Hey guys! As a college student, I'm always on budget. I have a black Z and it's very hard and expensive to keep my baby spanking clean. I've been looking online for a good quality polishing machine but those started at nearly $300, and that's without any polishing products.
However, I did find an EASY alternative way to build a polisher that works just as good as those fancy $300 machine......with only around $25!
Now, I know what you guys are thinking......that this is some kind of joke or some amateur unreliable piece of crap that will only damage, burn a hole on clearcoat, and scratch the paint.
BUT PLEASE HEAR ME OUT! I've done extensive research on detailing and spent many hours watching videos and reading tips & guides. And I have finally come to a conclusion that my custom polisher (super easy to make, yet effective!) will work!
Before
After
My paint job looks better than a new fresh paint. I got no swirl or light scratches anywhere on my car.
Here are the steps to make yourself the polisher
1st: Buy a TurtleWax 6 inch Random Orbital polisher from Walmart. (Make sure its Random Orbital and not rotary polisher) = $20!
Note: This machine rotates at a fixed rate of 3500 RPM. Those fancy polisher are adjustable from 3k~6k RPM. However, 3500 RPM works perfectly in my personal opinion.
2nd: You'll notice that the polisher has layers of white,black, and yellow foam that is glued to the plate of the machine (This foam is just a cushion, not to actually polish). RIP THAT BAD BOY OFF! I simply used my hand to rip it off. But because the foam is glued to the plate, you'll have nasty dried glue and partial foam pieces stuck to the glue. Try your best to get rid of them. I personally used a blow torch to burn/harden/flatten the glue. I guarantee you you won't get rid of all the glue however,those remainings are fine.
3rd: Buy a velcro tape! I don't know how much or where to buy them but I'm sure it won't cost you much. After you have the tape, tape the velcro to the plate of the polisher.
Note: There are 2 different pieces to velcro. The hook/rough side and the catch/soft side. I tapped the hook/rough velcro to the polishing machine because your polishing pad (which you'll buy separately later) already has a built in catch/soft side on your pad.
From here, you're done! All you have to buy is the polishing compounds and polishing pads! Make sure you buy the 5.5 ~ 6 inch pads. This product will work just as the same as the $300 polishing machine...except the rate is fixed at 3500 RPM.
I'M NOT HERE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO POLISH YOUR CAR PROPERLY! I'm only here to share my custom polisher. Please study proper polishing techniques carefully online. And make sure to use the best product for pads and compounds. I use Hex-logic pads with Meguiar mirror glaze products (Top of the line stuff).
Does my custom polisher give identical result compared to the fancy $300 machine? Probably not. However, the results are pretty darn close and you can't beat the price!
Please note that I'm not responsible for any damages caused by my custom polisher.