Actually it's been around for awhile. I have this.

Check this out
http://www.gritguard.com/product_inf...a9469d09edde30

This dual bucket system costs $120---you get two buckets with dollies, Grit Guards, and one seat cushion. Sonus is selling the same thing but as a one bucket system---if you combined two of his at $70, it comes out to a lot more than the Grit Guard system.

 

Good point, mini_dreams! (and here you were just a novice not that long ago! )

Yes, if you have a painted dash, use Hydro. You can also just wax it, just like your exterior body paint, but if you accidentally hit other interior bits with Epic you could get residue on them. Hydro is everything-friendly (no residue) and is thus the preferred choice for the painted interior dash. With it, you'll get protection and gloss.

-Heather

 

I only need one bucket (I prefer to rinse w/hose between dips) so it would cost me an extra 50 bucks unless somebody wants to go in halvsies with me but I get the seat cushion

 

Thanks Heather, Nero it is for my dash then. And yes, I do have the leather seats. I have some armor all leather stuff that I will use (first, to use it up) then may move onto something else.
Regarding grit guards: how important? Where can you get them besides online?
And two buckets: preferred? One to wash, one to rinse? I like Bamatt's idea of rinsing with the hose between swipes of the mitt.

 

^ Dave... apologies for not asking if you had leatherette or leather. I'm glad Heather cleared that up.

I would go for the grit guards and two bucket method. I don't know where else you can find them except online. I've never seen them in the auto parts stores, but they don't take long to get from US Plastics.

I also sometimes rinse my mitt with the hose between swipes on the car, even with 2 buckets and the grit guard, particularly if I've just gone over a very dirty panel. I think all of these things will help from getting swirls.

 

In case you've never seen my 2 bucket wash video, you can watch it here

http://www.showcargarage.tv/

The link is hidden at the bottom of the page. When the site launches, the link will be more prominent.

I would purchase either the Grit Guard or Dirt Guard. They are similar products that do the same thing, but the Dirt Guard incorporates a foam "trap" at the bottom that holds grit from swirling back up into the water. I sell both of these in my store although only the Dirt Guard is currently listed. For those going to AMVIV, I will have some with me for anyone that wants to take it home without paying for shipping.

http://www.showcargarage.com/eshop

Also for those that sign up for my class, each person will receive either a Dirt Guard or Grit Guard, your choice.

Sign up info will be posted today.

Richard

 

Yes...well there is a nice thick round pad that you put between you and the top. It's not actually fixed to the bucket. It doubles as a pretty good frisbee. I'm sure you could find all the individual parts for a cheaper total, but not if you shipped them all from separate places. The wheels are high quality, of course there is the famous Grit Guard...but my favorite part is the lid...it just spins so smoothly it feels like it's on ball bearings. Yeah, I'm weird.

 

so i washed my commuters today.

Griots Best of Show last applied 10/21/06 did not make it through
the winter.

Epic applied 10/14/06 did not make it either... it looks like i need to
apply it at least once in the winter time to make it last.

Regardless, washed both cars and Hydro'ed and i wiped. vac'ed, dusted,
and Nero'ed the interior. car looks no different than it did before the
winter. Hydro and Nero are awesome.

when it gets warmer in a few weeks i will lightly polish the cars and
apply Epic. the civic had no damage but legacy looks like my wife
got bumped (or bumped herself) on the front and rear. license plate
was bent on the front which i fixed (surprised that the aftermarket
plastic frame did not crack ), the rear bumper has a softball
sized aftermath of a bump. i scratchedx'ed it but needs to
be polished a little more.

 

i think im going to start using my generic water bottle to apply my Hydro
cause the Prima's fine mist is great for small areas, it could use a lot
more product per squeeze when doing the larger areas like the entire
side of the car. 2 squeezes on those spray heads can cover the
2 doors on most sedans.

 

Well my first wash (actually more like twice) in a couple of months and man.... Here's one thing I totally forgot about while parking at the office; Airplane deicing fluid. I'll see if the detailing gurus can offer up some advice. While great on wings, lets' say it produces a nice thin film over the windows and paint.

 

^^ yikes... i think that's beyond the non-OC title here.

 

Heather would say--Don't use too much Hydro! One spritz per panel! But I'm with you, I don't like the standard sprayers. I found another use for my old Meguiar's Quik Detailer and NXT Speed Detailers. I refill them with Prima!

Notice the green topped spray bottles near the rear. One of them is filled with an orange liquid--that's Hydro.

Richard

 

really? one sprits per panel? that's like a drop of jam for your entire toast!

i was doing like at least 6-7 per door. and the mist is so fine
light wind took most of it and it attached to my MCS parked inside the
garage(?)

i might end up just spot claybaring my car and only do hydro. (too lazy
and this hydro augments the lazyness habit as it does such a great job so
easily).

 

Yeah, alot of people are using more Hydro than necessary (especially when using it on a dry surface, but even on a wet surface it many cases).

Also, we have found a new sprayer for the Prima spray products which doses out just a little more than the old sprayers (and never leaks too!). We only have a limited supply right now because our supplier "lost" half our our order but we'll get more in very soon. Either way, feel free to ask me (email/PM/phone) for a new one if you don't like your current sprayer.

-Heather

 

your current sprayer head is fine for doing small areas so im going to
keep this one as is. for doing large areas (you know how i rather be
doing something else than cleaning my commuters) i want a trigger that
can spray from the front fender arch to the rear arch in one shot.

the generic waterbottles at Target can do this... i know cause it's the
same sprayhead griot's uses. the thing sprays a lot of product which might
be overkill for Hydro though... perhaps one trigger action can do the entire
side of the car.

 

It is true that those red mega-sprayers put all the rest to shame for volume. And I agree... sometimes you want alot of spray and other times you want it a fine mist. That's why it's been so hard to find the perfect sprayers for Prima spray products!

You could put Hydro in your pressure washer for really good volume...

-Heather

 

I actually filled a 1/2 gallon bug sprayer with Hydro and water and it worked great!

 

nnn... ordered up a gallon of Hydro. hehehe.

i think this is going to be my primary wax from now on.

 

It's fun to see the void between the OC and non-OC MINI owners You guys are ordering gallons of Hydro, whereas I finally bought a hose yesterday! Trouble is, I know from reading this forum that it's only a short distance from one extreme to the other....

 

Haha. New ad campaign???


Bill -"Wow, your car looks great Jim!!!"
Jim - "Thanks Bill, I do what I can..."
Bill - "Did you wax it???"\
Jim- "Nope, I hydroed it."
///Flashing Lights with subliminal messaging "GET HYDRO" and the old Uncle Sam character with his finger pointed and a bottle of Hydro in the other hand///


Could sell alot of Hydro

 

Yup - it's only from one end of your new hose to the other.

 

that reminds me... i need to get a better water hose.

any recommendations?!

 

Get one that's more rigid than others, because mine is always kinking up and it makes it a pain in the butt.

 

do you use a hose reel or just wind the thing around your legs?

 

I'm considering a 4" fire hose. There is a plug just down the street. Do you wind that or just loop it on the ground?
I have yet to find a hose that is both flexible enough to loop on the ground and ridged enough not to kink.