RageRacerM

So I can do everything minus paint correction on my car (and jus fyi i follow the 2 bucket method, handwash, etc...) I read through a lot of forums, and basically concluded the Griot's DA tool is a good entry choice if I were to pursue doing this.

My fear is that I'm going to mess up the paint/clearcoat. I've been perfectly okay with using sealant and wax to cover up the light scratches, but feel that I should at least polish the car once a year.

Are my fears of burning through clear coat over blown? The paint is really thin from what I've read, and certainly from what I've experienced just from regular daily driving.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks everyone

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

With a DA your fears are blown out of proportion. DA is the safest options of all the machines on the market. Take it slow, work 1 panel at a time and you'll be fine. Start off with the least aggressive polish you can find and slowly get more aggressive. This will act as insurance against your fears of burning the paint and it'll help you understand how each type of paint will react to the level of cut. There are plenty of videos and threads online for you to learn how to use the machine.

IMO, the most common mistake beginners make is that they don't have enough pads or they don't clean their pads often enough.

loanshark

As previously said, with a dual action, it would be VERY hard to damage your paint. If you don't know what you are doing, using a rotary can easily cause damage if you're not careful. Using a DA is a safe & easy way to go. I started with a Porter Cable 7424XP but I just switched over to a Griot's Garage DA. The weather here hasn't been dry enough to try it out, but I'm hoping to use it next weekend. You'll be fine! Check out "ammonyc" on Youtube, he's a great resource for anything detailing related.

JSracer

i also have the 7424 and have had it for many many years, works well, and any da is safe with some common sense.
what was the reason to switch from the PC7424 ?? thanks

GSRockstar

UDel

There is really nothing to fear with a DA, I got one 10 years ago and never had experience with one and I never had any issues with burning through clearcoat or damaging paint. DA's are very safe, only problem with that safety is you have to work slow, go over areas a few times and press down which is much more time consuming then a rotary but much safer. Just watch some youtube videos and ask around, they are easy to use and really critical for a best possible finish.

loanshark

The Porter Cable finally died on me after several years and many hours of use. I went with the Griots due to newer technology and more power.

JSracer

Makes sense, thanks
Is it worth the upgrade if my PC is still going strong ? I only use it a few times a year for personal use

loanshark

The weather hasn't been nice enough to use the Griots yet, so I don't have any comparisons with the two machines.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say no, unless you have a burning hole in your pocket. If you only use it a few times a year it doesn't make financial sense to do so. It's a few hundred dollars saved for mods or maintenance.

FastFord

Get one and you'll never look back, Fun, easy to use, almost impossible to ruin your paint unless you drop the machine on your car.

Like others said, use lots of pads, check out which pads you want to use for your desired results. Have fun!

b2884987

When I started detailing I went all out and bought FLEX XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Polisher. Best detailing weapon ever from Germany. I still use it to detail my car every month or so.

DiabloX22

Go with a Griots a lot of people have their opinions, but they also are not aware that Griots are LIFETIME GUARANTEED! I had my 6 inch and 3 inch swapped out, sent me the return label also. You can't beat that compared to anything!