Buying a PC

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Djulin

New member
Hey All-



This is my first post and I would like to first say that this forum is amazing.



I'm a newbie to detailing and have been doing all of it by hand. The only products that I have been using is mostly Meguiar's 3 step system, NXT wax and so forth. And I'm looking to upgrade them and I want to buy a PC. I know little about PC's because I have been afraid so any info would be great.



The only cars I detail are my white 2007 VW GTI which is a daily driver and my fiance's black BMW Z4. I went on autogeek and found a couple nice starter kits.



1) Poorboy’s Porter Cable 7424 Polish & wax Kit

2) XMT Porter Cable 7424 Light Swirl Remover Kit with CCS pads! Free Bonus!



I'm looking to remove light swirls, polish and protect. Would one of these work? And if so, is it a good choice? Or is there any other recommendations on better products?



And one more question, is there a difference between a swirl removal detail and a polish and protect detail?
 
XMT is a fine product, but I really like Optimum for white... Look at getting OP, OPS and OS. 2 layers of OS go down in half an hour or less and don't look so good right away but you'll be blown away the next morning.
 
I got my first PC a few months back and started with XMT. I liked it but I will definitely be trying other polishes as well. I also heard Duragloss 105 looks great on white. I've used it, never on white, and have been impressed with it.

What area of Pittsburgh are you in?
 
themightytimmah said:
XMT is a fine product, but I really like Optimum for white... Look at getting OP, OPS and OS. 2 layers of OS go down in half an hour or less and don't look so good right away but you'll be blown away the next morning.
Click to expand...

ok for us newbies what does op os ops stand for ??
 
Djulin said:
I know little about PC's because I have been afraid so any info would be great.
Click to expand...

http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/80223-using-porter-cable-7424-car-polisher.html



Djulin said:
And one more question, is there a difference between a swirl removal detail and a polish and protect detail?
Click to expand...

Not sure if you've already read this or not: http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/80225-polishing-paint-perfection.html



Swirl removal is just polishing the surface with an abrasive (either by hand or machine) to round out the sharp edges of the scratches so light doesn't reflect as noticeably. Polish is just the act of polishing to correct paint defects such as swirls and scratches, although it could also refer to the product that's used for polishing (usually a creamy substance which contains micro-abrasives). Protecting is the step after polishing where you apply a sealant and / or wax to the surface so it can withstand the elements better.
 
Give serious consideration to the UDM or a rotory. I struggled with a P/C for a few years but I was disappointed at my results when compared to the photos that I saw on this and other websites. Flawless paint appearance never happened for me until I picked up a rotory. Do some reading on how to use a rotory, keep the speed down and you'll be fine.

Understand this concept: Polish requires heat to break down fully. Ever hear of the term "diminishing abrasives"? It is during this stage that polish works it's magic. In my opinion, a P/C does not generate enough heat to reach this crucial stage and the results demonstrate this perfectly. I learned how to use a rotory on my black corvette and I have never had a problem. I said this in a previous post and I'll say it again here. Stop being affraid of the rotory, it's what's holding you back.
 
ptaylor, well said man! But if you have your heart set on PC/UDM, then go for it man. Do yourself a favor and go with the Menzerna line of polishes. SIP/106ff will more than get you started and I doubt you will be looking for another line of polish anytime soon. Ive tried virtually all polishes and the Menzerna line does it for me everytime.



Jim
 
ptaylor_9849 said:
I said this in a previous post and I'll say it again here. Stop being affraid of the rotory, it's what's holding you back.
Click to expand...





I disagree with this. I have a PC, UDM, Cyclo, and a two rotaries (DeWalt and Metabo), and the one I use the very least is the rotary. I have yet to find a task I couldn't accomplish with the PC, UDM, or Cyclo which are all much less aggressive than the rotary.



The most important thing to remember when detailing is to always use the least aggressive method as possible to achieve the results you are looking for, and, to me, the rotary is a very aggressive tool that can do serious damage in a heartbeat, even by the very best of detailers.



I'm not knocking the rotary, it is a very necessary detailing tool, and does have the ability to make corrections that the others sometimes have trouble with, but in the end, I will always choose the PC, UDM, or Cyclo over anything else.
 
I think I like the rotory more because I have 2 black cars with extremely hard clear (GM & Mercedes). I spent so much time trying to make corrections with the P/C that it became counter-productive. All I use my P/C now for is applying waxes and glazes. You know what they say "The right tool for the right job". Well a P/C isn't the right tool to correct a black vette.
 
Even though I fully understand what you are saying, I still don't fully agree. Yes, the rotary will save time, no doubt about that, but the PC (and especially the UDM), does a good job of correcting Mercedes and GM clear with no problem. I, too, have a black Mercedes and even though it took a good bit of time, the end result was amazing.



I'm not trying to flame you or anything, I'm just trying to point out that the main difference between the machines is mostly the time it takes to achieve your results, and not so much the actual end product, which will most of the time be the same. This "difference" can be seen between all the machines actually, not just the PC and rotary.



I am saying all of this as a hobbyist detailer, not as a professional, who is detailing for money. Those are two very different situations where time *is* money for a pro. I have all the time in the world, and don't care if it takes me two days to finish the detail, I just want to preserve my clear as much as possible while making it look better than new.
 
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