Review: Meguiar's DA Power System

[Marc08EX]

Product Review: Meguiar's DA Power System
Meguiars DA Power System


(Image Taken From AG)

Description: (Taken from AG's website)

Turn your drill into a paint-polishing tool!

The Meguiars DA Power System is another innovative product from Meguiars that will change the way you detail your car. The Meguiars DA Power System attaches to any standard household drill that operates between 1,500 – 2,500 RPM and turns it into a paint-polishing tool with the orbit of a dual action polisher. Precision engineered gears provide rugged durability. Thanks to a vast selection of Meguiars 4 Inch DA Power Pack Pads that are compatible with the DA Power System, you can equip yourself to tackle any job.

Let’s face it, not all detailing jobs require using a big, heavy-duty high speed polisher. If you’re simply going to be applying wax or doing light polishing, the Meguiars DA Power System is the perfect tool for the job. Its innovative compact design and convenient side handle make it easy to use regardless of skill level. With its random orbital dual action motion, you aren’t at risk for burning paint either. Simply attach to a standard household drill, equip it with the correct Meguiars 4 Inch Soft Buff Pad and start polishing!

The Meguiars DA Power System is feature packed, starting with the pressure cast alloy housing to the stainless steel arbor with chuck-limiting step that’s designed for all 3/8” to ½” drills. The cushioned comfort-grip handle makes the unit easy to use while protecting the finish if contact occurs. Proprietary planetary gear set enables forced, dual action rotation so you can remove light scratches and scuff marks. No-mar rubber safety skirt prevents damage if contact occurs with an adjacent body line.

Waxing and polishing by hand is tiresome and consumes a lot of your time. The human hand simply can’t match the power or the motion of a dual action polisher. Unlike a power tool that keeps on going, your hand gets tired and needs to rest. If you’re ready to say goodbye to hand polishing and waxing but aren’t quite ready to jump into a dual action polisher, the Meguiars DA Power System is the perfect compromise. The Meguiars DA Power System offers the convenience of a dual action polisher at a fraction of the cost.

The Meguiars DA Power System is the ideal tool to use for polishing wheels because its compact design allows you to polish areas that are unreachable with a regular DA polisher. The Meguiars DA Power System even works to polish and restore headlights to perfect clarity when equipped with the appropriate pad.

Say goodbye to hand waxing and hello to the Meguiars DA Power System!

Price:

$59.99

Introduction:

Meguiar's always comes out with cool new products every year. I always look forward to the SEMA show every year not only to see amazing car builds and cool products but also to see what Meguiar's has up their sleeve. The last SEMA show was no different. Meguiar's formally introduced the DA power system and this product has intrigued me ever since.

MOL administrator, Michael Stoops posted a thread on how to use the Meguiar's W9204 4" Softbuff 2.0 Finishing Pads to apply paste wax to your vehicle using a G110v2. The thread can be found here: Applying paste wax via G110v2 or other D/A. Ever since I saw that thread, I've always applied my paste waxes by machine now and I LOVE IT!

Half a year or so ago, I moved into an apartment. I'm already having a hard time washing my car and it caused me to try alternative ways of washing my car like rinseless and waterless. Because I don't have a power source in my parking spot, I am also forced to wax my vehicle by hand. But ever since the DA power system came out, I wanted to get my hands on it mainly to use with a cordless drill so that I can apply my favorite Meguiar's paste wax to our vehicles without the need for power. At the same time, make my wax application a lot easier.

The System:
Meguiar's made this product into a system so that it will be easy for everyone to understand how to use it. As a detailer, you know that there is the paint cleaning or compounding phase, polishing phase and waxing phase. Meguiar's recommends a specific pad with a specific product for each of these phases and I think it's brilliant that they make it so clear. In fact, they even have individual products made for them. Each step of the system are:

1. Compounding - Ultimate Compound and 4" Cutting Pad
   
   (Image Taken From AG)
2. Polishing - Ultimate Polish and 4" Polishing Pad
   
   (Image Taken From AG)
3. Waxing - Ultimate Wax and 4" Finishing Pad
   
   (Image Taken From AG)

There are various reviews and a quik tips video already out there so I'm not going to bore you with pictures of using the pad and liquid for each step/phase. One can easily watch the quik tips video and understand how to use each phase very quickly. Instead, I'm going to perform a comparison between the DA Power System and your traditional G110v2 DA polisher.

The Comparison:

Here are some close up pictures of the DA Power System in the wild.





Like any product Meguiar's produces, this is a very high quality and well designed product. In order for this product to work, you need a drill. A cordless drill is recommended especially for defect removal. What you do next is open the drill's teeth attachment to its maximum, slide the DA Power System's spindle into the drill's mouth, then lock the drill as tight as you can. After you're done with this step, this is what the product looks like attached to the drill:





For this review, I was mainly interested in the capabilities of the DA Power System. A lot of questions were floating in my head. Is this system capable of serious defect removal? Is it easy to use as the DA polisher? Is it convenient? Etc. Well I'm going to try to answer as much questions as I can. Now on to the comparison. Here are the contenders:



To make the comparison fair, I'm going to hold all variables constant. What I mean is that all the other factors that can affect polishing performance will be held equal between the 2 polishers. I'm going to use Ultimate Compound and the Softbuff 2.0 Yellow Polishing pads for both as shown:



Here is a picture of the test subject:



It's a swirled out door panel of my car. The swirls are much worse than you can see in the picture. I was having a hard time capturing the swirls because the light was flushing them out. Next, I taped the door panel into 3 sections as shown:



The left side will be for the DA Power System, the center will be the control and the right will be for the G110v2 DA polisher.

Now onto the test. Up first is the DA Power System. Again, I'm using this system with a yellow polishing pad with Ultimate Compound. What you do is apply a line of product onto the pad like so:



Next, put the pad flat against the paint surface you're working on. Do not turn on the machine until you do this because it will sling the compound everywhere and create a mess. You don't want that. Always work clean! Polish the area you intend to work on making sure you do 50% overlapping passes.



As you can see, the DA power system gives very uniform coverage and spreads out the product nice and even.



Now, we do the same steps on the right side of the panel using the G110v2 DA polisher.

Priming the pad:



Working the product in and polishing the area intended:



Uniform and even coverage:



What are the results you might ask? Well I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Here are the results from the DA Power System's side. I would say I achieved around 95% correction relative to the G110v2's side.



Now here's the G110v2 DA polisher's side.



They both look the same but the DA power system left a few deeper scratches. I wouldn't blame it on the system because they recommend using the burgundy cutting pad for compounding or defect removal. I'm sure that if I equipped my power system with the said cutting pad, I will achieve the same type of correction as what I got in the G110v2's side. I'm sorry I didn't have any cutting pads at hand. But I think these results speak for themselves. The DA Power system is definitely capable of removing serious swirls and defects.

My co-worker has some water spotting problem in his car and was asking for my advice on how to remove it. At first, I gave him ScratchX and told him to go to town with it. He came back and said it wasn't removing all of them and it was such a PITA to work the product in by hand. I thought this will be the perfect time to use the DA power system!!

Here is the test vehicle. As you can see, water spots galore. I've already washed the vehicle at this point and the water spots weren't going anywhere.



Again, I'm using Ultimate Compound with the yellow polishing pad. Before using it, prime the pad first as shown:



Buff a small area at a time. Make sure you do 50% overlapping passes and apply pressure on the drill because you're doing defect removal. This is shown below:



Here are the results after! I would say that we achieved 80-85% water spot removal. It would have been better if I had the burgundy cutting pads. How I really wished I had those pads at that time.



Cross-Compatibility:

I wanted to see whether this system will work with other manufacturer's 4" pads. For this test, I'm using the 4" Lake Country pads. I've attached them to the DA Power System and they look like this:





I would say that there's approximately half an inch of gap in between the backing plate and the circumference of the pad's velcro attachment. It will work but if you're going to be using coarser pads for defect removal, you will not achieve its maximum potential. I guess if you're going to use a softer foam for waxing then it will be ok.

I would still recommend using the Meguiar's DA Power Pack Pad Refills though. This is because these 4" pads have a tapering side. The face of the foam pad is 4" but the pad's backing where the velcro attachment is located measures about 3". This makes it a perfect fit for the DA Power System's backing plate.

[Marc08EX]

Now to show you the main reason why I bought this tool in the first place - waxing!!!!

First, attach the black foam finishing pad specifically designed for waxing. This is shown below:



Here's a picture of the finishing pad being dipped into a can of Ultimate Paste Wax. As you can see, it fits perfectly!!!



Gently rub the pad against the wax to get some product into the face of the foam pad. This is what your pad should look like after:



Like with everything, place the pad against the paint before turning on the drill. Since we are only waxing, very little pressure is required, if any. Also, there's no need for slow arm speed.



The beauty of machine applying a wax. Uniform coverage and fast and easy application! This is shown below:





Here are some beauty shots after I removed a coat of Ultimate Paste Wax that I applied throughout the entire vehicle:







Opinions and Observations:

As you can see, the DA Power System has the capability for serious defect removal. When matched with the burgundy cutting pad, I'm sure it will work wonders. I really like a lot of its features. I really like the rubber surrounding the lip of the Power System. This will prevent any scratching in the case you hit the paint of the vehicle you're working on. I've hit the paint twice already and I'm so thankful that this rubber feature is there for protection. (That just sounds weird LOL!) I also like the comfortable handle. It has a soft material making it comfortable to hold while buffing. Also, the handle's placement is great because this allows me to stabilize the Power System and the drill attached to it while buffing. I also like the forced rotation feature. I initially thought that this will have the motion of your traditional DA polishers. The forced rotation feels exactly like the Flex 3401's movement. This feature allows for better cutting capability and we've already proven that it has the ability to do so. The pad also spins/oscillates slower relative to the drill's RPMs. This is the gear reduction feature and it makes it extremely safe for the user to polish paint.

Now I would like to talk about the comparison test I did above. Yes, the DA Power System's results look good and I'm pretty sure, it will equal the correction made if I had used the recommended cutting pads for defect removal. But I would say that because the pads are small, polishing took longer. The G110v2 took a shorter time because of its massive 7" pads. It covered a bigger area at a time. Also, the G110v2 has more power so I think it's getting more correction power from the motor itself.

I would also like to talk about some minor downsides to this system. I really didn't like how wobbly it felt. The wobbling is directly proportional to the amount of pressure I was applying. When I was applying wax, I didn't have much of a problem with it. But when I was trying to remove the swirls and water spots, it made it harder to control. Also, I have a hard time holding the drill when buffing vertical panels. I think this is because of the leverage the drill causes. Buffing horizontal surfaces is a piece of cake!!! It's so easy to control the drill and the Power System when doing that.

I absolutely love using the DA Power System when waxing and spot buffing!!! I'm so glad that I have this system because I think it'll be very useful and it will have its place in my tool arsenal. I'm sure there are situations that will make me reach for this tool instead of your traditional DA polisher equipped with 4" pads. In addition, it served my purpose of waxing my vehicles in the apartment by using a cordless drill. It did it exceptionally well I might add.

As I mentioned before, the quality of this tool is exceptional.

I'm sure that majority of the people will own a drill at home. If you're new to paint polishing and already have a drill then it would be ok to get this tool. But if you don't have a drill and plan on buying a new drill with the purchase of the DA Power System, I would highly suggest looking into getting the G110v2 DA polisher instead. This only applies when the cost is your only concern. But if you're afraid of the DA polisher then by all means get the DA Power System.

I also asked for some feedback from my coworker with the water spots on what he thought about the DA Power System. He said that it's definitely very easy to use. It made the removal of the water spots a breeze. He said he liked it a lot and might pick up one for himself in the near future. I should be getting a commission from this!

Conclusion:

This machine is a must have whether you are a seasoned professional detailer, a hobbyist or a person who's new into paint polishing. It definitely bridges the gap between dual action polishers and working by hand. If you are afraid to dive into the DA polisher and are tired of working by hand then this tool is for you. It will give you better results in less time and effort than working by hand. At the same time, give you swirl removal capabilities like the traditional DA polisher at a fraction of the price. I love this Power System of mine and I'm glad to obtain it. I'm pretty sure that you will not regret your decision in buying one.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Marc, you're crankin' out reviews like it's nothing!!!! Excellent job!!


Where did you get those 4" LC pads from?

[jvs1991]

This review almost makes me want to pick this up. Looks perfect for waxing and polishing tight areas and bumpers. I feel the 4in pads on my gg6 or g110v2 make the machine too tippy for lack of a better word. But I shall hold out to save up for the rupes.

Excellent review Marc!!!! Keep it up

[Marc08EX]

Marc, you're crankin' out reviews like it's nothing!!!! Excellent job!!


Where did you get those 4" LC pads from?

Thank you for the kind words, Mark! I don't want to mention it here out of respect for AG. PM sent.

This review almost makes me want to pick this up. Looks perfect for waxing and polishing tight areas and bumpers. I feel the 4in pads on my gg6 or g110v2 make the machine too tippy for lack of a better word. But I shall hold out to save up for the rupes.

Excellent review Marc!!!! Keep it up

Thanks a lot, jvs1991!

You should definitely pick one up. It's already worth the money for waxing purposes only. Then you get the added benefit of being able to do defect correction in tight areas too. It's a very capable tool. I'm sure you will not be disappointed in it.

[Chris's FX4]

Great review Marc, along with the flood of others you've been doing.

Been thinking about getting this or the GG 3" DA.

[Caleb@ImpeccableImage]

AWESOME!!!! If only you could see my expression when I opened this up LOL. I have been wanting to pick one of these up since I first saw them come out and have been wondering just how affective it really is. Wasnt really expecting to be dissapointed from Meguiars but this just proved its worth and capability. Thank you so much for the in depth review. Nicely done .

[BobbyG]

Marc, you're crankin' out reviews like it's nothing!!!! Excellent job!!

I couldn't have said it better!

WOW!
Holy Smokes!
Amazing!

Marc, you've posted some stunning reviews that rival the very best I've seen anywhere!

I believe your quick success using the Meguiar's DA Power System is due to it's rotary design vs the dual action counterpart.

A rotary corrects much quicker that any DA I'm aware of and it appears that Meguiar's has hit another home run....thanks to your review!!

[Admin]

Very nice review and good results!

[Marc08EX]

Great review Marc, along with the flood of others you've been doing.

Been thinking about getting this or the GG 3" DA.

Thanks a lot, Chris!

AWESOME!!!! If only you could see my expression when I opened this up LOL. I have been wanting to pick one of these up since I first saw them come out and have been wondering just how affective it really is. Wasnt really expecting to be dissapointed from Meguiars but this just proved its worth and capability. Thank you so much for the in depth review. Nicely done .

I'm glad to hear you like this review and could benefit you, Caleb! Thanks for the kind words! You should get it! It's good stuff!

I couldn't have said it better!

WOW!
Holy Smokes!
Amazing!

Marc, you've posted some stunning reviews that rival the very best I've seen anywhere!

I believe your quick success using the Meguiar's DA Power System is due to it's rotary design vs the dual action counterpart.

A rotary corrects much quicker that any DA I'm aware of and it appears that Meguiar's has hit another home run....thanks to your review!!

WOW!! That's very flattering to hear from you, Bobby! I'm sure I'm still far away from being the best but I just try to do a good review. Thank you for the kind words!

You are definitely correct! The forced rotation action of this system acts like the Flex 3401. If you like the forced rotation feature of the 3401, then you will certainly like this.

Very nice review and good results!

Thank you so much, admin of AutogeekOnline!!!