Howdy all,
Finally bought some Hydro for harry, gonna try this weekend....2 questions:

1. I've been waxing with Turtle Wax Ice and also using their quick detailer between waxes. Should I wash with a small amount of Dawn to remove the old wax and start fresh with Hydro???

2. Then, when spritzing the Hydro on, is it true less is better and I should take care not to apply too much product??

Thanks!

 

i dont think ice lasts that long so i would just wash it like you
usually do and use Hydro as you dry.

you only need like a squirt per panel, but i use like 2 squirts per panel
to ensure full coverage.

 

If it was me I would just use the Hydro over the turtle wax. From what I have heard the Ice doesn't last that long. But... I think you need to get some brand of good quality wax (Epic, Klasse, etc...) & do a full & thorough waxjob. Hydro is a wax enhancer/extender & IMHO shouldn't be the only product you use for protection. When you get ready to do a full wax job you might go the Dawn route but be sure you run a claybar over your finish too before waxing

Discalimer: the opinions expressed here are those solely of bamatt & do not neccessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Detailing 101 Forum

 

claybar? Is that instead of the yanking strips?

 

I used Turtle Wax ICE before crossing to the Hydro side. I didn't need to strip the ICE. As Kenchan tells you, the ICE is not long lasting. Also, I probably am guilty of using too much Hydro. But I'm a high maintenance chick. I think Heather has posted that we can use slightly more Hydro when we spritz it onto a wet car and then dry. This is what I do. Haven't waxed yet.

 

ok, i too confess... since using Hydro, i have not yet polished or
waxed my daily drivers. here's another link from the legacy forums
where a member did a before/after ..very nice picts near the end.

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59431

 

I used ICE before switching to Prima products as well, but I don't JUST use Hydro - like Bamatt said, Hydro isn't really a complete wax protectant all by itself, and I'd highly recommend properly waxing the paint so that you can get a sealent layer on top of the clear coat - it's a harsh world out there!

Luckily, you don't have to be completely OC to protect the paint (although it helps):

What I did was use clay-bar to get out any possible contaminants in the paint and to strip off any residual ICE (time: about 30-45 minutes), then I applied 2 coats of Prima Epic. Each coat was left to cure until it passed the "swipe test" (drag a finger through the wax - if powdery, buff off and if smear-y allow to keep drying - time: about 25 minutes to apply plus 2-4 hours drying time - go watch TV ). I then use Hydro every second or third wash (time: literally an extra 30 seconds at the end of the wash), just as a swirl minimizer. I use Prima Slick as a detail spray between washes.

Doing this, my car has remained mirror-bright and slick as glass for months (I applied the Epic in October and then drove all through the harsh Ohio winter), and only has faint swirling, almost all of which is hidden by the Hydro.

Like Kenchan, I use about 2 spritzes per panel (3-4 on the bonnet) and I do it while my car is still wet from washing - the extra water helps dilute the conentrated Hydro, resulting in more even applic ation and much less product used. Just walk around and spritz the entire car before drying with your towel or waffle-weave cloth - easy!

 

Okay, now you done it! I ordered some Hydro and MF towels and some other high-end gunk to clean my wheels with. Now, I am getting out of here before I do anything else stupid.

 

When you order Hydro get Heather to send you some of those small spritz bottles. I think that they are $5 for 4 or 5, they really make Hydro last. I can Hydro my MINI with about 3/4 of an ounce.

 

Oooh not for me. Why would you transfer it to smaller bottles? The sprayers on the big bottles are so wonderful. They spray a nice, even, perfectly spread out yet conservative spritz each time

 

Only two squirts??? EGADS! I've been using too much!
Hehe figures huh? I will have to remember to use less squirts, sometimes I'm blasting a panel like up to 5+ squirts, want to ensure even coverage.
Seems I am just wasting it.

 

ImagoX- do you have scientific proof of this? it sure
looks like it's doing a great job.... what fallout are you sensing in particular
that will damage it?

bird crap? it eats through wax too.

 

I go by the fact that Heather has said that it is not a stand alone wax but to be used in between waxings to enhance your finish Sorry but I have no clue if it was posted in a thread or PM'd to me.

 

Hee hee..... I guess we'll have to line up our Hydro'd minis and see if anyone can tell which one has the real wax coverage.

I use Slick to clean off the bird poop before it even dries.

 

I agree - the sprayers Heather uses now are VERY nice. Older Prima spritzers were a bit.... leaky... but all the new ones I've received over the past few months are strong and give a very even spray. Small bottles are good for carrying around a bit of extra Slick or Nero thugh for quick detailing on the road. (emergency bird poop removal, coffee splatters, etc.).

 

I'm sure we won't be able to tell parked side by side right now but if Hydro is all you use come park beside me in 5 years & we might notice a difference then

 

Otey, Dudette. Sounds like a plan to me. However, I warn you I cheat.....

Did you do another PC session yet? Did the swirls come out? I'm still procrastinating.

 

Not yet, I'm procrastinating too. I mean... it's only in the mid 80's now & I figure if I procrastinate just a bit longer I can attempt it when the temps are around 98°

 

I was sort of thinking the same thing...

SInce waxing only takes a few hours a few times annually, I figure that's a good investment of my time. But I agree that Hydro IS pretty amazing stuff.

 

I would say that Hydro is not a replacement for a true wax. True it does offer protection like an Epic, but because it is diluted enough to get it to spritz, it can not (nor does it) last as long as Epic nor will it be as thick and resistive to whatever. So can someone (Ken) use Hydro in place of a true wax, probably if it is not a daily driver and you use it each time it is washed. For me, where I actually use the car I bought each and every day and it is not garaged, I believe that Hydro is not enough. It would not last like my layer of Epic has though I will continue to use Hydro to extend the life of the Epic. Let the world eat away at the Hydro, but leave my Epic alone!

 

You guys and gals got me hooked on Hydro also. About 4 weeks ago I clayed my MINI and then polished with Ice that I had around the house from last yr. THEN I SAW THE HYDRO POST! And you guys had me on the line. Just recieved it last week and now I'm hooked. This stuff is good and the next day it even looked better. I applied it over the ice after I washed and it looks awesome! Thanks for the tip. Now I guess I have to order some Epic.

 

ROFLMBO!! OMG! I thnik I am gonna.....<plonk>

 

"thick and resistive." how much Epic are you using? cause if you
use more it will take hells of a long time to dry and from the looks of it,
people will unknowingly remove more Epic after the initial cure than
a super thin coat that was cured properly. i would not be surprised
if someone (ahem) did not let the product cure long enough and removed
it prematurely...but thinking in his head he's got super protection.

Again, i would like to see scientific proof that hydro is not protective
as a 'true wax' when applied on a regular basis after a wash. where do
you draw the line? from which point is it a "true wax" and from which
point is it not? what is the measuring method, and how do you measure
it? imho, majority of the people are using 'true wax' incorrectly and
it does not protect nearly as well they think they are.

with that in consideration, i believe Hydro can protect even better
vs regular waxes as there is repetitive coverage, lasts weeks, not days
like most spray on waxes, and easy to use. there are no tricks, no
taping, no nothing. just spray and wipe. so easy people don't mind
doing it over and over again. (had to thow in some advertisement too)

And it's the otherway around. my garaged cars use carnauba wax.
my daily drivers use Hydro.

 

Thick is a relative term . You can not possibly believe that a layer of Hydro is anywhere near as "thick" as a layer of Epic. As for curing - I allow Epic to cure a lot longer than it takes to spray on and wipe off Hydro. In fact most of the time I put my Epic on before I head to bed and then buff it off in the morning. In your opinion is that long enough to not be classified in the "ahem" category?
As far as science - do it yourself. Half your hood with Epic and the other with Hydro. Or better yet have someone else do half your hood with each and not tell you which is which. Betcha in a month you can tell.
As for your garage queens, if Hydro is so much better than a true wax, why bother using one product for your drivers and another for your toys? And if you say shine again Ken I will again challenge you to do the same scientific test as with the Epic and Hydro only this time use Epic and BOS. Betcha can't tell if you don't know.

 

Wait just 2? Ooh.. I've been a little overzealous!