Random Orbital/ DA Polisher

**Coopers ST** · 11-23-2013, 10:18 PM

Hi all,

This is my first post so please be patient with me

. For a few years I have wanted a Random Orbital/DA polisher. I have always waxed by hand and had decent results for a DD. I now have a 2013 Focus ST and my wife has a 2005 Santa Fe. I am back to wanting a polisher and am going to pull the trigger before I change my mind again. How is the Griots Garage one? Here is what I think I am down to:

Griot’s Garage Random Orbital Perfect Starter Kit

Griot’s Garage & Meguiar’s Paint Perfection Kit 3rd Generation!

Griot’s Garage Random Orbital Wolfgang Duo

How do any of these look/what would you get as a first package? Is there anything else I would need or should get?

Should I be looking at something different? What I want is nice looking cars that look better than 95% of the other DD's on the road. My Focus has some swirls in it that I want out, and am sure the Santa Fe does also.

Is there a better or just different package to look at? I want to stay about $150-170 less would be OK also, but don't want to spend $200 if I don't have to.

Thanks all!

**custmsprty** · 11-23-2013, 10:20 PM

Rupes 15, did this to my friend dads 05 Passat today and it was hammered:

**Romans5.8** · 11-23-2013, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by custmsprty

Rupes 15, did this to my friend dads 05 Passat today and it was hammered:

Where's the car? All I can see is a wheel sitting in a driveway next to a garden and some dude with a cameraphone!

**hamlyn** · 11-24-2013, 12:21 AM

You can't go wrong with either of these two starter kits:

Griot’s Garage & Meguiar’s Paint Perfection Kit 3rd Generation!
Griot’s Garage Random Orbital Wolfgang Duo

Wolfgang and Meguiar's compounds and polishes in these kits are highly regarded around here. Menzerna is another brand that is well regarded.

The recommended pads around here are Lake Country Hydro Tech pads. Your kit comes with Lake Country CCS pads.

Griot's Garage polishers come with a lifetime warranty.

Good luck. You're in for a treat.

**ski2** · 11-24-2013, 08:28 AM

My .02--

The Griots polisher can't be beat for the weekend detailer. It has more power than the other standard DAs which you'll appreciate once you get into this and it has a lifetime warranty backed by Griots excellent customer service. With the right pads and products there is almost no situation it can't handle.

That being said if you really want to keep your initial costs down you can pick up a Harbor Freight 6" Random Orbital polisher for about $50. Not top of the line, but a great product to start out with--has more power than the PC and once you get some experience and if you still want to get the Griots or other polisher you can equip the HF with a backing plate to use 3-4" pads for the small bits on the car so you won't have to be changing backing plates as you're working. Even more so than the Griots equip it with a quality 5" backing plate as the 6" one included with it is not the best.

This is a great time to buy as there will be allot of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals around.

I think you're better off not buying a kit--just pick and choose what you need and watch for deals.

Get a 5" backing plate for the Griots for $15-20 so you can use 5.5" pads which are less expensive, more effective and easier to use.

Get FLAT pads with no dimples etc. You'll need about 10 pads--4 for heavier cutting, 3-4 for polishing and one for each wax or sealant you plan to use. Hydrotecs might be a good place to start since there are only 3 levels of pads, but plain flat pads are less expensive and work just as well. You could start out with 4 orange, 4 white and 2 of the softer pads with no cut. One of the most common areas that create problems for beginners is trying to do an whole car with one or two pads.

Use compounds and polishes that are beginner friendly. If you're trying to keep the initial cost down you can pick up Megs Ultimate Compound or Ultimate Polish for about $10 per 16 oz bottle (consumer versions of M105 and M205), but Optimum and HD also make products that are easy to use--long working times, little to no dust and easy to remove after polishing.

You'll need quite a few quality MF towels--some to wipe off polishes, others to wipe off waxes/sealants etc so you see the kits don't provide enough. Again, deals are comming so shop around.

Do some reading and watch some videos: Here's a link to excellent articles by Mike http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-phillips.html Don't have to read them all -- just pick the ones you need for now.

Good luck!!

**HateSwirls** · 11-24-2013, 09:27 AM

I first bought the PC but found it hard to correct so I bought the GG6 and wow what a difference, it will correct anything I throw at it.

All for a great deal.

Below is a vid I made of me using it, I looked for videos of others using it on YouTube but didn't find many.

I've since then switched to the 5.5 inch pads, a lot better to work with IMO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nByJC_ShuRc

**jartx** · 11-24-2013, 09:41 AM

I bought the GG with a 5 inch backing plate and 5.5 inch LC pads. It is easy to use, works great, and has a lifetime warranty. I also considered the Harbor Freight DA, but after reading in that thread, I decided to go with the GG. I was scared to use it at first, but after reading and watching videos, decided to tackle my Mom's swirled/scratched up black Lexus. Everyone was amazed at the results, including me. I'm sure there will be some excellent BF deals on one.

**Coopers ST** · 11-24-2013, 09:54 AM

Jartx, you bring up a good point. Can I use the 6" pads that come with it, or do I really need to go to a 5.5?
On that note, how many pads do I really need? Does the 'kit' come with everything I need to get started and do a SUV or my Focus?

**jartx** · 11-24-2013, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Coopers ST

Jartx, you bring up a good point. Can I use the 6" pads that come with it, or do I really need to go to a 5.5?
On that note, how many pads do I really need? Does the 'kit' come with everything I need to get started and do a SUV or my Focus?

Sure you can use the pads that come with it, but the 5.5 inch pads are easier to use from what I've been told. As far as the number of pads go, I was fine with an orange, white, and black, but would get doubles for two cars. I'm sure if you ask them, they will substitute the 5.5 inch pads for the 6". Good luck!

**ski2** · 11-24-2013, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Coopers ST

Jartx, you bring up a good point. Can I use the 6" pads that come with it, or do I really need to go to a 5.5?
On that note, how many pads do I really need? Does the 'kit' come with everything I need to get started and do a SUV or my Focus?

You don't NEED to go to 5.5" pads, but a six pack of 5.5" Flat LC pads is $30, a six pack of 6.5" of the same pad is $42 so on your first two six packs you've saved more than the cost of a 5" backing plate. Everytime after that you buy pads you'll save money.

The Griots will handle 6.5" pads, but will perform better and be easier to use with 5.5", with a PC or the Harbor Frieght you NEED 5.5" pads.

While polishing you need to clean your pad on the fly at least after every panel, but the spent polish and clearcoat removed will eventually clog up the pad making it less effective. Also, heat will build in the pad and potentially destroy the pad. At least 4 pads for heavy cutting, 3-4 for polishing and 1 dedicated to each wax/sealant you plan to use--as I mentioned before. Go ahead and try it with one or two pads--you'll spend allot of time and be unhappy with the results and maybe melt your pad. If you go MF pads "perhaps" you could get away with 2 cutting and 2 polishing pads, but cleaning after every section is a must and best performed with an air compressor.