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I use the Adams swirl killer and found it easy and forgiving but this is my first DA polisher. There are many good ones out there. Spend the money on good pads and polish. I have a couple different manufactures pads and like a few for different needs. Take your time and it is not hard. I have been happy with the Adams products and customer service but have used Zaino in the past as well. There is no "best" one out there. There is the one you like best. Just like wine, you are the final judge.
I went with the Porter Cable 7424XP for like $119 from Amazon. Bought a 5" backing plate and counterweight, and a whole rainbow worth of colors in pads from Lake Country and Buff & Shine. If I ever blow up the PC, then I will step up to a Rupes or Griot's.
I started my "journey" with a PC 7424 back in 2008. While it does the job I quickly became more confident and really wished I had bought a more powerful machine like a Flex. Again it does the job but just takes longer and more passes. Mike Phillips from Autogeek has a good video on different polishers. And that site is great for learning ..!
Currently, I just have no need for a machine more powerful (or more expensive) than my 7424XP. I am fortunate that both of my vehicles have paint that is in great condition. Heck, all my C5Z requires is a mild paint cleaner or polish just to prep the surface for glazes and waxes. If I had to do some heavy correcting, I would definitely use something else.
I have the Flex 3401. It works just like any other DA polisher out there but faster because of the forced rotation. I think the Flex might be the only DA with force rotation, not completely sure. If you are unaware what forced rotation means, basically, the pad does not stop spinning if you push too hard. With other DAs (like the Porter Cable 7424XP), if you put too much pressure on the device the pad will stop spinning. And if you are “polishing” your car with the pad not spinning, the polishing compound does nothing to correct the paint. So you have to learn the right amount of pressure, enough to remove defects but not so much as to cause the pad to stop spinning. You won’t have this issue with the Flex. No matter how hard you push down on the device, the pad will continue to spin. There are pros/cons to this. One major PRO is that you can remove defects a lot faster when compared to the Porter Cable 7424XP. The flip side is, if you don’t know what you are doing and you apply pressure like an ape on steroids, you might actually cause damage to the paint.
With that said, I still find the Flex safe and have had no issues using it. I am very happy with the Flex.
What is your budget? I've read many people saying that the DA from Harbor Freight is really good for the money. I believe it is under a $100. I haven't tried the polisher personally, but have read that it's a "better" deal than the PC unit.
I have a Flex, Porter Cable and Cordless Griots. Which one do I recommend to my pals stepping up their "game" . The $150 Griots. Smoother then the PC and better warranty. Plus a large fan base of users that are happy with it!
I just finished paint correction using a Harbor Freight DA 6" with a 5.5" Lake Country backing plate and a variety of Lake Country foam pads on a 2004 CE with 58,xxx miles. Took my time using a variety of products and feel I got a good 95% of the swirls and haze out of the cars finish. Took my time and was about 14 hours but worth the time and effort. Could you buy a better polisher? Yes. But with that said, I highly recommend the HF polisher with a better backing plate and good pads, which will get the job done that most of us are looking for. Just remember to start with the least aggressive pad and a 2x2 test area, never jump right into the most aggressive pad.
I always say that if you're not doing detailing for profit, then why spend your money on more expensive machines. When I worked on cars for a living, I bought high quality tools, but before having to use my tools to make a living working at the dealership, I used Craftsman.
just for fun I will ad that the actor sean connery said he got his arms and upper torso in shape by being a coffin polisher , before he was able to quit his day job. MY C5 seems too small to need a power tool, so I will stay at the level you re leaving behind.
05-30-2018, 09:03 PM
OK, time to end years of wax on, wax off. Is there a good entry level polisher???
Great machine with lots of torque for about $150. I have had one for about five years.
