Should I purchase Adam's Basic PC Kit
 

When I first got my 370z I washed, clay bared and then waxed. This yielded a smooth and shiny finish that I was happy with.

Yesterday while dropping my car off to get the audio system installed I noticed some very light swirls that were only visible in direct sunlight from certain angles. Me being OCD, I decided that I have to do something about this. So before I take a leap of faith and purchase Adams basic PC kit, I have several questions:

1) Would purchasing this kit be overkill for light swirls? If so, what are my other purchasing options to cure this condition?

2) Being that I've already clay bared and waxed my car, will I have to clay it again before polishing the swirls out and sealing it?

3) How long do the materials for this kit last? I have several other cars I'd probably detail?

4) Lastly, not being familiar with polishing, what are my chances of damaging my paint?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

honestly... detailing for me is a hobby and I really enjoy making my car look good... everyone has different ideas about it.

First, your chances of burning the paint with a PC are pretty much none unless you hold the PC there for about 10 minutes in the same spot and even then it might not burn it. There are plenty of videos out there to show you how to buff a car.

The PC (porter cable) however isn't extremely powerful... I started out with one, but later on also bought a Flex polisher which has much more torque but is still safe... you just have to keep the buffer moving, be patient and let it do it's job.

You also have to know things such as which pad and polish to use for which type of paint condition.

I do not own a single adam's item... i'm sure they're good, but remember that everyone out there will claim their product is best.

What I suggest is that you join autopia.org and ask the same questions you did here. There are real professional detailers there... better than anything you've seen on this site that will know the very best route for you to go.

Some people on here represent certain companies and try to promote their product, which is ok ... but that doesn't mean that you have to pay a lot of money for a certain type of kit when you may find that some pro's might know of better products that are a bit cheaper.

just my 2 cents.

You didn't "hand polish" , before waxing?

I did not. After the clay bar I went straight to the wax.

The PC is what most beginners use man... i'd probably go with that and then later step up to a Flex for more power.... like I said though, get on autopia.org there are guys on there that just do fabulous work.

Joined the site and posted my question. Thanks for the heads up!

If you're OCD about your car's finish, you need a Porter-Cable kit. Adam's system is a great place to start, better than most and about the same price. I had light swirls too. They come out with the PC, but the thing that really makes the car shine is the Fine Machine Polish. Putting whatever wax over THAT polished shine is what really makes it pop. The results really are impressive.

But...you have to view it as a hobby in itself. Otherwise you'll never be able to justify the hours it takes and the $500 (and up) that it costs.

In my opinion i would go with the starter kit, it is one up on the basic but come with some products to clean your pads along with the best grade towels. What makes this purchase better at this point in time is the 15% fathers day sale and i am not 100% sure but i think you can add Junkmans promo code and get another 10% making that 25% off.

If you want to REMOVE swirl marks then a machine is a must... you simply can't do it by hand. Think of it in terms of speed alone... the PC will oscillate up to 6800 times per minute, using our pad you have a contact patch around 6.5" and the machine can maintain that speed and contact indefinitely allowing you to work products to their full potential in order to remove the defects in the clear coat.

On the other "hand" (pun intended) if you work with just the power of you achieving even 60 oscillations per minute would take a few cases of redbull, a gallon of coffee, and heavy recreational drug use :D That doesn't take into consideration the inconsistencies of the speed/pressure/contact area, etc. Also understand that if the swirls are extremely light like you described you may not need to go the full range of polishes... a couple of passes of Fine Machine Polish on the white pad may be enough to get you the desired result.

If a car is already flawless then working by hand is fine, but if you're trying to get to flawless (or close) you're gonna need a machine to do it. The great part is that its extremely easy to learn... if you haven't yet, check out AK's writeup using our kit... he just recently ordered up his stuff and got amazing results for a relative 'n00b' (J/K AK :D )

Naw, its either one or the other, we don't allow for the use of multiple discounts. If that were the case you could combine the forum discount (370Z) with the sale and the JM code.

Well I pulled the trigger this morning. I purchased my polisher and several pads. Everything should arrive next week. I guess I know what I'll be doing over Father's day weekend besides playing golf!

:tiphat:Congratulations!

awesome man... glad to hear. Just take your time and be patient and try to just learn panel by panel. Did you go with the adams kit or something else?

I actually went with Groits polisher. I was able to get it for 99 bucks via autoharp. I also purchased Groits polishing and waxing pads. I plan on using Meguiars ultimate polish initially because the paint is brand new and doesn't require an extremely abrasive polish. I won't have time to kick things off until next weekend and figure the job will be a two day effort.

I like Adam's "system" approach. Whether or not you start with the Severe Swirl Remover or the less abrasive Swirl and Haze Remover, do make sure you give it a good going-over with the Fine Machine Polish. IMHO that gets rid of all the "micro-marring" and THAT us what sets the finish up for whatever wax you use to really shine.

I have the Griot's DA polisher as well. It worked great for me. According to what I had read about it on a detailing forum, it was highly regarded since it was more powerful in some way or another than the Porter Cable and had a lifetime warranty. Another reason that I personally think the Griots is good is that the handle is dead center over the head of the machine. But, the Porter Cable works great from what I've read as well.

I'm in the market as well. Can you provide a link for the $99 price or explain how you got that?

Thanks

TO answer the question, YES! you should get the Basic kit. The kit has almost everything you need to get going. My purchase was very satisfying, because before the Adams stuff, I was using just off-the-shelf crap. That and the PC made a world of difference. Be prepared to spend the entire day or a couple of days getting it done. I am going to add the 4" pad and backer for the future to help with the small areas.
Adams is great stuff for my Z.

Basic kit $259.00 dollars=way to much money!

I don't know anything about the Griots polisher... but if it's a DA then i'm sure it's good enough for someone starting out... and yeah if you are just working with a newer car that doesn't have many issues then I wouldn't use an abrasive pad.. without seeing the car obviously none of us could say, but you could try a white pad with the least abrasive polish and work it in and see how it goes... if not then go with the next one up.

Honestly though some of the Meg's products that I have used dried out really quick when I used them on a car I did. I like Menzerna products a lot because they last quite a while before the polish breaks down.

Congrats though... hope it works out well!

It's way too much money to those who don't fully understand what they are getting.

You paid X amount for your Z. Someone who drives a piece of crap Ford Vega would look at you like you're coo-coo in the head. However, you can justify the price you paid because you understand what you bought.

If you had a full understanding of what comes in that kit, how to use it and what it would yield, you'd quickly realize that it is quite a bargain. Don't feel bad though, quite a few folks are wearing your shoes.

Adams products can be found for half the price. Try chemical guys:tup:
And as the junkman says its not the products as much as the technique

You're not suggesting that Adam's products and Chemical Guys products are the same exact product are you? :confused:

Now how would I get that idea?;)
Just saying there are alternatives and u can't rely on one brand for all your needs

Not everyone has the same needs. For a lot of folks, one brand may solve all their issues. ;)

And there are other brands that do the same thing as adams but cost half the price. Like chemical guys:tup:

single guys use whatever, married men use Adams polishes. Your Quote for the day.

Well, I can clearly see that it's dinner time for you. Have at it. :tup:

[IMG]http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...ater_tots1.jpg[/IMG]

I actually really like the Menzerna polishes. I mix and match my stuff. I use the blackfire wet diamond on the darker cars I seal, for the lighter cars or those who want a harder finish, I use the Finish Kare 1000p... which is very high temp wax, but is more like a sealant. I have spoken with a guy who was a rep for Finish Kare for about 8 or 9 years.. he told me the sealant was good up to 215 degrees.. as some waxes will basically melt and break down in extreme heat... Finish Kare doesn't do that. It has top notch reviews and is really excellent wheel wax.. 1 can lasts for a year or more and it's about 15.00 or so dollars a can. Collinite is also a really good company with several products that are inexpensive. Klasse all in one is another product that is GREAT for me.. if you just have some mild scatches, waterspots or stains.. Klasse will clean it, polish it, and seal it all in one step with a white pad and it's good for about 3 or 4 months.

I would say i'm probably a sealant fan more than a wax fan though.. I like that candied look, but some like that warm look that wax gives... I also like how the sealers last longer than most standard waxes.

I would say to give all products a try... look at ratings, talk to detailers and more than just one. Most products can do the same thing, but certain qualities some will like and some will not.

Griot's Garage 10765STDCRD 6" Random Orbital Polisher - Toolfetch.com

This link is from browsing on my iPhone. However if you go to toolfetch.com you will find it there. I actually purchased everything from Autogeek and had them price match the toolfetch price for the polisher. I paid about 160 bucks for the polisher and griots 6 inch polishing and wax pads. Ill be using Meguiars ultimate polish (10 bucks) and Meguiars ultimate wax which about the same price and can be found at any autoparts store or walmart.

Ha ha. Your cold as ice Junkman!!!!

Been married for 10 years and dont see the logic behind your statement? Please elaborate.....

Btw guys, I didn't want to make this into a pissing contest. I just wanted some advice on what to purchase being that I'm a beginner. To me, being a beginner means not to dive in heads first before testing the waters. So being economical about which kit our products I would use are apart of how I made my decision. Could i have purchased the Adams basic, starter or top of the line $1000 buck kit? Yep, and could've done so without reservation. However, I processed your advice and the advice I got from Autopia and made an informed decision. Now as I gain experience detailing my car I will step up to more advanced products. But for now I think this solution fits my needs.

I hope my post doesn't offend anyone. I just wanted everyone to back away from their keyboards before firing of another volley of posts. :tiphat:

I had confidence, reading innumerable posts online (including Adamsforums.com) that the waters had already been well-tested.

A couple of months ago, I was in the same position as you. I decided that Adam's "system" was well thought-out and quality stuff. I went that route, figuring that I was more likely to meet my expectations if I followed the advice of someone who knew more about it than me. I figured that Adam Pitale was probably as far up that scale as I could go in that regard and I elected not to try to outsmart him. Doubtless, I could have saved a few bucks by doing so, but it was probably more likely that I would have had to backtrack and buy something else to replace something that ended up not working out as I had hoped and ending up spending more money than I would have otherwise.

and later on you might purchase some adam's stuff and really like it a lot. I am getting ready to try a sealant called "liquid glass" it's been around for a long time and is supposedly a VERY hard product. I look forward to giving it a try over my FK1000.... plus it got excellent reviews.

Like I said, mix and match and you'll find the right products.

I get it. Its not tator tots but Hator tots. lol Wheres my hatorade to wash it down. You're very clever. By the way the detailing part of the forum wasnt set up just so u can push adams polishes. I don't hate adams asi have many adams products. I simply was stating there are other products out there that do the same as adams but for half the price and u shouldn't rely on one brand for all your detailing needs

By the way, Adam's is a forum sponsor. They are part of the reason the lights stay on around here and you didn't have to pay to become a member, unlike any of those other companies that you're pushing. Thus, they can push their agenda according to forum rules unlike non-sponsoring vendors. :)

You're not implying that only adams products can be talked about in the detailing section because they are a sponsor? Or we can't mention products that have worked for us if these products arent paying for advertising on this site?

Not in the slightest. I'm just stating a fact. Is it not true? As for me, I would want to support a vendor who supports the forum that shares in the passion I partake. But hey, that's just me.

Agreed:tup:

hey man, i'm all for that... I understand that you promote a company for which you work and that you like using their products... that's all cool with me and it seems like you do good work... which is always an asset to a forum such as this. I also think Phil does excellent work and he also uses some adam's products and promotes those products in order to sell them.. it's all a business and I definitely understand that.

However, when I asked you about some products you said that "you weren't familiar with them"... really Blackfire wet diamond you aren't familiar with at all? FinishKare? Pretty much every pro detailer out there has either used or is at least familiar with these 2 products... and they are 2 of the BEST sealants on the market IMO anyway... Duragloss 105 for instance is a sealant that I was referred to by a professional detailer.. I found it at my local western auto for 11.00 and it is one of the best sealants I have used as far as durability is concerned.

I'm saying I understand you have an agenda.. I just don't want to see other great products played down because adams happens to be a sponser of this site.