defining car culture 045PRODUCT TEST
THE VERDICT
If I didn’t already know the price, I’d be
expecting this monster to be price-matched
with the sort of professional kit at the 300-
350-quid mark. After all, there’s no denying
the design and layout is similar to some of
the units offered by the big players in the tool
world. Which is by no means a bad thing. In fact,
if you’d told me this was only £150 and I hadn’t
seen it first, I certainly wouldn’t be expecting
such a comprehensive bit of kit.
It may be affordable but don’t confuse
affordable with cheap. What you’re looking
at here is neither cheap or cheaply made. I
can only describe it as one of those very rare
genuine bargains.
What I found was that, at 2.3kg, it’s weighty
enough to be substantial, solid and perfectly
balanced in use, but not so heavy that it makes
it a chore to lump around for a long time. The
control of the vibration through the body and
the grips helps with that too.
Most of all, though, it’s obvious that
Auto Finesse have thought about their key
market. While this is easily a great DA for
the professionals, they’ve made it ideal for
beginners too. The 15mm throw (basically
speaking, the wobbly dual action orbit) does a
great job of polishing but without putting the
sort of heat into the paint associated with a
longer throw, or a rotary polisher. That means
no burning and no holograms, even if you’re
not overly experienced. The soft start and stop
makes it great for every ability level too.
Comfortable, durable, well spec’d – there’s
a lot to love about this one, but perhaps Auto
Finesse say it best themselves. They reckon
this puppy will “take your detailing to the next
level”, and you know what? I think they’re right.I suppose, in a word the answer is yes, and I’ll tell you
why... there’s a lot to talk about here, so strap in!
What we’ve got is a full-size, dual action machine
polisher (not to be confused with a cheap rotary
polisher) with a 15mm throw. Just these three things
alone are unusual for the money. But there’s more:
it also comes with a powerful 720 watt motor,
selectable speeds (from 1800-5000rpm) and
includes a 5-inch backing plate, which will fit the
most common pads on the market. Basically, all
the big, juicy stuff for getting up and running and
removing swirl marks is spot-on, right out of the box.
What’s nice to see is that they haven’t skimped
on the small stuff either; those tiny considerations
add up to make a real difference. The design is
ergonomic, making it comfortable to wield (and a
pleasure to use, I might add), and it includes a proper
5-metre cable instead of a silly short one – possibly
my biggest gripe with many products of this type.
It’s pretty bloody slick is what I’m trying to say,
right down to the little hex key (in case you choose
to change the backing pad) mounted right there on
the side – a nice touch if, like me, you tend to be an
expert in losing stuff.We all know that Auto Finesse have become aforce to be reckoned with over the past decade.
The UKdetailing experts have been mighty busy developing a huge product line that you’ll now find all
over the place. I mean, you can get their gear in Halfords and everything! And that should tell you all you
need to know about quality; the biggest suppliers simply don’t risk it when it comes to that sort of stuff.
That said, this funky-looking item is their very first foray into the business of power polishers but, at
that price, can it really be up to their usual standard? Let’s find out...
AUTO FINESSE
DPX DUAL ACTION POLISHER
The DA is the king of polishers – so here’s a spanking new one for the summer!
THE GOOD STUFF
✔Ergonomic design
✔Selectable speeds
✔Manageable 15mm orbit
✔5-metre cablePrice £149.95 (list price)
http://www.autofinesse.co.ukIN THE BOX...