Repco buffers - good enough?

[Tidy30 38]

Hi guys,

After having just done another 8 hour detail session on the upgraded cab (pictures incoming!) my arms are fully dead again. I have decided to consider going slightly more serious, and started looking at buffers etc.

Just so happens Repco (horrendous) is having a sale on their unbranded buffers here:

http://catalogues.repco.co.nz/Christmas_Countdown_/5366/GearUp_Gear_Up_Buffer_Polisher_110W/526239

Any advice from seasoned vets on these mystery brand buffers? Price seems like something worth trying, but the car says otherwise. Better off saving my money for something better? (I'm more of a "preventative" detailer: Give it a super good clean once in a while, then you'll only need quick wash and wax each fortnight to keep it looking like a flying mirror.)

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

I'm not a seasoned vet but I do have one of these. Its poos, pretty much. Good at giving you a hand massage

[Apex 693]

Best entry level for the home enthusiast is the Meguires buffer, I have one and its great for the once or twice a year I polish my car.

[Tidy30 38]

Its poos, pretty much.

That's enough justification for me! Cheers.

[Apex 693]

This is what I use, its nice and safe. Not sure if they are still available but they are a great entry level machine... would not bother with anything less.

http://www.detaildepot.co.nz/159-meguiars-dual-action-g220-polisher.html

[_Matt_ 42]

What you use with the buffer is the important part.

[emac 9]

think quality quality quality!

[Richiezhp 18]

Yeah I got one of them caki ones for xmas.

Used it once with hesitation and it was well sh*t. Buffer pad spun in an in even rotation and Just thought swirl marks.

Best get a second hand double headed one. (With softer heads) then buy the right compounds.

I'm keen to do this as well but find it hard having the motivation when my car is always left outside!

[nath 128]

Best entry level for the home enthusiast is the Meguires buffer, I have one and its great for the once or twice a year I polish my car.

Yip these are fine for me. An electric angle-grinder style one aint too dear either though to be honest.

[Apex 693]

Just needs to be random action and if you are a beginner its safer to use a soft pad and a low abrasive cut.

I have used to top machines with professional pads and polish and it is very easy to stuff up, managed to take paint off on edges and left some ugly swirls.

[Neal 512]

Probably get laughed at. But I've just spent a couple of days using a cheap mothers polisher on the wifes e36 and the difference was night and day.

The good thing about it was that it would be hard to cut through the paint and into the primer as it lacks absolute power and is reasonably gentle.

Was still able to get deep blackberry scratches out and removed some of the patching that was occurring in the clear coat.

Downside was that it probably took twice as long compared to units mentioned so far.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Neal

[Apex 693]

You mean the Mothers Wax Attack machine? They are good for a light buff and wax. Not grunty enough to do a cut.

[hotwire 352]

Yip these are fine for me. An electric angle-grinder style one aint too dear either though to be honest.

Angle grinder - too fast!

I have a Hitachi sander/polisher. It is two speed & designed for both actions. Looks like an angle grinder but is not

[jeffbebe 1559]

I'm not too fazed about learning to cut - it needs to be done so rarely that I'd prefer to get a pro to do it - but a decent buffer would be good. Do you reckon the cheapie from Repco and some decent wax/polish would be okay for that or is it just a waste of $40?

Edited November 17, 2013 by jeffbebe

[Apex 693]

Na, these machines are crap and simple corrections on small area's can be done easy enough with a foam pad by hand, applying wax by hand is easy enough.

But, a good machine is a useful tool and I would recommend one to any enthusiast, they do a consistent job that you cant match by hand.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Na, these machines are crap and simple corrections on small area's can be done easy enough with a foam pad by hand, applying wax by hand is easy enough.

But, a good machine is a useful tool and I would recommend one to any enthusiast, they do a consistent job that you cant match by hand.

Fair enough... I'd like a decent machine but 400+ notes is out of the question at the moment. That said, I do love good paint! Maybe I'll just drive over to your house every couple of months, Graham!

[yng_750 247]

these type of machines oscillate so it makes it very hard to over do it, but they are slow.

the grinder style machines spin so are much better and faster but you can burn the paint or create swirls.

they are typically around $100- $120 .

bear in mind usually they have adjustable speeds, the top speed is designed for polishing metals etc so dont go much past half way.

more important is the type of polish you use, most are course and designed for hand use.

meguires do a good range in beige bottles designed for machine use. (upside is they are silicon free so paint shop safe (silicon is very very hard to get off to paint over))

cant remember their name but they come as a medium cut cleaner, fine cut polish and possibly a wax.

i have been told very good things about the foam cutting pads such as these

http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/online-store/products/Velocity-Cutting-Pad-Wave-Foam-Velcro-200mm.aspx?pid=321085#Cross

apparently they hold polish in rather than spinning it off and are better at going around corners and edges without creating too much pressure.

a good machine designed polish acts very different to a standard hand polish.

a hand polish contains abrasive that stays very course.

a good polish lets the abrasive break down further and further hence giving a finer and finer polish.

on my 540i someone has polished it with a machine going far to fast at some stage, the leading edge of the boot lip spolier has the paint stripped off down to the plastic, and the same where the bootlid drops in to the number plate recess, not very noticable on a black car but annoying all the same.

i would recomend either taping off or removing the plastic and chrome trims, removing them might take a while but it saves you hand polishing around them and trying to get the residue off later on.

and again make sure the car is properly cool, like not in the sun since the day before, and cool air temp is better. also very very clean car, any dirt particles stuck in the pad are going to scratch the paint.

[dubman 39]

i bought one of these on a whim:

http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/online-store/products/180mm-Car-Polisher.aspx?pid=135285#Cross

it beats hand pads for sure, but its tedious to use (excess vibration, and horrible speed control). It'll be good for a cut, but not the best for polishing or minor corrections.

Here's a crappy pic of an attempt I did (L/H cut, R/H uncut)

i don't know if this is any better though (you get what you pay for)

http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/online-store/products/180mm-Multifunction-Polisher.aspx?pid=344537#Cross

[yng_750 247]

that second one is another osciallting one, much better than the cheap ones though.

as you say prob best to cut with the one you bought and finish on something like that.

meguires sell a kit that gets you two polishers and all the pads you will need to do a pro job.

but that costs around $3000

[bellicose 9]

i bought one of these on a whim:

http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/online-store/products/180mm-Car-Polisher.aspx?pid=135285#Cross

That's what i use and beleive me i get reasonable results. I bought it because my $1900 Rupes sh1t itself in the middle of a job. The cheap one has done ALOT of work and still going ok.

Ditch the wool pad mate and go to a paint supply place and get at least 2 foam pads (different grades for different cuts)

I use a kit that has cut, gloss, glaze & mist compounds, 3 microfibre cloths, 3 foam pads and an apron and at $80 plus $88 for the cheap buff i'm sorted.

[bellicose 9]

The sort of results you can get with cheaper products.

[dubman 39]

cheers for the advice!

yea, bought two pads with the machine, but always scratched my head when it came to compounds. I need alot more practice etc

[nath 128]

Angle grinder - too fast!

I have a Hitachi sander/polisher. It is two speed & designed for both actions. Looks like an angle grinder but is not

Hence i write angle grinder 'style'.

I have a Rupes polisher and a cheap Repco type one. I use 3M professional products for various levels of polishing, and have Meguiars rubbing compound and wax. I can't really report on the usefulness of the Rupes as my cars never need a very serious going- over.