Like you Joe, I also invested in a DA polisher a few years ago. As well as using it for polishing the whole car, it’s great for dealing with spot repairs such as bird poo etching, scratches that pass the finger nail test, and the inevitable swirl marks on the ‘soft’ piano black plastic trim that’s used on many cars these days. My DA has paid for itself many times over compared to what I would’ve paid to have my car professionally polished by a car detailer, and IMO there’s lots of satisfaction from seeing the result of your own efforts .
Completely agree on all fronts!
The DA polisher is a great tool to have, its simple to use and very very effective for the annoying little marks that you inevitably pick up - bird crap, small swirls (especially on gloss black trim). Very easy and instantly effective. A really satisfying tool to use!
And likewise, I think there's a lot of satisfaction and pride in doing a detailing job yourself. Paying someone else to do it is easy (assuming you have the wallet). But where's the fun in that.
As I mentioned earlier, I think careful prep and having some basic (and not expensive) products to hand is the key, i.e.
- good wash mitts
- ph neutral shampoo
- careful washing (2 buckets, etc)
- de-tar and de-iron.
Once you've all that done, applying your wax / sealant is the easy bit and the car will be easier to keep clean for longer.