Help deciding on polisher

C

Craig_K

New member
I have it narrowed down between the HD DA polisher and the Griots Garage DA. Have any of you guys had experience with either polisher? Or both? From the reviews the Griots has good cutting capabilities and an excellent warranty. However the HD comes in at a very good price point, and is supposed to have a more powerful motor than the well known 7424xp. I have very little experience with machine polishing, and I am just looking for something to get started and maybe do some detailing for money on the side. I have also looked at the 3401 but I have a hard time justifying getting something that powerful ( and not to mention pricey!!) right off the bat. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome to the Forum, Craig_K -
Hope you enjoy your time here..

What exactly are you looking to do with a machine and will this be for business or pleasure, family, etc.. ??

What amount of correction are you willing to learn how to do and will be doing once you learn ? Perfect, clear, very glossy, just clean and better looking than before, etc.. ?

Will the vibrations of the a machine such as these be a problem to your arms and hands, etc., ?

The Griot's machine has been around I believe for around 10 years that I know of and may still have the Lifetime warranty, which may be needed since they used to give it up after awhile in hard, production use..
Good luck,
Dan F
 
Thanks for the reply, Dan! The machine will be used for a side business, however it will most likely only be friends and family (atleast to start out). I am willing to learn how to do all levels of correction right from minor improvements to perfection, I am very aware that this will come with experience and will take time. Are the vibrations really that bad in these machines? Is a machine such as the Flex that much smoother and easy to work with? The only things that scare me about the flex are its power and price tag.
 
If money is no problem go with the flex one time buy and your set. Now with that said don`t forget products, waxes, polishes, QD`s, MF towels which will add up real quick. HD, Griots, MT 300 are nice machines also and cheaper these can get the job done with correct polishes and pads.

Like you said experience will come with time also watch some how to video`s here and you tube..Good Luck !!
 
If you are decided on a PC then I would go with the Griots. You mentioned that you will be using it for friends and family and for a side business. The extra cost would be worth it alone for the Griots outstanding warranty.
 
I have not used the 3d machine but own a griots 6" machine. It's a solid well build machine that I enjoy using. I've also got a flex da, and the Rupes mini and a Rupes 15. The GG6 is the perfect machine to call your,first. Id skip the pcxp as it older tech IMHO and skip the 3d as I have not read a lot about it since it was released.

Good luck and welcome.
 
I agree there are better machines out there, but my 7424xp has never disappointed me yet. I did a total paint correction with it with little to no problems. It just not as fast as the newer machines with a smaller throw.


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go with the griot's 6" da. it's still about the most powerful da in it's class and the lifetime warranty can't be beat. I had mine for 5yrs with zero problems until my parrot managed to climb into my detail bag and chew the da cord in half. obviously, not the manufacturer's problem, but I called griot's up, just to make sure if I re-spliced the cable back together that the warranty would not be voided, and griot's said to send the unit back and they would take car of it. I shipped it out and in 10 days (round trip), griots returned what looked like a new unit and I was back in business. is that a great company or what? I would have gladly paid for the repair, but no charge! to me, that's above and beyond.
 
Just another one chiming in, I started as a hobby detailer many years back, and the PC7424 was the only real option back then, and it was awesome. Just damn awesome.

If it's your first machine, the Griots or PC will be outstanding, get some nice pads and polishes... I still have the PC I bought in 2004 and use it almost daily, also have a Makita 9337 Rotary, and recently bought Rupes 21 & Rupes 75, and they are definitely in another league. If I was doing it again I don't know which I'd do, the PC taught me so much and made me able to easily handle the more powerful Rupes... without that prior learning I don't know that I could just jump onto the Rupes with confidence.
 
I love my GG6. Its the older style not the long throw. Great machine. The Harbor Freight will work, I seen them in use, but HF DA is not as smooth running. it will start you out but you will soon be looking to upgrade.
 
Another vote for the GG DA. With a 5" backing plate, 5.5" pads and the right products there isn't anything it can't handle. The lifetime warranty is extra icing on the cake. Later if you want to move up to something else you can equip the GG with a 3" or 3.5" backing plate for tight areas on the car like bumpers etc.

Make sure you get enough pads--trying to do the whole car with one or two pads is a recipe for failure. Here's an article by Mike Phillips -- How many pads do I need to buff out my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum
 
Add me to the "get a GG6" list. Overall, it's the best of my numerous polishers, not that other units aren't better than doing it by hand ;)

My only concerns about the PCXP are related to how often my (earlier model) PCs need rebuilt and, more importantly, that hollow shaft that the pad mounts to- if it fractures, and they have, there's a serious risk of significant damage to the panel being polished. I honestly believe that to be a critical, even fatal, design flaw.
 
I'm on the "get a GG5" list instead. I personally think that a GG6 with a 5" backing plate is about impossible to beat at a cost vs value. It's smoother with 5" and the pads are cheaper.
 
Even though I have moved past the Porter Cable machine and have bought the Rupes 21 and mini, I think the Porter Cable is a great first choice due to it being the industry standard for so many years. Manufacturers of polishes and pads still support the PC and there are tons of online videos on how to use the PC properly. It has stood the test of time and I think most Autopians would agree that with the correct compounds, polishes, and pads you can achieve a showroom shine with the PC. And when you out grow the PC it does a fantastic job as a wax spreader and under normal use will last many, many years.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
It has stood the test of time and I think most Autopians would agree that with the correct compounds, polishes, and pads you can achieve a showroom shine with the PC. And when you out grow the PC it does a fantastic job as a wax spreader and under normal use will last many, many years.
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Actually one of the common complaints of the Porter Cable is that the new ones don't hold up. And while there are videos out there to show how to use the PC properly all certainly apply to the GG6. It's not like there's inherent magic built into the PC. So at the end of the day, the cost between the PC and the GG are negligible ($20 here but if you shop the GG can be found cheaper), and the GG has a lifetime warranty. I really personally fail to see given those anyone can recommend the PC over the GG.
 
Ccrew said:
... So at the end of the day, the cost between the PC and the GG are negligible ($20 here but if you shop the GG can be found cheaper), and the GG has a lifetime warranty. I really personally fail to see given those anyone can recommend the PC over the GG.
Click to expand...

I think this is a good opportunity to mention our "Price Match Guarantee". If you find anything we carry on a competitor's website for less, give us a call and in most cases we will actually beat their price.
 
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