Is it worth paying someone to professionally polish your car?

[JonT]

Just wondering because I recently hand claybared/polished/waxed my car by hand and it turned out great. Do the powered polishers do a better job? Thanks

[Paulporsche]

I think they would if your car's finish were really far gone. My ex wife's 85 1/2 Guards Red 944 was in storage for a while and the paint had really badly oxidized, dried, whatever. I couldn't get it come back, but a pro made it look better than it ever had.

[Emission]

I am too anal to allow anyone else to rub my car. Hand polishers are not really better - just faster.

[JonT]

Thanks guys. You confirmed my suspicions. My paint is in decent shape but does has its imperfections I don't think a pro can fix. I'll save my money for something else.

[ken_xman]

Buy yourself a polisher and set it to a low speed.. keep it away from the edges and practice on your wifes car.
A polisher does make a difference, big difference IMHO. Just keep it in your own hands. I trust no one with my cars!

[cgarr]

You can do it yourself, whats a pro anyhow?? Someone just like us, or worst. When I needed a roof on my house I was going to have a "pro" do it, you know a pro, someone out in a bar til 3 in the morning then gets up and goes to work, Just get the right tools and you can do anything youself.

Craig

[RickM]

I disagree. There's quite a bit to know when rubbing a car out.
From the proper compounds (and when to use them) to the angle and speed to buff at....and most of all....experience.

IMO, a good "pro" is well worth the money. If you're going to practice do it on grandma's Gremlin.

[ken_xman]

www.autopia.org/forums/index.php

This is everything you ever wanted to know about detailing!

[rlane]

In the "old days" I agree there was a lot to know about polishing...VERY dangerous to use the old bonnets etc. Now with the advent of Dual Action Random Orbit polishers that are reasonable and especially with the array of foam applicatgors for them it is hard to do damage if you read a site like the above mentioned autopia. There are some real pros out there but the difference is that you still pay for the time...good places do it as carefully as you would.and therefore are expensive...most simply pay a kid who cares not what he does to your prized P car.

[Randy Webb]

Use Meguiars Body Scrub or its equal with a random orbit buffer (a random orbit PC sander works just fine for 1/3 the price of a big PC buffer). Do that 2 or 3 times if you need to.

If it needs something more abrasive THEN you need a pro - a good one.

[tobluforu]

Only use a PC if your car needs it. Yes it is faster, but a hand polish job is the way to go. If your car's paint is mucked up in the sense that it's oxidized and rough, then yes use a PC. But if you just want to make a good paint job look better, use elbow grease. After you wash your car, drag your finger accross the the paint. If it feels rough, use clay first.
I don't know how many times I have looked at a nice car only to see that the paint has swirl marks all over from some knucklehead trying to use a buffing machine (Not a PC). I would'nt let anyone touch my paint job.

[Emission]

I got my PC here for $119 - identical to the one Griot's sells for about $200.

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/port/pr7424.htm?E+coastest

(I bought the metal case too.)

[bigrubberjeep]

If you got the time (about 2 1/2 hours by hand)- do it your self - Pleasure of your own work
If you want to just come out of work on a friday at 5 and don't have time, pay someone to do it (hopefully a referal) - Pleasure of extra leasure time.

Either way, your car will come out great.