Hildy911

This is what I bought-

Polish kit

If you go to the website, click on car care, then polish, it takes you to a variety of options.

My paint is in very good shape, but I would add the machine polish #2 for the deeper scratches next time. The kit comes with #3 which is very fine and you need to do the same spot 2-3 times for anything more than very light swirl marks. At least that has been my experience - one time. Check with Geoff to be sure.

hawk911

I have a bunch of the Griot's polishes I'm selling. I switched to Meguiars pro line to use with my new Makita direct drive. Any takers?

hawk911

I normally charge for this information, but since you're all friends here...

Machine polish 1 is best for swirled paint. 3 will just barely take off light swirls and polish 4 is about worthless. you could be as well with just wax. If you stay with Griots, buy polishes 1 and 3. Start with 1, then wax. Next detail, use 3 then wax.

cupcar86

Thanks all, polish kit located and on its way. My cars await!

38D

I have used the Griots PC kit & products. Definitely did work well and was easy. I was a die hard 3M hand glaze guy, but the griots stuff is definitey faster and easier. I keep meaning to try Zaino, but just have not gotten the chance.

RicardoD

Time to resurrect this thread. My two Audis look like crap after this super long Chicago winter and its time to clean them up, polish and wax. Not to mention bringing the C4 out of its winter hibernation.

I don't have my machine polisher yet but I'm thinking I will place an order with Griot's this week. Seems like a simple system, and it worked great last fall when Hawk showed me the ropes on my wife's A6.

elbeee964

Does it come with clay, Ricardo?
(For one of those 'melted' looks, no machine work till after you clay'ed. Right?)

hawk911

The clay can come with the kit, if you buy everything including the waxes and polishes. I'm not a fan of their polish and wax kit products anymore. I'd rather use Mcguiars pro line instead. There are lots of products out there; Sonus, Zaino, Mcguiars, and a few others that rate VERY well. clay can be had at any care parts store; there are a few out there. The clay doesn't give you the depth, it simply takes off residue and fine inpurities like sap, tar, and the like. It helps to remove fine dust particles, but the depth comes from the polish and waxes you use. That's why I quit using Griots wax; I lost the depth.

cwrm4

The Griot's kit does come with clay (and speed shine to use as a lube), but for me at least I found that the Meguiars (mild) clay to be much easier to use. The Griot's clay I got was very sticky and needed tons of lube to keep it gliding smoothly.

I also think that Meguiars #34 Final Inspection works better as a lube than the Griot's speed shine (some people will just use soapy water, however).

elbeee964

...or just plain water. (me.)

RicardoD

Hawk,

What would your latest recommendation be. Remember, its for my cars with relatively clean paint, so I thought the Griots would be the way to go, simple, non-damaging, lifetime warranty on the machine. I was looking at the starter system purchase that includes clay, wax and their machine polish 3. Or perhaps Griots machine & pads and then get Meguires line?

hawk911

buy the machine and extra pads, both orange and red. don't bother with the clay or speed shine. There are decent products found locally for cheaper prices. Speedshine used with clay is simply to keep a wet surface to slide the clay over. Water would be just fine.

cwrm4

Here's a question...should you follow a machine polish with a glaze like P21S Paintwork Cleanser or 3M Imperial Hand Glaze before waxing?

I am curious about the need to restore oils to the paint.

hawk911

I would suggest the glaze following polish. Some paint you can use the glaze instead of polish depending on the condition.

RicardoD

Thanks Hawk, I will end up getting the Griot's machine and pads and then we can talk about an appropriate product line for waxes and polishes.