Opinions welcome on purchasing new detailing kit..

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GKH ST

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Hi everyone!
I am getting ready to do a complete detail on my 2016 Focus ST, and considering some new products.
The color is Race Red, and my last full detail was in 2017.
I keep the car garaged, and the paint is in great shape. After considering getting in professionally detailed, and a little unsure how long I'm going to keep it, I thought maybe buying a dual action polisher (have never used one before), and doing it myself. In the past, I've generally used Meguiar's products, and have enjoyed good results. But; by hand, it's also been work!! Lol!
I've spent the last few days on AutoGeek checking out some kits that include the Griot's Garage #9 polisher, and some other kits.
With my paint in great overall shape, do you think a polisher is really necessary? I am open to suggestions.

Thanks for your time!
 
I dont have any good input on the kits but some close up pics of paint might help others.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
A polisher is a great investment if you want to keep your car looking good. The Griot's G9 you mentioned is in my opinion the best entry level polisher because it's priced fairly, delivers a lot of performance, and lifetime warranty.
 
Morning all!
Thanks for your input so far!
Thinking about the Griot's Garage Polisher Club Kit, and their Polish & Poly Wax Kit.
Having 2 different polishers sounds like a pretty good idea. :xyxthumbs:
 
GKH ST said:
Morning all!

Thanks for your input so far!

Thinking about the Griot's Garage Polisher Club Kit, and their Polish & Poly Wax Kit.

Having 2 different polishers sounds like a pretty good idea. :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...


You mean this one?

Griot's Garage Polisher Club Kit, griots orbital polisher, dual action polishers


That's a great way to get into both polishers and you'll appreciate the ability to swap between polishers when buffing out different size panels. Keep in mind there's a 2" backing plate available for the G8 and a 5" backing plate available for the G9. Between these to additional backing plates and the 3" and 6" backing plates that come with each machine you'll have all the backing plate options and thus the pad size options to tackle just about any body panel shape and size.

One thing you'll want no matter what polisher you purchase and that is lots of pads. The kits Autogeek puts together basically include a few pads to get you going but the reality is you need more pads. If Autogeek or any company that sells polishers in kit-form put all the pads you actually need to buff out a car the price would scare too many people away from taking the step of purchasing a polisher. That's just how human thinking goes as well as sales.

Today at 3:00pm Yancy and I are going to be talking about buffing pads and one of the KEY TOPICS is how many pads it takes to actually buff out a car.

I always post the info about our Tuesday Live Broadcasts at the BOTTOM of the forum homepage

Autogeekonline Auto Detailing Forum


:)
 
GKH ST said:
Morning all!
Thanks for your input so far!
Thinking about the Griot's Garage Polisher Club Kit, and their Polish & Poly Wax Kit.
Having 2 different polishers sounds like a pretty good idea. :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...

It really helps to have a 6/5" machine, and a 3" machine. And that price for the kit is pretty sweet.

And Griot's machines are all guaranteed for life. Best customer service in the business.

Also, their liquids (polishes/compounds, car soaps, detail sprays, etc.) are among the very best in the industry.

I wish all of these kits/products were around when I first started. For just starting out, I would go with the Griot's kit and polishes. You will not be disappointed.
 
Thanks everyone!
I think, I've decided for now that I am going to start with the Griot's Ultimate Pad & Polish Kit, Griot's 5 inch Orbital Conversion Kit, (1) 2 Pack 5.5 inch Orange Foam Correcting Pads, and (2) 2 Pack 5.5" Black Foam Finishing Pad. I'll probably add the G8 Polisher later on. With buying the extra pads, I'm trying to keep the cost down a little.
For detailing my ST, I think this should be fine. I plan on claying first, polishing, and waxing. I'll save the compound step for my 2007 Nissan Frontier. It needs much more attention, and I'll add more Orange pads, and others when I do that.
Thank you much, Mike, for mentioning 'extra pads'!!! :)
 
Mike Phillips said:
No problemo. As you start your detailing project, you'll appreciate the extra pads.


Congrats on the new kit and moving up to machine polishing!


:buffing:
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike!!!
My order is officially placed. :)
 
Morning all!
As part of my order has arrived with 3 items on backorder, I'm thinking about going ahead and order the Griot's G8 3 inch polisher, as well.
Just to review, my original order was the Griot's Ultimate Pad & Polish Kit. With that order, I also ordered a 5 inch Backing Plate with 5.5 inch Orange Foam Correcting Pads & 5.5" Black Foam Finishing Pads.
So; I want to make sure that I order essentially the same pads in the 3 inch size for the G8 Polisher. This, of course, brings me to the next question. Which G8 Polisher kit would be my best option of these two?
"Griot's Garage G8 Polisher Hydro-Tech Kit" or the "Griot's Garage G8 BOSS Kit"? Or; is there another G8 Kit that might be a better option?
As extra pads go for the G8, would the Griot's 3" Black Finishing Pads & 3" Orange Polishing Pads do the trick to work alongside the 5.5" Orange Foam Correcting Pads & 5.5" Black Foam Finishing Pads that I purchased with G9 Polisher?

Thanks again for the assistance!
 
I decided to go ahead and order the G8 BOSS kit, 25ft. extension cord, Blackfire Pad Care Kit, Speed Master Tool Cart, 3" Orange Polishing Foam Pad (3 Pack), & 3" Mini Red Wax Pad (3 Pack).
 
GKH ST said:
I decided to go ahead and order the G8 BOSS kit, 25ft. extension cord, Blackfire Pad Care Kit, Speed Master Tool Cart, 3" Orange Polishing Foam Pad (3 Pack), & 3" Mini Red Wax Pad (3 Pack).
Click to expand...

Great kit. :)
 
Thanks! The 20% weekend discount helped me decide to go ahead with this order!
 
PaulMys said:
Yup. This is his "gateway kit".

Many, many hundreds of dollars more to be spent now....... :)
Click to expand...

Lol!
I'm getting a little excited, I must say! I watched some YT videos earlier about both the G9 & G8. Most favorable, indeed!
In 2003 or early 2004, a buddy of mine who now owns a very highly regarded brick and mortar detail shop in the Memphis area, let me drive his PC orbital for awhile while we detailed my Mazdaspeed Protege. That's my only experience with a polisher.
But; watching the videos today, I'm already feeling comfortable about getting started! :cheers: :xyxthumbs:
 
GKH ST said:
Lol!
I'm getting a little excited, I must say! I watched some YT videos earlier about both the G9 & G8. Most favorable, indeed!
In 2003 or early 2004, a buddy of mine who now owns a very highly regarded brick and mortar detail shop in the Memphis area, let me drive his PC orbital for awhile while we detailed my Mazdaspeed Protege. That's my only experience with a polisher.
But; watching the videos today, I'm already feeling comfortable about getting started! :cheers: :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...

You will get the hang of it in under a minute.

It is natural to be a little unsure. I was at first, and I had used every power tool under the sun.

I guess it is because you are using it on your baby (car or truck) and not cutting plywood or drilling into cement like other tools.

Like I said, just a few small techniques to master at first, like curves and not lifting before the machine stops, or starting the machine while not in contact. All very simple stuff. ;)
 
PaulMys said:
You will get the hang of it in under a minute.

It is natural to be a little unsure. I was at first, and I had used every power tool under the sun.

I guess it is because you are using it on your baby (car or truck) and not cutting plywood or drilling into cement like other tools.

Like I said, just a few small techniques to master at first, like curves and not lifting before the machine stops, or starting the machine while not in contact. All very simple stuff. ;)
Click to expand...



I'm still waiting for products to arrive, and watching some more videos. :xyxthumbs:

Regarding claying my Frontier, I am wondering about just going ahead with a traditional claybar which I still have some remaining from the last time.

Or; trying something all new to me such as the Nanoskin Clay Mitt.



Who doesn't want to save time, especially when it comes to claying a vehicle?! I'm guessing for my 2007 Frontier, the medium version might be best?

$50 is a big chunk considering a new clay kit with detailer spray is around $20.

What are your thoughts on one of these clay mitts? As always, any advice is most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!


:)
 
GKH ST said:
Or; trying something all new to me such as the Nanoskin Clay Mitt.
Click to expand...


For most cars, especially daily drivers that are for sure contaminated, I much prefer to use a Nanoskin Mitt or Towel during the wash process.

For me it's faster and the car is already wet. The key is to wash REALLY WELL and RINSE REALLY WELL before rubbing that polymerized rubber surface over the paint.

I also prefer the towel over the mitt because I think it's easier to use to decontaminate different shapes of body panels. and I also think I get more use out of it.

:)
 
See my review and how-to here,

Review: Speed Master Clay Towel and Clay Mitt


Here's an excerpt....


Mike's Pro Detailing Tip
To get the most use out of the Speed Master Clay Towel, take a Sharpie Marker and draw 4 quadrants and in each quadrant write down the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4.


aSM_Clay_Towel_Mitt_009.JPG


aSM_Clay_Towel_Mitt_010.JPG




When you use the towel, you DON'T lay the towel out flat and place your hand on it.

Don't do this...

aSM_Clay_Towel_Mitt_030.JPG





Do this...

Fold the towel 4-ways and the grasp the folded towel with your thumb near an edge on one side and your four fingers on the other side.

aSM_Clay_Towel_Mitt_050.JPG


aSM_Clay_Towel_Mitt_051.JPG




Sometimes the little things are the big things...

Think about it - if you don't mark the back of the clay towel, you have no idea which quadrant or section you're using. By simply marking the back side, you can track and monitor which section of the towel you've used. At some point, these towels do wear out. Everything wears out including you and I. Marking the back enables you to know and monitor which side you've used up.


:)
 
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