puro1212

It is about time to get some good Wax/Detailing work done on my 993 C2S ( http://www.ctuner.com/user/5 ). But I am still a newbie in this area. May I hear some advice? I open to either buy some good wax/detailing products to do it myself or find someone good with reasonable price. I am in the So Cal area. Thanks a lot in advance.

Scott

shafo

Scott, check out autopia.org. I've heard that it's the rennlist of car detailing forums, if such a thing is possible...

Father of 3

The best thing to do is check out www.autopia.org. That is the Rennlist of detailing. Also, try searching detailing or wax. There have been alot of really good threads on the topic. My recommendations: 1) get a good washing mitt to start. I bought mine through autopia but there are lots of good sites for detailing products. Griots garage is a great site, though expensive. 2) get a good (or a few) microfiber drying towel. 3) figure out whether you want to use natural or synthetic products. Lots of folks are purists and will only use carnuba wax, such as p21. Lots of other folks are perfectly happy using synthetic was/sealants such as Klasse products or rejex. Me, I recently used Klasse all in one (polish and wax in one) on my wife's minivan, on my 993, and on my black bmw. My wife's minivan, believe it or not, came out the best. Unbelievable how great the paint came out looking. My 993 also came out looking very nice. My BMW, however, came out with swirl marks, which I've never done to my car before. Now I'm thinking of buying a Porter random orbital polisher (from autopia probably) to get my black BMW back into shape, practice on that and the minivan, and eventually clay, polish, wax, and seal my 993 with the sucker. Should look great. Good luck and have fun.

kkim

re: Porter-Cable Buffer ... http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...8b5+1134984277

AOW162435

The same Porter-Cable buffer can typically be found at Lowe's for even less.

Andreas

Bogwan

I understand different products have there benefits, what sets the Porter Cable unit as the perferred choice? Details please, I can never seem to get enough details on this sort of thing when trying to research online. Thanks.

AOW162435

Greg,
The Porter-Cable unit is unique in that it prevents the user from 'burning' the paint as you polish or buff. Regardless of how hard you press down (which is a no-no anyway) the unit will prevent paint damage. It's the same one shown in the Griot's catalog, without the Griot's price

It's a no-nonsense and well-built tool.

Andreas

Father of 3

Porter Cable seems to be the unanimous choice for machine polishers according to the guys at autopia, particularly for amateur detailers. I spoke with the guy at Griots Garage (Mr. Griot) about PCs and he swears by them. He says you have to try really hard, really really hard, to burn the paint with one of these things. Read the "how to" section in autopia http://www.guidetodetailing.com/arti...p?articleId=47.

epj993

Yep - the Porter-Cable is the way to go. It's a random orbit polisher so it's harder to burn and gives a nicer finish. Picked up mine for $109 at Lowe's.

Bogwan

$$$$$ SOLD $$$$$ Thanks guys!

Bogwan

Is this it,,,says sander?

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...6SP&lpage=none

Father of 3

Check out this thread as well http://autopia.org/forum/showthread....t=porter+cable

epj993

Yes - that's the one. It has a slightly different part number because it comes with a basic polishing pad.

kkim

Guys, look good at the link I posted. The price includes an optional 6" backing pad and counter weight for it. I think the Lowe's price is only for he basic machine? Anyway, just trying to pass on the best deal that I found, couretesy of a fellow Rennlister, on this fantastic piece of machinery.

The real value of the PC is it's build quality and variable speed control which lets you experiment with that just right setting for whatever you happen to be using. Any random orbiter basically does the same thing... even the $20 special from Wally Mart... I can't tell you how many of those I've burnt out and returned before I invested in the PC.

STLPCA

Scott
Here's a blurb about the PC (& my YES vote):

By combining the motion of a disc polisher with an orbital type motion, the Porter Cable Orbital Polisher #7424 offers a random orbit pattern that eliminates any trace of a swirl mark. The machine is so mistake proof, anyone can use it.

Intended primarily for automotive detailing and boat maintenance, the 6" random orbit polisher also has a place in solid surface applications. Attach a sanding pad and you'll have a random orbit sander for automotive body repairs, as well as wood, solid surface, and metal sanding, (Accepts all 6" pressure sensitive sanding discs).

The 120V Porter Cable polisher has a powerful 3.7 amp motor, weighs 5.75 lbs, is 11.5" long, and is double insulated against shock. It features an electronic variable speed dial that can be adjusted between 2,500-6,000 orbits per minute (OPM). The hand grip can be attached to either side for right or left handed operators.