# Best machine polisher for newbie?



## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Howdy all, I'm considering getting into machine polishing, due to having bought a used car with swirl marks all over it. The car is a white BMW (2009 reg), so I'm hoping that the paint will be quite thick/hard so I'm less likely to bugger it up.

However, what machine would be good for me to get and begin learning with? I notice the DAS6 being mentioned on the forum, but isn't that just a rotary, rather than an orbital?

I was considering the Meguiars G220 V2, perhaps with the starting kit that you can get with it. Would this be a good choice/better choice than the DAS6?

Also, does anybody know of any good deals for the Meguiars G220 V2, as it ain't exactly the cheapest tool one could buy...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Russ :buffer:


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## RomanvdG (Aug 3, 2012)

There are lot of discussions and info on that topic on the forum. 
I want to buy one as well and I am leaning towards the DAS6-pro. A bit cheaper but seems to do everything I want.


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## derbigofast (Dec 6, 2011)

i still say as its what i did get a cheap rotary like ferm lovely machine or silverline and start with softer finishing pads and light compounds and polishes till you get used to the machine and learn to control it


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## Scotty Pro (Nov 12, 2008)

Das6 Dual Action Polisher is about £80
Das6 Pro Dual Action is about £35 more
the one I have is the Dodo Buff Daddy, which is the Das6 rebadged, but it comes in a nice bag as well.

The G220 is not cheap as stated, personally, I find the Buff Daddy more than enough for my purposes and for £84 it is well worth it IMHO
Got mine from HERE since Juicy Jen is local to me


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

What's the difference between the DAS6 and the DAS6PRO then? The PRO is more powerful? Anything else?

Also, what advantages does the Megs G220V2 have over the DAS6PRO? Looking at the DAS6PRO I cold get the machine itself, plus a host of pads and polishes for the price of the Megs. However, if the Megs has other advantages it might be worth my while...?


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## davec (Mar 5, 2012)

for a BMW i would recommend a rotary, they're not as dangerous as some would make out, unless you are a total muppet! i have the cleanyourcar ep800 and its superb, I've used it on my own Mercedes (hard paint), the wife's Honda (soft paint) and my lexus (again soft) and it dealt with them all superbly. they have a new version out now which looks even better than mine.
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polis...r-ep801-compact-rotary-polisher/prod_854.html
throw in some 3m pads and hey presto, you're ready to go!


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## Scotty Pro (Nov 12, 2008)

The Pro has a bigger motor with a gearing system that drives the pads. I don't know anything about the Megs machine so I cant help there. I have used the Dodo a few times and it works a treat, If you are going to use the machine heavily every week then the Pro might be the best option. If you are just using it on your, and family cars then the Das6 or Dodo should be more than enough.

You don't polish your car with a machine every week other wise you would get strike through. Once you have removed the swirls its all about maintenance of the paintwork.

Is there no one around your way that has a machine you could try ???


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## derbigofast (Dec 6, 2011)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferm-Powe...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a622ec698 this is the ferm polisher same as mine if you wait i got mine for £50 so im sure thell be more as cheap also try amazon there was a lot of them on there


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Well my brother (who lives 2 mins walk away) has an AEG orbital sander that he uses as a machine polisher, so I could use that I suppose. Just fancied having my own so that I can use it whenever needed, otherwise it'd be a pain having all the polishes and pads etc, then having to borrow the machine each time.

As for the rotary... I dunno... maybe I am a muppet! I just know I'd end up buggering it up somehow.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

davec said:


> for a BMW i would recommend a rotary, they're not as dangerous as some would make out, unless you are a total muppet! i have the cleanyourcar ep800 and its superb, I've used it on my own Mercedes (hard paint), the wife's Honda (soft paint) and my lexus (again soft) and it dealt with them all superbly. they have a new version out now which looks even better than mine.
> http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polis...r-ep801-compact-rotary-polisher/prod_854.html
> throw in some 3m pads and hey presto, you're ready to go!


Dave, did you start out with that polisher?


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

try ben at rubbish boys he'll sort you out.


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## Mattodl (Sep 13, 2012)

Waxyclean.co.uk supply the g220 for the cheapest I've seen on the tinterwebs.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Thanks Matt. Do you have one?


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## Mattodl (Sep 13, 2012)

Waxyclean.co.uk supply the g220 for the cheapest I've seen on the tinterwebs.


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## Mattodl (Sep 13, 2012)

Whoops, double post and yep i do  never used the das6 so couldn't compare


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Cool, thanks. Agh, so many options. I have no idea!


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## Pugboi (Aug 17, 2012)

MBRuss said:


> Well my brother (who lives 2 mins walk away) has an AEG orbital sander that he uses as a machine polisher, so I could use that I suppose. Just fancied having my own so that I can use it whenever needed, otherwise it'd be a pain having all the polishes and pads etc, then having to borrow the machine each time.
> 
> As for the rotary... I dunno... maybe I am a muppet! I just know I'd end up buggering it up somehow.


I just jumped in and brought a rotary but I am having some training with kds before I start on my own car !! :thumb:


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

..if your not confident with powertools dont use em.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Well I guess I gotta use them to enable me to get confident using them. In reality I'd be super careful, but I still have no idea what's best to go for.

At the moment I have a Poorboys polish of some sort and using it by hand just causes more marring than when I started, so it needs a machine, as does my swirly car.

Unless somebody in the Bristol area fancies machine polishing my car?!


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

fair enough.get yourself some light polish like ag.srp to start with you wont ever do any harm with that no matter what you do..unless you throw it at the car...but in all seriousness maybe your concentrating in one spot too long if your leaving marks or the polish may be too harsh,dirty media etc,find out what polish your using and research it..remember less is more.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

It's a Poorboys SSR, I just can't remember which grade. It's supposed to be OK for hand polishing, but in my experience it just leaves a haze. Most likely needs to be worked in with a machine to break down a bit.

I already use the AutoGlym stuff, but that doesn't seem to remove scratches at all. Not sure if it'd work any better on a machine polisher, but doesn't seem to correct anything if used by hand. Just makes the paint shiney-er!


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## srod (Dec 31, 2010)

AG paint renovator can remove some light scratches by hand, but it does need a bit of work. I always carry some for those occasions when a machine polish is not warranted (or not being paid for!  )

Finish off with srp.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Hmm, thanks for the tip, but being a used car it's covered with swirl marks all over. It'd take me an age to hand polish the swirls out of it!

I'm liking the look of the DAS6PRO group buy, but would want a starter pack with a variety of polishes and pads, plus a smaller mounting plate for bumpers etc. Not sure where I could get that from.


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## srod (Dec 31, 2010)

MBRuss said:


> Hmm, thanks for the tip, but being a used car it's covered with swirl marks all over. It'd take me an age to hand polish the swirls out of it!


Aye, but at the end of it you'd be left with biceps the size of Mount Fugi! 

CleanYourCar do some DAS6 bundles.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

..id use the ssr with machine personaly thats why your gettin marks..get some megs.uc and up. That will get rid of any marring


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Cool thanks. Any ideas on the difference between the DAS6 PRO and the Megs G220V2? I'm swaying towards the DAS6 just from a price perspective, plus I figure I'm less likely to **** anything up than with a rotary. Just not sure if the bundles work out as cheap as the group buy + pads etc?


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

A DA will be able to correct a BMW, look in the Studio & Showroom sections and you will see how impressive a DA can fix hard paint. If it was my money I would go for the Pro DA as it has more power.

For pads I would look at some MF pads for cutting and foam for finishing. Throw in something like 105 & 205 and your ready to start work. 

Of course there is a huge range of alternative polishes to the 105/205 from Menzerna and many others including the Megs M101. Hex pads are great but so are Sonus, Menzerna et al and don't overlook the 'own brands' from Elite and Serious Performance

I use a rotary as it is (generally) quicker and I cannot cope with the vibrations of a DA but have a look at some of the pictures of hard paint corrections with a DA to see how impressive they can be


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

MBRuss said:


> Cool thanks. Any ideas on the difference between the DAS6 PRO and the Megs G220V2? I'm swaying towards the DAS6 just from a price perspective, plus I figure I'm less likely to **** anything up than with a rotary. Just not sure if the bundles work out as cheap as the group buy + pads etc?


Theyre similar machines,both good just get the cheapest.one..as i said earlier get in touch with ben rubbish boys hes a trader on here i think he sells em..imo its all about the pads you use and technique,not the da or rotary..but others may beg to differ.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

OK thanks for that - that was helpful. Before I do any of this though, is it totally necessary to clay the car, as that's another thing I need to look into. I've got some Purple Rain ont he way to get rid of the iron contaminants and will be using a jet wash and Magifoam on the car for the first time this weekend, but I'm guessing that it's still advisable to clay the car after all this and before machine polishing it?


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

MBRuss said:


> OK thanks for that - that was helpful. Before I do any of this though, is it totally necessary to clay the car, as that's another thing I need to look into. I've got some Purple Rain ont he way to get rid of the iron contaminants and will be using a jet wash and Magifoam on the car for the first time this weekend, but I'm guessing that it's still advisable to clay the car after all this and before machine polishing it?


Yeah give it a clay mate why not. Just take your time when your machining.these things can take ages but once youve done it.youll be chuffed,start on the bonnet..do foot square.sections or no more than 18"or so.but you probably know all this anyway.good luck


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## NornIron (May 12, 2007)

@ MBRuss... I used a G220 for about 4 years with good results, mainly on VW paints. I've always been too cautious to go down the rotary route, however my G220 died a couple of months ago and I bought a DAS6-Pro from Matt at i4detailing My own view is that it's a better piece of kit... quieter and more powerful than the G220.

BTW, Matt gives 7.5% off his prices for DW members :thumb:


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## Scotty Pro (Nov 12, 2008)

Have a look in the for Sales Section, there is something that might be right up your street LINKY


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## TigerUK (Apr 1, 2012)

derbigofast said:


> i still say as its what i did get a cheap rotary like ferm lovely machine or silverline and start with softer finishing pads and light compounds and polishes till you get used to the machine and learn to control it


for older c& common cars like the m4 golf you can buy panels from breakers for £30. So they're great to practice on. If you mess up you can just buy a new panel.


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Great - thanks again everyone. Had a look at everything, so will have a think and decide what to do.

Rotary sounds like it could be both quicker and cheaper, but I'm not sure that it's the wisest idea to use one without having a paint gauge...?


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