DA Polishing newbie

[T1berious]

So I got a DA Polisher after what has felt like years procrastinating over getting one.

I've even got a panel I've been saving to practice on (damaged boot from old car)

So I've got some polish some pads and I think I'm good to go....

Only to hear / read...

For the average car you need 5 - 6 pads to Polish!

So the question is how many pads do you need to polish the car? I'm looking at getting some more as I never realised / appreciated the pads don't last the car.

Cheers in advance!

T1b

[Belle427]

Never heard that myself, I’ve used some hex logic pads on 3 cars now, washed out after every use.
I probably will replace them for the next use but my thoughts are if they look ok and not heavily worn then they are ok to use again.

[IT Geek]

I’ve been amateur polishing cars for years, I do have a selection of pads, but mainly use a light polishing pad and a finishing pad.

I can easily make my pads last for months, probably years with a good wash procedure.

I recently splashed out on a cordless Makita da to replace my trusty corded rotary polisher.

I’ve also got loads of different products, a really obsessive amount, but if I could only choose one or two products to do it all I’d use Rupes Uno Protect which is a great all in one product.

Just build up your kit slowly, watch YouTube for inspiration and enjoy the satisfaction of having a great finished product to look back at.

This from a few weeks back, no correction needed, just a finishing pad using Rupes at speed 4 and then a quick final blitz with Chemical guys Jetseal 109.

Edited by IT Geek on Friday 25th June 07:01

[steveo3002]

can get by with one and wash it out

i often get around my car with one...depends who you listen to , detailer site will have you using 1000 different products

can get pads for cheap on ebay if you want a few spares...its handy to have incase you drop one or catch a badge and tear it

[T1berious]

It does seem to depend on who you talk to

I ordered some more pads anyway, I understand that cleaning them with a soft brush can clear the excess build up of product while you're polishing.

Saw a YouTube vid of a guy doing half a panel.

From my own experience doing half a panel, the pad didn't look too bad. Then again, the whole car is a different kettle of fish.

[Olivergt]

I don't know much, but a lot of the You Tube guys (White Details for example) will use an airline to clean the pads every so often.

If you don't have an airline, probably best to use a few pads, change them as the product builds up on them. But once you are finished you should be able to wash/clean the pads and re-use next time.

[IT Geek]

I do my van, a Q5 and a GTC with one pad, just try not to overload it with too much product.

There’s Polished Bliss levels of detailing and then there’s your weekend warrior, don’t get too bogged down with the pro’s who are doing it for a living or it’ll take the enjoyment out of what your doing.

[T1berious]

IT Geek said:

I do my van, a Q5 and a GTC with one pad, just try not to overload it with too much product.

There’s Polished Bliss levels of detailing and then there’s your weekend warrior, don’t get too bogged down with the pro’s who are doing it for a living or it’ll take the enjoyment out of what your doing.

Good advice

I also get the impression it's a process rather than an instant better than new result after one pass.

[IT Geek]

When I first got a Porter Cable, must be 20+ years ago it was incredible that you could hold it against paintwork and because of the dual action there was no damage to the paint. Then about 3 years later I brought my first fixed head rotary, thinking it would work similar, but quicker than the PC right? I went through the rear wheel arch clearcoat on a 2 month old Range Rover Sport in about 30 seconds

Check your work frequently, keep a lorry load of good quality microfibre cloths and use a damp microfibre cloth to remove any product smears.

My wife’s Q5 is black, it’s 2 years old, covered in bird st, swirls, scratches but when I’m feeling generous I can make it look incredibly shiny just using two stages, a light polish and a last step product, no swirls or smears. You can’t hide the deep scratches without more effort and cutting pads, but it’s a rental and goes back in October so I don’t go mad on it.

Loads of great tutorials on YouTube these days, I learnt the hard way