Which one is good for beginner, Bosch GEX 270A or 270AE ?

You want to get the 'AE' - variable speed. The 'A' version is single speed only.

To be honest....i know nothing about polishing stuff ! the very last time i polished my car was couple of weeks ago using Meguiars Scratch X using polishing sponge(by hand) but ended create 'extra' swirl mark over the area ! ..........i m not dare to polish anymore ! And after reading the posts here, i plan to invest on the polishing machine ! But the beginner type lar......not those like Makita one ! So, any recommendation ?

Makita is a rotary...you can say it's more aggresive. I'd really recommend to try to get the Bosch GEX 125 AE. The one that you see in my post is the 'elder' Bosch which is no more in production (though there might still be old stock on the shelves). The 125 AE is the most recent one. Works the same.

When you say you've 'created' more swirls, it *could* be your technique. For one thing, you must WORK CLEAN - both the surface that you're polishing and the 'sponge' that you're using MUST BE CLEAN. If the surface is dirty, you might pick up some dirt particles with the 'sponge' and create more swirls (a good indication if the surface is dirty is when your 'sponge' turns black/dirty during usage). If the 'sponge' is dirty (with dirt particles on it) then...well...that's obvious isn't it. One of the way of checking if the surface is 'clean' or 'dirty' would be running your palm and feeling the surface of the paint. If it feels coarse and 'grainy', then there are embedded dirt/contaminant that's 'sticking' on the surface. When polishing, these embedded contaminant would be picked up by the 'sponge' and held there, i.e. dirty sponge. These contaminant can be remove by claying.

Then, the 'sponge' itself must be of good quality. I do like the yellow ones from Meguiars. I've tried a few of the cheaper ones like the ones from CarPlan and another forgotten brand, they're too coarse and aggressive. They are now used as dressing applicator for my tires.

Then, there is the technique: You need to start with light pressure with the 'sponge' first, i.e. don't put too much pressure. Instict would tell you that more pressure would remove the defects faster, which is, in a way, true. But, without knowing what you're doing, it *could* do more harm than good. A few more passes with light pressure is better than lesser passes with more pressure....to start with until you get the hang of how the polish/pad combination 'behaves'.

Same thing if you're using the ROB. The ROB would act like a mechanical replacement for your hands - it mimicks the movement of your hand when polishing. So, same thing, start with light pressure until you get the hang of it. It does sounds like very difficult, but when you start using the ROB you can easily get use to it as, like I say, it's just a mechanical extension of your hand.

Regards.

sifu sifu sekalian,

would like to seek your advise on how to clean the microfiber cloths and application pads after use. if this has been answered earlier, then i would like to apologize for not reading throng the whole 125 pages here before posting this question.

also, does anyone have any experience using those microfibers from Mr Clean (found in most hypermarts). i'm planning to get some of them mainly for interior wiping (meguiar's gold class rich leather cleaner/conditioner, quick interior detailer, ultimate protectant). The meguiar's supreme shine microfibers seem a little too expensive for this

This post has been edited by mav3rick: Nov 14 2012, 09:28 PM

Soak in a mix of liquid detergent (like Dynamo) and water at normal washing strength. Blast with a strong spray of water (garden hose or something) like when you're washing your car floor mat. Rinse thoroughly (and by thoroughly I mean if you think you've done rinsing....rinse a couple of more times). Throw them in the washing machine to spin dry. Air dry INDOOR (A little distilled vineger in your second last rinse would help in neutralising whatever left of the detergent use would help).

Mr Clean...if for interior I think they'll do. Those 'good morning' towels also work reasonably well for non-scratch-sensitive interior. But, personally, I'd go for the HyperKleen instead. They're those multicoloured ones sold in pack of four (or five...can't remember) for, I think, RM48 or something. Or you can try going to Osren for a few good ones at cheaper price.

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Nov 14 2012, 10:18 PM

OMG !!!! u r great ........ Now i practically know y my 'mission' failed liao ! i did washed my car before polished.....but i didn't clay the surface ! it could the dirt that causes the swirl mark de !! i think i will invest on the (lightweight) Bosch ROB ! how much does this cost huh ? Any other recommended brand ? TQ

must clay. Helps conserve your pads, and also helps the pad to move freely on the surface.
Imagine driving around KL with all the pothols and jutting out manhole covers. Not smooth right?

Hey...I'm just glad I can share it out with you guys.

The newer Bosch GEX 125 AE costs around RM340 - RM350, or there about. There's also one from Makita and another by Festool....but I don't think you want to know how much these are...we're talking about four figures there. There's also a brand called GMC that has one interesting ROB which cost on the lower side or RM4xx, but I haven't had the opportunity to see it in person yet.....you can find all the above selling in Mudah if you're looking for further info.....

oh...and I think somebody here in Trade Zone also selling it....I mean the Bosch....

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Nov 14 2012, 10:40 PM

I think i will check at Ace hardware first !! hehehehe...........

anyone using PlastX? is it worth it because quite pricey. I used waxco headlight polish but it burnt my RM3x for nothing :S

IMHO, there is no shortcut in getting a good restoration.

what do you want to do?

So what can I do? Kindly advise
Remove the yellow haze on my headlight

r u using microfiber or pad? i dont hv prob but im using ultimate compound
do u polish ur entire car using scratch X??

This post has been edited by anep: Nov 15 2012, 08:23 PM

Polishing pad by meguiar's ! no ! i polished the 'affected' area ! actually i followed all the step that provided by Meguiar's !

if u used ordinary cloth or rug then that might be the prob.. just use rm6 turtle wax applicator wax that would be enough or MF cloth

to all detailing sifus that have experience using Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Detailer. From the quick tips video, it seems that I can use this to clean the car in between washes. Is this recommended? or are they overselling? my friend is telling me that UQD is best used after a regular car wash.

i'm also wondering if i should use UQD right after waxing my car with Ultimate Liquid Wax. or should i wait until the next car wash. My concern is that during working days, my usual car park is not covered, so my car will be very much exposed to the elements. Not sure if ULW will be able to last the whole week before i'm able to maintain it by alternating between UQD and Ultimate Quik Wax.

This post has been edited by mav3rick: Nov 19 2012, 11:34 AM

how often you drive?
if you notice after driving in malaysia, then it rains, practically half your car has picked up, mud, sand, etc etc.
So I never recommend using UQD if its purpose is to wipe down your everyday car.


Notice UQD is applied on their cars over in their dry sunny weather. How nice is that?
Also great for classic cars and garage queens. A layer of dust settles on the car, thats when UQD comes in.

Your Ultimate Liquid Wax should be good enough for about a month. No worries there. And applied UQD right after the wax is okay lah but to me not necessary.

mav3rick, your friend is right. Use UQD after regular wash.