What car polish/wax buffer to buy?

[kuhan]

I'm tired of polishing and waxing with my hands. What is the best car buffer for the money? any suggestions are welcome!

[johnny_d]

i bought a Coleman one from Kragen for 20 bucks, haven't even tried it yet lolz. Instead of using your hands can you just use it to apply everything or is it just good for applying and remove by hands?

[SHIFT_COUPE]

Apply with your hand, buff it in with the buffer and use a fresh towel to manually make the last final wipe

[johnny_d]

[ssjones]

I've owned a Porter-Cable Random Orbital by Meguiars since '96 and it's indespensible for taking car of my cars, partcularly the acres of crappy, Black GM paint on our '96 Impala SS. It looks like Meguiars doesn't sell machines anymore, just the backing plate and pads (I like the larger pads) I had one of those cheaper, low speed polishers and they are not very effective. For a little more cash, you'll get a much more useful machine.

Griots sells the same machine and includes the velcro backing plate:http://www.griotsgarage.com/pr...al.do

When our Impala was new, a friends Lab jumped up and raked his nails across the drivers door, leaving five fine scratches in the paint. The Porter-Cable had enough power to remove the scraches, so I was sold. I can apply wax to a car in less than 10 minutes. (always remove by hand)

Our local auto paint shop sells replacement pads, so I just pick them up at that spot. I mostly use the Meguairs Mirror-Glaze professional line of waxes and polishes. Their lineup is pretty extensive (and confusing) but bascially I use either the show car glaze, fine cut polish for scratches and the Yellow Wax as the top coat.Auto%20Paint%20Care>Car%20Polishes>Pure%20Polishes§ionID=31401" TARGET="_blank">http://www.meguiars.com/estore...31401

This is a little old, but explains the Meguiars product line/processeshttp://www.miata.net/garage/meguiars.htm

[Shift_Altima]

Wait so u apply wax with the machine?

[adidas2go]

This is what i use. Its great

http://www.bavauto.com/fland.a...00669

[08Coupe]

http://www.tropi-care.com/

The Porter-Cable package deal they have is killer. Plus great support

[kuhan]

Cool. Thanks guys for fast responds. Any more????

[kuhan]

i am planning to get this. pretty good review from amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Porter-C...r=1-1h ... ab...wItem - $99

[Shift_Altima]

Can any normal person like myself use this? or do i need to learn how.. i don't wanna ruin my paint

[MisfitBrian]

Can any normal person like myself use this? or do i need to learn how.. i don't wanna ruin my paint

Porter-Cables DA is very easy to use. Go here...http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html for some really good instructions. It would be very hard to ruin your paint w/ a random orbital polisher. They actually don't spin very fast. And you'll want to get some extra foam pads & micro fiber covers to remove wax/polish as well.

[audtatious]

If you stay with something like the foam pad kits you should have no issues with killing the paint. Since I have yet seen a speed rating for those they are listed as a polisher and not a buffer so they should not be fast enough to build up any heat.

[ssjones]

The "Ranom Orbital" is the key - with that function, you cannot burn the paint, even on vehicles edges. Body shops use what is called a straight wheel, which spins very quickly and can remove more blemishes used by a trained person. A wheel in the hands of a rookie could be disasterous.

On the Porter Cable, just make sure your deal includes the DA backing plate, sometimes buying this separately is more costly than buying the kit like Griots offers. I like the 8" pads. Here's some info I compiled a few years ago. Don't buy the gallon of wax from Meguiars, it is WAY too much for the average joe and I wasted about half the gallon when it separated.

From an old post:I have the Meguiar's (Porter-Cable) random-orbital polisher, model #7335. The unit works great and I have used it extensively over the past 18 months. This model is designed to use the Meguiar’s Soft-Buff pads that attach to a backing plate with Velcro. A different pad is used for each specific product. The pad numbers and application are listed below. Several vendors sell the pads and buffer, but after trying several vendors (Imparts, Showtime) I finally learned to order directly from Meguiars at (800) 347-5700. I was most impressed with the buffer after it removed the scratch marks of a Springer-spaniel from my driver’s door. My guess is that I saved a good part of the buffers cost in this job versus taking in to a detail/body shop.

W65-DA 8" Dual Action Backing Plate - This will allow you to use the Velcro attachment pads. I was mistakenly sent the 8" Backing Plate (W-65) that did not work.

W-9000 Finishing Pad - Use to apply #26 Yellow Wax 9 (or the like)

W-8000 Polishing Pad - Use to apply #9 Swirl Remover

W-7000 Cutting Pad - Use to apply #2 Fine Cut Cleaner. I don't use this pad on my Impala, as it is a pretty aggressive pad and should only be used with severely oxidized paint.

There is also a W-1000 pad that is essentially the old version of the W-9000 pad. A gallon of #26 Yellow Wax is approximately $31. At any rate the folks at Meguiar’s were always very helpful and properly informed. I can't say the same for the other two vendors I used.

Another wax product that has received good reviews from the WAIL folks is Griots Garage “Best of Show”; supposedly it is easier to work with than the Meguiar’s products.You will be very satisfied with this buffer.

If you stay with something like the foam pad kits you should have no issues with killing the paint. Since I have yet seen a speed rating for those they are listed as a polisher and not a buffer so they should not be fast enough to build up any heat.

[kuhan]

thanks guys,

here is a video clip of polishing process http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...lated

[Shift_Altima]

So if I buy a polisher.. the paste wax I have is useless rite.. I'm gonna need liquid wax and liquid polish to use it? Sorry guys I'm new with car care and i wanna get it right. Basically.. you get a polish machine and a bunch of polishing wheel pad things. Wash the car normally.. hand dry normally.. clay bar if u wanna.. then load the machine with liquid polish.. do that then do the same with liquid wax. Give the car a final wipe down.. and ur done?

[07alti]

I heard this stuff from Zaino rocks, anyone ever use it?

http://www.zainostore.com/Merc...Zaino

[adidas2go]

So if I buy a polisher.. the paste wax I have is useless rite.. I'm gonna need liquid wax and liquid polish to use it? Sorry guys I'm new with car care and i wanna get it right. Basically.. you get a polish machine and a bunch of polishing wheel pad things. Wash the car normally.. hand dry normally.. clay bar if u wanna.. then load the machine with liquid polish.. do that then do the same with liquid wax. Give the car a final wipe down.. and ur done?

Na dude. You can use paste wax. You don't use a buffer to apply the wax, you use an applicator pad for that. You use a buffer to take off the wax. All wax comes off the same. I use Meguiers Tech Wax and its a paste

[Shift_Altima]

by hand or by machine

[MisfitBrian]

by hand or by machine

You can do it either way. There are going to be a few places you will have to do by hand because of space limitations. And one important thing, go easy on the amount of product you use. You will find that you will use a lot less wax/polish. And before you start the process, spritz a little quick detailer on your pad. It helps the pads from drying out & spreads the product faster.

[ssjones]

I find the machine doesn't do a good job removing the wax so I use the machine to apply only. But I only have foam pads, perhaps another type of pad might do better to remove.

As said, you'll use a whole lot less product. I prefer liquid, it's just a lot easier to put on the pad in the right quantity (sparingly). With paste, you have to put it one with a spatular or spreader and that takes longer than just squirting on a ring.

You can do it either way. There are going to be a few places you will have to do by hand because of space limitations. And one important thing, go easy on the amount of product you use. You will find that you will use a lot less wax/polish. And before you start the process, spritz a little quick detailer on your pad. It helps the pads from drying out & spreads the product faster.

[adidas2go]

I find the machine doesn't do a good job removing the wax so I use the machine to apply only. But I only have foam pads, perhaps another type of pad might do better to remove.

As said, you'll use a whole lot less product. I prefer liquid, it's just a lot easier to put on the pad in the right quantity (sparingly). With paste, you have to put it one with a spatular or spreader and that takes longer than just squirting on a ring.

Ya dude its all in the technique of holding the buffer at the right angle to remove the wax

[MisfitBrian]

Ya dude its all in the technique of holding the buffer at the right angle to remove the wax

Actually, get some microfiber bonnets that fit over the pad & it will take it all off.

[LongBeachCoupe]

Some Dizzeals on amazon i found interesting...titan for $30http://www.amazon.com/Titan-22...r=1-3vector 6" for $25http://www.amazon.com/Vector-W...r=1-1coleman 6" for $20http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-...r=1-4Motor City for $36http://www.amazon.com/Motor-Ci...r=1-9WEN for $26http://www.amazon.com/GREAT-LA...=1-12

[D-Roll]

I use Meguiers Tech Wax and its a paste

[Shift_Altima]

Got it that makes sense. U apply the paste wax directly to the applicator and use it to wax. Makes sense..

[ssjones]

Machines with slip-over bonnets won't do much but apply wax, they're no good for taking out scratches, swirl marks etc. You need some speed for that kind of work, the slip over wouldn't be effective. With the Porter-Cable machine, I've had it for 12 years and can go down today and pick up new pads. A buddy bought the CycloPro machine (has two pads) and has difficulty getting replacement pads.

[soch240essex]

i have a Makita. i love it

[MisfitBrian]

Machines with slip-over bonnets won't do much but apply wax, they're no good for taking out scratches, swirl marks etc. You need some speed for that kind of work, the slip over wouldn't be effective. With the Porter-Cable machine, I've had it for 12 years and can go down today and pick up new pads. A buddy bought the CycloPro machine (has two pads) and has difficulty getting replacement pads.

There are so many pads & access for the PC that you can't go wrong. Spend the extra money & you won't regret it.

[Sparktree]

Can anyone tell me the difference between a polish and a wax? I always thought polish is like cleaner/shiner, and wax is well… just a protective shield, so I would only use polish and wax like maybe every 4-5 polishes. Also is there a huge difference between machined polished/waxed and hand polished/waxed quality. I don’t mine taking time to do things manually by hand, but if there’s a quality difference, I am thinking of getting the porter cable. I want my car to shine enough to blind a person during daylight.