wblynch

No, I traded the X-Type in on the S.

Even though the S-Type is a bit more solid and quieter riding than the X, I miss the X-Type.

I should have saved a ton of dough and got another X. I don't think I'm a "big-car" kind of guy.

HotRodGuy

that guy was a tool, he was going to cosmetic stores to buy brushes and was getting ripped off. It looked like he just wanted expensive stuff, there are many products better then what he was buying that are a lot cheaper.

Kev04C320

Correct me if I'm wrong: I think Evian is natural spring water which means that minerals are present in abundance. Don't minerals leave etching marks on your wind shield if you let it sit for a while?

David N.

The porter cable you bought is exactly the same as the meguiars branded machine. Meguiars actually gets their machine from porter cable. Have no fears, you got a great tool at a great price. The meguiars machine is regarded as over priced by many people, compared to the deals at Lowes and online at coastaltool.

David N.

Meguars has made some strides, no doubt about it. I'm not sold on NXT though. It has a nice look, but didn't last very long when I tested it. That's one of the reaons I like klasse so much, it lasts longer.

wblynch

We're getting good with those Porter Cables.

Last Saturday, Buellwinkle and I did 2 1/2 cars, wash, clay, #83, #7 and NTX in 5 hours.

With two guys and two machines we were blazing and all the cars came out stunning.

His daughter's '98 Mustang Convertible, a dark metallic blue, just glowed when we were done. The metallic flakes were popping mad and the reflection was deep, dark and very shiney.

My red Mustang convertible looks like it's on fire.

I fear I'm becoming a polishing fool. Now I want to get the '63 Vette restored so I can polish that as well.

breastroker

My understanding is the meguiars PC is not the exact same as what you can buy over the counter. Different weight and bearings.

Buellwinkle

PC makes two models, the 7224 and 7336. The difference is the 7224 comes with a 5" counterwieght and buffing pad and the 7336 comes with a 6" counterweight, sander and buffing pad. Some say the 7336 is better because it shakes less thanks to the larger counterweight, some say the 7336 is better because it also includes a sanding disk + the buffing pad. Either way, the counterweight is a $2 item if you have one and want the other. Experts say that side by side, the different counterweights don't make a difference except at the #6 setting that Meguiars doesn't want you to use with their pads. The Meguires DA polisher is the 7224. It breaks down like this, the 7336 is available for $99 and you get one buffing pad. The Meguiars is $225 and it comes with one buffing pad and backing plate. With the 7336 you will need the 3 buffing pad/backing plate for $33, with the Meguiars unit you still need the 3 pads but it already has the backing plate for $25. In the end you have a choice of paying $132 or $250. For me, I would have just stayed with my rotary buffer vs. paying $250, so it was $132 or nothing. Meguiars has to realize that for $250 I can get a commercial grade DA buffer, not consumer grade equipment you get a the local hardware store and by charging so much they price themselves out of the market.

kaze81

Buellwinkle: got a quick question, what do you think about meguiars special for Porter Cable DA? Do you think it's worth for $149.99?
IMHO, the difference is not much now since you said the cost for gettting notMeguiar DA at the end will be $132 while the special right now for Meguiar DA is $150. I just want to have more input before making final purchase.
Anyone is welcome to give input here.

Thanks in advance

GDawgC220

meguiars DA is on sale for $150 now???

Buellwinkle

It was in July, but I'm pretty sure it's $225 now. But don't count that as $132 vs. $149, that's crazy math. The $149 price only includes 1 pad and so does the PC for $99, what you don't get is the velcro backing plate for more Meguiars pads if you chose that route but there are better pads, that's your choice. So in reality, say the end result is you want a few pads (different ones for polishing (actually 2 if you have a two different polishes you use, don't mix pads) vs. waxing vs. wax removal) so the $99 PC with 4 pads and backing plate is $132, the Meguiars, if it really is on sale, with 4 pads and backing plate is $175, still a healthy difference. Reality is it's $225 + $25 for 3 pad set so it's $132 vs. $250 or almost twice the price and that blows it out of my budget since I'm happy with my rotary buffer.

E320Star

Very nice pictures

wblynch

Unfortunately my Meguiar's backing plate and 2 #8006 pads have failed after only doing about 4 cars.

One 8006 pad pretty much came apart all together. Mind I'm only using it at a max speed of 5 on the PC. The velco backing pad had broken down and will no longer hold a foam pad, and my other #8006 pad, which was used only with #7 Show Car Glaze at a speed of 4.5 is also pretty much shot.

The latter pad looks like it's getting eaten up from the inside. Maybe #7 should not be applied by the PC ?

I might add I was using the PC for about 8 hours straight on Saturday and 4 hours yesterday.

I think I will try the Sonus DAS pad kit for the PC DA. It's a bit more expensive than the Meg's W-DAV99 but includes a flexible backing plate, 3 pads and a 2-pack of bonnets. Over at Autopia.Org there seems to be a lot of recommendations for the Sonus pads.

So, as far as Meguiar's liquid products, I am very pleased but I am disappointed with their foam pads.

Buellwinkle

Meguiars will stand behind the pads, they are only weeks old. Don't know much about Sonus pads But I do know Lake, the brand you and I use on the rotary buffer, it's a true commercial product and I've used them for years at much higher speeds than a DA buffer (although I never had to buff a car for more than an hour with the rotary, OK maybe my old black Suburban). I would like to see the backing plate and pads before you send them back. Also, how did the free pad that came with the PC compare to the Meguiar pads? If you get them back, just use them to apply wax and get the better pads for serious polishing. Told you I had a bad experience with Meguiars pads before. Here's a link for the Lake pads/backing plate from Autopia - http://www.autopia-carcare.com/lacomfdupa.html but your paint store probably sells them, Lake is #1 in pads.

As for price, MeguiarsOnline.com announced a December special, the DA buffer for $149 for their forum members only. They also mentioned free shipping if you buy $50 of product. Still, I would get the $99 buffer and some decent Lake pads, you can't go wrong.

wblynch

Too late for one of them, I already heaved it out. The one I used for #7 is still here as is the backing plate.

I'm the kind of guy that would rather toss stuff out and start over than try to argue over $30 worth of stuff. What redress would I get? Just another set of replacements that will also fail? Not worth $30 for the time. Better to just move on.

The Meg's 9006 pad is still in the bag so it can be used, no matter which backing plate I use. I want to go to a flexible backing plate anyway since my cars all have curves and very few flat panels.

The paint store only had Meguiar's pads for the DA so I'll order the Sonus from Autopia-carcare.

No complaints about the Meguiar's lotions and potions though. They all worked great.

--- Oh, the free pad from Porter-Cable works great. I have read of people that throw it away or use it for bonnet duty. I use it for wax application and it couldn't be better.

One think I like about the supplied pad is that it isn't Velcro'ed so it won't go flying off or get off center. I think I prefer a fixed-back foam pad just for the integrity.

I hate having to stop every couple of minutes to re-center the foam pads as they constantly slip off the backing plate.

Buellwinkle

I know what you mean. I could have used velcro pads with my rotary buffer but imagine what would happen if it came off while you were using it and all that contacted the paint was the velcro backing plate, not a pretty site. But if you spent 12 hours on one car buffing, maybe the DA buffer is not for you, who has that kind of time to do that... Lake has some cool new pads that are concave so you don't get the splatter. You have the right kind of rotary, I use the #1 setting most of time and #2 for heavier cutting. Remember, I used this rotary on piano finishes and plastic keytops without a problem and I bet it's easier to burn plastic finishes than clearcoats on cars.