I just tried these three products this weekend... AMAZING!

I know people have given these products glowing reviews, so I was expecting good results, but I wasn't quite sure I would really notice a difference.

Here's my quick review:

Prima Clarity and MF cloth - (Prima Glass Bundle) - holy c@#p this stuff is incredible. I used it today for the first time. I admit I have not cleaned my windows since I've had the car, other than with mit washes and the occasional spritz with the window washers (which go all over the place!). I have been waiting for the right product. THIS IS IT. It was great to drive after using it. I feel like I have new eyes. It cleaned the windows so well, in fact, that I found a teeny, tiny little ding in the front windshield that I hope will not become a problem. The MF towel feels amazing when wiping off the Clairty, and together the two leave the windows spotless. I have a feeling I'm gonna use a lot of Clarity. I will probably order another for the boot. I'm already planning on buying some for family, too, and have sent the link to a friend. After telling him about it, his reply was... "I need something, I have film on my windows I can't get off!"

Prima Nero - (Prima Nero) - I used this only on the inside today and it looks very good. I haven't really detailed the inside of the MINI yet either because I was waiting for the right product (and because I didn't want to cover up the new car smell ). So I just tried a little on the upper dash and Hyper Blue dash parts and door panels. It works great and gives it a little shine to make it look like it is clean, but not a strong shine... it basically takes it back to what it looked like when I picked it up from the dealer. Fresh!

Prima Slick - (Prima Slick) - Yesterday there was a lot of dirt on the bonnet and top, mostly from mornings with frost that end up leaving dirty residue. Since it was too cold all this week and yesterday to do a nice hand wash with a mit, which is what I wanted to do, I took it to a local car wash bay and used the high powered wand and washed it off. I drove home and started to pat it dry with the Waffle Weave towel (Paradise Waffle Weave Drying Towel) but noticed that the water and soap from the spray wand had just skated over the dirt... it was still there. After drying it looked almost like the paint was defective, so I had to clean it off. I've been reluctant to use a quick detailer on such dirt, but I was going to a MINI event and wanted it to look nice, so I pulled out the Prima Slik and Monster Fluffy (Paradise Monster Fluffy) and sprayed it on -- pretty liberally since I was worried about all the dirt -- and wiped it off with the Monster Fluffy. Did the whole bonnet and WOW. Crystal clear and shiny. It looked incredible and felt like I had just clayed it! The only weird thing was my white Monster Fluffy had that funky green Slick all over it (along with some dirt). But it all came out in the wash. I'm still reluctant to use a quick detailer a lot, but it really made the bonnet look great.

EXTRA, EXTRA... DISCOVERY - has anyone noticed that the Prima bottles fit perfectly in the center back seat cupholder? Not that that's particularly useful, but I was sitting in the back seat (for the first time, too) cleaning the inside windows and just popped it in there and I was like - hey, it fits perfectly... almost as if it was designed for a MINI cupholder . Of course it doesn't fit in the front ones, but what does?

Next is Epic. Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 60s and since I work freelance, I'll get up early, do some work and hopefully have the afternoon to do a good wash, some clay and a coat of Epic and Nero on the trim. I can't freakin wait since the results with all the other products have been so good!

Thanks Heather and DP!

 

^^ cool!

can anyone give me an idea how Clarity compares with Griot's
WindowCleaner? been happy with WindowCleaner as it cleans
well, no streaks, and costs very little.

im listing up some items for next Spring (when we get back into our
detailing season again) and Clarity is on my to buy list along with
some other items.

 

mini dreams - you are now officially hooked. Should you ever allow yourself to run out of any of the Prima products you will start jones'n, get the shakes and cold sweats. Heather's marketing is not unlike that of a drug dealer; she gets you hooked with some free stuff or discounts and then your wallet is hers. I went to the DP open house yesterday and now I have Hydro. See how that works!
I was reading what you were using the Nero on and it sounded like you were using it on the painted surfaces. I may have mis-read what you wrote but really Nero is for vinyl and rubber, I would use Epic and then Slick on the inside painted bits.
Nice write-up and welcome to the wonderful world of Prima

 

yes, I think i am hooked. I have Hydro in my stock, too, and after doing the Epic, I plan on trying Hydro out through the winter.

I did use the Nero on the Hyper Blue dash of the interior because I figured it was plastic. What do people think... is this a problem? Hopefully it won't be. If so, I can always put some Slick on to remove it and then go back with the Epic.

 

It's not gonna hurt it but even though they are plastic, they are painted plastic so I would detail it the same as the exterior paint as recommended by MiniMaybee. Wash with some Mystique, then Epic it. Then when you are QD'ing the exterior just give them a wipe with the MF towel which should already be moist from doing the outside. As the interior plastic is not subjected to the elements like the exterior, the Epic should last a nice long time!

Cheers,
Jason.

 

First impressions of Hydro is that it's great! Very easy to use and I like it, but still waiting to see how long it lasts.

re: Nero
I'm not being sarcastic here, but this thinking is the same as using Nero on your front and rear bumper covers because they are painted plastic too. It's not the material that counts, it's what you are applying Nero to. Painted plastic is the same as any painted surface. It's got a base coat and a clearcoat--atleast in the MINI it does--so treat it like paint. Wax it with Epic if you want. I do.

I agree!

 

good points! well, sounds like the Nero won't damage it, but I will go back and Epic it when I can. The outside is priority now, in the few days I have of nice weather.

good to hear about the Hydro, too. Can it be sprayed on and wiped off in one wipe? Or do you have to buff it in a little?

 

Hydro is unlike any spray wax I've used. It goes on like Slick, and wipes off like Slick. No buffing or repeated wipes. Well, I do use Slick first to remove any dust on the paint, then follow with Hydro, so maybe that's why I like it. I've been using Hydro on a prepped clean surface.

The end result is that the next several days it looks just waxed, glossy, and wet. Again it goes on and comes off so easily, I'm not sure how long it lasts, or exactly what benefits I've got over Slick. Regardless I like it, and continue to test it.

Richard

 

Thanks for the great review, mini_dreams! I'm thrilled you like everything so much.

Nero won't hurt the painted plastic so technically you could go with either route. I'd probably stick to QD'ing it myself.

As OctaneGuy mentioned, Hydro can be used just like Slick and it applies very similarly. I find it takes maybe one more swipe than Slick when buffing it off, but often not too.

Hydro will last much longer than Slick because it's more of a spray wax than a QD (we've found that typically Hydro lasts a few weeks or more). Along the same lines, it has more polymer and less cleaners than Slick. Hydro tends to have a more depth and wetness than Slick, yet the same slick feel.


BTW, sorry to all for not being around much last week! I'll be around much more this week though! (also, I'm finally going to be catching up on my PMs too...thanks for your patience!)

-Heather

 

oh really... hummmmm... (kenchan adds to wishlist into bb)

 

Yes I love LOVE Hydro. I use it after every wash and every few QDs. Shiiiiiiiny!

 

Quote: "I'm still reluctant to use a quick detailer a lot, but it really made the bonnet look great."

Is there a problem with using Slick too often?

Re. Clarity vs. Griot's window cleaner. The Clarity is water based so it's safe for tinted windows--not sure if the Griot's is or not?

DD

 

Actually the reason that I believed a glass cleaner would be "tint safe" or not is simply whether it contains ammonia. Of course being waterbased is also a bonus.

re: Slick
There is no problem with using a QD often. I've used it every day multiple times a day. The factors are that every time you rub your paint, you have the potential to scratch it and rub off some wax protection which just means you should wash and wax more often. But it's what you got to do if you want a clean, shiny, just washed look all the time--short of actually washing it everyday!

 

not that i know of... this is just my own neurosis. also i'm new to detailing so it feels strange to wipe off a dirty car for fear of scratching the paint. but a quick detailer is supposed to prevent that. and it did: my bonnet was really dirty and the Slick worked very well and it didn't feel like it was scratching the surface. I would just prefer to wash the dirt off rather than wipe it off... but i guess, a really slick quick detailer (like Slick) is probably not that much different than a really slick car wash shampoo and water.

 

Mini Dreams - You probably should not use a QD or Slick if your car is too dirty. The difference between washing and a QD wipe down is that the wash water will float away most of the surface grit and the soap will allow the dirt to get wet and loosen. If your car has grit on the surface, then QD and a MF (even an IPP) will have a greater potential to swirl the paint. So here are my general rules that will no doubt find disfavor or exceptions from other OCDers; I don't QD the boot if there is significant dust since this is usually brake dust and VERY abrasive - I'm washing it instead. Also if the area I'm intending to QD has dirt that is thicker than a fine layer of dust I'm washing instead. Perhaps I'm too OCD but I've had issues with the boot and swirls that I can attribute to QD'ing even using Slick and the Monster Fluffy.

Stringmaster - If your paint has an alien-blood green cast to it, you may be using too much Slick . If your hands are too slippery to pick up anything, you may be using too much Slick . If you order a tanker full of Slick every month, you may be using too much . If, like kenchan, you begin using Slick as a food seasoning - you're just sick .

 

^

 

i agree with minimaybee. don't QD if your car is dirty. QD should be done
for light dusting or some grime/oils you might have accumulated during your
weekend drive.

i don't QD or CalDust my commuters. only wash...

 

I agree! Sorry Ken, MiniMaybee beat you to the correct reply first. No Octane or DP points here.

 

Geez, ken... you've been stuck at III and II points for a while now. Less time in the "garage" thread, more time on the detailing threads, man !

:impatient

 

Sorry maybe this has been answered but I am new to detailing (like never done it) so I thought I would ask before I bought my first set of products from DP. I planned on getting some Slick,Clarity, and Nero and a few biggy fluffys. Now I am hearing all this about Hydro. My question is does Hydro leave that white dew on your black outer pieces? For my first go round at detailing I don't want to have to tape off areas and want to make it easy as poss for me.

thanks for your help!

ps. any discounts at DP for first time buyers? Worth asking

 

dog gonnit!!

 

:impatient i know i know... im off-season right now for detailing... (is that a
viable excuse?)

 

NO. Wait, let me reconsider. Ummmmmmmmmmm... no.

see vestanpance's question up there... here's your big chance for more points !

 

yes earn the points!

 

I saw no white residue on the black vinyl trim when I used the Hydro this past weekend.
Ken - sell you some OG points?