My take on a few Griot's products

[Accumulator]

abbeysdad- If you can find the same stuff elsewhere (sometimes that's a big "if"), then yeah, Griot's isn't inexpensive, and their shipping costs a lot (nice packaging though, real overkill).



I'll agree that their hand cleaner is very nice, much better than the last few (infinitely cheaper) ones I got at the autoparts/big-box store.



The Rubber Cleaner really *is* that mild, but sometimes that's what I want. For more aggressive jobs, I find that by the second (or third ) application it starts to work a lot better. Not the best choice for the never-cleaned back sides of front tires though.



Setec Astronomy- I'd absolutely skip their clay, regardless of its price. Every time I get mine out just to use it up (service loaners, rentals) I end up pitching it in frustration and getting out my Sonus.

 

[tom p.]

ROCKS: Wheel cleaner (by the gallon), Undercarriage spray (a bit pricey), Car wash (one of the best available), Speed Shine.



SUCKS: BOS wax

 

[ret]

Does anyone have any more input on their Under Carriage Spray?



I have an F250 and for wheel wells and frame pieces I have been using whatever has not worked well for my ext trim dressing or tires.



In what ways is their Under Carriage Spray differant from products like Foam Tire Spray, NXT Tech Protect, AA, 303, and others for dressing wheel wells and "under carriage" parts?



Thanks

RET

 

[tom p.]

Does anyone have any more input on their Under Carriage Spray?

I've never purchased or used another under-carriage spray prior to the Griot's. I was buying a bunch of other products and recalled someone else stating it was very good. So, i picked up a bottle. It does a terrific job when you have a lot of exposed wheel well area. It is somewhat oily and I've noticed that it can bleed a bit onto rocker panels and on the garage floor. The kids love the odor and comment whenever it's been used. :think2 It seems to hold up OK in the rain (as best as can be expected) and dust attraction doesn't seem too severe.



it is pricey, IMO. I've used my bottle only a few times and it's at least 1/2 empty. If this is a product you use on a frequent basis, I'd give strong consideration to the gallon size.



I did trying using Meg's "engine kote" product in the same application - - that turned into a horrid mess.

 

[TGates]

I will say that Richard is a great story teller! It's hard to read through the Handbook and not be convinced that whatever he's trying to sell isn't the best darn one on the market.



I'm going to order the paste wax and wheel cleaner and give them a go. I want to try wheel cleaner against P21S.



I will continue to order:

Speed Shine by the gallon

Car Wash

Under Carriage Spray

Long Lasting Tire Dressing

Interior Cleaner

 

[Accumulator]

ret- The Undercarriage Spray *does* work pretty well, and Tom P.'s take is accurate.



It's *really* slippery stuff though, don't get it on the floor/drive (slippery) and I don't like getting it on my hands (or the handle of my floorjack ). Serious silicon content (and *NO* that's not a bad thing unless your truck's headed to a body shop).



I often apply it with sponges/etc. rather than spraying it. I do *NOT* want it on my paint, what a PIA to clean off!



Some people don't like it, but they're apparently not posting on this thread. I'd risk the money and try it, might be just what you're after. Hard to describe how it differs from the products you're used to, but I'm quite sure that it *is* different, like the best dressing on a boatload of steroids.



BlackSunshine- Heh heh, yeah Richard has the ad-copy hyperbole down pretty good He makes it sound like he had the sun invented so we can look at our cars. FWIW I think it's great that a car-care nut has been able to turn a kitchen table operation (and that's no BS, I ordered from him back when he answered the phone himself) into a big, high-buck business.

 

[ret]

Thanks Acc

I googled it and most everyone who uses it loves it....thanks for the info., I'll probably give it a go as soon as the rains let up some here.





RET

 

[TGates]

BlackSunshine- Heh heh, yeah Richard has the ad-copy hyperbole down pretty good He makes it sound like he had the sun invented so we can look at our cars. FWIW I think it's great that a car-care nut has been able to turn a kitchen table operation (and that's no BS, I ordered from him back when he answered the phone himself) into a big, high-buck business.

The Handbook sure is a good read... although the content and descriptions don't change much. Richard is kind of over the top with some things though... dressing up like a mother-in-law??? Kinda weird Richard!



I was over at a friend's house earlier today and there was a bottle Griot's "fast shine" on the shelf... which appeared to be the exact same as Speed Shine Griot's now offers. I wonder why the name was changed.

 

[imported_Lightman]

I like Griot's car wash and wheel cleaner. Setec FYI double check your nose, the wheel cleaner is bubblegum scented, not pineapple The car wash is coconut. I haven't tried cutting the wheel cleaner 50/50 with water but will give it a shot, I do go through it pretty quickly and buy both in the gallon size. I like speed shine, but don't use a QD that often, so typically just have the megs qd laying around. The best of show wax gives a pretty nice gloss but durability stinks in my experience.

 

[Accumulator]

The Handbook sure is a good read... although the content and descriptions don't change much. Richard is kind of over the top with some things though... dressing up like a mother-in-law??? Kinda weird Richard!



I was over at a friend's house earlier today and there was a bottle Griot's "fast shine" on the shelf... which appeared to be the exact same as Speed Shine Griot's now offers. I wonder why the name was changed.

Yeah, Richard gets a lot of milage out of the mother-in-law gags. His in-laws were very supportive of his business venture and he gives them a lot of credit for his success.



Some of his stuff is BS (put wax over dried wax residue before buffing it off? Huh...so you can buff more residue off?!?) but yeah, I like reading his stuff too.



"Fast Shine" was the name for a while, turned out that somebody else owned the rights to it so he had to change it to "Speed Shine".



Lightman- The diluted Wheel Cleaner works fine unless they're really grungy, that's what I used before switching to carwash solution (Griot's, BTW).

 

[TGates]

Some of his stuff is BS (put wax over dried wax residue before buffing it off? Huh...so you can buff more residue off?!?) but yeah, I like reading his stuff too.

I wondered about that myself... didn't seem too logical to me but I hadn't tried it. I hate buffing one fresh layer of BOS residue off... I can't imagine one rock hard PLUS one fresh :waxing:

 

[Accumulator]

I wondered about that myself... didn't seem too logical to me...

Heh heh, that "not logical" part is always a clue Richard, Richard, Richard....you naughty boy, trying to get people to go through their BOS faster :nono

 

[TGates]

Heh heh, that "not logical" part is always a clue Richard, Richard, Richard....you naughty boy, trying to get people to go through their BOS faster :nono

LOL, so very true. I will say that, no matter how much of a PITA BoS is to work with, $20 bucks for 16 ounces is at least a reasonable price. I sent the Griot's folks my take on the BoS, explaining my preparation steps, thin layers, yada yada yada and how I felt it compared with Souveran (a wax I figure Richard has heard of) and how much I would love it if it were easier to work with. Doubt it'll do much good but at least I did my civic detailer duty!

 

[superstring]

Heh heh, that "not logical" part is always a clue Richard, Richard, Richard....you naughty boy, trying to get people to go through their BOS faster :nono

Accumulator, I have never tried R.G.'s "layering" technique (BOS is hard enough to remove as it is!) and it may not be "logical", but don't you think it would be worth a try?? After all, this (our hobby) is supposed to be "fun", isn't it?? What the heck?



I imagine, if there's any worth to Richard's idea, it would be that an extra thick layer of wax is left behind, meaning much better durability. How it would LOOK, of course, is another matter!



Then again, someone once said "you don't have to test a hammer with a 5" handle to know it's no good as a hammer"........... :nixweiss



FWIW, I quite like the look of BOS on my black car, but it really is a PITA to remove! I find it works best spread REALLY thin with a PC. That's MY technique, so far....

 

[Accumulator]

Superstring- I like your "5" handled hammer" analogy...Nah, I didn't try it as, well, I just don't do things that I *truly* consider stupid, and I gave this enough thought to be confident in my own judgment.



The *most* it could do is leave some extra oils on the surface (surface of the wax, not surface of the paint...that's already covered by the initial coat of wax). That'd be like the old "concours waxing method" that got kicked around here a few years back. Works, in a short-lived kind of way, with oily waxes but a) has no long-term benefit and b) BOS isn't that kind of wax anyhow- just look at how it flashes off so fast.



You wouldn't even get a thicker coat of wax IMO, you'd just wipe off all but the wax that's bonded to the paint. The second application would bond to the *excess of the first application*, which is gonna get buffed off anyhow...so you'd buff off the excess from the first layer and everything on top of it, namely that second application. Lots of wax on your buffing towel, but that's about it *IMO*.



If you applied the first layer *super* thin, thinner than even *I* do it, then maybe...but I doubt it. More likely it'd just ensure that you didn't miss any spots.



Total BS *IMO*. If one of you BOS fans wants to try it and check for signs of benefit (longer beading, better appearance, whatever) go for it and prove me wrong- won't be the first, or the last, time I'm wrong about something.



Oh, and I applied it by PC too and yeah, that's the way to go with that stuff (again, IMO).

After all, this (our hobby) is supposed to be "fun", isn't it??

[WARNING! More of Accumulator's Autopian Heresy follows ]



This stuff isn't really that much *fun* for me, more like a chore that needs to be done. OK, I can enjoy waxing the Jag, but I'm not putting BOS on that car anyhow.

 

[superstring]

[WARNING! More of Accumulator's Autopian Heresy follows ]



This stuff isn't really that much *fun* for me, more like a chore that needs to be done. OK, I can enjoy waxing the Jag, but I'm not putting BOS on that car anyhow.

Accumulator, I'm shocked and dumbfounded!!



Why, oh why, spend so much time on the process "you love" when it's not fun for you and then spend so much time posting about it??? I'm NOT trying to pick a fight; I enjoy reading your posts; you're one of a very few members whose opinion I ALWAYS value. It just astounds me that you don't enjoy the "process".!!

 

[Accumulator]

Accumulator, I'm shocked and dumbfounded!!



Why, oh why, spend so much time on the process "you love" when it's not fun for you and then spend so much time posting about it??? I'm NOT trying to pick a fight; I enjoy reading your posts; you're one of a very few members whose opinion I ALWAYS value. It just astounds me that you don't enjoy the "process".!!

Long-winded reply follows:



Yeah, I need to change that signature line, if only because I'm tired of seeing it so often. It's partially an in-joke that's probably lost on most of the people here anyhow...started with why I enjoy exercising whereas most people I know consider *that* to be a chore. Thanks for jump-starting me on that and I certainly understand how I might've caused some cognitive dissonance.



Posting here is something I really enjoy. I'm either learning something or putting my experience to use to help someone out. And when I can help somebody out it's my way of giving back (you know, "the more you give in life, the more you get"), and it's sorta an extension of my teaching career. Plus, it's cool to associate with so many people who appreciate well cared-for vehicles.



Honestly (and I warned you that this is heresy ) I only spend the time/effort required to keep my vehicles the way I insist they be. If I could wave a magic wand and have my vehicles stay immaculate with no effort I'd sure do it. It's like sharpening cutlery, maintaining firearms, cleaning the house, or polishing shoes (or anything else like this)...I do it because IMO it needs to be done and I know I can do it right; I do enjoy the process of detailing to some extent, but I enjoy the end result a lot more and honestly, there are a zillion things I'd rather do than detail car. There have been times when I sold off most of my cars just so I could better attend to other things.



Well, at least most of the time...I love detailing the Jag, but only when I'm in the mood to do it and don't have anything more important to do. And if I didn't like it more than I make it sound like I wouldn't spend so much time on so many vehicles So maybe you oughta take my "I don't enjoy this stuff" with a grain of salt



But a *LOT* of other Autopians truly *love* detailing and, well, I don't think of myself as truly loving it.

 

[superstring]

Thanks for the reply, Accumulator.



Yeah, I think I know where you're coming from (although I MUCH prefer detailing my car to cleaning the house!! ) I DO enjoy the process of detailing, but it's the end result that's really satisfying.

 

[TGates]

Detailing is one of my outlets, along with listening to and playing music. Even if I strip off one LSP, spot clay, and apply another LSP, and the finish looks no better than before, I feel some sense of accomplishment and pride for doing whatever it is I did. I love the process.

 

[Accumulator]

BlackSunshine- Heh heh, I sorta guessed that by the way you like to try different products



Maybe my perspective just comes from having done this stuff for so long, having so many other interests, and getting older (every now and then I can sense that the clock is ticking...).



I *will* say that bringing my beater-Blazer back from the dead was kinda satisfying, and I *almost* enjoyed working with H-T EC for the first time



Gee, sure thread-jacked *this* one away from Griot's Back on topic, I called them up and asked them (once again) for a new catalog...we'll see if they send me one. They still have me on record and the customer-service rep assured me that there's no "don't send this joker a catalog" note in my file.



But I'm about to send back another FACOM ratchet for replacement, that won't endear me to 'em Skip those Facom ratchets, they just keep breaking on me...so do my Craftsman ones, yet I have an *ancient* Snap-On that still works like new.