Figured I would take the 3 days I had off from work and detail the Z. I have completely fallen in love with Griot's Garage products and thought I would share the outcome of polishing out the minor swirls on my Z.

Basically I washed her down with Dawn to strip the paint of all waxes and sealants that was on the surface using 2 mitts and the 2 bucket method with grit gaurds. Pulled her into the garage and started to clay with Griot's clay and Speed Shine.

Next I taped up the trim and started getting to work.

Here's the outcome:







Don't have any pics after sealant and wax because it got dark but here's a list of products used:

Dawn (a huge no no for washing a car except for stripping waxes prior to polishing, normally I use Griots car wash)
2 buckets with grit gaurds
2 Griots wash mitts
Dried with my Worx 240mph leaf blower
Griots Claybar with Speed Shine as lube
Griot's Buffer
Lake Country orange pads
Griot's Machine Polish 2
Griot's Machine Polish 3
Lake Country red pads
Griot's Paint Sealant

Then 2 thin coats of Griot's Best of Show wax. 1st coat left overnight to cure then 2nd coat applied on top the the 1 coat and left to dry 4 hours then buffed off.

 

I never used griots products but maybe I need to give them a whirl since I just ran out of my mequires polishes. +1 on the two bucket method and those lake country pads.

Looks good BTW!

 

Griot's is addictive stuff. Their catalog is comparable to the toy catalogs my mother would get just before Christmas when I was a child, I would look at that thing for hours just drooling over the things I wanted!!!

Although some of their products are pricey they have changed the way I care for my Z and I get compliments all the time because of how the paint looks.

 

I've been wanting to try Groit's since I can buy it at Advance Auto now.

 

I've noticed different Advance locations carry different things. 2 stores in my area just have the shadow box end cap with very few things then the other store 45 mins away has a huge rack full of Griot's products. Regardless it's worth the drive to get my fix.

 

Looks great!
Good job.
Never used Griot's products.Seen it on sale.
I'm a bit hooked on Auto Glym.Besides there wash&wax/polish,
their vinyl&rubber cleaner&sealer is just unbelievable.I've used every
Armoral type dressing there is.All leave a oil residue,water spot,don't last.
This stuff is just great on all interior and engine surfaces.Nothing seems
to effect it!

 

Thank you!

 

I have both Griots and Meguiars. Started with Griots way back and Meguiars has me hooked. Both are excellent. But I think to get a real good opnion, you need to do mine so we can all check it out. LOL
Your car looks excellent. Very smart with the leaf blower, the only way to dry, from day one that's all I use. Any touch up = micro cloth only.

 

Very cool how you went the extra step of masking off every piece of trim before polishing and waxing. Many detailing shops just do a minimum of this and never get all the edges near the weather strips properly polished.

How were you able to get the carnauba wax to bond to the freshly applied paint sealant? Like you I use a natural wax over top of a polymer paint sealant (to get me through a nasty wet winter). The thing about sealants is they’re super slick and slippery when first applied. I find that any natural carnauba wax will not stick and pretty much 100% of it just wipes off when buffing. After 5 or 6 days and maybe a wash, the paint sealant seems to weather slightly losing some of its slickness, and then I find that a coat of carnauba will stick and bond. Any tips on how this can be done in one session.

 

Looks amazing! Great job man!

 

I was using a gas leaf blower until a member here recommended I change to an electric. I picked up the WORX 240mph model and couldn't be happier. I've learned through many detailing forums that it's the best way to dry so you don't induce scratches with your drying towels.

The Griot's Best of Show wax is made to be applied over their paint sealant and my last application lasted about 3 months. I don't really know the technical aspect of all of it but I can tell when the Best of Show is wearing off. This time I did the first coat and let it dry over night and applied the second coat right over the first without buffing it off the next morning. If you ever use Griots Best of Show apply it THIN THIN THIN!!! I cannot express that enough. If you over apply it you will hate life itself trying to remove it because it will dry like concrete requiring the use of their spray on wax to aid in removal.

 

You're car looks great dude! I gotta try it myself because I have a lot of little swirl marks, and scratches.

 

Thanks man... I put a lot of time into it.

 

Actually not a gas leaf blower, an electric leaf blower. Gas leaf blowers are not good at all, as a film can result from it. Been using the electric leaf blower back to 2003 and never knew there was something better. Checking out the electric blower you have, I see Home Depot has it. I use only micro cloth, which by the way I got from Griots color coded for each job being performed. Here's mine: Toro Ultra Blower Vac 235MPH Electric, bought it at Sears. "5 mph difference".

 

I never would have thought the electric blower was faster than the gas but I will never dry my car with a waffle weave towel again! Get's the water out of every crevice. Yeah the gas was bad but I didn't know it would cause oil film...

 

I didn't either, but when I was checking them out after my friend (has a corvette - told me) then I inquired and even Sears Rep. told me same thing. I was completely surprised. I have a friend in Hawaii, who actually has a detail business that does the car dealers, where I used to live confirmed it for me and even told me which one he suggested he as I bought it then. He used to do my 911 I had in Hawaii. And I also was really suprised at the power they produced, but that and Griots Micro Cloth for touch up is it.

 

I didnt know these guys where local to me, drove by it the other day and a mini car meet was there, maybe its time to switch and make a stop by, to OP looks great and your car loves you for the time!

 

I would definitely stop by there and thank you!