Detailing top products.

Not the same issue with hydroslick. The problem with hydroslick is that it is garbage and should never be allowed to be sold in any store.

 

To be fair you probably could wash the crap out of your rig and apply 3-1 when the truck is bone dry and the product will hold up well. We all recommend a decon because it allows the coating/sealer whatever to be applied to paint that is truly clean and you won’t trap any deposits under the coating. I also believe if you take the time to do it right the first time the maintenance will be very easy and enjoyable for the life of the truck.

 

Yep makes sense. I'll have to see if I can find an afternoon to get the clay bar done. I did get the truck exterior fully detailed right after I got it so I'm hoping there isn't too much built up yet

 

I bought two of these with gift cards from work. I’m not unimpressed with how it performs, but as you said, it’s expensive. If the Griots is on par with it there is zero excuse to switch once these two bottles are gone.

 

I’ll send you a third

 

Don’t! I’m with you though. I’ve used plenty of CG stuff and it’s all about flashy labels and uplifting terminology. You can’t fault their marketing strategy.

 

It’s the best thing they do.

 

CG stuff is decent for the most part. I’ve only used a couple of their products that were straight up junk. The issue is that better products can be had for less. They also have an insane amount of duplicate products. They’re not chasing the professional detailers or serious enthusiasts. Their target market is through retail and people who aren’t incredibly serious about the hobby. Guys who are only washing their own vehicle and don’t do it for fun.
They’re going to flood the market at a high markup because their customer base bears it. I don’t fault them for it, it’s just a different business model. That said, Meguair’s is generally right next to it on the shelf with better quality and pricing. I’d say pretty much any Meguair’s product is superior to it’s CG counterpart.

 

When you apply it, try to do it during the cooler times of the day and not in direct sunlight. Streaking is the only complaint I've heard, and reports of that have been infrequent. I just applied this to my wife's Sequoia....can not wait to see how long it lasts.

 

What did you think about it at first glance?

 

Didn't do a lot visually, as the Sequoia is a fairly light color. Was slick...not Bead Maker slick, but slick. I really liked the water behavior...and I tried it right away...well before the recommended cure time. I applied it inside the garage, and it was pretty hot and humid, but had no issues streaking. The Tundra currently has Wolfgang SIO2 sealant on it, so I'm having an informal durability test between them. Easy to use, and so far, I like it a lot.

 

Definitely happy with it on my end. It’s probably going to be my standard going forward.

 

After reading all of this.....I have to go purchase and try the 3-1.
Thanks for the original post of the top six.

 

You will not be disappointed...it is top shelf. It is on my daughter's Hyundai, and I just watched it perform in a heavy rainstorm....rain didn't stand a chance

 

Well, tonight was the night. Purchased the Griots 3-1 today. After supper did a good hand wash, got the truck dry and pulled in the garage. The product was easy to to work with. Actually i thought it was too easy for the type of results everyone is reporting and showing here. Or perhaps i did it all wrong. Lol. I'm excited to see the results out in the sun tomorrow evening.
Edit to add pic after cure time. Very pleased and thank you for you list of the top products.

 

If you did not have streaking, then you did it correctly. I did two vehicles over the course of the last two weekends....both black. I did get a little streaking on the 2nd one, but that was me using too much product. The first one, a black Volvo, got two coats, as I had it overnight. Both coats were what I'd describe as thin coats, but the car came out awesome.

 

3-1 is too easy. The results are great. Almost has me thinking of quitting real coatings altogether. Except dlux on the wheels. I just like that it can be sprayed everywhere (I keep it off glass) just DONT USE IN THE SUN OR HEAT. I do find that prepping the vehicle right is still a real benefit to how these sealants/coatings work.

 

Thin coats are the key. Most people over use products. Must be preprogrammed in our dna that smothering is the best way to do things but that is not the case.

 

I'm old enough to go back to the days of Simoniz....where it felt like you applied a half inch of candle wax to the car and then almost died trying to remove it. We were so happy when the original Turtle Wax came along

 

This post made me cry. Happy tear briar happy tears

 

I agree... But I just want to clarify I understand the purpose of all these products listed in the OP. Call me old school, but I've always just been a wash when I have time and its dirty or coming off the beach... and wax about once per year. And I always understood that the waxes I used (Meguiars, NuFinsh, Mothers, Black Magic, etc...) also did accomplish some cleaning and decontaminating... as the wax usually could remove paint marks, tart, etc... (albeit with alot of elbow grease many times).

The Griots 3-1 ceramic wax.... This is intended to be used as a car wax (protectant/sealant) not for shine, polish or detailing... Is that correct? (Not sure what all those other products are needed/intended for).

Also I have a 1 week old Tundra... Rain beads on it nicely. When should it be waxed?

 

Nevermind... I answered my own Q about the 3 in 1 ceramic wax

 

I will say this. Your wax no matter what kind you use is not protecting the paint for a year. Sealants do last longer but you will still not get a year out of it. If you truck is new I would get a good sealant on it ASAP and if you can do it at least 3 times a year if the vehicle is stored inside you might be able to do every 6 months but you will be pushing it.

 

What he said

 

Yeah, I love the look of wax, but it’s generally gone within a week or two. Even the high end ones don’t last very long, regardless of their claims.

 

I am a long-time user of Zaino products and learned about them when I was doing car shows. The downside is, they are only available by mail-order; the upside is, they are amazing! They work great for two kinds of people, those that are fanatics and work on their vehicle a lot, or those that just want a good coating and do maintenance 2 or 3 times a year.
Check them out here: https://www.zainostore.com

 

How often are you doing this process?

 

That process is the first one I do to properly seal a vehicle. Let’s say once a year. In between I do simple washing every 1-2 weeks and a topcoat of griots 3-1 every 8-12 weeks give or take.

 

Great. Appreciate it. Just ordered a bunch of stuff. Going to follow this process and see the outcome.

Are you using a foaming spray gun type thing to wash your truck with?

 

I’m not a foam cannon user. I usually hand wash a couple times if it is a full paint detail. Nothing bad to say about them it just adds a step that I really don’t need. You still need to hand wash most the time when using a cannon. It is great for a pre soak to loosen the dirt and grime.