BMW Forums : BimmerForums banner

cheap machine polishers

Tags
polishers
4K views 36 replies 20 participants last post by  Gav78 
#1 ·
do they work, this is something id use once a year max, why not buy a 30 qiud one off ebay, i understand people using 100/200 pound ones if they do it for a living or regular, but i may use mine once, why shouldnt i buy a 30 pound one off ebay:confused
 
#25 ·
I wouldn't recommend a silverline to a new user (assuming OP is a new user to machine polishers)

Get a DA, machines like silverlines are rotary, which means they spin in one spot, a DA is dual action, so it kind of orbits and moves about, thus not burning through your paint.

I have been using a DA for about about 2 years now, and use it every couple of months, on various cars and I only just about feel confident enough now to go onto a rotary polisher.
 
#9 ·
I've got this http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polis...-silverstorm-39-rotary-polisher/prod_513.html

Absolutely spot on, works perfectly, very powerful and has the essential speed control dial :thumbsup

Me and a few boys from work chipped in £20 each last year and got the polisher, backing plate and a variety of pads.. we've all used it 3 or 4 times each and it's working perfectly.. why pay more when you can get one at that price with a 3 year guarantee!?!?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rumpleforeskin
#11 ·
Just a bit more advice for you rumple, because you have a black car trust me you will need a orbital polisher sooner or later. The DA's are good in their own league but if you ever need to correct the paint properly / round off heavy scratches then the rotary will be the one you need.

Plus it'll save you loads of time and the pads are cheaper / more plentiful for a rotary
 
#13 ·
Also, to save a couple of quid, assess your paintwork before buying the pads and polish. If you have light swirl marks and light scratches (run your fingernail over them gently, if it catches it's not light!) the just get a medium and fine pad, and a fine polish. Alot of the starter kits come with a cutting pad, maybe wool and foam, and cutting compound, which is you have medium to light swirls, isn't needed.

Along with that Silverline R/O linked above, and a couple of pads/polish, you should be able to get away with spending around £80. Compared to the results you will achieve by hand (poor) and the days that you will ache after trying (numerous) it's a no brainer.
yes was thinking of a rotory one, probably hire one:thumbsup
 
#12 ·
Also, to save a couple of quid, assess your paintwork before buying the pads and polish. If you have light swirl marks and light scratches (run your fingernail over them gently, if it catches it's not light!) the just get a medium and fine pad, and a fine polish. Alot of the starter kits come with a cutting pad, maybe wool and foam, and cutting compound, which is you have medium to light swirls, isn't needed.

Along with that Silverline R/O linked above, and a couple of pads/polish, you should be able to get away with spending around £80. Compared to the results you will achieve by hand (poor) and the days that you will ache after trying (numerous) it's a no brainer.
 
#14 ·
ive got a bluepoint mop which was £150 with variable speeds, the best investment ive made for a car. cant fault it and imo one of the best out there.
 
#17 ·
Just to chip in about the cheap ones.
I got mine from machine mart for £20, I was getting something else and figured why not at that price?? Well as STK says, because they are sh1t!
I've used mine for about 5 mins, it really is harder to polish out polish with it than doing it by hand.
My paints got a bit rough lately but am undecided as to whether to go for the vinyl wrap stuff all over yet
 
#18 ·
+1 for the silverline machine I got one last week and so far its been brilliant, variable speed and a selection of pads for £50 delivered with a 3 year guarantee?? As the other guy said its a no brainer it does exactly the same thing as any other rotary polisher.
 
#21 ·
You don't use rotary polishers regularly as a part of your cleaning/detailing routine.

They are used for paint correction, so once you've corrected the paint you protect it and shouldn't have to use the rotary for a while!

I machine polished my car and protected the paint in october and have simply maintained it by washing and the odd coat of wax periodically :thumbsup

As we had a bad winter I will probably do my car again in a couple of months but generally you shouldn't need to machine polish your car more than once a year if that.
 
#32 ·
Seb get a rotary and save your money mate..

You've got common sense :)lol) so you'll be fine!

Rotarys give far better results than DAs and aslong as you use basic logic when using you'll be fine.. don't forget BMW paint is incredibly hard so you'd literally have to hold a rotary with full pressure in 1 spot for 5 mins plus to burn through the paint.. and let's face it only a total retard would do that :thumbsup

I regularly see people advising noob's to go for DAs first and I'm never sure why.. I had never used any sort of machine polisher before I got my silverline.

I just did a bit of research, watched a few how to videos and dived in head first.. results were amazing, my shoulder was f*cked for about a week but I was happy :D

If you were really concerned about previous repairs etc which is a valid point then go to a spray shop and get them to take paint reading all over the car.. you'll know where to be extra careful then
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6891_seb
#27 ·
I think my Kestral DA was 130, which came with 3 stages of polishes, and 3 different pads.

I don't reccomend the polishes i chose though with the DA, whish was sonus, they seem to dry up and clog the pad up quite quickly compared to other polishes.

I would go for the kestral DA with the menzerna polishes.

that was off cleanyourcar.co.uk
 
#29 ·
You could go straight to rotary polish if you want, and grab an old bonnet or panel from the scrapyard and have a practice, deliberately burn through the paint with it to see the limits.

I burnt through the paint on my black wing on my E36, to reveal it was blue underneath lol must of had a tiny tiny layer of black on, and that was with a DA. So it can still happen if your trying to make shoddy sprays and repairs look better, if you have any.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top