If you are like me, you love how a clean car looks but hates the labor making it look good. I'm a do-it-yourself guy but have never used a clay bar, buffer, etc items like that. Always heard horror stories about external detailing that has turned me off from doing it. Griots products changed that for me.
With a ham/cheese sandwich and soda in me I went outside to tackle our 2007 Mazda CX-9 and 2006 Audi A4. The Mazda was bought new and didn't have paint correction since dealer delivery. My Audi had a professional detail once over a year ago but nothing but auto car washes since. I performed the following on both cars:
It went quite well to be honest. With a cool summer day and my fears of paint burn behind me I worked through the afternoon. It took just over six hours to do both cars.
Griots makes their products so easy to use you can't mess it up. I handed the buffer to my wife and she did the entire rear deck of the Mazda alone. Very user friendly and ergonomic as well.
Some tips I would give when you do this yourself:
Overall, the job was a lot easier than I had thought. The cars look great, water and grime are no match for the wax, and I had fun while learning. With this kind of work there is an initial investment but you own the tools and the compounds go a long way.
Bring life back to your car's finish with Griots products!
With a ham/cheese sandwich and soda in me I went outside to tackle our 2007 Mazda CX-9 and 2006 Audi A4. The Mazda was bought new and didn't have paint correction since dealer delivery. My Audi had a professional detail once over a year ago but nothing but auto car washes since. I performed the following on both cars:
- Washed with Griots Car Wash Soap
- Dried with Microfiber Drying Cloth
- Went over entire vehicle with Paint Cleaning Clay lubricated with Speed Shine
- Washed/dry again
- Applied Best Of Show Wax with Orbital Polisher and Wax Applicator pad.
- Wiped off wax with 100% Cotton Buffing Cloths
It went quite well to be honest. With a cool summer day and my fears of paint burn behind me I worked through the afternoon. It took just over six hours to do both cars. Griots makes their products so easy to use you can't mess it up. I handed the buffer to my wife and she did the entire rear deck of the Mazda alone. Very user friendly and ergonomic as well. Some tips I would give when you do this yourself:
- Painters tape off unpainted plastic areas. This will keep wax buildup and hazing off of those parts.
- Work smaller areas rather than larger with clay bar. Behind tires, lower doors, and rear deck/truck lid had the most embedded grime.
- Get comfortable. This isn't a gymnastics meet, you don't need to bend in weird positions. Sit on the ground, get a ladder, etc.
- Less is more. You don't need a ton of wax on the pad to do a good job.
- Work in the shade as much as possible. Keeps the surface cool preventing evaporation of your wax and other liquids. I washed in the driveway, all else in the garage.
Overall, the job was a lot easier than I had thought. The cars look great, water and grime are no match for the wax, and I had fun while learning. With this kind of work there is an initial investment but you own the tools and the compounds go a long way.
Bring life back to your car's finish with Griots products!
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