[easternbhoy]

I have a 51 plate spider, and although the car is good condition, the paint has some minor scratches and swirl marks here or there.

I've been looking at dual action polishing machines, and wondering whether it's worth investing in one. I was reading around a couple of forums, and as usual, the options, best stuff to buy etc in terms of machines, polishes, pads etc seems over complex!

Does anyone use a machine? Wondering how often it a full scale polish would be needed to keep the car looking at it's best.

 

[AussieAlex]

I would only do a self polish/cut if you know EXACTLY what to do.

It is very easy to burn the paint and do permanent damage to the paint (only a respray can fix) and unless you feel totally comfortable I would just use some good old fashioned elbow grease along with the correct compounds you need and do it manually.

You can actually get relatively similar results using manual methods compared with machine methods provided you use the relevant waxes and polishes that you require for your desired outcome. Obviously you would need to wax and polish the car a few times before you could get near machine results but overall; it is far safer to do it by hand imho. I would hate to be the one responsible for burning the paint on my own baby and causing permanent damage. So personally I stick to manual jobs but use high quality wax and polish from meguiars (not the cheap crap) and wash my car every week and polish it monthly in order to keep my cars looking good!

So my personal opinion would be to go with manual polishing and waxing and don't bother trying to do it yourself unless you are 100% certain you can mop the paint without risk of damage. I wouldn't pay to have it done since you can do it manually; you just have to work at it over a longer period of time (a few months of regular treatment) and you can get pretty similar results.

 

[pendragonfalls]

I bought a DA recently... Easy to use, and very forgiving..
A rotary polisher though, can take paint off, if you're not careful.

Its all in the prep really. Good wash, detar and having a garage to work in is a bonus.

I've polished mine once, so far. Used a heavy pad and a medium paste.
Then another pass with a medium pad and the medium paste. Used "Wet Butter Wax" and the results look stunning.

 

[easternbhoy]

I bought a DA recently... Easy to use, and very forgiving..
A rotary polisher though, can take paint off, if you're not careful.

Its all in the prep really. Good wash, detar and having a garage to work in is a bonus.

I've polished mine once, so far. Used a heavy pad and a medium paste.
Then another pass with a medium pad and the medium paste. Used "Wet Butter Wax" and the results look stunning.

View attachment 176986

Which model did you go for?

Was looking at this DAS-6 PRO Dual Action Polisher - Detailed Clean

 

[easternbhoy]

I would only do a self polish/cut if you know EXACTLY what to do.

It is very easy to burn the paint and do permanent damage to the paint (only a respray can fix) and unless you feel totally comfortable I would just use some good old fashioned elbow grease along with the correct compounds you need and do it manually.

You can actually get relatively similar results using manual methods compared with machine methods provided you use the relevant waxes and polishes that you require for your desired outcome. Obviously you would need to wax and polish the car a few times before you could get near machine results but overall; it is far safer to do it by hand imho. I would hate to be the one responsible for burning the paint on my own baby and causing permanent damage. So personally I stick to manual jobs but use high quality wax and polish from meguiars (not the cheap crap) and wash my car every week and polish it monthly in order to keep my cars looking good!

So my personal opinion would be to go with manual polishing and waxing and don't bother trying to do it yourself unless you are 100% certain you can mop the paint without risk of damage. I wouldn't pay to have it done since you can do it manually; you just have to work at it over a longer period of time (a few months of regular treatment) and you can get pretty similar results.

Yes, would definately not use a rotary; the dual action polishers look pretty safe though? I'm also extremely lazy

 

[gibot123]

to get it tip top get someone to get it to standard then keep it polished if your not into putting the effort in this is your best bet. You get back what you put in fact I'm affraid

 

[easternbhoy]

These seem to be getting good reviews, and approx half the price of a good DA polisher

Meguiar's DA Power System - Demon Tweeks

 

[edraven71]

For another £15 you can get one of these Kestral DAS-6 Dual Action Car Polisher - Buy online from i4detailing.co.uk
Its a good machine for the price, have one myself and no complaints about it.

 

[pendragonfalls]

Which model did you go for?

Was looking at this DAS-6 PRO Dual Action Polisher - Detailed Clean

The same one....

Get the full kit though, saves you buying all the pads separately

DAS-6 PRO Sonus Polishing Kit - Detailed Clean

 

[James Rowe]

When I bought my alfa it was pink. Purchased many compounds and a machine polisher and now its read. Read up on polishing and go carefully, youll be fine. No point paying hundreds on a pro on old paint work and an old car

 

[pendragonfalls]

to get it tip top get someone to get it to standard then keep it polished if your not into putting the effort in this is your best bet. You get back what you put in fact I'm affraid

Its much better to DIY.. Then, at least you can stand back and say "I did that...!"
DA's are really easy to use, and very difficult to do any damage with.

I also done the 156 when I first got it. The paintwork hadn't seen a decent polish in a long while.
Now it looks factory fresh....Well, almost..

One word of warning though. Once you start detailing, it can become like a disease..
The more you do it, the more you have to do it.. OCD is putting it mildly..:thumbs:

 

[easternbhoy]

For another £15 you can get one of these Kestral DAS-6 Dual Action Car Polisher - Buy online from i4detailing.co.uk
Its a good machine for the price, have one myself and no complaints about it.

Interesting...what pads etc did you buy with that?

 

[edraven71]

I use the hex logic ones from chemical guys, only because I use their v36/v38 compounds as I like them, just personal preference though sure the ones from i4 would be just as good.

 

[James Rowe]

Well this is my alfa after spending a whole day cutting and polishing, when I say it was pink before, I mean oxidised beyond belief - I thought it would never come but before starting.

 

[easternbhoy]

Cheers for replies....I'll go with the DA power system drill add on and see how things go!

 

[cue2]

So, when did solid red get its clear coat ?
Nowadays you can't polish out oxidised red can you?

 

[coz]

Got sent this link by a friend yesterday which you may find useful/interesting: Alfa GTV V6 - Detailing World

 

[Philbass39]

I use a low speed polishing mop, the large grinder type. White hard sponge pad with G3 or similar compound first, and than a soft black foam pad with a soft compound or polish. Using a spray bottle to keep the mop head and panel wet at all times and keep the the mop moving...NEVER stop on on place with the hard mop head. The same will apply to any machine polisher. Great results though.

As suggested do plenty of research before you start and don't rush the job :thumbs:

 

[Mitch916]

So, when did solid red get its clear coat ?
Nowadays you can't polish out oxidised red can you?

You can't on the Gtv either, unless it had been painted since the factory or you can cut through the clear coat to polish the pink back to red. You can't polish clear coat to make it red again!

 

[Philbass39]

No but you can polish clear to make it clear again.