Will a PC be worth it just for polishing and waxing?

I did a search but couldn't find the thread but there was a person with a red car that went through their clearcoat, paint and got it down to the primer (maybe bare metal?) using a PC and I think it was Menz IP. If I remember right he worked the same spot for about 30 mins. He just kept adding more product to the pad.



Don't do that and you'll be fine :nono
 
Intend to get a PC for myself too.But,sorry to hear that it don`t come with a 220v version for where i comes from.Call the Flex distributor in my country and it cost a BOMB.S$980/= US$400/
 
odd I bought my PC7424 for the exact same reason (wash, polish, wax) so I can provide the paint some good protection as the months go by (rain, heat, cold, etc). My paint has VERY few swirls now and I'm.... "ok" with it. But I wanted the PC just to assist in polishing and waxing
 
To answer your question. YES! :woot2: I just finished my very first detail over the weekend and even though i didn't get to finish the roof and A pillars (it took 8 hrs) I think it turned out great! (I'll finish the rest later in the week)



Like you I debated for a while but I just went for it and couldn't be happier...
 
You're right, but it's still a benefit to me as this would be the main reason I'd buy the PC right now. I'm going to have my car proffesionally detailed (as it needs skilled help) but I wanted something to speed up the maintenance.
 
I'm on the fence as to whether to buy one as well if i do it would be for applyingAIO type products like Poli-Seal I have read Opt-seal does well applied by PC as well .
 
mongo- I can't imagine that you'd regret the purchase. AIO-type products are a lot more pleasant to use by machine.



evilwagon- While I don't use the PC to apply sealants (I get a thinner application by hand), I do use it for all sorts of stuff like paint cleaners, AIOs, and waxes. Generally anything you'd do by hand goes easier by PC, the motions involved in moving the PC around are very different from the motions you use when doing stuff by hand- the machine really does do the vast majority of the work.
 
I just got one myself, along with the autogeek 6.5" foam pad kit. (I got over the internal debate by making it my birthday present.) I may not "need" it but I'm sure I'll appreciate having it. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but hope to thie week or this weekend.



I don't tend to work fast in any event and can only imagine how long it would take me to polish my car by hand. I'm sure it will still take me a long time with the PC, as I will be on the upside of the learning curve and paranoid, but I'm sure I'll be less tired when I'm done.



I've found that I really enjoy caring for my car and based on all I've read here, getting the PC will let me enjoy it that much more. I look at detailing as a healthy outlet for my OCD. :chuckle:
 
I find that using the PC really cut down the time it took for me to wax the car. I also love how it has a very even coat.
 
I gotta get one. I just did my Lexus '01 LS430 by hand. Never again. Blisters and frustration. It's a real dark blue metalflake that had/has more swirls than 10 cheerleader fundraiser carwashes in a week could put on it. ;) Washed it, clayed it, Megs Scratch X w/terry cloth, Megs Deep Crystal polish and NXT paste wax. Now I have two worn out arms and a little less swirled but shiny car! Lesson learned? One cannot go to step 2 when step 1 is incomplete. My fingers would actually get hot with the terry & scratch X. I knocked the edges off the scratches but that's about it. These are not gouges down to primer either. You can barely feel them with a fingernail. I felt like it took a real long time with little result. I thought Lexus paint was one of the soft ones? Frustrated in Nashville...
 
Intune- Welcome to Autopia!



Yeah, while Scratch-X is Meg's "by-hand scratch remover" it's not all that user-friendly when you try to do more than one or two isolated areas.



While you consider the purchase of a PC (or UDM or Cyclo), you might also look into 1Z polishes. While they work great by machine, they're especially good when working by hand. Good products for somebody who's starting to get serious about this stuff.



Oh, and in the small-world category, I have in-laws in Nashville :D
 
Accumulator said:
Intune- Welcome to Autopia!

Thanks, seems like a great place! I've been soaking it all in. Tons of info for a noob like me. "Hi, my name is Phil & I've been destroying paint jobs for years!":nomore:

Yeah, while Scratch-X is Meg's "by-hand scratch remover" it's not all that user-friendly when you try to do more than one or two isolated areas.

I hear ya. Hopefully this will save someone else the trouble. The car is covered in swirl. Paint color? Swirl...



While you consider the purchase of a PC (or UDM or Cyclo), you might also look into 1Z polishes. While they work great by machine, they're especially good when working by hand. Good products for somebody who's starting to get serious about this stuff.

My wife thinks seriously crazy. ;) The buckets, brushes, wool mitts, soap, clay, mf's, 303, Stoners, Lexol, Plexus, etc., Etc... She still has no idea that I HAVE to get some VMG & s100 (p21s) 'cause it's a dark car and I NEED to check out that combo. Then there's the Collinite with winter coming on. I probably will give the UDM a shot before the price goes up w/the upgrades. Do you think the yellow 1Z made for single stage will be too harsh by hand or should I stick to the green can for the swirls? There aren't many scratches at all just those dang swirls. I also need to go to the dealer (ouch) for some touch-up paint & clearcoat for the rock chips in the hood & bumper that now show up white 'cause of the polishing & waxing. I figure some Dawn & alcohol on those spots prior to touch-up.

Oh, and in the small-world category, I have in-laws in Nashville :D
Click to expand...

Better yours than mine! :grinno: Mine are in Abilene, TX. They are starting to accept me after 19 years... :bat Naw, good folks. Let me know when you come to town & I'll get you a cold beverage or 2 in exchange for all the good info. Sorry to be so long-winded, I'm excited! :bounce
 
GET THE PC! You will love it! As a hobby investment, it is money well spent. I do some semi-serious paint correction at times, but just as a routine maintainece tool, it is superb. For a simple weekly wash&wax, I apply wax by hand (I am not that fond of taping) then use the PC with a MF bonnet to remove. Saves a lot time just using it in that manner.
 
Intune- Heh heh, I've been lucky with my in-laws...they don't seem to hold my being a Yankee against me :D I never seem to make it down to see them these days (heh heh, insert joke about that being why we get along) as somebody has to stay home with the dogs.



The 1Z Ultra/Extra polish is good to use on nasty scratches. I use it on b/c paint frequently and it's not too harsh for that (does require milder-product follow up though) but only use it on *bad* scratches or when the green doesn't seem to be doing the job. Hard for me to predict which one you'll need, but, noting that it's easy for me to spend your money ;) I'd say to get one can of all three: Ultra/Extra, Paint Polish, Metallic Polish.



You might not need the Metallic if you're using VM, but FWIW I like the MP better than the VM for most things. While I'm giving you IMO-type product recommendations, *I* like Pinnacle Souveran a *LOT* better than P21S. If I wanted to do something special on a dark color I'd use that, and if it's too expensive I'd probably go with Meg's #26 as a second choice. I know, I'm about the only person here who isn't impressed with P21S...almost makes me wonder if I just got a bad jar of it :nixweiss
 
I've been on the fence too about getting a PC or UDM. After reading the Autopia machine guide and the warnings about not using it on edges, and the almost guaranteed product splash/splatter, and trying to figure out which pads/bonnets/accessories to get, I'm almost wondering if it is worth it.



OTOH, if I were to use it only to remove (apparently putting it on requires taping?) the Prime:Acrylic and the Acrylic Jett that I currently use, would it really save time? And will it save enough time to make it worth the ~$250+tax/shipping cost if I only use it 4-6 times a year (2 cars, 2-3 times)???



Like the OP, I would really appreciate your thoughts!



Thanks,

AP
 
MrAP- I bet the caveats about edges and splatter are, to a great extent, just CYA-talk...a case of erring on the side of caution. Such things aren't always a problem with a *rotary* so they shouldn't be a big deal with the UDM any more than they are with the PC/Cyclo.



Edges (and their potentially thinner paint) and splatter (simply a nonissue IMO except with a rotary, at least if you use a reasonable amount of product) will only be a *tiny* aspect of machine use so I wouldn't let them factor into your decision too much.



Removal by machine (w/MF bonnets) works best if you apply a very thin coat of product, and will probably still require some by-hand work. I sometimes remove the bulk of the product by machine and then do a final buff by hand, and I sometimes do it the other way around...you'll have to see if you prefer one method over the other.
 
MrAP - Perhaps it would help if I chimed in. I have been a "by hand" guy forever. Though I have a very large rotary for detailing gelcoat on boats. I have also used that rotary on cars and know the dangers of using a 15 pound machine with a 10" wool pad.



My UDM comes on monday, but I borrowed a PC 7424 from a friend yesterday to detail a 66 vette with horrific paint. The PC makes things much easier and it speeds things up amazingly. That being said, I would have to say that doing damage to your paint with the PC or UDM would be nearly impossible. The machines are just not very powerful. I will be picking up a small rotary very soon to complement my kit.



That being said, the Vette I did had really bad paint, and most details I get would be well handled with a PC or UDM.



Sorry for the long post. Pull the trigger, you will love it. I had someone help me get started with the PC and it helped greatly, find someone on the forum in your area to teach you.
 
Accumulator, cgage, thanks for your replies!



Anyone else? I'd also be very open to hearing other viewpoints :) TIA.
 
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