# Cheap DA Polisher - Thoughts?



## Benfr16

Hey all. Been looking at lots of option for dual action polishers. I am on a pretty strict budget and feel that getting a das 6 pro would be outside of my budget when the pads and polishes are added.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KATSU-NEW...796694?hash=item3f678655d6:g:KL8AAOSwhQhY5q3M

The link above shows a 600watt dual action polisher, similar to the argos one and duren tools DA.

My question is that do people think that these polishers are powerful enough for a decent level of correction to get rid of moderate/heavy swirls and the odd scratch (Black Seat Ibiza 2016)? Providing I use decent pads and polishes (and technique) or will I really benefit from a 850W DA?

Many thanks


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## steelghost

AndyN01 on here has had good experiences with the DA that Argos sell. The advantage of that is you can easily take it back if there's a problem.


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## AndyN01

Thanks SG.

Hiya Ben :wave:

I don't know anything about the ebay machine but from the photo it looks very similar to a lot of other machines.

The Argos DA is 600W and I reckon that's perfectly OK for most jobs as a "first" dip into the machine polishing world.

Mine has been quite happy working on hard VW paint. OK it might not be a accomplished as a Rupes but is not as expensive either .

This might help and will save me a lot of typing. :lol:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=393196.

Shout up if anything else comes to mind.

Good Luck.

Andy.


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## Benfr16

AndyN01 said:


> Thanks SG.
> 
> Hiya Ben :wave:
> 
> I don't know anything about the ebay machine but from the photo it looks very similar to a lot of other machines.
> 
> The Argos DA is 600W and I reckon that's perfectly OK for most jobs as a "first" dip into the machine polishing world.
> 
> Mine has been quite happy working on hard VW paint. OK it might not be a accomplished as a Rupes but is not as expensive either .
> 
> This might help and will save me a lot of typing. :lol:
> 
> http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=393196.
> 
> Shout up if anything else comes to mind.
> 
> Good Luck.
> 
> Andy.


Hey Andy I managed to get an Argos polisher £45 delivered "as new" on eBay with 6 months warranty. Probably one of the sneaky once use and returns to Argos!

I'm gonna get some other pads. Just wondering what the supplied pad is like in terms of density. Is it alright for waxes or is it a more dense foam ? Cheers


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## AndyN01

Hi Ben.

Good for you :buffer::thumb:

Supplied pad is large and not too dense. I did try it out on the roof a a VW with some S20 and it did an OK job but "proper" pads make it all much easier.

Apart from a decent sized flat panel with not too much to do I don't bother with it.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on.

Enjoy.

Andy.


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## Benfr16

Hi again! Ordered the equipment that I'm going to be using. Got all the 'proper' stuff. 

Order Inventory:
ShineMate - 3" Spot Pad Kit (da plate plus heavy, med, light polishing pads)
Chemical Guys - Orange Quantum Pad 5.5"
Chemical Guys - White Quantum Pad 5.5"
ShineMate 5" Dual Action Flexi-Plate
Meguiars #205 - Ultra Finishing Polish 8oz
Meguiars - Ultimate Compound
Plush Buffing Cloth 

Total cost (inc DA) inc. delivery - £105

Ended up spending more than predicted but that seems to be the theme with detailing haha..
Should be sufficient to get me through most problems that i'm likely to face though. Will let you know how it goes when I finally get chance to use the stuff.


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## L200wrap

Had no problems with the.......
Poorboy's World PB-DA900 Dual Action... Not thee dearest but does the job.


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## CHALKYUK

Hi, I hope it's not bad etiquette to join this thread asking my own questions (which have probably been asked before). 

I'm also looking for my 1st DA with pads & polish. Will I actually notice the benefit in paying more than the argos DA to get a das6/das6pro from CYC? 

Which das6 & polish package would you recommend for both a general polish & in future finishing touched up & wet sanded stone chips on a 2008 BMW 530?
& How does the dodo DA compare?
Thanks for any advice you can offer.


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## AnthonyUK

I used the Argos DA to polish out some wet sanded stone chips on my Mercedes’ bonnet using Meg’s ultimate.


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## derbigofast

i bought a katsu leaf blower and it works fantastic and reliably so i dont see that being a problem and as said it looks like a copy of many other machines wich most chinese electronics are and some are of good quality some even better than the origional you just need to know the brand or manufacturers reputation. as i have said i have bought from katsu and had no problems.


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## CleanGirl

I “bought” the Argos DA (it was free after some vouchers and Nectar points) and spent some money on good pads and compounds and I’ve been very pleased with it so far. For what I wanted, occasional correction of certain panels, it’s perfect, and has given me good results. I’m still getting the hang of technique and working out what pad/compound combo works best for me but I have no regrets or complaints  I bought a Lake Country backing plate and some Scholl Ecofix pads and I recommend some cheap toothbrushes for pad cleaning, they work really well!


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## OBB1

I bought a Das 6 pro years ago from CYC and it is still going strong. I'm no expert with machine polishing (at all) but I have picked up a couple of useful things. 

My experience has been that the thing that makes the most difference starting out is finding pads that you are confident with and a polish that is forgiving. When I started out it was using Menz polishes and Sonus pads. Both are great but are not very gentle for beginners. I lost count over the number of pads I had explode on me due to heat build up as the polish suddenly ran out of give.

I then started using the CG Hex pads and Gtech P1 polish as you could prolong your working time with a simple spritz of water. 

Now I've come back to detailing (got a new car a few months ago ) I've found polishes and pads have moved on again. This time I've been using S20 black and the blue spiderpads. I have found these to be great.

Another tip I have found invaluable is to make sure you have more than one of each pad type that you plan on using. And take your time. Pads can quickly become clogged with polish and eventually even a scrub with a brush can't help - they need washing out (I saturate them with APC before soaking them in a bucket of water and drying out for the next day). If you've got a 2 or 3 of a pad type you can keep working at an optimum level, rather than getting carried away and trying to do too much with a single pad.

Ultimately the best thing about any DA polisher is the fact that it is so hard to do any major damage to your paint. This has given me the confidence to have a stab at most things


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