Products that offer best Value for money.

J

JulesE34

New member
Hi Guys,



Bit of a newbie here, but I’ve been lurking for a while. Apologies for such a long and deep first post, but I hope you don’t mind indulging me……



The ‘Best product’ threads intrigue me as there seems to be a lot of subjectivity in what people consider to be the ‘best’ especially with waxes. For some people it’s the end result that defines whether a product is good regardless of how difficult the product is to use. For others it’s the application process and ease of use that is most important and they are willing to compromise on the end result.



This thread is not about looking for the ‘Best’ product, I want to know what products give the best ‘bang for your buck’.



Whilst the ‘best product’ arguments are very subjective, once you factor in ease of use, reliability, end result and cost, I’m wondering if the arguments become less subjective and one or two products emerge as clear winners?



So what product in each of the following categories offers the best ‘Value for money’ using the criteria in brackets (feel free to add additional criterion if you feel it is relevant or I have blatantly missed something):



Shampoo - (How effective is it in cleaning the bodywork, what is it like to use, does it keep it’s suds, is it easy to rinse off, how many cars will a bottle last and cost per bottle?)



Polish - Machine and Hand - (How effective is it in polishing the bodywork, how effective is it in removing swirls, what is it like to use, does it ‘dust’ a lot, is it easy to buff off, how many cars will a bottle last and cost per bottle?)



Wax – Machine and Hand - (How effective is the shine, what is it like to use, does it ‘dust’ a lot, is it easy to buff off, how many cars will a bottle last, how long does the wax protection last and what is it’s cost ?)



Trim detailer – (How effective is it in returning trim to ‘new look’, what is it like to use, how long does the trim stay black, how many cars will a bottle last and what is it’s cost ?)



Tyre treatment - (How effective is it in shining the tyres, what is it like to use, does it stay where it’s put, is it easy to apply, how long does the tyre remain shiny, how many cars will a bottle last and what is it’s cost ?)



Whilst the ‘best product’ arguments are very subjective, once you factor in ease of use, reliability, end result and cost, I’m wondering if the arguments become less subjective and one or two products emerge as clear winners?



It would be interesting to see the results, so please give this serious consideration and post what you think gives best VFM, rather than outright best end result.



Cheers



Jules
 
I'll start if you Like.



Shampoo - For me it's got to be Megs gold class - smells nice, lasts ages, lathers up well and shifts dirt like no other shampoo I have used.



Polish and Wax - I don't really have an opinion here, one of the reasons for starting this thread.



Trim Detailer - Meg Trim detailer is best VFM, Back to Black does not last 5 minutes and autoglym's bumper detailer is too messy.



Tire shire - Amourall tyre foam, spray on and leave - no hassle and good shine.



Over to you guys.
 
Not going to say they offer the best "bang" for the money, but its what I use depending on what car Im going.



On my Jeep:



Shampoo: Megs GC or MEGS DC



Cleaner: MEGS #80, #83, or DC1. In no order..



Polish: MEG #7 or DC2



Wax: Megs #26, NXT tech wax, or DC3



Trim detailer: MEGS ASD, use it on the engine, door seals, and any plactic on the outside. Looks and lasts great.



Tire treatment: MEGS endurance





They all seem to be cheap and most can be gotten in a store. Ive never seen #80, 30, or ASD in a store though.
 
Shampoo- Megs GC, DP Foamgun Shampoo for foamgun.



Polish- I like the Optimum line, but i really love PB's SSr2.5



Wax- PB's Nattys, S100, Jeffs Werkstatt AJ



Trim Detailer- PB'S Trim restorer. Stuff is AMAZING.



Tires- Deffinitley GC Endurance. I like the High Gloss version.



Hope this helps!
 
I agree with the Duragloss also...



Yes...get the Duragloss line....for your needs....I have them all and have not had a bad result yet......best part is ..your wallet will like it also....





the 105 sealant is outstanding...



Aquawax is iquid slick in a bottle...and durable also



the shampoo is tops....great lubricity...clean rinsing..leaves a nice shine...suds galore....cleans great....



the whole Duragloss line up is tops....and OTC or from the Duragloss site with 4.95 shipping.....no matter what you order...



Al
 
Jules I have to say after reading your intial post in this thread that you have essentially shot yourself in the foot. From your post it seems that you are trying to remove some of the subjectivity from choosing a wax by introducing or giving extra weight to "value."



Well, what is value if not perfomance per dollar spent? And all those "best wax" threads you reference . . . aren't they really just short for "what is the best performing wax?" So, no matter how you phrase it performance is a factor and when it comes to wax and other detailing products it's really for the most part a subjective decision . . .SORRY!
 
JulesE34- Welcome to Autopia!



I'm probably not the right guy to ask about value :o but I'll give my $0.02 on a few categories anyhow. And although I haven't tried any DuraGloss stuff, people whose opinions I respect swear by the stuff, so I doubt you'd go wrong with it.



Shampoo: don't go too cheap. What's the point if you end up marring your paint due to poor lubricity or other shortcomings? DuraGloss or Gold Class.



Polish: if it doesn't do the job easily and in a timely manner then it's not worth it. I can't see working harder/longer just to save a few dollars. Get something that works. I'd get a bottle each of 3M PI-III RC 05933 and PI-III MG 05937 from the local autobody/paint supply place while they still have it on the shelf. Pretty inexpensive, effective, and user-friendly. A quart of each would last me a long, long time a gallon would last for many years.



Wax: don't think you can beat #16 but it's hard to find. I use it a *lot* and a can still lasts me forever (last one cost maybe $13 and lasted over a decade). Collinite would be another good one, it's inexpensive and lasts a *very* long time. A can of 476S/885 oughta last anybody for years unless they waste it by putting it on too thick.
 
JulesE34 said:
Location: Blazingstoke





Jules
Click to expand...





Jules, not sure if you have clearly stated what country you're located in. I suspect it's not NAmerica. Is your discussion focusing on products sold in NAmerica or is this of global proportion ?
 
Mikey C.



Take your point entirely and to a certain extent I agree with you. What I am trying to establish is if a $10 tin of carnuba wax as good as an $80 tin of carnuba wax (assuming the car is prep'd correctly)? Can you really see $70 worth of difference between the waxes? the same applies to the other products I have listed.



There is a wide disparity of product pricing from the really cheap (and usually nasty, but there are exceptions) to the frankly rediculous prices of the 'high end' stuff. The rule that 'you get what you pay for' would seem to apply, but is the most expensive really the best?



Tom P,



Apologies, I'm in the UK, but the US seems to have the best choice of products hence why I have joined.



Cheers for all the replies thus far.



Jules
 
Most of what you can buy in the States has found it's way to England & price differentials are similar so I can see where Jules is coming from. I've been universally impressed by the Poorboys range & the prices are very reasonable.
 
JulesE34 said:
What I am trying to establish is if a $10 tin of carnuba wax as good as an $80 tin of carnuba wax (assuming the car is prep'd correctly)? Can you really see $70 worth of difference between the waxes? ..
Click to expand...



Not all expensive waxes are of the same quality, and this holds true with inexpensive ones too. Sometimes you're paying for a name or something else that's not a functional difference, sometimes you're paying for something more tangible. Having said that...



Can I see a difference *on my cars* between $12 Collinite and $70 Souveran? Yeah. Is it worth the additional expense? :nixweiss It is to me, but I'd tend to say "no" if you have to think about it. If the $58 difference doesn't matter to you then I'd say to experiment with the Souveran, but $58 is a bit of money to a lot of people and IMO they'd be silly to spend it on a miniscule difference in how their wax looks. It's like people debating the "worth" of most any expensive/not choice where there is a genuine difference in the products...is that difference worth paying for? The waxes are different but do you want to pay for that difference?
 
Accumulator said:
Not all expensive waxes are of the same quality, and this holds true with inexpensive ones too. Sometimes you're paying for a name or something else that's not a functional difference, sometimes you're paying for something more tangible. Having said that...



Can I see a difference *on my cars* between $12 Collinite and $70 Souveran? Yeah. Is it worth the additional expense? :nixweiss It is to me, but I'd tend to say "no" if you have to think about it. If the $58 difference doesn't matter to you then I'd say to experiment with the Souveran, but $58 is a bit of money to a lot of people and IMO they'd be silly to spend it on a miniscule difference in how their wax looks. It's like people debating the "worth" of most any expensive/not choice where there is a genuine difference in the products...is that difference worth paying for? The waxes are different but do you want to pay for that difference?
Click to expand...



Well put! As I was hinting at in my intial post, you cannot ask others to make a value judgement for you. You can definitely see the difference between various waxes and sealants, but they're shades of difference which the average Joe would probably never be able to discern. You can make a car shiny with $5 product and you can also make it shiny with a $2000 product. However, only you can judge for yourself whether the difference in shine and cost are worth it to you.



I think you have a pretty good handle on the concept that LSP selection is very subjective. People have different preferences for look and that's very easy to understand. If you want to wrap your brain around how different people judge product value you could get a general idea by studying utility curves. Just Google "utility curves" and some good info will likely pop up.



I applaud your efforts to make this judgement a more objective one. Many have tried in the past and all have failed. Consumer Reports magazine, the king of trying to be objective, tries every few years to do an objective car wax test and flops miserably. Really by bringing in the variable of value you've in fact made this decision even MORE subjective instead of less which was your intention. Good try though. I wish there was a less subjective way to do this. It would certainly result in a lot less arguing around here! :)
 
AL-53 said:
I agree with the Duragloss also...



Yes...get the Duragloss line....for your needs....I have them all and have not had a bad result yet......best part is ..your wallet will like it also....





the 105 sealant is outstanding...



Aquawax is iquid slick in a bottle...and durable also



the shampoo is tops....great lubricity...clean rinsing..leaves a nice shine...suds galore....cleans great....



the whole Duragloss line up is tops....and OTC or from the Duragloss site with 4.95 shipping.....no matter what you order...



Al
Click to expand...
After being a zaino zealot and a MenZerna maniac, I agree with AL ... you decide if that's objective or subjective :laugh: DG is in da house.
 
As I continue to stick out like a sore thumb here with my 1 sided recommendations of Auto Magic products, I'll add my opinion once again to this thread. Keep in mind that my focus is the end result/performance of the product, along with cost/bang for the buck/value. When I ordered detailing products, I usually purchased them in bulk(55 gallon drums) and the price per gallon would be almost, if not more, than half the per gallon price listed below. I've had and continue to have great results with their line up and hope to preach to others here their advantages are not just cost based, but quality as well. I feel that your efforts are negated when a quality product is not utilized.



Car Wash Soap: Wash & Wax - stays foamy, great scent(bubble gum) and costs about $12/Gallon(when bought in 5 gallon pails). They offer less expensive wash products, but I prefer this one for weekly maintenance and is safe for waxed vehicles.



Polishes: They offer 7 polishes/glazes that range in price from $20-$25 per gallon. Each one works specific to application and is very easy to use. Each product is rated on an abbrasive meter and informs the user of the level of duty. Compared to other products, I think Auto Magic's line-up is on the low to no dust side when used by machine. Each product has strong clear characteristics and I know what to expect when using them.



Wax: 8 different products offered ranging from polymer sealants to carnubas in paste and liquid forms. Range of price $8 (tin) to $20(gallon). Long lasting but like any LSP, doen't last long enough. Easy to apply and more importantly easy to remove without dust.



Protectants(tire): 8 different products offered in solvant and water based formulas. They have economy applications like their Super Shine(great for dealer vehicles) and their best Magic Dressing that is the vest dressing I've ever come accross. It doen't sling and will keep the tire shiny even after a rain storm! Prices range $12-$20 for a gallon. It can me sponged, sprayed or painted on.
 
I gotta give a second to Accumulator's thoughts. I am curious to see if Souveran will wow me more than the Natty's Blue I have been using. I may splurge and see for myself come next summer.



This is all in the eye of the beholder, and I guess, the beholder's checkbook. But, that's why there are so many products out there, and that's why it's fun to try products, or perhaps, "accumulate."



That being said, I will cast a strong vote for Collinite (pick your favorite flavor of it). You can go from great looks to great durablilty to ease of use in the Collinite line, all without breaking the bank.



Though I recently did find a tin of #16 locally, just looking around. I grabbed it and ran to the checkout. One more product to try!
 
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