Name Brand DA vs. Cheap DA?

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BADetailing

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So I have been detailing for a while with a cheap, $55 DA polisher and get great results with it. However I know that for the most part, you get what you pay for when it comes to tools. My 2 questions are:
Is there a huge difference between cheap DA and name brand?
Also, does a long throw DA save you time during a paint correction?

I am asking these because I have never used any other DA aside from my cheap one.

TIA,
Ed
 
If you're just doing your own car, and the cheap DA gives you great results, I'd stick with it.

Many guys have and love the HF polisher.

Where the name brand kicks in is with a lifetime warranty (Griot's) and/or a reputation for being bulletproof (Porter Cable).

As for the long throws, the answer is "Yes". They will save a bunch of time due to their more aggressive action.

But, the question you have to ask yourself is: Is the time savings worth a $450 machine?

If you were detailing for money, the answer would be simple. But if you are a hobbyist, you have to weigh the cost/needs.
 
I detail on weekends only as I have a full time job during the week (which is the main reason I have not invested in a long throw). I do a lot of Motorhomes and RVs, mostly wash and wax.....paint correction not so often.

Best regards,
Ed
 
BADetailing said:
I detail on weekends only as I have a full time job during the week (which is the main reason I have not invested in a long throw). I do a lot of Motorhomes and RVs, mostly wash and wax.....paint correction not so often.

Best regards,
Ed
Click to expand...

With that being the case, I suggest reading about different types of polishers here. There is a ton of info here. You can decide if what you have suits your needs or if you would like to upgrade.

I will say if you upgrade from the HF DA machine to a similar 8mm throw DA polisher you will not see that much of a noticeable difference. If you step up to a 15 or 21mm long throw polisher, a forced rotation DA or a rotary then you will see a difference.
 
I will do more research on them, I dont have the HF one, I have a similar one that sells under the name Hyatt (should be almost the same as the HF). Thanks
 
Get a Griots GG6 and call it a day. It's a workhorse and has a lifetime warranty and will out work and outlast a cheap hf da any day.
 
You say you get great results with your hyet.... if you don’t mind how it feels (ergonomics, vibrations) run it till the wheels fall off. Agree with above post and if you upgrade to another 8mm won’t see a huge difference in time savings and if you are getting great Ursula’s now you probably see better results.

Maybe add a 21mm or 15mm to your arsenal to increase your time. Use the new long throw on big flat panels and your 8mm on curves.


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There`s Anistool on ebay that is selling polishers at a reasonable prices and yes they`re made in China. Again as stated above if your a twice a year polisher the cheaper Da`s will work for you. Professional use the Rupes , Flex and Griots are what you need.

If your like myself and a good friend of mine on here we have gone down that dark hole on polishers :)
 
This is an interesting question. I freely admit to owning a HF polisher which has served me well in maintaining my family fleet for nearly 8 years now with not a single problem. However, looking back I wonder if I should have gone with the Griots. The ergonomics look to be a bit better, and I wonder if it runs any smoother/quieter than the HF I currently own.
 
The first question answer is yes generally it's a difference between the higher tier brand polishers vs the cheap ones. But more in the building and parts quality than a difference in the results you getting from both of them. The only way of knowing is to do a comparison with just that polisher you have and something like the GG6 polisher. Cause you may be lucky even between different batches of cheaper polishers to have a solid performer with good quality. Sometimes these cheaper brands have parts manufactured at different places and also they can switch these from batches to year modells. And it can be an upgrade but also a downgrade in quality. There can be difference in how easy they maintain the free spinning action and the sounds from them and heat build up and so on. You can have this from different versions of more rebutable brands too. But often the changes are minimal. Even these brand you can get unlucky and get a defect in the polisher from the manufacture. But this is very uncommon to happen but it does. So it's much more of you know what you get when going with the higher tier as with any product generally speaking.

The second question the answer is yes you save time with a longthrow polisher vs a 8mm free spinning DA polisher. But what many does is when used to the 8mm free spinning DA polisher they keep polishing the same way with the longthrow polisher. And then you don't save any time and also working backwards as you will be overworking the polishes. So a change in your armspeed and or less passes per sections is needed to be a time saver. If you do master it and find out what products works for you the longthrow polisher save time. The big downside is that you still need a smaller polisher to handle tight places and some curves on panels. But on the majority of the paint it works great.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I got a deal on a Torq22D with both 5" and 6" backing plates, 3 Lake Country pads and a bottle of V38 for $170 so I couldnt pass it up....so I will try it soon
 
Mark your backing plate - make sure you see pad rotation.

I posted about this in another thread today - search my posting history.

Also - the most important factor when polishing paint is abrasive technology. Test that V38 on black paint - make sure it looks good on black as black is the only test.

Good luck.


Sometimes a good deal is subjective.


:)


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