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I use a Porter-Cable model 7336 to apply polish to my 99 Silverado. http://www.porter-cable.com/cgi-bin/...d&prod_id=7336
It's the same one that Meguiar's and Griot's Garage sell for their products. It's a true D-A type orbital and works great. The pads are foam hook and loop type, not wool or fabric and they don't leave any swirl marks. Griot's Garage also has an air-powered polisher that uses the same pads.
I use the Griot's Garage polish and "Best of Show" wax on my truck and it seems to work just fine. I don't use the machine to remove anything; just use a clean fresh towel to remove the polish and a separate towel for the wax.
You can get old wax/polish off your car by washing it with a liquid dishwashing detergent such as Dawn, wash just like if you were washing with a normal soap. The basicity (The Zaino website is wrong, dishwashing detergents are basic, not acidic!) of it will take off wax while not harming your paint. It's definately cheaper than a buffer! Although with a buffer you can polish stuff under the hood :yesnod:
EDIT: After removing the wax/polish you'll want to put on some more wax/polish because the paint is totally vulnerable to stuff that a good wax or polish protect against. :yesnod:
I used to use a Black and Decker 7" and then a Milwalkee 7" high speed buffer back when I had a detail shop. Use electric instead of air. The Porter-Cable shown earlier is good too, that is the style you want. Spend $250+ and get a good one. 600-3000 RPM kind is good. Set it at 1400-1600 when buffing the car. Be sure not to let the buffer grind and burn on one spot for more than a second or two or you bought a new paint job. Clean and change the pads frequently. Use a wool pad at 1400 RPM to get out swirls and scratches, then a foam pad at 800 RPM to polish to a swirl free shine. Follow with wax applied by hand useing a foam pad.
The "orbital" kinds you can get a Wal-mart for $40 will not work to remove scratches and oxidation and are boarderline usless for serious work.
From: Minnesota in the summer, Las Vegas in the winter
Re: Orbital Buffer... (Nassau Blue C5)
I use dishwasher soap to thoroughly clean a car and wheels. I use a 10 inch Sears orbital polisher with liquid wax; follow instructions. $40 for the polisher and bonnets. Buy extra bonnets as you will need them. I polish various cars about a dozen times a year with high success. The key here is a great looking car with proper wax application for a reasonable amount of money and without undue time spent. I can do the corvette exterior beginning to end in about 1 1/2 hours and that includes the wheels and tires. I have a portable power sprayer for the motor. The end result is A1. The difference between my results and a professional detailer's is negligible, if any. :yesnod:
ditto on the porter cable units - same as meguiars and groits units. bought one a couple of months ago. best price i found on line was $119 + 7.50 shipping from coastal tool. that price included about $20 in extra stuff. go to http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...74b+1035908371 hope this helps -
[Modified by joe ciechanowski, 11:27 AM 10/28/2002]
ditto on the porter cable units - same as meguiars and groits units. bought one a couple of months ago. best price i found on line was $119 + 7.50 shipping from coastal tool. that price included about $20 in extra stuff.
That's where I got my Porter Cable. Best price I found too. :chevy