I am looking to switch from hand polishing to using a DA...

I

ItsKYRO

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Hi all, after a few vehicles by hand, I am simply going through far too much product, time, and effort in hand detailing.

I am looking to get a DA, I know we might not be able to be specific on brands or product other than what is provided on Autogeek so I won't ask you to do that, I am looking for help on product specs I should be looking for to fit my needs.

I am finding some DA polishers as low as $30 however I am not sure on what minimum specs I should be looking for. I am trying to get it as low cost budget as I can, at least until I make some money.

I intend to use it for polishes / compounds / waxes / any lubrication applied to most or all of the vehicle

I appreciate any feedback
 
I congratulate you for wanting to make the jump but in my opinion when applying wax it's better to do it by hand still. I say this because the machine will get the paint correction that you desire which will make your paint look perfect but it's just easier in my opinion to apply the last step by hand

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I forgot to add, I recommend those machines because the PC is time tested, while the Griots has a great warranty (or return period if you don’t like it) and both are low priced.
 
Thank you for the responses. I will keep that in mind about waxing.

is there a specific minimum OPM i should be looking for? Something to help me differentiate the $30 DAs vs $80 DAs

The two DAs recommended are a little bit out of my price range atm
 
ItsKYRO said:
Thank you for the responses. I will keep that in mind about waxing.

is there a specific minimum OPM i should be looking for? Something to help me differentiate the $30 DAs vs $80 DAs

The two DAs recommended are a little bit out of my price range atm
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I'm no expert, but I'd say try to save up a little more and get one of the 2 JDGolden recommended.
Both are proven products and you could be throwing money away with the less expensive options.
 
JDGolden said:
I would go Griots G9 due to their warranty.

Customers for Life - 100% Guarantee


- Griot's Garage

Or the Porter Cable xp7424. Both are offered here.
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If you get one of the above or something like them - get a 5" backing plate and then invest your "Pad Money" into smaller, thinner pads.

The Griot's G9 comes with a 6" backing plate and it has MORE than enough power to turn and churn larger 6.5" pads but smaller 5.5" pads fit the shapes of body panels better without buffing on edges or raised body lines.



:)
 
JDGolden said:
I would go Griots G9 due to their warranty.

Customers for Life - 100% Guarantee


- Griot's Garage

Or the Porter Cable xp7424. Both are offered here.
Click to expand...

^^^This^^^

Say you buy the $30 DA only to find out it has no power, and/or it craps out after 2-3 uses. There goes your $30+ dollars, and you still have to buy another machine.

IMO, you can go cheap with many things, but power tools are not one of them.

Like JD said, the PC is a little tank of a machine, and it will never fail you. The G9 is a new(ish) model with a bunch of power, and if you ever have a problem with it, Griots will stand behind it 100% with no questions asked. For life!

And like Mike P said, if you go the PC route it will work much better with the 5" backing plate.

And since you are budget-conscious, if you decide to get a PC, I will personally send you a 5" backing plate free of charge. Let us know what your decision is, and if you need the plate just PM me. :)
 
I’d grab the PC. It’s just a time tested, safe, and effective tool that is a perfect choice to learn on.

I upgraded to the G9 and had to make two warranty claims on it. Each instance I had to bust out the trusty PC to finish the job.


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I picked up a PC 7424xp a few months ago.
It works great. Easy to use.
Everyone in my neighborhood wants their cars buffed out now.


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Hand polishing a whole vehicle is perhaps the worst experience I ever had. That is exhausting haha

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