or Login >>         
C4 Insurance | Tutorials | Quick Facts | Buying Used C4 | Re Call Info | Offers | Service Reviews | Downloads | Error Codes | Warranty?
Premier Membership * Great Discounts + * Personal Photo Gallery + * = Great Value [read more....]
C4 - DS4 Owners :: Forums :: Coupe and Hatch Pre 2011 cars :: Car Care
<< Previous thread | Next thread >>

Car Polisher
Home   Forum Rules    Forum Help  Conversion Tools
   
Please Register to enjoy additional Member Benefits
Top Thanked Forum Posts: Today | Week | Month | Year | All time | Most Thanks Given: To member | By user
Author Post
dtb999   
Tue Mar 29 2011, 11:16am
Member No: #17318
Joined: Jan 13 2011
Location: Woodford Green. Essex
 I'm thinking of buying a polishing/buffer machine, wondering if others use one and if so what's good, or is old fashioned elbow greese still the best. Also going to clay my GP, never clayed before, any tips.
Dave_Retired.   
Tue Mar 29 2011, 01:00pm

Member No: #1
Joined: Aug 07 2006
Location: Northumberland
 You could cause serious paintwork damage with a polishing machine if your not careful.

There is nothing as good as a bit of old fashioned elbow grease.

The effort required, can be greatly reduced as well, if you use a high quality Carnubu wax so don't scrimp on the polish
wozza   
Tue Mar 29 2011, 01:28pm

Member No: #2
Joined: Aug 12 2006
Location: Manchester
 There are safer polishing machines. Like dual action ones such as the Meguires G220. For a decent D/A you are talking £200+ once you buy different pads and compounds etc. You need a few pads to do a car and varying sizes.

Cheap halfords ones won't do much. A rotary is usually cheaper, however you will need to practice on a spare panel as you can burn through paint with them. Or leave the paint work with trails, holograms etc. Not a good idea to jump straight in. Seen people get distracted and burn through the paint in a second or so.

You need to do some research on them really. But for a first timer a dual action is the way to go. If you are unsure. Some of the online detail places do kits with them.
Ham   
Tue Mar 29 2011, 01:40pm

Member No: #69
Joined: Jan 10 2007
Location: Derby, England
 I would say read up on detailing world forums, and there may be people local to you that could advise and show you what they're using.
Cra1g   
Wed Mar 30 2011, 03:05am
Using or attempting to use a buffer is one thing thats always scared me to death. It is effectively a power tool, and as others have said, if your not focused you can easily do more damage than good.

I personally go for elbow grease being a young whipper snapper of 26. Give it a try by hand, and if you do struglle, as my old man would say "try to do a bit at a time, do some, chill abit, and then go back"

You'll be happier doing it yourself than by machine.
Ham   
Wed Mar 30 2011, 11:43am

Member No: #69
Joined: Jan 10 2007
Location: Derby, England
 To get the best results you need to clay bar the car too!
Darren   
Wed Mar 30 2011, 01:18pm
Member No: #5650
Joined: Oct 03 2008
Location: Portsmouth, UK
 I also was toying with the idea of a polisher but I'd rather leave it to an insured pro to deal with it rather than myself. I'm happy with a bucket full of microfibre clothes and my chemicals
dtb999   
Wed Mar 30 2011, 02:17pm
Member No: #17318
Joined: Jan 13 2011
Location: Woodford Green. Essex
 Bl**dy h**l, never realised these things could be lethal, I shall stick to elbow grease, so glad I asked for advice, thanks for your replies
 

Jump:     Back to top

User Colour Key:
Head Administrator, Administrator, Forum Moderator, Forum Moderator, Premier Member, Technical Expert, New C4 and DS4 Forum Moderators, Member