Meguiar's DA Power tool

**zr1chris** · 02-08-2015, 05:08 PM

Hey guys! I got some water spots and surface scratches I need to take care of on my new car. I just ordered this...

Meguiar's DA Power System Tool & PowerPak Polish, Wax and Compound Accessories Bundle - Walmart.com

It has really good reviews. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this. If so, do you have any tips about using it. Just don't want to mess up my paint.

**theorangeguy** · 02-08-2015, 05:17 PM

I've got one and use it all of the time. Just make sure you use the right pad for the right product. Are you going to use ultimate compound or polish to get rid of them?

**zr1chris** · 02-08-2015, 05:21 PM

Well I bought the combo pack that comes with everything, so I was planning on using all 3 in order. Starting with the compound, then polish, then wax.

**The Guz** · 02-08-2015, 05:25 PM

It's a good tool. As stated using the proper pad with the proper liquid will get you good results. It is recommended to use a corded drill as a cordless doesn't have enough juice.

Ultimate Compound is pretty versatile. You can try it with the yellow pad first and see if that works. If you need to get more aggressive you can use it with the burgundy pad.

But try a test spot with the yellow pad and ultimate polish. This may be all you need. Are you planning to remove swirls as well?

Also the paint on f-bodies is typically on the hard side.

**zr1chris** · 02-08-2015, 05:28 PM

Well I do have a brand new 20V Dewalt cordless I just picked up for xmas. It's pretty strong. I was more concerned with it being too strong.

Not much swirls but does have some surface scratches from being rubbed up against. It also looks like the previous owner had a habit of putting stuff on the roof above the driver door.

**raynor139** · 02-08-2015, 05:33 PM

DA systems are great for beginners in detailing. They are designed to keep you from burning up the paint. Just keep it moving and you should be fine. GM clear is hard. Tape off some test spots on panels that aren't highly visible to test it out and see which you need to use to get the results you want.

**zr1chris** · 02-10-2015, 01:40 PM

What should I do about the stripes? Can I treat them like the rest of the paint? Don't want to ruin them or get any wax build up on the edges.

I really wish car companies would paint this type of stuff on instead of using decals. Everything is about cost I guess

**The Guz** · 02-10-2015, 10:38 PM

If they are vinyl then tape of the edges. Save yourself the hassle of cleaning that mess. You could use some Meguiar's Quik Wax on the vinyls. That will add some protection to them. Other than that I would not use anything on them like a polish or compound with abrasives in it. If you have ultimate wax, the liquid version will not stain trim.

**zr1chris** · 02-11-2015, 05:56 AM

Thanks Guz. I've been doing some research on them and it seems like there is no good way of polishing them so I'll probably just stick to car wash soap and water for the stripes. They still look new so I'm not too worried about them atm.

**Z06-Goose** · 04-05-2015, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by zr1chris

Well I do have a brand new 20V Dewalt cordless I just picked up for xmas. It's pretty strong. I was more concerned with it being too strong.

Not much swirls but does have some surface scratches from being rubbed up against. It also looks like the previous owner had a habit of putting stuff on the roof above the driver door.

Take a good look at the water spots.
They tend to etch into the paint.
Try rubbing it by hand first with a polish and an applicator. It's not going to remove it completely, what you're looking for is to see after it's cleaned up if you can tell how much the water spots have etched in. Look at them at eye level, you would appreciate it better

If they are etched-in, no buffer will ever remove it, because it's eaten thru the clear, you can assess how much. In most cases it may have just started to eat into the paint.
The right way of doing it is using a 2000 grit wet sandpaper and go over it ever so slightly applying light to medium pressure and then buff away.
If you're not expirienced in wet sanding, then this is not the time to learn, a body shop may be your best option.
Again, what determines what to do, is the level of damage the water spot has inflicted onto your paint. I've see some very superficial ones that you can see, but cannot feel with your hands, in other words, you don't feel it's textured yet, those may buff out.
If they're superficial or "fresh", then buffing it may do the job, if they won't buff out after few tries, then stop. It's not going to do you much good at this point.