PORTER-CABLE Car Polisher and Buffer, 6-Inch, Orbital, Variable Speed (7424XP)

This little guy gets the job done. Very powerful tool with good build quality. Built to last a lifetime for personal use. I enjoy using this tool. I own several Porter Cable machines and they have all given me great service over the years.

Used my first porta cable for 25 years and it’s still running.Bought second one just in case first one quits. Gray tool!

Made in Mexico. Not CHINA.

So I have had this for 10 years and it served ok. It now over heats and bogs down easily. Looking to replace it, I see this unit is only 4.5 amps. Most newer units are 8 amps. This unit is fine for light duty polishing and waxing but if the finish is bad, it's just not powerful enough.So if you just need to do light duty on a relatively smooth finish, its good for removing swirls and polishing.

I did tons of research on tools to polish my car before purchasing the 7424XP. I've had this for nearly a month and have almost completely reconditioned the paint on my car. With the right combination of pads and compounds/polishes you can get excellent results. The tool just works. I heard about vibration, noise and such about these (and other, similar tools) but I haven't had any problems with it. I find that vibration and other problems are typically due to poor technique and not the tool, just as with almost any tool. Noise levels are what you would expect with a tool like this, if anything I was pleased with how it was quieter than I expected (quieter than my palm sander, and quiet enough that my cat actually jumped up on the washer I was polishing while I was polishing it, this cat is scared to death of anything loud, like a vacuum).I have not used the handle; having it off to one side would make it too lopsided for me, that's why the Flex and GG have different grips. Speed 6 is only used for drying pads out and super heavy compounding. The cord is short, but I'd rather have a 6' cord as opposed to a 6" cord and putting a long cord on it would make it a bigger pain to deal with when I only need a 6' cord. The included pad is OK I guess, it'd be OK to use to wax a junk car or as a polishing pad, but it's too fine for compounding/buffing and too coarse for what I'd use to glaze/wax with.Here's a good piece of advice: get a backing plate and from the center out, put one stripe with a marker so that you can see if the pad is actually turning or not. If the pad stops turning, you're using too much pressure (with the exception of some products that don't need rotational action.I got into this expecting to buy the polisher and a few pads with moderate polishes; be warned, this purchase will all but require a substantial investment. I was hoping to come in under a couple hundred dollars but after getting the NEEDED backing plate, a compliment of pads and polishes I was on my way to double that.Comparing this to competing units, the Flex and Rupes are in a class of their own with the direct drive orbits; they won't bog down with pressure, but they will also burn the paint if you're foolish with them. The Meguiars and Griots are very similar to this (if I'm not mistaken, the Meguiar's is a modified version of this), where the Megs is too pricey for the same thing, and the GG has a better handle and higher RPM/OPM. The reason I didn't get the GG is because I couldn't justify the extra money, and the handle would get in the way of some tight areas I need to tuck the polisher into. Yes, the handle can be removed, but that's a hassle that I can avoid with this. Rotaries are the old-school way and are still needed for some serious paint correction, but a PC teamed with a SurBuf pad and the right technique (almost no pressure for the SurBuf) is very similar to a rotary with a wool pad. I'd still use a rotary for some things like velvet pads.I haven't tried sanding with this....yet.Another thing to note is that unless you're going to use 6" polishing pads or larger, the included weight is fine. I just tried using some 4" pads on a 3" backing plate and was surprised by the fact that it didn't have any real difference in vibration.cons?well, I'd like to see a better safety on the power switch; currently it's just a plastic ridge around the switch and I've bumped it accidentally when carrying it. The Dial seems fine, but The vents for the motor are at the very end, right where my hand naturally sits for most buffing operations. And I feel like I'll outgrow this quickly and move to a Flex once I get my technique down.

So one of the hardest decisions i have had to make to start auto detailing was what Dual Action Random Orbital should i get. Its tough getting started or even upgrading from a cheap one that you may learned on. Hopefully i can give you a little insight on this fine machine. With that said i do want to say i own this one and have around 6 months and have done some large time consuming jobs with it BUT i also do not own the other top brands like the flex, torque, ECT. To this day i have not looked back.I will start with the things i love about it.1) The size and weight - it is a very good size in the operational standpoint. I personally do not use the screw on handle mainly because i change hands to often for it, i just have one hand on the black and the other around the vent at the end. But its very accommodating and comfortable not to mention i can get in the smaller areas on cars like under the mirror because i do not have a long tail end. Just because its smaller does NOT mean it is less effective.2) Porter Cable as a company is a well tested large backing company. If i remember right they came around in like 1905 or so. like i said i did a lot of research. There is no to minimal maintenance to it. The unit is factory lubricated with enough high quality lube that it will last the life of the unit under normal use (commercial grade unit keep that in mind) and they only recommend you take it to one of their certified shops (every 100 hours of use... long time) so they can take it apart clean it properly and check for worn parts to ensure your safety.3) Having the speed setting as a wheel is wonderful. I have used my friends for a short time i did a 2x2 square like a month ago (i think he had the flex but could have been the torque) and it was nice but long i felt like i was reaching and it had a digital display with + - buttons. My personal opinion is that after i spread the product at a low speed i want to shut it off get in a good position set it to a functional speed and start it up, as his always starts on the lowest speed setting and while its on you have to crank it up. All in all i highly recommend this buffer and love using it and seeing the results i get out of it.The bad1) AS EXPECTED WITH EVERY UNIT NO MATTER THE BRAND is at low speeds it is a little tricky to control at first but its so slow its not a big deal or a deal breaker like i said its just the physics of these units.2) the pad that comes with it is a cheap foam pad that i personally don't use at all and its just easier to buy pads and backing plate with a hook and loop (Velcro) connection so you don't have to use your wrench every time you change pads. Again a small detail and you can get these buffers with other packages and i'm sure the stock pad wont hurt anything its just your typical wax / sealant padIf you want other video reviews i would recommend looking up Chemical Guys on you tube not only do they have extensive how to videos and great products but they have many reviews of the Porter Cable 7424xp and use it a good majority of the time in their shop / Class so you can see what this unit will do.I want to say i have no affiliation with Porter Cable or Chemical guys and was not asked to review or given anything to review this is a REAL HONEST REVIEW. If you have any questions feel free to ask!