Meguiar's G110v2 Professional Dual Action Polisher Review.
"Very easy to use with excellent results!" 2010-03-24
By Dave's two-cents on this (Honolulu, HI)
I've been detailing my own cars by hand application for 20 years. Never used a polisher before because I always heard that applying products by hand is the best method. This was a tried and true method for me, but the car colors I've had before were white, silver, and burgundy. Pretty easy and manageable colors. Now I've finally purchased my first black car thinking that it couldn't be as hard as people say it is. Boy was I wrong! I should have looked up car care on the internet first. As one person had put it, "Caring for a black car isn't a chore, it's a second job!" Doh! Wish I read about that BEFORE I bought the black car.
After looking at the results of my first detail job on that car, there were swirls galore and weird fingerprint impressions that I couldn't buff out by hand. In fact I only made it worse as I tried to correct it. I was determined to learn how to detail a black paint finish correctly and not pay someone else to do it. After talking to some people who do professional detailing work, they said the best and easiest way to get rid of the swirls is to use a Dual Action Buffer like the Porter Cable. My first thought was "Yikes! That thing looks like it can strip the paint off the car!" Now you are probably wondering why I mentioned the Porter Cable when I'm writing a review for Meguiar's G110v2? Meguiar's is a brand I've used for years and their products are ones that I've trusted because of their easy application and awesome results. Not to say that other brands aren't good, it's just that everyone eventually becomes partial to using certain products that suits their style. The Porter Cable is a great tool, but after finding the G110v2 on the internet, I decided to take a chance on this one purely because of the Meguiar's name. Plus the video reviews on the internet were positive.
After claying the car, applying the polish (which made the car look awesome), followed by polymer sealant to protect it, the black paint looks absolutely stunning. You can tell it's stunning because pedestrians do a double-take when they see my car driving by. Not trying to brag here, they really do look! When the car's finish was ugly, nobody was looking. Now it seems to attract too much attention. I just wanted a nice clean car, I wasn't expecting a showroom stopper. It is so easy to achieve that stunning and flawless look with this machine that I regret all those years of detailing by hand. Simply put, I am never going back to my old ways of detailing. It's incredibly difficult to get the same results by hand that can be done quicker and easier with a buffing machine.
To summarize, here what you want to know:
1) Very easy to use, even if you have no prior experience with polishing buffers. You cannot screw up with this buffer.
2) Results are beyond amazing.
3) It does help to watch some how-to videos on the internet and pay close attention to their "technique". Search for "how to remove swirls" or "how to use a porter cable 7274" or simply "G110v2 review". The technique or method of using a polishing buffer is more important than the buffer itself.
4) If you choose to go with the Porter Cable, you will get the same results but keep in mind that the Porter Cable does feel "heavier" in your hands than the Meguiar's. But that is a personal preference and you should try to find a display model or a friend who has one so you can decide for yourself. The Meguiar's feels more comfortable to me, maybe due to the shape and weight distribution?
5) The G110v2 feels solid and well made. The motor is very powerful and comes with a long power cord.
6) I would buy this product again and would highly recommend it to other people.
"WOW! Best of the class for auto/boat/plane Polishing/detailing!" 2009-12-27
By Frank E. Trinkle (Valdosta, GA USA)
This is Meguiar's new and updated random orbit dual action polisher... and it is one very sweet machine! With a host of new features, it is clearly in a class of its own, and tailored specifically for its intended purpose unlike other brands that try to be jacks of all trades.
The first thing you notice is the ergonomic top handle, unlike the side handhold on most other random orbit sanders (ROS). This handle allows for precision in a comfortable manner while making the weight of the unit easy to manage. Motor speeds have been expanded with the ROS now capable of between 1800-6800 RPM at 4.2amps. The 1800 speed is the lowest available in any of its competitors, and is important for some detail work.
Meguiar also looked carefully at the way that people use polishers and the unit has two features that really protect the machine and your paint:
* The machine has a staged startup, meaning that it doesn't slam to its full set speed the instant you turn it on. This saves a great deal of wear and tear on the motor
* The machine won't bog down under pressure. It senses additional pressure and speeds up the motor back to the set speed. Other units bog down easily under pressure.(Internal feedback circuit increases torque when downward pressure is applied)
Meguiar's put the ROS through its paces by testing it at one of the largest car auction centers in the USA. They have not had a single failure and use of the ROS has been all day virtually every day with over 400 hours of run time on each of their units.
Meguiar's has really sweetened the deal on this unit by INCLUDING a W68DA Soft Buff 2.0 DA Backing Plate, (hook and loop Velcro base plate) that runs about $30 if purchased separately... and a durable logo'd canvas bag for storage and transport. It's a VERY nice bag! Really! Yes, Really!! Spare motor brushes are in the box, along with all the tools you would need to change the plate or brushes. Awesome attention to detail.
Using the polisher is a dream. It is smooth and almost vibration-free. Much less vibration than the Porter Cable models. The motor is not overly loud, and the new rubber power cord is manageable with a 45 degree exit from the body.
SCARED OF DAMAGING YOUR PAINT?? Don't be. Dual Action, Random Orbit systems are designed to eliminate the problems of Rotary Polishers that should only be used by professionals with training. ROS systems will not allow you to to damage to your paint and are perfect for not only professional detailers, but for we home car appearance fanatics too! Don't be frightened of using this system, you WON'T hurt your vehicle!
Primary competition for this unit is the Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbit Sander (PC) which is also used by thousands of detailers. The primary differences between the two (and both are the same price on Amazon) are as follows:
- The G110v2 has less vibration than the PC
- Fit and finish is much nicer on the G110v2. It just looks a lot nicer than the typical PC grey. The 110v2 also feels better in your hands due to ergonomic handle design.
- G110v2 throttles up when sensing a bog down... much more than the PC
- The speed dial is much smoother on the 110v2 than the PC, and the 110v2 has a wider speed range with the lowest speed at 1800 RPM
- The 110v2 INCLUDES the hook and loop (Velcro) backing plate, storage bag, tools, and motor brushes in the package. PC comes naked.
- The ONE advantage of the PC over the 110v2 is a three year warranty vs. one year on the 110v2.
Here's what you need in addition to the 110v2 itself to get going...
* Polish/Wax application Pads (Soft Buff 2.0 recommended by Meguiar's (no surprise...) for use with this backing plate), or any of the Lake Country pads with hook and loop backing.
* Compound, paint cleaner, polish and wax of your choosing. ( I prefer all of Meguiar's products over any others... and all available at great prices on Amazon!)
* Towels. (Microfiber is absolutely the best)
* A vehicle in need of defect removal or a good polish/wax job.
This unit receives my highest recommendation as an extremely well designed and engineered tool. It is "pretty" as well as functional, and Meguiar's has seen fit to include extremely useful additions like the backing plate and bag that others simply don't. Amazon offers this unit for about $30.00 less than buying direct as well, and with PRIME, I had it in two days free shipping. Awesome.
5+ out of 5 stars for this super unit! Get it... you won't be sorry!
"Easy to use. Loud." 2010-07-01
By APF (CA USA)
I am very satisfied with G110v2. It is comfortable to hold and easy to use. It does vibrate, but not uncomfortably. It is quite loud. I was surprised that on this Dual Action polisher the pad would slow or even stop rotating under load, but then I learned that the pad rotation on this machine is not forced and that machines with forced pad rotation are considerably more expensive. Still, the machine worked well. This DA Polisher has a speed control and I needed different speeds for cutting/polishing and for glaze application, so it worked nicely.
I used the G110v2 with Meguiar's W9006 6.5-Inch Soft Buff Foam Finishing Pad and Meguiar's W7006 6.5-Inch Soft Buff Foam Cutting Pad. The pads stayed securely on the included hooks and loops backing plate. They did not fly off even when I turned the polisher on with no load to spin water out of the pad I just washed.
I applied three different products to my car: Meguiar's M10532 Ultra Cut Compound, Meguiar's M20532 Ultra Finishing Polish, and Meguiar's M-0716 Mirror Glaze Professional Show Car Glaze. 16 oz. liquid with this polisher and I am sure it saved me a lot of time and muscle pain compared to attempting to do the same by hand.
"LOVE IT!!" 2010-02-25
By Justin (Annapolis, MD)
Awesome polisher... used to remove swirl marks from my black paint (check out the picture I added).
Step 1: Meguiar's M10532 Ultra Cut Compound w/ cutting pad
Step 2: 32 oz. Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish w/ polishing or finishing pad
Step 3: Meguiar's M-0716 Mirror Glaze Professional Show Car Glaze. 16 oz. liquid (hand application)
Step 4: Meguiars Gold Class Wax (hand application)
"Will write more detailed review later" 2010-07-28
By Just A Guy in SF (San Francisco, CA)
Works fine. The screw holding the handle to the buffer kept getting unscrewed as I used it. Maybe I didn't set it up correctly not sure. Takes some getting used to, but definitely saves elbow grease. A bit noisy, I felt a bit self-conscious using it in the driveway.
By Dave's two-cents on this (Honolulu, HI)
I've been detailing my own cars by hand application for 20 years. Never used a polisher before because I always heard that applying products by hand is the best method. This was a tried and true method for me, but the car colors I've had before were white, silver, and burgundy. Pretty easy and manageable colors. Now I've finally purchased my first black car thinking that it couldn't be as hard as people say it is. Boy was I wrong! I should have looked up car care on the internet first. As one person had put it, "Caring for a black car isn't a chore, it's a second job!" Doh! Wish I read about that BEFORE I bought the black car.
After looking at the results of my first detail job on that car, there were swirls galore and weird fingerprint impressions that I couldn't buff out by hand. In fact I only made it worse as I tried to correct it. I was determined to learn how to detail a black paint finish correctly and not pay someone else to do it. After talking to some people who do professional detailing work, they said the best and easiest way to get rid of the swirls is to use a Dual Action Buffer like the Porter Cable. My first thought was "Yikes! That thing looks like it can strip the paint off the car!" Now you are probably wondering why I mentioned the Porter Cable when I'm writing a review for Meguiar's G110v2? Meguiar's is a brand I've used for years and their products are ones that I've trusted because of their easy application and awesome results. Not to say that other brands aren't good, it's just that everyone eventually becomes partial to using certain products that suits their style. The Porter Cable is a great tool, but after finding the G110v2 on the internet, I decided to take a chance on this one purely because of the Meguiar's name. Plus the video reviews on the internet were positive.
After claying the car, applying the polish (which made the car look awesome), followed by polymer sealant to protect it, the black paint looks absolutely stunning. You can tell it's stunning because pedestrians do a double-take when they see my car driving by. Not trying to brag here, they really do look! When the car's finish was ugly, nobody was looking. Now it seems to attract too much attention. I just wanted a nice clean car, I wasn't expecting a showroom stopper. It is so easy to achieve that stunning and flawless look with this machine that I regret all those years of detailing by hand. Simply put, I am never going back to my old ways of detailing. It's incredibly difficult to get the same results by hand that can be done quicker and easier with a buffing machine.
To summarize, here what you want to know:
1) Very easy to use, even if you have no prior experience with polishing buffers. You cannot screw up with this buffer.
2) Results are beyond amazing.
3) It does help to watch some how-to videos on the internet and pay close attention to their "technique". Search for "how to remove swirls" or "how to use a porter cable 7274" or simply "G110v2 review". The technique or method of using a polishing buffer is more important than the buffer itself.
4) If you choose to go with the Porter Cable, you will get the same results but keep in mind that the Porter Cable does feel "heavier" in your hands than the Meguiar's. But that is a personal preference and you should try to find a display model or a friend who has one so you can decide for yourself. The Meguiar's feels more comfortable to me, maybe due to the shape and weight distribution?
5) The G110v2 feels solid and well made. The motor is very powerful and comes with a long power cord.
6) I would buy this product again and would highly recommend it to other people.
By Frank E. Trinkle (Valdosta, GA USA)
This is Meguiar's new and updated random orbit dual action polisher... and it is one very sweet machine! With a host of new features, it is clearly in a class of its own, and tailored specifically for its intended purpose unlike other brands that try to be jacks of all trades.
The first thing you notice is the ergonomic top handle, unlike the side handhold on most other random orbit sanders (ROS). This handle allows for precision in a comfortable manner while making the weight of the unit easy to manage. Motor speeds have been expanded with the ROS now capable of between 1800-6800 RPM at 4.2amps. The 1800 speed is the lowest available in any of its competitors, and is important for some detail work.
Meguiar also looked carefully at the way that people use polishers and the unit has two features that really protect the machine and your paint:
* The machine has a staged startup, meaning that it doesn't slam to its full set speed the instant you turn it on. This saves a great deal of wear and tear on the motor
* The machine won't bog down under pressure. It senses additional pressure and speeds up the motor back to the set speed. Other units bog down easily under pressure.(Internal feedback circuit increases torque when downward pressure is applied)
Meguiar's put the ROS through its paces by testing it at one of the largest car auction centers in the USA. They have not had a single failure and use of the ROS has been all day virtually every day with over 400 hours of run time on each of their units.
Meguiar's has really sweetened the deal on this unit by INCLUDING a W68DA Soft Buff 2.0 DA Backing Plate, (hook and loop Velcro base plate) that runs about $30 if purchased separately... and a durable logo'd canvas bag for storage and transport. It's a VERY nice bag! Really! Yes, Really!! Spare motor brushes are in the box, along with all the tools you would need to change the plate or brushes. Awesome attention to detail.
Using the polisher is a dream. It is smooth and almost vibration-free. Much less vibration than the Porter Cable models. The motor is not overly loud, and the new rubber power cord is manageable with a 45 degree exit from the body.
SCARED OF DAMAGING YOUR PAINT?? Don't be. Dual Action, Random Orbit systems are designed to eliminate the problems of Rotary Polishers that should only be used by professionals with training. ROS systems will not allow you to to damage to your paint and are perfect for not only professional detailers, but for we home car appearance fanatics too! Don't be frightened of using this system, you WON'T hurt your vehicle!
Primary competition for this unit is the Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbit Sander (PC) which is also used by thousands of detailers. The primary differences between the two (and both are the same price on Amazon) are as follows:
- The G110v2 has less vibration than the PC
- Fit and finish is much nicer on the G110v2. It just looks a lot nicer than the typical PC grey. The 110v2 also feels better in your hands due to ergonomic handle design.
- G110v2 throttles up when sensing a bog down... much more than the PC
- The speed dial is much smoother on the 110v2 than the PC, and the 110v2 has a wider speed range with the lowest speed at 1800 RPM
- The 110v2 INCLUDES the hook and loop (Velcro) backing plate, storage bag, tools, and motor brushes in the package. PC comes naked.
- The ONE advantage of the PC over the 110v2 is a three year warranty vs. one year on the 110v2.
Here's what you need in addition to the 110v2 itself to get going...
* Polish/Wax application Pads (Soft Buff 2.0 recommended by Meguiar's (no surprise...) for use with this backing plate), or any of the Lake Country pads with hook and loop backing.
* Compound, paint cleaner, polish and wax of your choosing. ( I prefer all of Meguiar's products over any others... and all available at great prices on Amazon!)
* Towels. (Microfiber is absolutely the best)
* A vehicle in need of defect removal or a good polish/wax job.
This unit receives my highest recommendation as an extremely well designed and engineered tool. It is "pretty" as well as functional, and Meguiar's has seen fit to include extremely useful additions like the backing plate and bag that others simply don't. Amazon offers this unit for about $30.00 less than buying direct as well, and with PRIME, I had it in two days free shipping. Awesome.
5+ out of 5 stars for this super unit! Get it... you won't be sorry!
By APF (CA USA)
I am very satisfied with G110v2. It is comfortable to hold and easy to use. It does vibrate, but not uncomfortably. It is quite loud. I was surprised that on this Dual Action polisher the pad would slow or even stop rotating under load, but then I learned that the pad rotation on this machine is not forced and that machines with forced pad rotation are considerably more expensive. Still, the machine worked well. This DA Polisher has a speed control and I needed different speeds for cutting/polishing and for glaze application, so it worked nicely.
I used the G110v2 with Meguiar's W9006 6.5-Inch Soft Buff Foam Finishing Pad and Meguiar's W7006 6.5-Inch Soft Buff Foam Cutting Pad. The pads stayed securely on the included hooks and loops backing plate. They did not fly off even when I turned the polisher on with no load to spin water out of the pad I just washed.
I applied three different products to my car: Meguiar's M10532 Ultra Cut Compound, Meguiar's M20532 Ultra Finishing Polish, and Meguiar's M-0716 Mirror Glaze Professional Show Car Glaze. 16 oz. liquid with this polisher and I am sure it saved me a lot of time and muscle pain compared to attempting to do the same by hand.
By Justin (Annapolis, MD)
Awesome polisher... used to remove swirl marks from my black paint (check out the picture I added).
Step 1: Meguiar's M10532 Ultra Cut Compound w/ cutting pad
Step 2: 32 oz. Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish w/ polishing or finishing pad
Step 3: Meguiar's M-0716 Mirror Glaze Professional Show Car Glaze. 16 oz. liquid (hand application)
Step 4: Meguiars Gold Class Wax (hand application)
By Just A Guy in SF (San Francisco, CA)
Works fine. The screw holding the handle to the buffer kept getting unscrewed as I used it. Maybe I didn't set it up correctly not sure. Takes some getting used to, but definitely saves elbow grease. A bit noisy, I felt a bit self-conscious using it in the driveway.
