For a limited time, you can get all your favorite Griot's Garage Car Care products at an astounding 15% OFF. To tell you about a sale this big, we had to make the email wider!
Now's the perfect time to stock up for those weekend therapy sessions. You'll save an extra 15% on car washing essentials, interior detailing supplies, wheel and tire care products, 6" and 3" Random Orbitals... everything in our website's Car Care category.*
Offer valid on orders placed between 8/19/2010 and 8/26/2010
To take advantage of the incredible 15% OFF Car Care Sale, place your order by 8/26/2010 using Key Code EMVAUR. Thanks for being a customer, and as always...
* Promotion available only through Griot's Garage and not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Retail price
discount will be reflected in cart and applies to merchandise only. Discount applies only to items shown within our
website's Car Care category.
Best way to clean...
Aug 22, 2010, 11:20 am
Site Admin
Joined: Mar 10, 2007
Posts: 2,323
Posts: 2,323
My car is disgusting... bird poop, mud, dead bugs everywhere on the bumper and windshield, and fingerprints on the windshield on the inside. I already took the bumper off so it will be easier to clean. What's the best way to get all this off? Share your detailing tips please 
Error: divide by zero mpg
Aug 22, 2010, 3:11 pm
Activities Director
Joined: Mar 11, 2007
Posts: 521
Posts: 521
1. Get the water soluble stuff (dirt, bug guts, etc) off first with standard car wash soap and water.
2. Next, take off the petroleum-based stuff (tar, grease, etc) with tar and bug remover (basically kerosene in a small can).
3. Then attack the stubborn stuff with car wax. It will act as a solvent to what is still left from step 2 and it won't evaporate as fast.
4. I would then recommend a quick machine polish with a fine grit compound. I use Griot's #3 machine polish. It's amazing what this stuff does in getting the dull film off your paint surface. Use the coarser grit #2 polish (lightly) on any remaining blemishes, and then re-polish with #3.
5. "Clay" the surface and apply car wax.
2. Next, take off the petroleum-based stuff (tar, grease, etc) with tar and bug remover (basically kerosene in a small can).
3. Then attack the stubborn stuff with car wax. It will act as a solvent to what is still left from step 2 and it won't evaporate as fast.
4. I would then recommend a quick machine polish with a fine grit compound. I use Griot's #3 machine polish. It's amazing what this stuff does in getting the dull film off your paint surface. Use the coarser grit #2 polish (lightly) on any remaining blemishes, and then re-polish with #3.
5. "Clay" the surface and apply car wax.
Aug 23, 2010, 5:50 am
Member
Joined: Aug 5, 2007
Posts: 2,352
Posts: 2,352
For the glass, I love Stoner's Invisble Glass. I never get streaks like I would with Windex. They make a tar remover too that I also use.
If you headlight covers are getting dull, I just saw that Mother's has come out with a resto kit that includes plastic polish and a powerball that attaches to your drill. Mother's also makes a powerball attachement for wheels.
Don't forget to clean the engine. Make sure you don't blast water into your disti and other electronic bits.
As for polishes and such, you will get as many opinions as there are products out there. I personally use Mother's stuff for paint and aluminum. Heard really good thinks about Griot's stuff. MacQuiers too. One day I'm going to get teh Griot's polisher. I'm tired of doing it all by hand.
Keeping around a spray bottle of speed shine is great for knocking off bird poop and bugs between polishings. Remember that both will eat your paint if left on.
If you headlight covers are getting dull, I just saw that Mother's has come out with a resto kit that includes plastic polish and a powerball that attaches to your drill. Mother's also makes a powerball attachement for wheels.
Don't forget to clean the engine. Make sure you don't blast water into your disti and other electronic bits.
As for polishes and such, you will get as many opinions as there are products out there. I personally use Mother's stuff for paint and aluminum. Heard really good thinks about Griot's stuff. MacQuiers too. One day I'm going to get teh Griot's polisher. I'm tired of doing it all by hand.
Keeping around a spray bottle of speed shine is great for knocking off bird poop and bugs between polishings. Remember that both will eat your paint if left on.
1983 Datsun 280ZXTurbo
Aug 23, 2010, 8:46 am
Member
Joined: Aug 5, 2007
Posts: 2,352
Posts: 2,352
Current Promo From Griots:
1983 Datsun 280ZXTurbo
Aug 23, 2010, 9:28 am
Site Admin
Joined: Mar 10, 2007
Posts: 2,323
Posts: 2,323
Thanks for the advice guys. Mark I got some Invisible Glass, works like magic! So the windshield is done, now for the hard part
Error: divide by zero mpg
Aug 23, 2010, 2:24 pm
Site Admin
Joined: Mar 10, 2007
Posts: 2,323
Posts: 2,323
Here's what it looked like with the bumper off. I drove around like this for a couple days 
I kind of just want to take the entire body off just for the heck of it
I kind of just want to take the entire body off just for the heck of it
Error: divide by zero mpg
Aug 23, 2010, 4:35 pm
Member
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 520
Posts: 520
Actually I kinda like it like that. Looks mean an manly. BTW if you recall, Dan took off his rear bumper to make his car look meaner and manlier...like mine
Aug 23, 2010, 5:14 pm
Official Carrera GT Slayer
Joined: Mar 22, 2007
Posts: 5,668
Posts: 5,668
Duz185 wrote
Actually I kinda like it like that. Looks mean an manly. BTW if you recall, Dan took off his rear bumper to make his car look meaner and manlier...like mine
here here!!! and to show off my cars enormous....exhaust
btw, you need to show me about this dry washing thing, Im too lazy for the soup and water route and figured when I get home from work I can do a door today a hood tomorrow etc
the Sledgehammer
2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 - Baby Huey!!! <3
2004 Porsche Carrera GT -Terrorizing society since Oct 16 '09 - DEAD
2001 Acura NSX -SOLD-
2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 - Baby Huey!!! <3
2004 Porsche Carrera GT -Terrorizing society since Oct 16 '09 - DEAD
2001 Acura NSX -SOLD-
Aug 24, 2010, 5:43 am
Member
Joined: Aug 5, 2007
Posts: 2,352
Posts: 2,352
Webby...you might want to consider putting the roof up the next time you wash the car. 
1983 Datsun 280ZXTurbo
Aug 24, 2010, 5:55 am
Member
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 520
Posts: 520
DC33 wrote
when I get home from work I can do a door today a hood tomorrow etc
Only real men take their cars appart to clean them.
ZUL8TR wrote
Webby...you might want to consider putting the roof up the next time you wash the car.
Maybe he was washing the inside too. He's pretty determined to give it a GOOD cleaning.