For two decades, I’ve been immersed in the world of car paint, buffing, and polishing, personally working on close to 5,000 vehicles. Over this extensive period, I’ve experimented with numerous polisher systems. While I still occasionally use a 200mm rotary polisher from Hitachi or Makita, especially for tackling heavily damaged paint, there’s one tool that consistently surpasses all others for general polishing and waxing tasks: the Cyclo twin head polisher. My trusty Cyclo, a 110V model powering through a step-down transformer, is over 15 years old and has never faltered.
The secret to the Cyclo’s effectiveness lies in its 8mm orbit. This orbit size is perfectly calibrated to provide sufficient cutting power when needed for paint correction, yet it’s refined enough to deliver a swirl-free finish during polishing. Its ability to correct paint is only marginally slower than a rotary polisher, but it offers significantly more control and a gradual approach, minimizing the risk of damaging the paint. In all my years of using this machine, I’ve only buffed through the clear coat twice – a testament to its controllability, especially considering the often-challenging paint conditions I encounter.
For most cars, unless they are constantly exposed to harsh outdoor elements and industrial fallout, clay bars are simply unnecessary. Modern polishing pads have effectively replaced their function.
To maximize the Cyclo polisher’s potential as a premier tool for polish and wax a car, I recommend using a set of three foam pads. While I personally use locally made pads, genuine Cyclo pads and other reputable brands are also excellent choices. You’ll need a firm set for cutting, a medium set for polishing, and a soft set for finishing. Pair these pads with high-quality compounds and polishes. I prefer 3D Extra Cut compound for the initial cutting stage, but Meguiar’s products are also highly regarded. For the subsequent polishing stages, I use Gelson T47 for lighter paint colors and T57 for darker shades. These polymer polishes are exceptional at eliminating even the finest scratches and provide a level of long-lasting protection and gloss that surpasses traditional waxes, approaching ceramic coatings in performance without their inherent drawbacks. In my professional opinion, waxes simply don’t offer the durability, gloss, or protection of a quality polymer polish, making the latter the superior choice for achieving a lasting, showroom shine when you polish and wax a car.
