GG6 vs Duetto

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TJinFL

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I am a 72 year old man who recently has become obsessed with getting a car polisher. I am in pretty good shape. Run 4 miles 3x a week and take of a home on 5 acres of land in Florida. In case you might wonder about about my physical capabilities. I don't really need a polisher, but I want one. It all started with getting a new car and polishing it with KAOI followed by Collinite 476s, Then about a month later I noticed my black porous trim which is all around my RAV4 had been discolored with white stains. So I began perusing car detailing forums and here I am.

Also it should be noted I am an engineer and technical type. I like tools and recently bought some Milwaukee Fuel brushless tools. Now I didn't really need the tools although they have come in handy but I could have gotten by with one's of lesser quality.

So as I began to get interested in polishers initially I looked at the PC 7424XP and quickly progressed to the Griot's Garage 6". I looked at the Flex 3401 & 3 but ruled them out for various reasons. Then I discovered the Rupes LHR 12ES and thought I had found my polisher although the price is starting to get up there.

Then on your website I noticed the Rupes LHR 15ES reduced to $299 because of the intro of a newer Mark II series.

So I am going back and forth between the 12 and the 15 and occasionally back to the GG6 which common sense tells me is all I need.

If I got a Rupes I would probably go with the Duetto as I would probably primarily use it to apply polishes and waxes.

Also with Rupes I am wondering about what pads to use (Theirs or say Lake Country)? Will I have heat issues if I go with non-Rupes pads?

Also I probably wouldn't use Rupes compounds, polishes, & waxes.

One of the reasons I am leaning towards the Rupes is a better user experience as in vibration, comfort, and noise. If I get a polisher I want to like it and not end up going back to hand polishing.

I have a '95 Toyota T100 pickup I plan to practice on.


Thanks for any input you might have
 
TJinFL said:
One of the reasons I am leaning towards the Rupes is a better user experience as in vibration, comfort, and noise. If I get a polisher I want to like it and not end up going back to hand polishing.
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LOL, I think whatever polisher you pick, you won't go back to hand polishing. I think you would be the first member to do that. Good luck in your decision.
 
I own a PC7424XP, was bought here, and the baby Griots GG3" Polishers. And also have a large Variable Speed Milwaukee Rotary Polisher.

A rotary has it's place, but for hobbyist use, a DA Machine should adequately fill a large majority of user's needs, and will provide superb results without the dangers to paint that a Rotary Polisher can if not very careful.

If you like quality equipment, then either Rupes and also Flex Machines will definitely have the edge on build quality, and likely as well long term reliability and satisfaction. I understand Flex now also has a free spinning DA Machine besides their workhorse forced rotation 3401.

It would not be a bad thing to even have two polishers, lets say a Rupes set up for 5" or 5.5" Pads, and a PC7424XP set up for smaller Pads, 4" and 3" with the appropriate backing plates.

Lake Country makes fine quality Pads, I see no reason they cannot be used to equal good effect with the Rupes, or the Flex DA. There are others too, Meguairs, again too, very high quality pads.

Usually the #1 cause of failure to pads is improper use, and over-heating. One can no doubt burn up-wear out any pad on the market with over-working, and over-heating them. As Mike Phillips our forum guru-master once touched upon, he said, "In a perfect world, one panel, one pad", so on and so forth.

Thus, it is very wise to have an ample quantity of the various types of pads on hand. When one starts getting a little too dirty, or perhaps starting to get a little too warm after polishing a couple panels, pop it off, and apply a fresh one of the chosen type, and continue on.

The proverbial "Test Spot" is what guides a person to choose the correct combo of polishes and pads per any given vehicle's paint and its condition.

The final results that a DA Machine can attain clearly speak for themselves. I'll say this without reservation, and I believe 100% of other members will agree when I say this.

"That I can place in the hands of a 10 year old youngster who has some experience with a DA, and using the right pads, polishes, and technique can and will attain much better results than hand polishing, even versus a seasoned expert who's owned many concours quality vehicles in his-her life."

Plus the time and work saved as well, letting a machine do such processes for you.

Of course the road of attaining show car results consists of more than just whipping out a polisher, pads, and going to work.

The simple basic low-down process is
Wash, Decontaminate, Polish, Seal-Wax. Processes such as Iron Particle removal, Claying should be considered if needed before Polishing. A brand new vehicle from a dealer is no guarantee of such not needing thorough decon done prior to polishing.

If you only want just one machine for the foreseeable future, I don't think you could go wrong with the Rupes of your liking. With proper use and care, these machines should last many many years of trouble-free use and enjoyment.
 
I don't have any other polishers, but have been using the Duetto for the past year. It's a nice machine but I think, because of its higher rpm and my inexperience, it's hard on pads. I have now learned not to use it on speed 5 or 6 with my LC flat pads. Speed 4 is more than enough. Maybe Rupes pads would hold up to using it at the highest settings.

Also, it's the only polisher I've seen Mike recommend not to use with the clay disks because its lowest speed setting is to high for them. I learned, then read this after the fact. If it's just for you and well taken care of vehicles, then you really shouldn't need to clay by machine anyway.
 
The thing about the choice is with the rupes duetto it does not stop there, as you will need pads and other stuff you need.

So its not just 300. You will be around 375-400 in.

With the gg6 you can order a nice kit with pads towels polishes for 180-250.

Anything the the bigger and higher priced polishers can do the gg6 can duplicate it, it will just take some more time and not being that comfortable in the process.

It sounds like all you need is the gg6, but the duetto is a lot more comfortable smoother and easier on the body. But then again if you only plan on doing light polishing and waxing the gg6 isn't going to be that stressful infact on speed 4 its a demon of a machine.

At the end of the day so what makes you happy, if you want the rupes get the rupes, make your self happy. Every now and again you have to spoil your self and realize a $100 more isn't going to break the bank and if that's what you want get what makes you happy.
 
The Rupes machines are among the smoothest out there, however some of that smoothness (NOT ALL OF IT) is lost when pads of different manufacturers are used. Its a very fine tuned tool.

You really cant go wrong with any of them. With that said, my knock on the Griots tools is they are made in China. PC 7424 is made in Mexico. Rupes in Italy. Flex in Germany.
 
Mantilgh said:
I don't have any other polishers, but have been using the Duetto for the past year. It's a nice machine but I think, because of its higher rpm and my inexperience, it's hard on pads. I have now learned not to use it on speed 5 or 6 with my LC flat pads. Speed 4 is more than enough. Maybe Rupes pads would hold up to using it at the highest settings.

Also, it's the only polisher I've seen Mike recommend not to use with the clay disks because its lowest speed setting is to high for them. I learned, then read this after the fact. If it's just for you and well taken care of vehicles, then you really shouldn't need to clay by machine anyway.
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I run my Duetto wide open on speed 6 all the time when polishing and use LC and Buff and Shine pads with zero issues when polishing never lost one yet.

Are you putting downward pressure on it when you use it?
 
Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
The thing about the choice is with the rupes duetto it does not stop there, as you will need pads and other stuff you need.

So its not just 300. You will be around 375-400 in.

With the gg6 you can order a nice kit with pads towels polishes for 180-250.

Anything the the bigger and higher priced polishers can do the gg6 can duplicate it, it will just take some more time and not being that comfortable in the process.

It sounds like all you need is the gg6, but the duetto is a lot more comfortable smoother and easier on the body. But then again if you only plan on doing light polishing and waxing the gg6 isn't going to be that stressful infact on speed 4 its a demon of a machine.

At the end of the day so what makes you happy, if you want the rupes get the rupes, make your self happy. Every now and again you have to spoil your self and realize a $100 more isn't going to break the bank and if that's what you want get what makes you happy.
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Like what you've said. To sum up in a nutshell, some people want a $10K PRS Guitar, there's folks out there that have a 4x4 pickup truck that's worth $500-$900, and it's hauling a $42,000 Ranger Bass Boat to the Lakes.

Are they wrong? Of course not, whatever floats a person's "boat" so to speak.

I'll let you all in on a little secret of mine..... My Audio System in my living room cost more than the house that it's placed in, and that I'm living in. Just a tidbit, my Turntable's Cartridge was $3K. And that's peanuts in high-end audio.

$100K for an audio system, that's like a Red Hot today for the folks who have the Dracmas.
 
I have the GG6 and the Duetto and a Rupes Mini, Rupes LHR 15 and G21. I never use the GG6 anymore. The Duetto is way smoother.

But if I had to go with one machine it would be either the PC or GG6 because of the flexibity to use different size backing plates.

I give the PC the edge for dual purpose as it's much smoother when using a 3" backing plate with 3" and 4" pads compared to the GG6.

You can mount 3" and 3.5" and 5" Lake Country backing plates on both machines which gives you great flexibility.

You can't do that with the Duetto. I have the Mini so that covers it for me, but then you're talking another big investment.

If all you are doing is your vehicle either a PC or a GG6 kit would be the way to go.
 
Being a hobbyist and looking for a kit or system that won't break the bank. I would get a Griot's 6". As an option you could get the 5" backing plate, however, not necessary and from what I hear the Griot's BOSS creams are supposedly top notch as well. Lake Country Thin Pro pads are what I use on my Rupes and my GG6. I do have some Griot's pads as well.
 
Wow I can't imagine polishing anything by hand...lol

I love my GG6, but sometimes I wish I would have dropped the money on the Flex 3401...I certainly don't need it, but I tend to buy more than what I need just in case.
 
op my vote also goes for the Rupes. Great machines, easy to use system, comfortable(most important after hours of polishing) and they have amazing customer service.

Yeah the GG is cheaper but you get what you pay for imo. GG makes some great products but when it comes to polishers Rupes has them beat. And it's not much more $$
 
custmsprty said:
I run my Duetto wide open on speed 6 all the time when polishing and use LC and Buff and Shine pads with zero issues when polishing never lost one yet.

Are you putting downward pressure on it when you use it?
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Yes, in the beginning. Too much product and over working it too.

I believe it's just the yellow ones haven't held up well to my abuse.
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. I don't plan to buy anything until the sales later in the year.

FWIW I am leaning back to the GG6. Actually one ot the two kits which include the 5" backing plate which is by Lake Country I believe and strangely the pads are Griot's and not LC's. The kits are either GR-10813-PADK or GR-10813-PADK2.

Mike Phillips has an excellent thread where he uses a GG6 to detail I believe it was like an '86 red Porsche but I don't have time to go check.

Terry
 
- GG6 (HD version is nice)
- LC backing plates (3.5" and 5")
- a few LC flats (4" and 5.5")
- a few LC thin pros (4" and 5.5")
- a pack of spare compression washers

That was my starter pack :)
No regrets.

I was also considering the duetto. Much like you, I like quality and smooth running tools. But I decided the GG6 offered a little more flexibility for a "one-machine" man-- Not constrained to Rupes pads/polishes and I can use it for a wide range of tasks. That, plus I saved a couple hundred bucks. I've not used a rupes, but neither would I say the GG6 is an uncomfortable tool to operate. I don't doubt the Rupes runs like a Cadillac in comparison, but the GG6 just made more sense to me right now.
 
Harpolith said:
- GG6 (HD version is nice)
- LC backing plates (3.5" and 5")
- a few LC flats (4" and 5.5")
- a few LC thin pros (4" and 5.5")
- a pack of spare compression washers

That was my starter pack :)
No regrets.

I was also considering the duetto. Much like you, I like quality and smooth running tools. But I decided the GG6 offered a little more flexibility for a "one-machine" man-- Not constrained to Rupes pads/polishes and I can use it for a wide range of tasks. That, plus I saved a couple hundred bucks. I've not used a rupes, but neither would I say the GG6 is an uncomfortable tool to operate. I don't doubt the Rupes runs like a Cadillac in comparison, but the GG6 just made more sense to me right now.
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Great advice...I did something very similar but went with all LC Flats instead
 
I have to echo a lot of what's been said on here.

I LOVE my Duetto to the end. But I only really use it with their polishes and pads - "the system". I tend to reserve those tools (Duetto and Mini) for more specialized, higher end paint correction jobs.

For just about everything else, I use the ubiquitous Porter Cable 7424, and 7424xp.

In all honesty, I can do anything with the Porter Cable that I can do with the Rupes, or the Flex 3401 when I had it.

The GG6 has more power, but I've been more than happy with the Porter Cable tools. I like that they're not in the detailing industry as much as they are the general tool industry.
 
For me, if I knew all I wanted was one machine, I'd do the Duetto and a 3in kamikaze backing plate and buy me some LC thin pros

With that being said I went straight to a G21, then a Rupes mini, followed by a Nano , and most recently a 3401
 
get a GG6 (plenty of torque/power, lifetime warranty, and excellent no-nonsense customer service) with a few different backing plates and pads and you'll have most all your basis covered. the duetto has no interchangeable backing plates other than the one it comes with so you are restricted on different pad sizes that you can use...
 
I don't know which machine is better, but I do know. That you won't go back to hand polishing. The machines makes that job that much faster, and much more enjoyable. :) I have a torq 10fx, which is decent machine. I may have gone with rupes myself, but at the time I didn't want to spend too much.
 
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