Ok, you guys have convinced me I would be a good candidate for a PC. My questions is, what is probably the best PC kit (including pads and of course PC) on Autogeek or elsewhere?
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2009 Blizzard Pearl Sienna Limited
Autogeek is probably one of the better choices. The cheapest way would probably to be ebay for the PC and then back to Autogeek for the pads. The machine itself is going to cost pretty much the same no matter where you buy it unless it is an ebay deal or through a very large power tool distributor. The pads are another story. Depending on what you are getting, you can pay all sorts of costs there. I would suggest getting a blue and a white Edge 2000 pad with the adapter and call it good. That should take care of most of your polishing needs. The rest can be left up to the different levels of polishes that you use.
I picked up my PC 7424 for $95 shipped on eBay. I also got a great deal on a pad kit on eBay.
Just do an eBay search for Porter Cable 7424 and you'll find many auctions for the PC itself and for accessories. Some are a better deal than Autogeek.com, etc., and some are not. Just depends on exactly what you want.
I got my pad kit from eBay seller AAAMotoring. He had exatly what I wanted in a kit and it was $45 less than if I had bought all the stuff from Autogeek.
I picked up my PC 7424 for $95 shipped on eBay. I also got a great deal on a pad kit on eBay.
Just do an eBay search for Porter Cable 7424 and you'll find many auctions for the PC itself and for accessories. Some are a better deal than Autogeek.com, etc., and some are not. Just depends on exactly what you want.
I got my pad kit from eBay seller AAAMotoring. He had exatly what I wanted in a kit and it was $45 less than if I had bought all the stuff from Autogeek.
Good luck and Happy Detailing
Great info! I'll try and go that route!
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2009 Blizzard Pearl Sienna Limited
Don't know if you're an experienced eBayer, but just remember, with anything on eBay, you have to weigh price vs. risk. I only buy from sellers with REALLY high feedback ratings, and only if the price is low enough to make it worth the extra risk. If I was only saving $5 on eBay, then I would have just bought it from Autogeek or some other reputable retailer that has a good customer service reputation. $45 on the pad kit I wanted was a significant savings, and I figured there wasn't too much that could go wrong with new pads and such.
Worst case scenario is to buy it from coastaltool.com if you are concerned about ebay safety. They have the best price you can get on a new unit that isn't sold on ebay. Most detail supply shops (including Autogeek) don't buy in the volume needed to get you a good discount. You'll almost always see the PC priced in the $130 - $150 range.
One option if you are looking for a deal is to check out Danase.com. He posted on his forums that he has some UDMs that were returned just because the customer changed their mind. He has already done the switch update on them and they are ready to go. I think he is selling them for about a hundred bucks. I'd have to go to the site to double check, but that is what I read. The UDM is basically the exact same thing as the PC (by David Bynon's own admission) except for the larger motor in it. I've got one and it really isn't a half bad tool.
I got my PC for Christmas, but I need to get some pads and products. Can anyone recommend a brand of pads, which pads I need (red, yellow, blue, green, white, etc.), and which products I need to use in terms of polish (anybody tried Pinnacle XMT)?
Also, is it ok to apply Klasse with the PC?
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2009 Blizzard Pearl Sienna Limited
I got my PC for Christmas, but I need to get some pads and products. Can anyone recommend a brand of pads, which pads I need (red, yellow, blue, green, white, etc.), and which products I need to use in terms of polish (anybody tried Pinnacle XMT)?
Also, is it ok to apply Klasse with the PC?
I also picked up a PC for xmas. I got it with one of the xmt kits two types of swirl removers, a carnuba wax/polish along with orange, white and grey pads. I used the orange with the fine swirl remover on my 06 avy, followed by a dose of clay and then the Klasse all in one. After the Klasse cures, I will put down their sealant (which typically is hard to remove). The all in one Klasse goes on easy with the buffer and wipes off with a micro fiber towel just as easily. I believe the pads that come with my kit are Lake Country CCS pads. Hope that helps
I got my PC for Christmas, but I need to get some pads and products. Can anyone recommend a brand of pads, which pads I need (red, yellow, blue, green, white, etc.), and which products I need to use in terms of polish (anybody tried Pinnacle XMT)?
Also, is it ok to apply Klasse with the PC?
I started with Lake Country pads. I got a kit off eBay that had multiple pads like this...
At the time, this stuff was cheaper on eBay, but you may be able to find it at a better price on sale at autogeek.com or elsewhere. Just shop around.
What pads you need depends on how severe the swirls/scratches are that you want to polish out.
When reviving the paint on my 12yr old Camry, I started with orange pads and an intermediate polish. That got 95% of the swirls out. Then went to a white pad with an ultra fine polish to take care of anything left behind by the orange/intermediate combo. Later on I used a yellow pad to spot treat a couple of areas that had scratches the orange pad wouldn't take out, then followed on those spots with orange and white. I used the gray pad for applying a finishing glaze. When you get to the point of applying finishing glaze or the final sealant/wax, it's kind of personal preference whether you apply it with the PC or by hand. The PC is a little faster, but you waste a lot more product IMO, and since the paint is all corrected at that point it goes on easy by hand.
With the orange and white pads, it's good to have 2 of each on hand becuase the pads get caked while polishing and you'll likely need 2 to do the entire car.
If I was doing it over, I would seriously consider getting the edge2000 pads (and still may at some point). For one thing, you don't have to buy any backing plates because they're built into the pad. And since the pads have an "edge" to them, you don't have to worry about scratching anything, say a rearview mirror or spoiler, etc., with your backing plate. It also makes it easy to switch to a smaller pad for spot polishing because you don't have to change the backing plate. Just a thought.
I used the XMT line of polishes on my Camry, and they worked very well. I'm planning on trying some Meguiars products on my next go around because they're significantly less expensive and I can get them locally. (Meguiars #83 for example).
Congrats on getting your PCs guys. You're sure to love 'em. They really make a huge difference in what you're able to achieve with your paint
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