G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

[Sandy N.]

I'm new to posting but I didn't see another thread on this subject. I was all set to order a G110v2 with accessories until I saw the new DA Power Pack system demonstrated at SEMA. If I am not mistaken, isn't it critical about having multiple speed settings (like the g110v12) compared to a hand held drill? It appears the new system would be eaiser to use because of weight, but I do not know of any drills with speed settings (except by using the variable trigger). Does the DA Power Pack compensate for the various speeds required when using the different steps (compound, polish, wax)? Has anybody had any experience with the new system? Mike, I know you're the master but is there a specific dril that you recommend if I go with the new system?

[thepanchmx]

If you can go for the g110 in other case the Da system will work, however the Variable speed on the g110 is gonna give you from low to heavy cut. Also on the da power system your drill is gonna die sooner or later because is not made for that type of work.

[greg0303]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

The DA Power System is not a full replacement of dual action polishers. It's rather a bridge tool between hand work and dual action polishers. It's not one of powerless orbital buffers, so often called wax spreaders.
I just used it to wax my car (review to follow soon) and it's a very well/ thoughtfully designed tool. If you used to work by hand - The DA Power System is a great option to look at.

I couldn't really picture using it working until I attached it to my drill and started waxing my car. It's extremely easy to use. My drill spins at 1,500 rpm and it has a trigger lock. It took me just 30 minutes to apply a coat of wax (M16 Professional Paste Wax on BMW X3).

Using this System you're limited to 4" buffing pads (Meguiar's Soft Buff 4" pads fit the backing plate perfectly). It works rather like a dual action polisher with forced rotation when attached to a drill which just rotates.
I still have to test it as a defect removal tool and with a cordless drill.

Depending on the amount of car polishing work you need to do would determine your tool choice. If you just work on your own vehicle(s) couple times per year and don't want to commit to a full size polisher - that System would be your option for sure.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

As has been pointed out, the DA Power System is not designed to be a substitute for a full sized DA buffer like our G110v2 or similar. There is no doubt that using a full sized DA is going to be the faster way to do a full paint correction on a given vehicle, but don't underestimate the power of the DA Power System!! It's fantastic for people who are still flat out terrified of using a DA buffer (and there are plenty of those people!) or who simply can't afford one. Compared to working by hand, the DA Power System is faster, less tiring, and can yield a better result overall on harder paint systems. For spot repair, working on smaller surfaces, etc it's a great addition to a larger DA buffer or even a rotary.

You are right about the variable speed settings, however, and we know of no drill on the market today that offers speed settings as such. But the trigger on most drills is pretty easy to modulate as it is even though you can not just set it and go. That said, we still recommend the use of a corded drill with a max speed of at least 1500 rpm (2500 rpm is even better). You aren't actually spinning the pad at that speed, however, due to the gear reduction built into the DA Power System tool. Cordless drills just don't have the battery life or power to handle full defect correction, although a fairly potent cordless drill may well be sufficient for quickly applying wax with the DAPS.

So, which to choose then? For serious defect removal, correcting entire vehicles, having to deal with multiple vehicles, etc the G110v2 is the workhorse. But in many cases the DAPS may be the better choice: those who complain about the vibrations of a DA buffer will likely prefer the DAPS for it's smoother operation, or if they just need to take care of a single vehicle and/or they have budget considerations, the DAPS just can't be beat. It is far more ergonomic to use than it first appears; personally, I thought it looked really clunky when I first saw it, but actually using it changed my mind pretty quickly. And, yes, it really can correct defects, as the image below - taken at our last Thursday Night Open Garage of 2012 - will show:

[Sandy N.]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

Thanks to everybody for your opinions. I'm going to go with the G110. I'll probably buy the DA Power System later for the hard to reach areas later on.

[LarryRX350]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

Michael's post above states "Compared to working by hand, the DA Power System is faster, less tiring, and can yield a better result overall on harder paint systems." I have a new 2013 Lexus RX350 and my understanding is that it, and perhaps all Lexus cars, have pretty soft painjt. Is the DA Power System "safe" for a newbie to use on soft Lexus paint or should I play it safe and does everything by hand?

[Murr1525]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

Do you have any defects you need to fix up, or just looking to polish / wax a bit easier?

Obviously if you have defects to work on, you will have to use some kind of compound and the compound pad and work it in to remove some paint. Or a compound and pad by had. If you wanted to get the hang of detailing a couple times before tackling the defects, that would make sense.

But if just looking to shine things up, you would just be looking at the polishing pad and finishing pad, and a polish, wax, or cleaner/wax. Dont have to work those products in, just applying and moving around. Really hard to mess anything up with that.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: G110v12 vs DA Power Pack System

The relative "hardness" or "softness" of paint refers to how easily it corrects, or how receptive it is to the polishing process in general. It can go a lot deeper than that, though, as "sensitivity" (how easily a paint hazes) comes into play as well. On very soft and delicate paint it's often easier to achieve excellent results with a buffer and a very light cleaner/polish than it is to do it by hand. On these paints it can be extremely difficult to avoid pressure points when working by hand, and that can lead to a sort of "cheetah spotting" that makes the paint look worse. A buffer, whether a full sized DA like our G110v2 or something smaller like the DA Power System, will spread that work out and avoid those pressure points. But it then becomes important to not use a liquid or pad that is overly aggressive so as not to create a light DA haze. Now, in some cases, like when the defects are really severe in those delicate paints, you have to put up some haze during the major correction and then clean it up with a finishing pad and finishing polish. That, of course, is determined on a case by case basis.

As for Lexus paints specifically, just as with every other manufacturer out there you can't make blanket statements about the paint. We've had some Lexus vehicles in our training garage that were an absolute delight to work on - no haze, super fast correction, excellent clarity and gloss; the sort of paint that makes you look like a detailing hero your first time out. Others have been more prone to hazing and require a bit more finishing work to really bring out their best. But we could say the same about BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Chrysler, Nissan, Hyundai, etc. You just don't know exactly how the paint on any one particular vehicle is going to respond to your input until you do a test spot. We've heard that Audi paint is just ridiculously hard, yet we've had a couple of new Audis, both black, that corrected with a single pass of Ultimate Compound, a polishing pad, and just moderate pressure. That is most definitely NOT hard paint by any stretch of the imagination. Below is a before/after shot of one of those cars:



On the flip side, we've also heard that late model 3 Series BMWs with the non metallic black paint are super easy to work on - a fairly light cleaner/polish will make them look darn near perfect in no time. Yet, the last time we had our hands on one of these it presented the hardest, most difficult to correct paint that I personally have ever encountered.

But the important thing here is that whether your paint is "hard" or "soft", you are always safe to use a buffer on it - provided you choose the right products/pads for that paint and you use good technique throughout the process. It's only when you're dealing with very thin (ie, old and worn out paint) that you need to approach machine polishing with extreme caution or even avoid it altogether.