Griot
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 182
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From: Washington, DC
2004 E 4matic StationWagon
Griot
Has anyone tried Griot Garage products? Just got a very slick catalogue in the mail. Most of their products are their own, except for the Porter Cable orbital.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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R170
I've used plenty of griots stuff. Its all pretty good. As you said, they've got a really great catalog full of car related stuff. Not just detailing supplies but everything you could possibly need in your garage. Some of their stuff is pretty pricey, but it is the highest quality.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Charlotte, NC
Had: 1987 300TD, Had: 2004 C230 Sport Sedan, Have: 2014 E350 Sport, Have: 2019 S450
Been using Griot's stuff for about 8 years now. Never been disappointed with anything purchased from them.
Best Purchase: The Porter Cable Orbital Polisher.
Makes polishing/waxing the car much easier, and the results are better than you could ever get by hand.
Best Purchase: The Porter Cable Orbital Polisher.
Makes polishing/waxing the car much easier, and the results are better than you could ever get by hand.
Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas
E55
Dmatre, I inherited a Porter Cable Orbital Polisher, but have yet to try it out. Why, in your opinion, are the results better. It is obvious why it is easier, but results are what matters.
FWIW, I use both Zaino and Griots products.
FWIW, I use both Zaino and Griots products.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,445
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From: WOT somewhere in the Bay Area
1951 Caterpiller D6
Griot's Garage products are very high quality but sometimes can be high priced as well. If you are cost conscious, choose your products carefully. SpeedShine is one of the best detail sprays IMHO and the microfiber towels, various waxes and window cleaners are very good as well.
The real reason why i shop there? The customer service is awesome and cannot be beat. I ordered some items as a surprise for my nephew's 16th birthday and his first car. After the order was placed, they called me to tell me that a few items were out of stock and would not ship in time for the big day. Without asking, they offered higher priced substitutes at NO additional cost to me and even shipped them priority mail just to be sure they would arrive on time.
They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee that I've successfully tested several times. I ordered the tire dressing and used it on all of my cars at least 2x before deciding to send the unused portion back. The asked for my honest opinion and then cheerfully refunded my money.
The real reason why i shop there? The customer service is awesome and cannot be beat. I ordered some items as a surprise for my nephew's 16th birthday and his first car. After the order was placed, they called me to tell me that a few items were out of stock and would not ship in time for the big day. Without asking, they offered higher priced substitutes at NO additional cost to me and even shipped them priority mail just to be sure they would arrive on time.
They have a 100% satisfaction guarantee that I've successfully tested several times. I ordered the tire dressing and used it on all of my cars at least 2x before deciding to send the unused portion back. The asked for my honest opinion and then cheerfully refunded my money.
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,415
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From: Charlotte, NC
Had: 1987 300TD, Had: 2004 C230 Sport Sedan, Have: 2014 E350 Sport, Have: 2019 S450
Mac2001,
The results from polishing/waxing with the PorterCable orbital are absolutely perfect.
If you follow the directions listed in this forum (and included with the polisher from Griot's), you will get a car that looks absolutely fabulous.
When waxing by hand, typically you cannot even out the wax application as well as you can with the polisher. This results in an uneven appearance when buffed. Several times I have hand-waxed, and ended up with a car that appeared to have some areas of oily streaks, etc. It looked waxed, it simply didn't look good.
With the polisher, the final result looks like the car is still wet, or encased in glass. There is no variation in the appearance. In short, it looks professionally detailed for very little $$$.
In the past, I've owned a Red Ford Probe (no clear coat). This car never looked good hand-waxed. I bought the polisher just for this car, and the results were perfect. When I went to sell it, the first person to look at the car purchased it.
I've now got a Black Benz, and even the neighbors (not really car people) comment on the appearance.
My biggest problem now is getting my polisher back so that I can wax my car; as my brothers, my boss, my neighbors, my brother's neighbors, etc. are always borrowing it.
If you use the polisher once, you will never go back to hand-waxing. It is not that hand-waxing is too hard, it is that you will never again be satisfied with the results.
Good luck and enjoy the polisher (and the results)!
The results from polishing/waxing with the PorterCable orbital are absolutely perfect.
If you follow the directions listed in this forum (and included with the polisher from Griot's), you will get a car that looks absolutely fabulous.
When waxing by hand, typically you cannot even out the wax application as well as you can with the polisher. This results in an uneven appearance when buffed. Several times I have hand-waxed, and ended up with a car that appeared to have some areas of oily streaks, etc. It looked waxed, it simply didn't look good.
With the polisher, the final result looks like the car is still wet, or encased in glass. There is no variation in the appearance. In short, it looks professionally detailed for very little $$$.
In the past, I've owned a Red Ford Probe (no clear coat). This car never looked good hand-waxed. I bought the polisher just for this car, and the results were perfect. When I went to sell it, the first person to look at the car purchased it.
I've now got a Black Benz, and even the neighbors (not really car people) comment on the appearance.
My biggest problem now is getting my polisher back so that I can wax my car; as my brothers, my boss, my neighbors, my brother's neighbors, etc. are always borrowing it.
If you use the polisher once, you will never go back to hand-waxing. It is not that hand-waxing is too hard, it is that you will never again be satisfied with the results.
Good luck and enjoy the polisher (and the results)!
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: WOT somewhere in the Bay Area
1951 Caterpiller D6
Originally posted by lionj
Is griots on the net? if so what's the address or a number so that I can get a catalog? thanx
Is griots on the net? if so what's the address or a number so that I can get a catalog? thanx
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Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas
E55
dmatre, Thank you very much for sharing your experience. I will give it a try this month on my car, which looks good already. When I did my Mom's car, a 92 Lexus LS400, I got the same result as you, with the uneven look. I used clay, Z1, Z2, and Z6, then another coat of Z2. After the first coat of wax, I was unhappy witht the mottled look on the hood, and to an extent on the trunk, otherwise the rest of the car turned out really nice. Of course it hadn't received any wax since it was new 11 years ago!
