Help from You Detailing Geeks?

I'd like to buy a Porter-Cable polisher and all the doo-dads. I've looked at Autopia and Autogeek forums but getting info from them feels a bit like putting a firehose in your mouth: way too much when all I want is a simple little drink. Can you help me cut to the chase, or a link to somewhere that can?

I'm looking for a PC kit with pads to rejuvenate a late '80s Saab with single-stage white paint (the forums seem to indicate that color can dictate potions/pads due to paint hardness??).

Also looking for a set of potions to use. I'm not trying to break the bank or win any awards; durability is probably the most important attribute for the final wax, and I'll want to be able to buy the stuff locally in the future, if possible. Car lives outside; paint is pretty heavily oxidized and stained in places. My detailing experience is with 3-stage hand-applied Meguiar's stuff, clay bar, etc.

Also looking for a reputable online vendor that values customer service.

Thx...

I can't help with the PC unit, but I have had pretty good luck with this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92623

and this:

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.asp?T1=MEG+A1216

3m also make a real good polish that I get from a local marine distributor, but I am out of it and can't remember the name of it. I got a call into my friend that works there and will post back when I get the info.

http://www.ocdetails.com

Website for reading about products, learned a lot and posts on the legacy gt subaru forum

PC 7424 + Lake Country Orange CCS pad + Menzerna Intensive Polish. That combo works wonders, and it's still gentle enough that even a hack like me couldn't screw it up:

Before:

During:

After:

I got my stuff from properautocare.com

Holy cats, that is an impressive improvement. That really DID buff out!

It's a Miata. Of course that was the answer. That being said, I really like Poorboy products...... and you can't go wrong with a PC.

There's some good info on the Roadfly detailing forum. Check out the stickies.

A few months ago while home with a cold I read through pages of stuff on polishing and I can understand the info overload. I ended up with a Porter Cable and a box full of products from AutoGeek, they seem to have the biggest selection and run coupon codes off and on.

I've tried various Poor Boy products and the ubiquitous Meguiar's M205/M105 polish combo. I think they all work well enough when you start out, I'm not sure the subtleties of one brand will be apparent over another.

One thing to look out for are chemical polishes versus polishes with abrasive compounds. You'll probably want something with abrasives in it if you are polishing a single stage paint job.

As for wax everyone recommends Collinite waxes for high durability. I bought some 845 (was pretty inexpensive) and it's held up for a couple months with minimal attention on my daily driver.

for over the counter, Meguiar's Ultimate Compund is KILLER. It's almost as good as Menznera Intensive Polish (SIP) and it has WAY less dust. Follow that with Megs Swirl-X or Megs #9 and you'll have a sweet shine that is ready for wax/sealant.

Menzerna gives unreal results, but the dust drives me nuts. It's the best way to get major gloss out of a dull finish. The geeks on Autopia generally follow it up w/ Menzerna 106 Final Finish (106FF). They call them the Menzerna twins there.

I use a Griot's Garage polisher that basically does a similar job as the PC. I used it on a bunch of cars over the summer and was really pleased w/ the results.

You know when i got my -85 944 in red it was.... well pink...15 years in the Forida sun had killed the paint so i thought. A 10 inch wallmart buffer and a can of No 7 White Polishing Compound 07610 by Cyclo Industries Made it shine again. I did go through about 10 bonetts but man did it shine. Only did it once then used Nu Finsh once a month after that for about 6 months then once a year. Car looked awsume for the 3 years i had it. 44

I have a $30 Craftsman random-orbit buffer that I use with various 3M and Meguiars buffing compounds (whatever I can find when I need some). It does a good job, though I suspect not as good as could be done with a real buffer. I finish up with Zaino because it's easy to use, though lately I've been kind of disappointed with how long it lasts, considering the cost. When I run out I'll probably switch to whatever I can find at the local auto parts store, Meguiars or Mothers or whatever.

Auto detailing is a lot like autocross. It's 10% which products you use, and 90% how you use them. The skill to use them right comes with patience and experience.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Auto detailing is a lot like autocross. It's 10% which products you use, and 90% how you use them. The skill to use them right comes with patience and experience.

I fully agree w/ this. I was a big proponent of my Ryobi 6" buffer w/ some foam bonnets for product application. The only issue with it was that it didn't have the speed/cutting ability to get rid of more aggressive swirl marks. I could make a car glisten, but I could never fully correct the paint.

That said, even a cheap-o buffer is a milliontimes better than doing it by hand.

I've been looking into this as well since I asked my wife for a HF Polisher for Christmas. The 7" one (item 92623) is currently on sale for $35 and the %20 off coupon in GRM makes it $28. GRM also has a coupon for the polisher directly for $30. I've read that rotary polishers are good, but you have to be careful or you can screw up a finish in no time. I'm planning to practice on my spare Miata hood before I touch anything I care about. Personally I blame Wheeler Dealer for this. Regardless of what all they "fix", it's the detailing job that makes the final product look so darn good!

ok. +1 for megs ultimate compound - new formulation and you can get it at wally world. I've used it by hand to get stains out of clear coat. +1 for rotary polishers can do good in experienced hands. pad and product selection is important. Most of megs stuff can be used with a rotary or DA. you can get the HF rotary and lake country or meg pads for a low cost solution. practice on small sections on something you don't care about. I've been told you cannot leave a rotary spinning too long on one spot or you will burn/remove the paint. DA random orbital polishers are easier to use as they are not as aggressive as a rotary. check out the forums at meguiarsonline.com, etc., to see if anyone has worked on a similar paint job. There is a DVD by showcardetailing.com that shows how to use a DA and meg products (diminishing abrasives) on a single stage paint job. BTW, they also show how to do the same thing by hand.

Sorry if I seem biased towards Meguiars. I have been trying to figure out the best bang for the buck for a while.

gamby wrote: for over the counter, Meguiar's Ultimate Compund is KILLER.

I used it on a Ranger I had.

Foam pads, not wool. Wool scratches nicely, and removes the heck out of paints, especially on the edges, as in right down to bare metal. Don't use wool pads.

If you use foam pads, you can even use a straight rotary. As in like a 7" or 9" rotary grinder. Amazing how little damage they will do with a foam pad. I'm very happy with mine.

A bare foam pad, with nothing else, will remove a lot of oxidation. Using a compound does help, but make no mistake, the bare spinning pad does a pretty durn good job.

That Meguiers "Deep Crystal" that's sold at Walmart and the like? Not top flight, but pretty durn good. Especially the polishing compound. The NXT synthetic wax stuff is better and longer lasting, but not remarkably so.

Tape the car. To keep the polish off the windshield trim and such. It gets into the plastic and rubber, turning it white and yucky. Keep it out by taping before you polish and wax.

Yes, claying works. Yes, it's worth doing. Keep it wet to keep it from sticking. You just rub the car, and it becomes remarkably smooth.