Is there really a difference between car wash products?

zenith09

New member
I did a search and it didn't turn up anything useful



What exactly makes these soap products different, ex)



Meguiar's GC

Meguiar's Hi Tech Wash

Meguiar's Shampoo + Conditioner

Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo

P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo

Z-7 SHOW CAR WASH

etc etc etc





eh??
 
I find car shampoos to be the hardest to judge between. I do not see the added value in buying the premuim Mothers or Meguairs over there cheaper standard shampoos (although if they are on special worth a few extra cents).



The stand out for me is the Zymol shampoo (the blue one made by Turtle under licence from Zymol).
 
From what i personally have read, i can tell you the following.. correct me if im wrong:



Meguiars GC/P21S/Z7 are the milder car soaps, which will most probably NOT strip any of the wax on the car.



Pinnacle Body Work Shampoo is a bit harsher, and will remove most of the surface wax. It's a shampoo designed to really remove dirt and grime, not just clean the basic surface. Should be used when you are wanting to prep the car from the clear coat up. (IMO)



Regarding the other 2 Meguiars Shampoo's, i haven't tried them, nor really heard of them.





Anyone care to add anything?:nixweiss
 
Some things to consider:



- Smell

- Color

- lubricity

- sudsyiness (A new word I invented)

- Strength (remove old wax)

- Wax/polymer additives (does it ad wax or more sealant)

- Does is dry spotty

- cleaning ability.

- Drying agents (these are the things that it leave behind to help drying but may be bad for your wax or sealant system)

- price

- availability



these are some things I thought of to consider when choosing a shampoo....I bet there are more and no one can say which is better since who know what is important to you.
 
Regarding the other 2 Meguiars Shampoo's, i haven't tried them, nor really heard of them.



meguiar's GC -> consumer line

the other 2 -> professional line



thx for the replies so far guys ;)
 
did somebody change the formula for PBS?



I don't know about you but PBS contains natural oils that actually do bring out the shine. especially on Klasse



I equate the look of a car after using PBS as a freshly QD'd car. I think the oils add to the shine not hinder let alone remove the wax.



When did we come to the conclusion that this stuff is harsh. I'm confused. :nixweiss
 
That's a new one on me too, Steve. PBS and P21S are two of the mildest car shampoos I'm aware of.



As for "what exactly makes these soap products different", that question is best asked of the mfr's directly.



A quick call to Meguiar's can tell you the diffs between their various shampoos. As for the others, you can contact the mfr's and ask them why their product is different from the competition. From there the analysis is up to you.



I look forward to your synopsis when completed. :D
 
YoSteve said:


When did we come to the conclusion that this stuff is harsh. I'm confused. :nixweiss





This was posted in response to me suggesting Pinnacle Shampoo for regularly using it when washing a car:



Brad B. said:
Pinnacle is pretty strong stuff. I would dilute if FOR SURE. To cite an example, I stripped two coats of Pinnacle Paste Glaz completely off my Porsche with one wash of Pinnacle shampoo. Now, granted, it's apples and oranges (Glaza carnuba and Klasse is a polymer) but P21S or Gold Class will not strip the Paste Glaz off. So it puts it in perspective. Pinnacle shampoo is a great cleaner but it is strong so use it carefully and only when warranted. That's all. The same is true with any shampoo, really. They eat at the surface, it's what they do, so use them carefully and as needed. I only use a shampoo every few washes at most.
 
well it's the only thing I use and I have used Souvan on my car



course, I don't use much at all, probably about two capfulls per wash, that's how much I would use with any soap.



How much did it take to take remove your soveran?



Last thing, so you did not notice the PBS conditioners and oils supplimenting to your finish? I always thought it made my car slicker.
 
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