First timer Polisher

[Blue62]

Any advice on what polisher to buy for a first timer? I have a few swirls on my 18 month old black car but more worryingly some strange marring (looks like pre delivery protection to me) that I want to tackle, Mercedes warranty don't want to know and I've given up now, just as I have on ever buying another one of their models.

I'd appreciate any advice on what to go for and what polish/paste to use. PS I have an old family mini to practice on!

[aka_kerrly]

A DAS 6 and some 3m compounds is a good place to start.
Often there are bundles available where you get the dual action polisher ,some compounds and pads

[105.4]

When I was looking to buy a polisher there were some detailed and decent reviews on YouTube on what to buy, (for a budget), and how to use it properly.

I’ll be dammed if I can remember who’s channels these were on now, but might be worth a search on YouTube for something relevant?

If it help, I went for an Aldi polisher and a range of copy 3M pads off of eBay. Be gentle, don’t rush, and don’t forget to tape-up chromes and plastics before you start.

[Blue62]

Thanks

[Chubbyross]

You can’t go wrong with watching the Forensic Detailing channel on YouTube. He’s made hundred of great films on how to get started, best pads and compounds to use. The DAS6 Pro is a great starter polisher. In my experience the best pads are made by Flex - a great range and they’re durable too. I tend to use the Koch Chemie compounds and finishing polishes.

Good luck! It’s addictive and a great way to relax. And you end up with a great looking car as well.

[stevekoz]

Blue62 said:

Any advice on what polisher to buy for a first timer? I have a few swirls on my 18 month old black car but more worryingly some strange marring (looks like pre delivery protection to me) that I want to tackle, Mercedes warranty don't want to know and I've given up now, just as I have on ever buying another one of their models.

I'd appreciate any advice on what to go for and what polish/paste to use. PS I have an old family mini to practice on!

Hi Blue62.

Having a panel or something to practice on is great news. There are mistakes that can be made even with a Dual Action Polisher. Though, they are generally much safer than a rotary tool.

Much of the results you get will be in the preparation of the car as well as the technique. So, practice, practice, practice is the best bit of advice i would give any newcomer to the world of detailing.

There are plenty of YT channels out there. All witll have slighlty differing opinions on technique, compounds, pads. There is no one combination for all.

It's often a case of differing combinations for different cars. Even multiple combinations for the same car.

One mistake i made when starting out was around using clean pads. Making sure to use multiple pads on one car rather than just one or two. Obviously alot depends on size and your technique. But its certainly possible to destroy pads with poor technique and you are more likely to do that when starting out. So be aware, its good to buy more than one set.

There are numerous brands of pads out there and again, every one has a preference. But making sure that whatever kit you buy, you have the different stage of heavy cut, medium, refining and finishing pads. They don't all have to be foam. You could buy MicroFibre pads too or wool, etc. All have different characteristics and these you'd only learn from use.

In terms of a machine. A DAS6 is a common name/brand you'll hear thrown around. You will likely be able to pick one up for around the £80-120 mark. If you shop around. This a Dual Action polisher. A safer place to start than a rotary in terms of protection against issues on the paint BUT its still possible. So again - practice. Get a feel for weight, pressure and movement before tackling your car.

Second i would recommend you invest in a PDG or a Paint Depth Gauge. This will allow you see how much clearcoat you are working with. You mention issues with the paint on your Mercedes already, so whilst a cheap gauge (£50-100) may seem a lot and not seem to tell you much. It will indicate if you have a safe level of clearcoat to work with in the areas you need to address. If you don't have one, you run the risk of tackling areas that could cause you problems in the long run.

In terms of product. Every manufacturers paint is different. Reacts differently to different products. However, If whatever product you buy, you buy a heavy, medium and finishing polish then you will be ok. Brands to look at are Meguiars - their 105 and 205 are easy to use and work down. I personally use Menzerna as i found the residue/dust is minimal. Everyone has their choices. But make sure you get something that cuts and then something that finishes.

In terms of tips for learning technique. Videos are great. I watch and have watching the AMMO NYC channel forever. I think he's great at what he does, and he always is very upfront about issues, technique etc. You can learn alot by watching even if its not a "tutorial". But lots out there. I think one channel was Junkman. Sounds funny, but he knows his stuff. Worth watching. Again though a lot of your results will come from time prepping the car, practice and more practice. A good solid wash and decontamination phase will mean your results are far better in the long run.

What else. Yeah, technique wise - a good rule of thumb is start with the least amount of work possible. Sounds weird maybe. What i mean by that is, don't go at the car with the heaviest cutting pad and the heaviest cutting polish straight away. You are better off using a lighter/finishing pad and a lighter cut polish first and working up. Overtime you'll learn to mix and max pad and polish but its good to see what each stage does without going to far to fix what you need to do. As it takes time. It's not unsual that my details would take 2 or more days. With easily a day and more on just the paint correction. Refining as i went. So don't expect to hit it once and job done. Your process of polshing will need its own correction as it will likely leave marks in the paint from doing just that. Yes visually it will look better after one hit, but remember its a multi stage process.

Lastly, have fun with it. Lot of information. Lot of videos. Lot of noise about it. Relax. Take your time. Enjoy it and it can become an obsession. I turned it into a fairly succesful business at one point in my life and now i just do it for enjoyment.

Good luck and post up your achievements.

DetailingWorld is another great resource for help and information.

[Chubbyross]

And beware the detailing rabbit hole! Six years ago I’d never heard of detailing. I started with a cheap DA polisher and six years later I reckon I’ve spent around two grand on Flex cordless polishers, a Rupes one and a couple of rotary polishers. It’s an obsession but a really satisfying one.

[Blue62]

Blimey boys! Some great advice and really useful tips, I’m on my way and will try to post up results and progress, much appreciated.

[Jake20]

Blue62 said:

Any advice on what polisher to buy for a first timer? I have a few swirls on my 18 month old black car but more worryingly some strange marring (looks like pre delivery protection to me) that I want to tackle, Mercedes warranty don't want to know and I've given up now, just as I have on ever buying another one of their models.

I'd appreciate any advice on what to go for and what polish/paste to use. PS I have an old family mini to practice on!

Hi I also just started to learn about polishing, I bought a cheap duel action machine and it was quite easy when I got my head around it. I removed most of the swirls that I could see. Mights invest in lights and see the results.