Buff A Car
Safely Polish Your Car Like A Rock Star!
You really can buff a car like a rock star even if you are a complete beginner. Even if you have never held a car buffer in your hand.
With the latest in car buffer design and engineering, the industry has designed specific car polishers that bridge the gap between complete beginner and seasoned pro like myself.
After reading my recommendations and reviews, you will have enough information to finally make the leap from average to supreme shine!
Buff a Car?
Your Biggest Mistake!
The biggest mistake you are likely making as a beginner is thinking that bouncing from one review to another is finally going to get you somewhere.
In many ways it's not your fault but simply a by-product of this thing called the Internet. But the Internet allows anyone with an opinion to become a self-proclaimed expert on any subject which only adds to your confusion and frustration.
So the biggest tip I can give you is to follow my lead as I am going to speak from 3 specific areas that will set what you read here apart from elsewhere:
- I speak from personal experience having tested all the top rated car polishers.
- I am a professional detailer with over 30 years of experience.
- I have taught countless guys how to buff a car safely and effectively to achieve professional level results.
So unlike the Internet trolls or so-called experts, this time you really are dealing with an experienced professional. I have no personal agenda as I represent no brand or manufacturer, but will speak solely on experience from all three of those areas.
Wax On, Wax Off
What Do You Really Want To Do
What I need to clarify here is the difference between waxing your car with a buffer, and polishing your car with a buffer.
Many guys go looking how to buff a car when really all they want is a car buffer to apply and remove car wax so they don't have to do it by hand. If you are one of these guys then you really don't need to over-think things here and you can choose this top rated, entry level car buffer below.
BLACK+DECKER WP900 6-Inch Random Orbit Waxer/Polisher
- As safe and basic as a car buffer can get.
- Super light and compact.
- Perfect for applying car wax or to perform very light car polishing.
- Not your daddy's bulky, rattle-your-arms-loose orbital car buffer you grew up seeing in daddy's garage.
- Not the buffer you want if you actually want to permanently remove paint flaws and blemishes from your cars paint.
- Definitely not the car buffer if you want to buff a car like a rock star.
Buff A Car Like A Rock Star!
Say Good-bye to Daddy's Buffer
If you can answer yes to most of these questions, then I have some solutions and recommendations for you:
- You have never touched a buffer before or have extremely limited experience.
- You are not quite sure which buffer would be best for a beginner.
- You know your car could look better if you could polish the paint.
- You want permanent results when you buff your car.
- You are ready to buff your car for head turning stares.
If you can answer yes to most of those, then you are ready to jump into the world of both professional grade buffing as well as super safe buffing.
Buff a Car:
What Would Darren Do (WWDD)
Finding the right car buffer to buff a car is definitely an important part ot the car poliswhing experience, but the real key is more about finding the best car polish to use with any car buffer you choose.
So often I am asked by my long term followers what I would do if I was them. Which is another way of saying, 'Just tell me what you would do Darren!"
And so I am going to tell you:
CSI Ceram-X Polish 62-203-Q Quart
- My choice as the best car polish regardless of polisher, pad, car, color, etc., etc. (can also be used by hand)
- Not a compound, but a highly refined polish
- Formulated using controlled abrasive technology that outperforms the outdated diminishing abrasive technology
- Nano-emulsified for a tighter consistency and a superior car polish
- Waterborne technology (this means that unlike other compounds or polishes that contain the traditional heavy solvents that are used as the "carrier", this product literally uses filtered water as the "carrier" of the abrasives and other key ingredients
- The waterborne technology allows you to use polish in direct sunlight on hot paint
- Will not harden to the cement-hard white residue like traditional car polishes
- Easy clean up with water sue to this waterborne technology
- Can be used on any color car paint, cured or fresh paint, hard or soft clears
- Contains no fillers (what you see as you are working is what you get)
- Say good bye to come-backs by saying good-bye to swirl marks and holograms
Darren's Tips: As a rule, you apply this polish directly to center of polishing pad. Start with higher RPM's when doing the heavy lifting of paint polishing (1200-1500 RPM's for any rotary, or a 5-6 0n any dual-action polisher)
Once you have done the initial "cutting" or defect removal, dial your speed down and finesse the paint to perfection (600-800 RPM's for any rotary, or 3-4 for any dual action polisher)
Since temperature and humidity is always going to affect any product, if you ever have the polish build-up in any unwanted manner or area, simply use a wet micro-fiber cloth (tap water wet) to simply wipe off. You can also reactivate the polish by spraying the polishing pad with a light mist of tap water to reactivate the polish that still remains on pad.
Many car polishes are formulated with lots of added fillers and silicone's to deliver a very friendly and dust free experience. The problem is that while these other polishes may seem more friendly to use, they are simply covering up any swirl marks you may be leaving in the pant. So limited dusting when using this polish actually represents a good thing so you can truly see what you are getting as you polish without fear of simply covering up any unwanted swirl or hologram marks.
Best Car Buffer for a Beginner
Not All Buffers Are Created Equal
The simple answer for you as a beginner will be in the form of a random, dual-action car polisher. These professional car buffers (polishers and buffers are different terms for the same piece of equipment. There is no standard label in the industry so I will use the terms interchangeably)
Let go of the bad stories associated with the high-speed, rotary car polishers that swirl around the Internet. (pictured here) Stories of burned clear coat, burned paint, and swirl marks. These buffers are excellent pieces of equipment in the right hands, but require much more training before most guys can feel completely safe when it comes time to actually buff a car.
Buff a Car:
Car polishing made simple, safe, and easier!
Below I will lay out the top rated buffers within the world of car enthusiasts and detail professionals like myself. The following recommendations also represent what I consider the winning balance in benefits and features.
My rule is to start with a quality random orbital car buffer and get your feet wet. You simply never know how far you will take the whole car polishing thing.
You may catch the bug and find yourself buying one car buffer after another. Or may simply buff a car once and call it quits for the rest of your life.
Regardless, the follow kits are ideal ways for you to get what you really want when you buff a car:
Really shiny paint!
Maxshine Pro M15 Car Buffing Kit
Maxshine M15 Pro Series II DA Dual Action Polisher & Polisher- M15 pro Armory Kit
- Comes with everything needed for safe polishing that will deliver permanent results to remove oxidation, restore depth and shine, remove water spots, and other paint blemishes
- As safe as safe can get
- One of my favorite car buffers that comes in a comprehensive car polishing kit
- Perfect kit that simplifies your life with the super safe car buffer, all your buffing pads, and car polishes to get professional results
- Comprehensive kit that will take you from start to finish. ( I do recommend you get yourself a quality clay bar kit to prepare the paint surface first by decontaminating the paint. This will create a silky smooth surface that will make your car polishing efforts far better. See kit below as that kit contains detailing clay with it)
- The last car polishing kit to buff a car you will ever need (remember: need and want are two different things)
Buff A Car Like A True Professional
The following buffers are where you will find hard core enthusiasts and true detail professionals. Due to how safe random, dual-action car buffers are designed, these buffers are also suitable for any true beginner. (You know the kind that have never touched a buffer before)
Adam's Polishes Swirl Killer car Buffing Kit
- Quality at every step of the way!
- When you are ready to buff a car, you will buff like a true professional.
- One of my favorites car polishing kits as it doesn't come any more comprehensive than this kit
- From detailing clay to buffing pads to car polishes, this kit has it all
- The last car polishing kit to buff a car you will ever need (remember: need and want are two different things)
Darren's Professional Tips: As a beginner you will most likely be working on a budget. And even if you have money to burn, nobody likes disappointment. Just know that either of these kits will perform for you.
Not only will you be able to buff a car as a complete beginner, but each of these kits contain professional grade car buffers, pads, and polishes.
While neither of these kits contain the actual car polish I use professionally, you don't have to agonize over that part at the beginning. Of course you can buy the Ceram-X car polish that is my all-time favorite and the car polish I consider my "sure thing", but at the beginning I would rather just have you get your feet wet and start producing shinier paint than you ever thought possible!
There is plenty of fear when thinking of buffing a car for the first time! Just know that these buffers represent the safest and easiest way to buff a car and achieve truly professional results!
Sincerely,
Darren Priest
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