I usually take my truck in for a yearly detail, drop like 400 each time. The guy clay bars the truck and uses a buffer to polish and wax.

Takes him a whole day.

Thinking about doing this myself, I've done it in the past claying the entire car and then hand polishing and waxing with mothers 3 stage. Takes me 2 days.

Want to do this faster, what is a good "beginner" kit that comes with a buffer and pads? I plan to clay by hand, then use the buffer to use swirl mark remover(truck is black and needs it) then apply wax. Not sure on wax yet, but leaning toward mothers 3 stage as I always liked the results.

Any suggestions on a good buffer kit that has all the pads I need at a good price?

Thanks.

 

This is the best kit for beginners:

http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-da-correction-kit.html

Use both the compound and the finishing wax with the appropriate pads on the 5 inch plate, then if you want to top it with your own wax of choice, use these pads on the 6 inch plate:

http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-finishing-pad.html

There are YouTube videos on how to use the microfiber kit properly.

 

Kit looks great, probably will get that. Thanks for the info I appreciate it.

One last question. With this kit, how long does it typically take to do the swirl remover, polish, and wax? This is on a 2006 F150. Don't count washing, claying, trim, interior, I know how long that takes by experience......

I also plan to use painters tape and tape off all the trim before I use the buffer, so, I can "go fast" and not worry about edging......

 

Depending on how bad the swirl marks are and the condition of your paint it's different for everyone. I have a black 2006 supercrew with a fiberglass cover and used the exact same kit. My paint isn't in bad shape but because I did each step (wash, clay, compound, polish, and wax) it took me about a day working from early morning to late night. There is a lot of surface area on our trucks, so it's like doing 2 cars. I also taped off all the trim beforehand. Makes the process a lot faster. What kinds of products are you using?

 

You don't use swirl remover with that microfiber kit - you clay, use the compound with the cutting pad, then the finishing wax with the finishing pad. The wax of your choice with the foam finishing pad I linked separately is optional but highly recommended, especially with a black truck. Look at the finishing wax in the kit as a polish, not last step product, it's not all that durable.

The products in that kit are designed for use only with the pads in that kit and vice versa. If you want to use other products with that kit, you need to buy appropriate pads.

 

Thanks for clarification. That compound with the cutting kit, does that work similar to 3M polishing compound PN39009? I've been using that (by hand) to get out swirls and it works awesome. Wondering if I get the same results with the compound with cutting pad.

My swirls are not good, but not that bad. I can get them out like I stated above.

Thanks!

 

Looks like I'm going to use all that stuff in that kit, and cover it up with mother's carnuba probably.

Sweet, I even get an apron, I'm like a Meguiars poster boy!!

Brian

 

At this point, all I can do is refer you to the YouTube videos on how to use the microfiber kit. The compound is a general purpose correction product. The finishing wax is a polish with wax.

Mother's carnauba is a very good choice for a last step product on a black truck.

 

I would recommend the first kit with the MF pads. It works great on Factory paint and is overall faster since you technically drop one step.

Head to youtube as Mike has a great vid on how to use this kit. To do something the size of our trucks, I bank on at least 8 hours and that is after doing a few and having the process down pretty well.

 

if you want to save a little bit of money it seems like the Harbor Freight D/A polisher has been getting some pretty good reviews. Then just order the pads etc from a online store.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-57...her-69924.html

 

Will the Meguiars backing plates and microfiber pads work with a HF machine?

 

I don't think it will, but the Lake Country backing plate will for sure. And it's cheaper

 

Will the Megs MF pads work on a LC plate?

The OP asked for a package kit - and the Megs MF kit is pretty specialized. It uses a 5" plate and pads. The vendor is including a 6" Megs plate that works with 7" Megs Soft Buff 2.0 pads.

Even paying the price for the Megs buffer and kit, it will pay for itself in 1 detail job he doesn't have to pay someone else for. Leave the mixing and matching to the pros.

 

X 2 on the Harbor Freight polisher...

Their pads and backing plate are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be...
I did my whole truck last year with 2 pads...the blue one and the black one...the only one I tore up was the cutting pad when I was polishing my diamond plate tool box...

The pads can be had for $ 4.99 when they are on sale...

 

But their pads do not work with the Megs MF products. The Megs MF is a complete system.