I Bought My First DA Polisher, Now What? (Newbie Questions)

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lovenhim

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Hello all you wonderful people. I finally ordered my first DA polisher after a lot of research. I also have on the way Mothers compound, polish, and synthetic wax, five in backing plate. As I did not mention this to my "helper" I will keep them nameless for now. Someone is also sending me some 5.5 inch pads to get me started. Here are my questions:

As of right now the DA polisher will be used on our family hatchback and maybe my parents ten year old farm truck. I realize that a compound used with a DA polisher to remove swirl marks or clear coat scrates will remove a minor amount of clearcoat. How often should a DA application of compound or polish be applied to a vehicle. My guess would to do so only if it is needed. Otherwise practice good car wash skills to prevent swirl marks. I would like your advice please. Thanks for the help.
 
You're on the right track. Using the mildest abrasive polish to achieve results is the way to go.
 
lovenhim said:
How often should a DA application of compound or polish be applied to a vehicle.
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YOu answered your own question perfectly.


lovenhim said:
My guess would to do so only if it is needed.

Otherwise practice good car wash skills to prevent swirl marks.
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After you get the paint to where you're happy with it do not take it to any type of car wash except a touchless and best is to wash it yourself and when you wash it, wash it carefully.

I think I have an article on this somewhere?

Use Google and search for,

How to wash a coated car

Same idea applies to a waxed car.


:)
 
PaulMys said:
Which DA did you get?
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I can not post that information here as it might cause me to receive an internet whoopin'. LOL It was made in China just like all the other brands listed on the website, costs a lot less money, yet it used by professional detailers, some of which prefer it......but is taboo to mention on this here forum. LOL Does that help?
 
Gotcha.

You can still get great results with proper technique/products.
 
lovenhim said:
I can not post that information here as it might cause me to receive an internet whoopin'. LOL It was made in China just like all the other brands listed on the website, costs a lot less money, yet it used by professional detailers, some of which prefer it......but is taboo to mention on this here forum. LOL Does that help?
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I notice all the Chinese polisher equivalents to the Chinese made Griots selling for less than half the price of the Griots.
 
lovenhim said:
Hello all you wonderful people. I finally ordered my first DA polisher after a lot of research. I also have on the way Mothers compound, polish, and synthetic wax, five in backing plate. As I did not mention this to my "helper" I will keep them nameless for now. Someone is also sending me some 5.5 inch pads to get me started. Here are my questions:

As of right now the DA polisher will be used on our family hatchback and maybe my parents ten year old farm truck. I realize that a compound used with a DA polisher to remove swirl marks or clear coat scrates will remove a minor amount of clearcoat. How often should a DA application of compound or polish be applied to a vehicle. My guess would to do so only if it is needed. Otherwise practice good car wash skills to prevent swirl marks. I would like your advice please. Thanks for the help.
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Sent ya a Private Message.
 
Next is as linked above when you start to polish is the test spot. Find the right combo of pad and compound or polish. When you have find your combo you dublicate that to the whole car.

But first you have to prep the car to polish it. Start with washing the car.

Then do the baggie test to feel if you have any bonded contaminants. If so I do a decon with first a tar remover if you see those small tar spots. Which often is on the lower side panels and the back of the car. And if no tar spots is on your car you can skip this step. Then I apply an iron remover to get the oxidized iron to desolve and the iron particals is either rinsed off or the claying take them off easier. Many skip this chemical decon steps but I think it's usefull.

Now on to the claying which is almost necessary to do every time before polishing the paint on your car. There is a difference to polish a clean paint as possible. The pads don't get so dirty and you get a more effective polishing with your first step. You have clay bars and clay alternatives. And those have different aggressive grade. With a well maintained and not so much of contaminants you use a fine grade clay. Or if you have more contaminants a medium grade clay. And aggressive grade clay is needed when you have alot of contaminants as paint overspray and if the car have been hit with a grinders spray or if you have a very neglected vehicals to do. IMO it's important to use a great claylube when you clay the car. Dodo Juice Born Slippy is one of the best claylube on the market. And with that you minimize the clay marring to a minimum even with an aggressive clay.

Wash or wipe down with something that don't leave anything behind with wax and sealants and glossenhancers. Then you have a clean and prepared car to polish.

/Tony
 
Ronin47 said:
I notice all the Chinese polisher equivalents to the Chinese made Griots selling for less than half the price of the Griots.
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But--the Griots polishers are made to their specifications and they have a lifetime warranty.
 
Ronin47 said:
I notice all the Chinese polisher equivalents to the Chinese made Griots selling for less than half the price of the Griots.
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Well, sure.

I have also noticed Stanley tool sets selling for substantially less than Craftsman tool sets. Both made in China now.

Which are of better quality? Do you do any mechanical work?

If you did, you'd recognize the vast difference between things "Made in China" vs. "Assembled in China" using skilled labor and strict guidelines.

Kinda like the iPhone.

And Craftsman still has the lifetime guarantee on the hand tools.

Facts, not sour grapes..........
 
lovenhim said:
I can not post that information here as it might cause me to receive an internet whoopin'. LOL It was made in China just like all the other brands listed on the website, costs a lot less money, yet it used by professional detailers, some of which prefer it......but is taboo to mention on this here forum. LOL Does that help?
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But you came here for advice as how to properly use it since they don't have any support forum like AG. Like I always say, you get what you pay for.
 
custmsprty said:
But you came here for advice as how to properly use it since they don't have any support forum like AG.
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Yep... that's the normal pattern. Buy a tool from Harbor Freight and then come to Autogeek to get help using it.


We take that as a compliment and of course, do our best to help everyone no matter where they purchased their tools, pads or products.

It's all good...


:)
 
lovenhim said:
This is a great forum with fantastic help.
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indeed. you did recently post a couple threads recently asking for advice. I even contributed to them. It seems that you were given advice on what systems to purchase and why, and then went and did something else?

very good vibe here, but people do have a tolerance for how much they're willing to help when advice isn't absorbed.
 
My friends. I certainly understand the fact that the forum wants people to purchase items that they sell. I get that, it helps support the forum. My Mothers compound, Polish, wax, and backing plate came from Autotopia. My understanding is that both AutoGeek and Autotopia are brother and sister. I bought those items due to a sale price and free shipping. Please remember that I live on a fixed income and do not have $200+ to invest in a DA system that will be used a few times. Yes, a more exspensive machine will have better quality control, but that does not make it a supirior machine. I do not use my small set of mechanics tools everyday or for a living. My 25 year old Craftsman set is still working fine. I can not justify Snap-On tools. It is the same with the DA polisher. For a hobbiest who is trying to improve the family hatchback and help his 71 year old mother have a better looking ten year old farm truck. I view auto detailing as a family so to speak. It should not matter what tools you use, own, or can afford. It should matter that we all share a common goal of wanting to make a vehicle look nicer....while enjoying the experience and having fun.

When I first came here I was looking at the $120 Mothers Wax Attack kit. Through the help of some very nice people on this forum....I have some pads and microfiber cloths coming to me. This has allowed me to stay around my origional $120 saved up budget while being able to buy a DA I could afford with quality compound, polish, and wax. I am sorry for breaking forum edicate by buying and mentioning a Harbor Freight tool but it is all I can afford. The items that I was gifted from this forum are going to help my family, my mother & step dad, and my uncle who has one leg and can not stand to clean my aunts Subaru. I will still purchase items as needed from AutoGeek or Autopia as needed and when a sale or free shipping comes around. I do not normally play the "victum" or "poor ole' me" card, but my overall goal is to help others while being finacially poor myself. I will still keep coming here, watching videos, and learning ways to do things on a tight budget and learning how to adapt in order to compensate for what I may not be able to see.
 
Belo said:
indeed. you did recently post a couple threads recently asking for advice. I even contributed to them. It seems that you were given advice on what systems to purchase and why, and then went and did something else?

very good vibe here, but people do have a tolerance for how much they're willing to help when advice isn't absorbed.
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To be fair, perhaps the advice did not parallel the OP's budget. Additionally, circumstances can change as advice/knowledge is presented and absorbed.

If all were of the same mindset, abilities and budgets perhaps more universal solutions would be appropeiate.

In the end, it's about helping, not policing or criticizing. The forum has moderators for that.
 
Hugs and fist bumps to everyone. I think a moment like this deserves a little "Weird Al" Yankovic, dont'cha think? I must agree, in the end it is all about helping others regardless of the cost. It is about learning, growing, using whatever abilities that we do have. It is not about the name brand of the tools we use or about where we buy them from.......not from the standpoint of sharing a passion for cars. I think you will like this. I love cars. I was raised around the weekend warrior drag strip, Monster truck racing (before it became WWE wrestling with big tires), NASCAR, etc. I enjoy classic cars, Hot Rods, F1 racing, heck motorsport in general. The odd ball thing is that I can not drive any of it. LOL :)

I think folks might have fun with this. A couple of years a go my wife was visiting a friend in an apartment complex. While there I was able to use the apartments "car port" area to wash our car. I am dressed in a faded American flag t-shirt. I have Weird Al Yancovic on the stereo. People are looking at me. Around that time on the news was more bad news about mass shootings and such in the USA. So picture this and think of how goofy the scene is. I am washing a Japanese branded car....a Nissan. It was made in Mexico according to the VIN. I am wearing a USA flag t-shirt, and what comes on the radio via the playlist......Weird Al Yanlovic's Trigger Happy. Life is too short, enjoy it, and have fun.

YouTube
BudgetPlan1 said:
To be fair, perhaps the advice did not parallel the OP's budget. Additionally, circumstances can change as advice/knowledge is presented and absorbed.

If all were of the same mindset, abilities and budgets perhaps more universal solutions would be appropeiate.

In the end, it's about helping, not policing or criticizing. The forum has moderators for that.
Click to expand...
 
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