Any cordless buffer users? (especialy the Meg's one)

Aurora40 · 11-30-04, 10:48

I'm thinking about getting it as a gift for someone. It's cheaper than a PC, from Meg's it has a 3-year warranty and I'd have a warm-fuzzy from buying theirs knowing if a problem arised, it would be resolved.

The things I'm liking are:

- price
- easier to use since cordless, no cord scratching or cord dragging around getting dirty
- comes in nice carrying case

The person isn't very autopian, so swirl removal is something they wouldn't take the time to do right anyway. This tool seems good for applying polishes and waxes, and would probably be easier to use than a PC.

Anyone have any thoughts? Do the batteries really last 1.5 hours?

Eliot Ness · 11-30-04, 04:31

You may want to check this one out, the price is sure right. Another member said he can do about 1 1/2 cars on one battery charge (comes with two batteries).:

http://www.cssauction.com/main.php?a...=&ca=&enq=#prt

salty · 11-30-04, 04:38

I have the Simoniz cordless 4.8 volt. Not sure how they compare, but mine at full charge will last about 1 1/4 car-ish. They do give you 2 batteries but they don't hold a charge very long, next day it might be 50%. The foam pad that they gave worked well for the first 3 or 4 cars but fell apart after that. I use a yellow cyclo pad that works well for some LSP and not for others.

As far as being used for a LSP machine it works very well, with the right pad.

salty · 11-30-04, 04:43

Sounds like the same machine. The yellow cyclo pad ' i use' is much more open cell than the pad that came in the package and is probably not the best, but does work.

Aurora40 · 11-30-04, 04:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Eliot Ness
You may want to check this one out, the price is sure right. Another member said he can do about 1 1/2 cars on one battery charge (comes with two batteries).:

http://www.cssauction.com/main.php?a...=&ca=&enq=#prt

Wow, that looks exactly like the Meguiar's one... What a huge price difference! Maybe I'll just go with a PC then. I'm expecting to spend a certain amount on this gift...

cwcad · 11-30-04, 05:53

i bought a battery random orbit polisher. used it once and did not get done with the vehicle that i was working on. No problem, buy a ccharger and another battery. went to work and started the process again. this time i did finish but the batteries were not what i thought they would be. decided to bite the bullet and spend the money on the PC 7424. best money i ever have spent as far as working on my vehicle.

IMHO, do not waste your time with the battery operated one. the PC will give better service, will last longer, and will be the most satisfying. it has been for me!

just remember this advice is worth what it cost. (50 for buffer, 50 for extra pads, atleast fifty for the extra battery and charger)

the other pc · 12-01-04, 08:29

Sure, that Nikota polisher looks the same but is it?

The WEN, Meg's, Simoniz and Nikota all look the same. It's possible that that they are all the same, made in the same factory at the same time and just labeled differently. It's possible, but I doubt that's the case.

Since Meg's has built their reputation on quality and normally OEMs products from companies like Porter-Cable I would think that they would choose a cordless supplier with similar characteristics.

There is a huge industry that exists to make Cheesey knock-offs that look the same as well known, good quality products but cost much, much less. They are pretty much always garbage, looking the same on the outside but built very poorly.

Nikota is most definitely a mass market, ultra low cost brand. It's my guess (and it is just a guess) that they are just cheap knock-offs of the WEN.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Meg's is OEMed from somebody like WEN, possibly custom counterweighted to work with Meg's SoftBuff pads.

Without having all four lined up side by side, inspecting them closely and taking them apart to see how they're built it's impossible to know for sure.

PC.

TortoiseAWD · 12-01-04, 09:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Eliot Ness
You may want to check this one out, the price is sure right. Another member said he can do about 1 1/2 cars on one battery charge (comes with two batteries).:

http://www.cssauction.com/main.php?a...=&ca=&enq=#prt

That was me. Keep in mind that when I say 1 1/2 times around the car, I mean applying wax, glaze, or sealant. If the polish being used required any significant buffing time to break down, I'm not sure that I could do the entire car using both batteries. I would say I get around 20-30 minutes out of a charge, and that may be generous. While I find the cordless Nikota to be useful to apply LSPs, I don't think it has enough torque or speed to do much in the way of swirl removal.

Aurora40, I think you're right to consider a PC instead. Although a little pricier than the Meg's cordless, it's a whole lot more versatile in the long run.

Tort

Fox Curry · 12-01-04, 09:52

Do NOT do the cordless thing. I got the Chicago Electric 10" 18vt on sale several months ago. Can't even get half way over my sports car with an LSP without the battery dying. I converted the whole assembly over to take Lake Country pads, hoping that the smaller diameter would be easier on the battery and allow it to last longer. No luck. I'll stick with my 7424 from now on!

salty · 12-07-04, 05:27

As a LSP machine i find no problems with my Simoniz cordless. On a full charge it will do a whole car in about 10 min. It is almost useless for anything else though. I could remove a small defect faster by hand.

Aurora40 · 12-07-04, 06:00

Quote:

Originally posted by TortoiseAWD
Aurora40, I think you're right to consider a PC instead. Although a little pricier than the Meg's cordless, it's a whole lot more versatile in the long run.

Tort

Thanks all, I went ahead and ordered the Meg's cordless. It has a nice case, a warranty, and is from a company with good customer service. The cordless feature is more versatile for the recipient because he does most stuff out of the garage. It isn't for me. The recipient is very very unlikely to ever be interested in doing any serious polishing with it.

cwcad · 12-07-04, 06:09

hey aurora,
pleeaasee, let us know how the recepient does with hisn gift. having had one( still do for that matter) am intersted because i might have got a lemon.