I posted this as a post in an existing thread a few weeks ago but the thread kind of died and didn't get any replies so here it goes...
I've been thinking of getting a PC (Porter Cable) but I am not sure it's worth it due to my situation and was wondering if you can chime in...

Unfortunately for me I live in an apartment complex, this is made even tougher by the fact that the complex has no outside water faucets so even for regular washing and waxing I have to go to a friend's house and use his water. There is no covered parking either, its all outside.

My car is an 07 Black and it's in great shape for the most part, only minor swirl marks and a few blemishes such as a few water drop etchings that can usually only be seen in a fluorescent light (of course i got the few necessary rock chips in the front but nothing too bad)....I've always been curious about getting the PC but i have a few questions because I am not sure if it's even feasible or worth it in my case.

1) Given I live in an apt. and therefore have no garage..i don't have the luxury of being able to start the process, take a break and then finish the next day or really taking 6+ hours on it since i'd have to do it outside. (South Florida = 85 + degrees most of the year and rain when you least expect it). usually when I wash the car i do it around 7pm just because before that it's scorching hot and sunny/humid so even washing i only have a couple of hours of usable light.

2) How do you deal with minor chips in the paint when it comes to buffing will the buffer take out any touch up paint you have in the rock chips? will it make them worse/better?

3)Kind of a repeat of #1 in a way, but given that little bit of info as far as condition of the car (only minor light swirling form washing) would the PC process change as far as still having to use the harsher polish in orange pad and then the lighter polish w white pad or can the first one be skipped and therefore be able to complete the polish in less time? I'm asking this in case a finishing polish is all that would be needed then maybe I'd really not need 6+ hours and might be able to do it in say 1-2?

I guess the major issue for me is no garage, so part of me thinks its nuts to get it when i know most people do this in a garage with no sun over them and take a very long time..even days to finish. Obviously this can't be done when the car is outside 24/7...sometimes i think i'm better off taking it somewhere and getting it done once a year or so but i just don't trust shops around here and of course would rather do it myself...

Thanx for any input!!

Cliffs:
-Want to get PC
-have no garage, have to do it outside in 85+ degree weather
-Is it worth it?

 

Not really a question here, but my thoughts are:
- You can still drive the car while you’re working on the detail. You’ll need to re-wash the car before continuing the detail, however.
- You should invest in a tarp or easy-up tent to help give you some cover during the day.

Provided the touch up paint was applied properly, I don’t believe that the PC will remove the touch up paint. If anything the touch up paint spots should look better (again, provided that the paint was applied properly).

That would really depend on the level of swirling your car has. The rule of thumb is to start with the lightest polish possible and gauge what to do from the results. However, for your case I would recommend the Super Intensive Polish with an orange pad – this combo should keep you happy with the results.

Unfortunately, I feel that the PC is a slow working device and you will spend more than 2 hours regardless. But as I mentioned before, you can drive the car mid-process (not recommended but it can be done) BUT just purchase some Optimum No-Rinse to wash the car before starting the detailing session up again.

Another option is to check out detailing specific forums for members that might be close to you for getting your car detailed. At least then, you can check up on that forum members work from the picture sections.

EDIT: Another idea occurred to me was you said a friend allows you to use his home to wash your Z. Could you not convince him to let you stay there for a weekend while you worked on the Z?

 

Anomaly touched on some great points.

Personally, I would definitely purchase a PC or Flex.

As for working in the sun, there are some products that are compatible with directly sunlight and heat such as Optimum Polish/Compound. Taking the time to learn the ropes of true detailing will pay off exponentially in the long run. You're looking at $300 for a full professional detail on you Z. That $300 can basically buy all of your products and leave you with a few bucks left over.

I would recommend an Orange pad and Optimum Polish or SIP like Anomaly suggested. This should finish down well enough for you to layer your choice of wax for protection and reflection .


We're all here to help you in the process. Feel free to PM me with any questions you have.

 

I also live in an apartment complex and would definitely recommend Optimum No Rinse Wash. I fill up my bucket inside and just walk out to my parking spot and wash. It's great.

I use a PC and have used both the Optimum Compound and the Optimum Polish. My car is in very good condition so I've never used the Optimum Compound on it (just some other cars...), the Optimum Polish works great though.

Here's a nice before/after of Optimum Polish on my paint.


I believe Anomaly touched on the fact that the PC takes a while, and it does...but you can get good results if you are patient. Good luck with everything, post up some pictures when you get done.

 

The Porter Cable 7424 is a great tool that will help you remove light and medium surface imperfections. It's a safe and easy to use product that should help you out. I would recommend you get at least one light polish and possibly use a medium polish as well to remove the imperfections. The Menzerna Super Intensive Polish is my favorite medium cutting polish and the Menzerna PO106FF is my favorite light cutting polish. The Porter Cable 7424 is a very good buffer for light/medium imperfections but you may need something slightly more aggressive if you want the clear coat to look near perfect. If you want a near flawless clear coat try the Flex XC 3401 VRG. With either buffer and a good set of polishes you should be able to remove lots of surface imperfections and restore a more optically clear clear coat. This allows light to pass directly through out the clear coat for maximum reflection. This will also help smooth out the clear coat so sealants and waxes can bond to the surface better and enhance a deeper shine.

Your in tough in a situation but there are ways around it. A pop up tent may be a good way around the sun problem. I know I've had to use them in the past and it's a big help. Typically the longer you can work in a shaded and lighted area the better the detail will go. You can start the detail and return later but you should rewash the vehicle or use a quick detailer like Poorboy's World Spray and Wipe or ONR as mentioned earlier.

As for the paint chips you'll probably need some light touch up work if you want to fix them. Polishing will make the edges of the chips slightly smoother but they will do very little to actually fix the situation.

Let me know if I can help you any further!

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Thanks for all the help and tips!
To be honest seems to be a tossup...if i had a garage i would do it in a heartbeat, not having one is what's got me thinking...
The sun is a big issue here...unfortunately we do not have 'seasons', it just gets less sunny/hot (80 or so) towards december but thats about it...if it was a little sunny i wouldn't mind but it's really hot and humid here. I've been to Vegas where it can technically get hotter than here (by numbers) and 100+ in vegas is nothing compared to 90+ here because of the humidity
My friend where I go wash the car at doesn't have a shade either, he just has water faucet outside which is more than what i have at my condo.
I guess I'll have to think about it, first I'll read up as much as i can on the PC and the different polishes don't wanna mess anything up, so thanks for all the product recommendations, will definitely be looking into them as well
One thing I might be looking into sooner is the rinse free car wash....even though i'm able to go to my friend's house every weekend to wash, sometimes I kind of feel bad because he or his GF need to move their car to let me park and use the water etc....so if it works as good as it seems that would be great especially for times when the car gets dirty in between the week (ie. damn sprinklers) and when for whatever reason i cant go to his place...
As far as polishes, yeah seems like Optimum and Menzerma are the ones i hear most about so will most likely go for one of those once i go for it.

 

You're absolutely right it is a toss up and there is no right answer. The sun is definitely an issue to contend with as well. Take your time and think it over and let me know if I can help you any further.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

I have been using my porter cable 7424 for about three years and still feel it is one of the best investments I have made in terms of car care. For the intial investment of about $300 for the buffer, pads, and polishes I have been able to detail my care 3-4 times a year for the past few years, which is way more cost effective than paying a detailer all those times. I have had good results with the buffer, especially with the menzerna that greg recently recommended.

I usually get the gloss and shine I am looking for, but still have minor swirling left behind. I might step up to the Flex in a few months just to learn something new, but have no regrets starting with the PC to get use to the detailing basics.

 

I don't have the humidity or constant heat you do, but I use an EZ-Up to provide protection from the sun when I do my car and start early. The PC or Meguiar's G110 DA's are great tools to have. I've used them both & recommend either one.

Unlike a rotary that takes time to master, the only way the DA can mess up your finish is if you drop it on your hood (OK, pad & compound selection can cause problems, but read the labels before you start and go w/ DA-safe products).

My current favorite combo is Meg's M105 w/ their 8006 polishing pad, followed by Deep Crystal Polish w/ their 9006 finishing pad and finally Tech Wax 2.0 w/ a 9006 pad (just like my paint, I stay w/ one brand from start to finish). I also got turned on to www.meguiarsonline.com. Great website and info & the members are very helpful.

Good luck