Review - HD Express

Swanicyouth

New member
I was one of the lucky winners of the HD / 3D Autopia contest to win a free product. The product I choose was HD Express. This product is a spray wax / gloss enhancer or "gloss enhancing quick wax" as they call it. They were kind enough too also include a sample bottle of HD Dress - their exterior dressing in the box.

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I liked the bottle and the label off the bat. It doesn't have a boutique feel - but a professional feel. The sprayer is of the infinitely adjustable screw type.

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I washed my car using Pinnacle Rinseless and waterless. The wax on the car is Natty's Blue.

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The bottle came with this little red internal cap which I'm guessing is to prevent leaks during shipping. I've only seen this cap once before - but can't recall where. It's a nice touch.

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Anyway, when I popped the lid - I noticed this stuff is thick and milky. Thick like a regular sealant may be.

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So, after the car was cleaned, I sprayed some on my paint (duh). You tell ME what you think it looks like:

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Dunno. There is no fine spray with this stuff. It's like spraying a thick sealant on paint. You just have drops of the stuff on your paint. There is no mist. No matter how much you fiddle with the sprayer - it just doesn't aerosolize. The stuff is too thick.

Anyway, it does feel significant when you spread it on your paint. It adds a good bit of "slickness". However, the product just wasn't for me. Not that it's "bad" - but I think it may be more trouble than it's worth. I don't know about durability or beading. But, this car lives in the garage - so it's not an issue for me.

As you can see, I'm using it my black BMW. I feel all of these sprayable products are best tested on black. It does streak a bit on black and just requires more buffing and rubbing than I want a product like this to require. It did streak, but the streaks weren't a mess - you were able to remove the streaks if you buffed them down enough.

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With so many great spray waxes available, I don't see why I would use this stuff again. IMHO, if your selling a spray wax product, it should melt into the paint easily. Products that do this that come to mind are Prima Hydro +/- Max, Aquawax, Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant, Sonax Brilliant Shine, Poor Boys Spray & Gloss, etc...

This isn't a bad product - it's just not for me. I'm probably spoiled - because I have like 25 spray waxes.... It did leave a nice gloss and slickness. The problem is, I can think of many products I have that would do the same with less headaches. This stuff seems like a liquid sealant / wax that was "watered down" with something to ALMOST make it sprayable. I even tried switching the sprayer and it was the same.

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So, to be honest - I really didn't care for this product. It was too thick and just to much work. I just think this product is confused. It's not quite a spray wax - and not quite a liquid wax sealant. It seems to be OK at either - but not particularly great. It doesn't take a long time to apply a good liquid wax or sealant to a car - so If going with a sealant, I think I'd rather just using something that hazed up and buffed off cleanly, like BFWD or WG DG PS.

On the flip side, the exterior trim dressing sample they included I really like.

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This stuff was the perfect consistency to spray. It smelled pretty good - almost like Souverän to me. This is what it looked like sprayed:

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I loved this little bottle and the sprayer. This was one of the only times I could spray the dressing directly on the tire and not get it on the wheel:

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The dressing says it can be cut 1:1, but I wouldn't do that. It seems pretty perfect as it is. It gave a really dark black non-greasy factory type look in one coat:

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I was even more surprised to find out a 16oz bottle of this stuff only costs 9 bucks. This stuff seems as good as anything PBMG is offering (probably better); just for much less $$$.

So there you have it. I like the exterior dressing - but didn't like the spray wax. If anyone lives near me (Limerick PA) - and wants the spray wax - I'm more than happy to donate it for your review.

3D thanks for the contest.
 
Swanic, totally agree with you on the sprayer and the general observation you had. I felt the same way, in fact, I reach for D156 after a maintenance wash.

However, if you are working within HD's product line of polishes or sealants, the product's intentions appear rapidly.

Say you finish a quick AIO job with Speed and Express adds even more gloss and protection.

Maybe even a 1-step with Polish... Express wipe down after 20 minutes and you have protection that rivals a beauty carnauba in the looks department .

Or you use Express as a hand glaze... the product fills very well and protection easily outlast a glaze.

Even toping Poxy, Express adds to the appeal of the paintwork.

Again, agreed that it doesn't fill the typical niche often associated with spray waxes or protection based QDs but realized within HD's line of products... Express is a very versatile product that can be used in various situations to great affect.

Thanks for the review!
Gabe

EDIT: I actually don't care for Dress... I feel Meg's Hyper Dressing 1:1 gives the same effect for less money. HD Dress is pretty much gone after one rain or wash... same as Hyper Dressing. For what it is worth.
 
Stephen nice review as always!! Thanks for your input on the products.

I do want to note though that I see streaks in your first picture where you stated it was just washed. Please provide some feedback here if possible.
 
Good objective review. I'm looking forward to playing with the sample of HD Express I received with HD SPEED.
 
Stephen nice review as always!! Thanks for your input on the products.

I do want to note though that I see streaks in your first picture where you stated it was just washed. Please provide some feedback here if possible.

I'm guessing your talking about what looks like streaks on the hood? It's in the photo or a reflection. I noticed that about the pic as well.

If I have some time today, I may try to apply Express with an applicator and see how I like it that way.
 
Thanks for the objective review. I really appreciate your feedback be it positive or negative.

Even though the directions explain that the product can be applied directly to a painted surface, I prefer to apply it onto a small folded MF towel and then wipe it over the surface. Because of how thick the product is, I feel that it can create heavy spots when sprayed directly onto the surface. With a MF, it allows for a much thinner, evener application. This ultimately reduces smears and quickens removal. Especially on a dark colored car such as this BMW. If possible, I would really enjoy hearing your feedback after trying it the way I suggested. This might give you a new outlook on the product.
 
I'm guessing your talking about what looks like streaks on the hood? It's in the photo or a reflection. I noticed that about the pic as well.

If I have some time today, I may try to apply Express with an applicator and see how I like it that way.

That is exactly what I was referring to.

Thanks for the objective review. I really appreciate your feedback be it positive or negative.

Even though the directions explain that the product can be applied directly to a painted surface, I prefer to apply it onto a small folded MF towel and then wipe it over the surface. Because of how thick the product is, I feel that it can create heavy spots when sprayed directly onto the surface. With a MF, it allows for a much thinner, evener application. This ultimately reduces smears and quickens removal. Especially on a dark colored car such as this BMW. If possible, I would really enjoy hearing your feedback after trying it the way I suggested. This might give you a new outlook on the product.

It seems to me that 3D/HD has some thought to put in on what they are putting on their bottles as I have heard alternate recommended applications a few times now. On top of that the bottle of 3D yellow degreaser I recieved mentions nothing of dilution rates yet on the site clearly states it should never be used straight..
 
That is exactly what I was referring to.



It seems to me that 3D/HD has some thought to put in on what they are putting on their bottles as I have heard alternate recommended applications a few times now. On top of that the bottle of 3D yellow degreaser I recieved mentions nothing of dilution rates yet on the site clearly states it should never be used straight..

Is the bottle you're talking about the regular 24oz spray bottle? If so, I believe it's already diluted, so that may be why it doesn't mention a dilution ratio. I have the gallon of yellow degreaser and it mentions several dilutions.
 
Is the bottle you're talking about the regular 24oz spray bottle? If so, I believe it's already diluted, so that may be why it doesn't mention a dilution ratio. I have the gallon of yellow degreaser and it mentions several dilutions.
It is the 24oz. bottle. Can I get confirmation on what dilution it is if that is the case?
 
Good review. I wonder if Express would work if you cut it 1:1 with distilled water. Since you don't care for it, it wouldn't hurt "wasting" an ounce of it and adding an ounce of water to see if that works at all.

Also, Adam's uses the red caps.
 
The bottle came with this little red internal cap which I'm guessing is to prevent leaks during shipping. I've only seen this cap once before - but can't recall where. It's a nice touch.

P.S. That red cap I have seen in Adam's bottles before.

Adam's uses the red caps.

I'm amused at the fascination with a pretty standard industrial closure: http://www.caplugs.com/productdetails.aspx?id=1000021&itemno=T+SERIES
 
Yeah. I'm easily amused. You should see the stuff I search for online.

Well, now I gave you a new website to explore.

I actually don't consider that to be a very effective closure, I think it's kind of a cheap way out rather than doing a heat sealed membrane, for example, but what do I know.
 
All of our cleaners and degreasers that are RTU are diluted 1:4 from the concentrate version as far as I know. The only exception is LVP cleaner which is 1:3.

Ben
 
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