Have read a lot about each product but I don't know which is the best. My mini will be here soon and I want to go to town with the best products. I will probably purchase a kit. Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

i was just thinking the exact same question earlier today while looking at the amazing line up of products OutMotoring has for sale in the Griots line of car care products. Thanks for asking!!

Steve

 

For the most part, once you start getting into top of the line products, they will tend to be about equal in terms of price, quality, and durability. Differences are going to be how they are applied, and how their "system" works. Ease of application will differ also, but remember to compare products of the same nature, don't compare a spray-on wax to a paste/cream wax, as the paste waxes tend to last longer, but are harder to apply, where spray-on ones, although easier to apply, will need to be applied more often, as they don't last as long.

The look of the products are also something to consider, some will result in a wet, slick look, others will have a deep, rich look. Depending on the look you want, and the colour of your car will be a deciding factor here.

Also consider product support, and how easy it is to get answers to questions/issues that will come up.

This kind of question generally gets 2 kinds of answers, like the one I just gave, or, folks will tell you what they use, so it is the "best". Most of us regulars to this forum have a personal preference, based on the time they can set aside to do the work, which for some means they want a product that lasts a long time, or they like/can to do things more often. Then there is the "look" preference.

Hope this helps,
Mark

 

BOTH !!

I have about 10 of Griots' products in my detailing cabinet and about 15 products from Prima.

You pick and choose which items you prefer from each company and don't limit yourself to just one because of their name.

To help you decide, read, read, and read some more. Check out this forum until your head starts to spin. Then try some of the products from each company based on what you learned.

As time goes on, you may decide you want to try the other company's similar product. And then you'll have your favorites from each.

 

I agree with CR&PW&JP. Spread your paycheck evenly between both. I have a little bit more stuff from Griots, but have plenty of Prima products as well. My Favs from each? Speedshine from Griots, and Hydro from Prima.

 

definitely have Griot's and Prima products in my arsenal.

 

yeah I have been reading a lot, so I just have to figure out the top products from each one according to what people love about a specific product. Thank you. Learned so much by reading these forums in the past few weeks.

 

From Griots, here are my favorites:

Speed Shine
Waffle Weave Drying Towels
Microfiber Rags (cheap ones for engine bay, door sills, etc)
Wheel Cleaner
Tire Dressing

All my polishes, waxes, other Microfiber towels, etc... Detailer's Paradise.

 

Griot's detailing products i like most are:
SpeedShine
SprayOn wax
LeatherCare Spray
Best of Show
Paint Sealant
Interior Cleaner
also their new MF towels (green color) are nice! but remove
the tags completely first.

Prima:
Hydro (definitely Hydro )
Clarity
Slick
Nero (especially when dilluted 50/50 with distilled water)
Platinum MF towels
Waffleweave drying towels.

 

Can you folks with the Griots stuff explain their Speedshine, and SprayOn wax please. Is Speedshine a QD? Is the SprayOn wax like Zaino Clear Seal, which is a spray on, no wipe wax.

Thanks,
Mark

 

SpeedShine is a QD with carnauba.

SprayOn wax is a wipe as you dry wax (like Hydro) with more carnauba wax
and super slickness and nice shine vs SpeedShine.

just not as durable like Hydro.


oh yah, i also like Griot's new SprayOn CarWash. thing rocks for
dirtier sections where i need to QD.

 

Speed Shine would look GREAT on top of your Banana Gas Gloss , Mark.

 

Ken, who makes that car wash hose end sprayer you have? I know you got it from Griots, but I saw something that looks just like it at Lowes, holds 3 1/2 oz., and lasts for 8 minutes, or maybe 15, don't remember. I'm thinking winter washing, save my fingers from freezing.

I may have to order some Speed Shine for those special occasions.

So how do you pronounce Griots? Is it Gri oats, Grots, G riots

Mark

 

unfortunately there's no TM on the 9pos hose nozzle... but there
was a guy from the Civic forum that tried the Lowes version and
didn't like it at all. the product leaked out even though it was in
the water-only mode.

ive been using the Griot's hose nozzle the last several weeks on my
dd's and it has been very effective. but on your baby cars i would
probably just use the normal firemen's hose nozzle and the washbucket.

the main reason are:

1) the consistency in the soap dispense weakens as you use.
- if you use 3oz per wash it lasts pretty much till the end.

2) you still need to rinse the mitt... blasting the mitt with
the hose nozzle works, but it is not as effective as actually
dipping the mitt in the washbucket (or 2nd bucket) to remove
the smaller grit/soil.

If you end up using a bucket, kinda defeats the purpose of
using the 9pos spray nozzle.

the spray pattern is very clean which i like most about the
spray head.

 

Ok thanks. Now how do you like the mitt on a stick thing you have? Looks like a MF wash mitt, or can you get a lambs wool one?

I'm thinking of attaching a sponge to a stick, then putting my lambs wool mitt over that for winter washing.

Mark

 

the Griot's MF washmitt on the stick is definitely nice on cold days.
i can wash my car without touching it once.

but there are downsides which are:

1) the mitt is only one sided so it can not hold shampoo as much as
a normal wash mitt.

2) the mitt gets soiled easily... so you need to dip often to rid the grit.
this is related to the amount of shampoo the mitt can hold. it releases
shampoo early and then starts absorbing the grit off your car while
you're dragging the mitt on the paint. definitely do one panel at a time
and keep dipping that mitt in the bucket!

3) the WORST downside is the velcro strapping on the mitt. you
MUST separate the mitt when you toss it into the washer, otherwise
the hooks will literally break off and tangle up in your MF towels! arrr!

i felt like those darn monkies that picks at each other to rid bugs
out of their hairs.

but otherwise it's a nice tool to have on cold days. i modified the
pole a little bit so that it doesn't swivel on its own. much easier to
control the pole that way. (Just need one or two screws into
the swivel to lock it).

 

I think I'll experiment with the sponge on a pole, with a regular mitt over it idea. If it works, great, if not, no big loss.

Mark

 

i think the only thing would be to make sure the sponge or the mitt itself
does not fall off the pole. the Griot's MF washmitt has dedicated velcro
to lock itself into place. i think there is a reason for that.

it is very secure on the pole. i can swing it like a bat or a do a tigerwoods
drive swing and it will still be on there.... well maybe not... but it's on
there good like rubber work gloves over your sweaty hands.

 

Cheap stick, cheap sponge, cheap glue, should work. Then put the expensive mitt over the sponge, then wash car, don't swing like a bat or club, should work.

Mark

 

im kind of surprised why a guy that can endure -44F can not handle
alittle cold water.

 

try the Griots' wash pads. They are thick and MF based. I have been using them on my mini for last 6 months, and am very happy with them.

 

problem with them for me was that they are too huge and clumsy. also,
by the time i was done washing my dd, 1/2 of the carshampoo in my griot's
bucket was gone.

i much prefer their MF wash mitt.

CR&PW&JB- any comments?

 

Cold air is not an issue, plunging one's body parts into cold water, is, an issue.

Now I do use warm water in both buckets in the winter, it is really the drying that gets my hands. I don't like to wear gloves/mitts for fear of scratching....hey new idea, monster fluffy lined, waffle weave drying mitts

Mark

 

I have a bit of both in my line up, which is odd because I consider myself cheap. The only thing that I have that carries over between the two lines are Speedshine/Slick and Mystique/Griots car shampoo. The former I havent compared side by side, but the speedshine is much cheaper and works fine so that is probably what I will stick with. I havent used the griots car shampoo.

As a complete and total newby to polishing I went with the Griots polish system due to its relative simplicity. There are 4 different grades of polish and only one type of pad, whereas the Prima system has 3 different polsih grades and 3 different polishing pads.

That said both systems have a sort of general purpose polish that can be used in most situations. In the case of Griots it is, from what I understand, polish number 3 (what I have used). In the case of Prima it is Swirl used with both the orange and the white pad.

That said I spent the time crunching the numbers, and it ends up being a bit cheaper to be fully outfitted with the Griots polish system instead of the Prima.

In the end both brands have there ups and downs, so feel free to mix and match and find what is best for you. The one exception being a polish system, pick one and stick with it as one brands polish should also be used with the same brands pads.

 

Neither...I've tried them all and my Dad is a die-hard Maguires' fan, but I went with the Zanio line for my MCSC. Kicker for me was when a friend that had used it had her car spray painted...she was able to wipe the spray paint off after it had dried because she had three coats of z2 (I think that's the number) on her Mini.