is PC really worth it?

A

Amnesty

Down by the river
Exactly that? Does a PC make that much more a difference? I already have some little orbital buffer, but it's not as fast as the PC and it doesn't have any kind of other pads.
 
:eat: Of course a PC is worth every penny. There inst any other machine i would prefer. it is versatile enough to apply waxes, polishes remove scratches and sand. a PC is IMPERATIVE to detailing enthusiats & a must have for Rookies that want to save their cars finish. :detective
the PC is typically a Link to become ROTARY worthy. (Still you need to practice more ) :fear: A PC is a.k.a idiot Proof. :bigups
 
Amnesty, it depends what you want to do. If you don't want to spend a day working on your car every season, skip it. If you want to have the cleanest, wetest paint possible without a yearly $200 detail at a local shop, you need it.
 
Amnesty said:
Exactly that? Does a PC make that much more a difference? I already have some little orbital buffer, but it's not as fast as the PC and it doesn't have any kind of other pads.
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I think that you have answered your own question. The PC has more power and a greater option of pads, which means you can do more with it.
I asked the same question before I got mine as well, but now that I have it, I see that there truely is a difference.

It is pretty much the next step that someone will take, you start out by hand, then you wanted more so you moved to the buffer, then you move to a PC until you want more, then you move again onto a rotary or a Cyclo.

If you like the way your car looks when using your buffer you will love the results that you get with a PC, I know I did.

Good luck and Happy Holidays
"J"
 
I fought the PC idea for quite a while, saying I could do just as good a job on MY cars by hand - I was WRONG!!:no: The PC makes is it so much easier & faster & does a much better job, both polishing & applying very thin layers of product! :punk:
I will warn you however, that the PC is just the beginning of the investment :eek:
 
norahcrv said:
I fought the PC idea for quite a while, saying I could do just as good a job on MY cars by hand - I was WRONG!!:no: The PC makes is it so much easier & faster & does a much better job, both polishing & applying very thin layers of product! :punk:
I will warn you however, that the PC is just the beginning of the investment :eek:
Click to expand...

Yes.....very true, but youll love it :drunk:
 
A year or so ago, I bought one of the $20 WalMart ROBs. Incredible limitations on bonnet type/quality and only two speeds - ON & OFF. UPS says my PC 7424 and pad kit should be here from ProperAutoCare today. UPS also says my order of Meg's #83 should arrive tomorrow. :rolleyes: As a true penny-pincher, I tried all sorts of work-arounds to avoid having to shell out the cash for the PC, but finally gave in. With it, I'll be able to dial in the appropriate combination of pad aggressiveness, liquid product, and rotational speed. Control of all the variables appears to be a key ingredient in achieving the finish we all seem to seek.
 
i have used a rotary for 12 years before i got a pc this year. i found i was reluctant at first but now i enjoy using it. i only get the rotary out for the real hard scratches, oxidization, etc. then i use the pc to finish everything off with no holograms. i feel they are both needed for a good detail shop. for a personal vehicle, you should be happy with the results.
 
Amnesty said:
Exactly that? Does a PC make that much more a difference? I already have some little orbital buffer, but it's not as fast as the PC and it doesn't have any kind of other pads.
Click to expand...
As many have mentioned, it really depends on your needs. I had an old Craftsman RO buffer that served me well for many years (of course back then I would simply polish then wax - no sealants, chemical cleaners, etc...). The backing plate eventually came unglued to the pad and I needed to replace it. I was surprised at the price difference between the PC and many other RO buffers. What surprised me more was how much better of a job the PC did over my old buffer. It removed many scratches faster and wasted less product. The things it didn't do as well as my old buffer was removing wax and other products. I have a mf bonnet that I use but the small pad size (compared to my old buffer) just takes a while to cover an entire car. It's also a lot heavier than my old buffer. If I apply the right amount of product in the proper climate conditions, I know the products will wipe right off with a MF towel. Unfortunately, I screw up and some products get stubborn. A bonnet on a buffer sometimes saves me a lot of energy.

I don't use the PC as much as I used my old buffer, but I think since it does such a good job, I don't need to use it as often. I'm not a perfectionist but this site is pushing me closer... :wacko: When I first bought it, I thought I had completely wasted my money. This thought went away when I bought my truck and spent a day working on its scratches. It takes longer to setup and cleanup since you have to use multiple pads (vs. simply throwing a few bonnets in the washing machine after I was done with my old buffer). If I'm only going to detail one car, I often debate on using it but now I just invite a friend over to detail one of their cars at the same time and I don't mind the additional setup/cleanup time knowing 2 cars were done plus I can try some of their favorite products and they will frequently help with the cleanup.

---Eric
 
I too am trying to decide if I want/need one. I'll say this though, if I had read the thread about the 70 dollar PC at Lowes in WI. I'd probably have by now.I can't believe I missed that thread! :mad:
 
Miami_Sunset said:
:eat: Of course a PC is worth every penny. There inst any other machine i would prefer. it is versatile enough to apply waxes, polishes remove scratches and sand. a PC is IMPERATIVE to detailing enthusiats & a must have for Rookies that want to save their cars finish. :detective
the PC is typically a Link to become ROTARY worthy. (Still you need to practice more ) :fear: A PC is a.k.a idiot Proof. :bigups
Click to expand...

I could not agree more. One of the best detail pieces of equpiment i have ever purchased.

Richard
 
A PC is worth every Penny.. You can pay some hack to do the job or you can detail your own car and do it right..
 
rabbi said:
I too am trying to decide if I want/need one. I'll say this though, if I had read the thread about the 70 dollar PC at Lowes in WI. I'd probably have by now.I can't believe I missed that thread! :mad:
Click to expand...

I ran to Lowes out here and asked them about the "$70 PC", and they called their manager over to inform me that it wasn't happening anywhere. :mad:
 
rabbi said:
I too am trying to decide if I want/need one. I'll say this though, if I had read the thread about the 70 dollar PC at Lowes in WI. I'd probably have by now.I can't believe I missed that thread! :mad:
Click to expand...

Personally, even though I now have a rotary, I find that I rarely (if ever) do a detail job without the PC being involved at some point. As great as the rotary is, you are still going to have potential light marring with it, depending on what products, pads, and paint you're working with. For these situations, doing a final polishing with the PC removes that marring and leaves a truly 'perfect' surface for the LSP. Not to mention that a PC can make application of some LSPs much easier.

The PC is an essential tool for me, and always will be. I've found myself using it far too often not to have one, even with the rotary and a wide variety of pads and products at my disposal.
 
Another vote for the value of having a PC. I did without one for a lot of years, but couldn't imagine doing without one now that I have used it for a few years.

One thing. It is possible to damage paint with a PC. You have to work at it, but it can be done.
Take a look at this thread.

Charles
 
I would think that for those who are proficient with a rotary it may not be such a big deal. For those of us who are not, it is a dream come true.

It's like asking "Is toilet paper really necessary?" You can get along without it but it makes life a lot easier!
 
RTexasF said:
I would think that for those who are proficient with a rotary it may not be such a big deal. For those of us who are not, it is a dream come true.

It's like asking "Is toilet paper really necessary?" You can get along without it but it makes life a lot easier!
Click to expand...

I dunno, I've seen some people who are proficient roatary users (I wont say that I'm 'proficient,' but I'm no n00b to it, IMO) who still have needed the PC for final polishing.
 
I dunno, I've seen some people who are proficient roatary users (I wont say that I'm 'proficient,' but I'm no n00b to it, IMO) who still have needed the PC for final polishing.

Very good point. I have "0" experience with the rotary so for me the PC was a gift from the gods. I can see how it would come in handy to smooth out the rough edges so to speak, for those that earn their living with the rotary as the main tool.
 
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