. In speaking with someone at AG they recommended to go with the Pinnacle Twins and first test with the Pinnacle Advanced Finsh Polish with a white pad and if that doesn't do the trick then advance to the Pinnacle Swirl Remover with an orange pad. Plan is then to follow that with Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant with a grey pad and then finish it off with Fuzion with a red pad.

I have never used a DA polisher before and I don't want to unneccessarily remove any paint or clear coat to resolve the swirls. How much cutting does the DA polisher do on paint?

Am I on the right track here or is there a better option? Also, would it be advisable to spot treat only the areas where swirls are or is it more efficient t do the entire vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any help with this intimidated newbie with a DA polisher.

Ed

[ReflectiveAuto]

I was going to get the PC 7424XP but I went the Griots 6" DA Polisher...Im glad I did. It has more power and seems to have less vibration then the PC from the reviews. I also had the pads for it, but also a big reason is that I did not want to spend another $30 on a backing plate to hold the pads on when the Griots came with it and it was cheaper. I love my Griots polisher.

Just take your time and dont let it scare you...your not getting a rotary.

[Madness87]

Well the griots come with a standard 6" backing plate... you're going to want a 5" one anyways so that you can uses 5.5" pads safely.

But back to the questions the OP actually asked...

You are correct. You don't want to unnecessarily remove more clear or paint than you need to. You say the car is only 9 months old and so, there shouldn't be too much damage usually. Then again, we don't know the condition of the paint.

Mike Phillips has a lot of great articles and videos on proper technique with the PC. Also you want to remember to use the least aggressive methods first. Maybe use a very fine swirl remover or polish with a white pad and see if that is all you need.

[Madness87]

Here are some links and videos that might be helpful for you...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-job-done.html

What condition is the paint on your vehicles?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUHRnHsSXZU]Part 1 - How to remove swirls, scratches and water spots using a Porter Cable 7424XP Polisher - YouTube[/video]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxwlWijdIxM&feature=relmfu]Part 2 - How to remove swirls, scratches and water spots using a Porter Cable 7424XP Polisher - YouTube[/video]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9objUFdpsG4]Part 3 - How to remove swirls, scratches and water spots using a Porter Cable 7424XP Polisher - YouTube[/video]

[Eandras]

I have the following DA polishers: PC7242XP, Griots 6", Griots 3", and a Flex 3401. Being a new person to machine polishing I would suggest the Flex if money is not an issue. My second choice is the Griots 6" with a 5.5" Backing Plate. It has comparable power to the Flex and comes with a lifetime warranty. The cost is comparable to the PC. My PC is now a backup. Hope my opinion helps in making a decision.

[eyost]

Well the griots come with a standard 6" backing plate... you're going to want a 5" one anyways so that you can uses 5.5" pads safely.

But back to the questions the OP actually asked...

You are correct. You don't want to unnecessarily remove more clear or paint than you need to. You say the car is only 9 months old and so, there shouldn't be too much damage usually. Then again, we don't know the condition of the paint.

Mike Phillips has a lot of great articles and videos on proper technique with the PC. Also you want to remember to use the least aggressive methods first. Maybe use a very fine swirl remover or polish with a white pad and see if that is all you need.

Thanks for the reply. When you mentioned to start with a polish with white pad, would the Pinnacle Advanced Finsh Polish fall into that category or do I need to consider something else? Also, if I find that simply hand applying the polish resolves the issue, would it be best to hand apply the entire car, or would I get the best results with the machine?

Thanks for the info!

[eyost]

I have the following DA polishers: PC7242XP, Griots 6", Griots 3", and a Flex 3401. Being a new person to machine polishing I would suggest the Flex if money is not an issue. My second choice is the Griots 6" with a 5.5" Backing Plate. It has comparable power to the Flex and comes with a lifetime warranty. The cost is comparable to the PC. My PC is now a backup. Hope my opinion helps in making a decision.

Thanks for the information. I wish money was no issue, but with looking at purchasing all of the products, microfibers, etc. it is quickly adding up. I am familar with the quality of PC products, which is why I leaned to that not to mention that they offer a fair number of kits compared to the Griot models; I can always create my own if it is better for a newbie. What about the Griot leans you to it being better?

Thanks again!

[ForceField]

Thanks for the information. I wish money was no issue, but with looking at purchasing all of the products, microfibers, etc. it is quickly adding up. I am familar with the quality of PC products, which is why I leaned to that not to mention that they offer a fair number of kits compared to the Griot models; I can always create my own if it is better for a newbie. What about the Griot leans you to it being better?

Thanks again!

The Griot's is more powerful. It has a more powerful motor. Having said that, I personally chose the PC 7424XP because of it's reliability and it's powerful enough for my needs. The last thing I want is the motor to die half way through a detail. Yes the Griot's has a lifetime warranty but you're still left without a polisher till they replace it if it dies. The Flex is the best but if money is tight and you're just a weekend warrior on your own ride then it's expense is hard to justify. The added expense of a backup polisher is also hard to justify for a newbie on a budget just working on his own car.

Now if you were running a business, my recommendation would be different. You can always get the Flex later on if you start to get serious, need more speed and do a lot more cars.

[Junkman2008]

Hi all,

I am about to place an order on a DA Porter Cable polisher and have some questions.

I have a nine month old Honda CRV with dark brown metallic paint. In looking closer at it I see some light swirls randomly on the vehicle. In speaking with someone at AG they recommended to go with the Pinnacle Twins and first test with the Pinnacle Advanced Finsh Polish with a white pad and if that doesn't do the trick then advance to the Pinnacle Swirl Remover with an orange pad. Plan is then to follow that with Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant with a grey pad and then finish it off with Fuzion with a red pad.

I have never used a DA polisher before and I don't want to unneccessarily remove any paint or clear coat to resolve the swirls. How much cutting does the DA polisher do on paint?

Am I on the right track here or is there a better option? Also, would it be advisable to spot treat only the areas where swirls are or is it more efficient t do the entire vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any help with this intimidated newbie with a DA polisher.

Ed

WATCH.

[eyost]

Excellen! Just watched all of the videos and it is quite helpful. My car is in pretty good shape and I see just a few swirls in isolated areas. Would it be acceptable to spot polish these areas out with the machine. Then put the sealant and wax on by hand as I can get it in faster that way or would it be still best to use the machine with a grey pad for the sealant?

Thanks!