I went from Griots 3-1 and being really happy with it to MCKees Hydro Graphene and being really happy. In the end, McKees is a lot easier to apply.
School me on Ceramic wash and coats
- Thread starter blueglide88
- Start date
I stopped using waxes, sealants or whatever other gimmicks that come up in the market.
I just wash. It’s not any harder/easier to clean now vs when I used some sort of wax. Gets dirty just the same, water spotting is actually reduced.
I always thought waxes/sealants offered some sort of protection or stuff wouldn’t stick to the paint as easily. Honestly, now that my minivan hasn’t been waxed for several years, and my old Mazda 3 was the same, I just don’t see what benefits they bring.
If I wash with ONR, the car looks identical as if I freshly waxed it. Pretty much the same if I use car soap and hand dry afterwards.
I just wash. It’s not any harder/easier to clean now vs when I used some sort of wax. Gets dirty just the same, water spotting is actually reduced.
I always thought waxes/sealants offered some sort of protection or stuff wouldn’t stick to the paint as easily. Honestly, now that my minivan hasn’t been waxed for several years, and my old Mazda 3 was the same, I just don’t see what benefits they bring.
If I wash with ONR, the car looks identical as if I freshly waxed it. Pretty much the same if I use car soap and hand dry afterwards.
Self-cleaning is real, but not as noticeable as some make it out to be. Can Coat is extremely hydrophobic, and I did notice that my truck stayed cleaner, longer. Dirt doesn't stick to the paint as easily and water is pushed off the surface faster due to the higher contact angle of the beads.
Honestly the best part of using a highly hydrophobic product isn't even the self-cleaning, it's the ability to airdry your vehicle quickly without touching it.
Honestly the best part of using a highly hydrophobic product isn't even the self-cleaning, it's the ability to airdry your vehicle quickly without touching it.
I can see this stand point- there are so many new products that make so many promises - ceramic, graphene, super polymers, carnauba wax, super duper wet polymers, in the end, what works for you.
If you're looking for coating like water behavior, Polish Angle Cosmic Spritz will give you coating level beading for a solid 2-3 months. Kamikaze Overcoat too. Both of those are high-end top-notch sealants. You can use it as often as you want. One of Todd at Esoterics all-time favorite products. Overkill for sure and completely unnecessary, but if you like that kind of thing and want top notch beading that's a high-end option. The Griot's 3 in1 is still one of the most durable, but everything else about it is average (water behavior/slickness etc). The low tier product that surprised me the last two years was Tec582. Great product as an LSP, detailer and you can even use it like Wet Coat properly diluted. Just a good all-around value. Can Coat is still my favorite LSP though. You can put that stuff on everything. I'd check out Tec582 if you're looking for something inexpensive that works very well for the money...so many options.
Google listening to me and recommending this nonsense
But people must fall for it.
But people must fall for it.
Thanks, I'll keep these tips in mind, but I, and my vehicles, are at the stage where my enthusiasm for detailing has greatly waned.
Perhaps when I get something new, but for now, easy/mostly effective/readily available/relatively cheap are the more important factors. Not seeking out the latest boutique products like how some shop for cosmetic products, based largely on hype, promises, and less on empirical results.
Since I switched to the Griot's from the old liquid/paste waxes, I actually find myself doing more frequent applications, because it's much easier and faster, so ultimate durability and shine is less of a factor.
I go in thinkning I'm just to refresh the frequently touched and high exposure areas, like behind the wheels, but end up doing to entire car again.
