What is your best inexpensive product? What is your worst premium product?

It's been six months since I last contributed to this thread, and I've tried several new products since then. So here's my present list:



Best Inexpensive:



Mother's Reflections Tire Care. It leaves a rich low gloss finish. Easy to apply. I've never had any problems with sling. Durability seems to be average. And it's only $8 a bottle from Amazon.com (with free shipping if it's part of a $25+ order). I'm surprised that it doesn't have more fans here on Autopia.



Mother's Reflections Sealant. It's only $11 a bottle from Amazon.com (with free shipping if it's part of a $25+ order). It leaves a look that is similar to NXT. Application and removal is exceptionally easy. I have never experienced streaking.



Harly Wax. Still my favorite inexpensive carnauba wax. Try and compare.



Megs' APC+. I use the stuff for so many purposes.



Megs' Ultimate Quik Wax. I haven't tried other spray waxes, so I cannot compare; but this stuff accomplishes precisely what it promises. I've only experienced streaking once (I applied it too thick), but have not experienced any streaking since I changed my technique--instead of waxing the entire car and then removing it, I now remove it every panel or every other panel.



ONR. This has become an indispensable product for me.



CD-2. Excellent engine dressing.



Best Expensive:



I haven't tried enough expensive products to compare and judge. None have particularly disappointed me, so I can't provide a list of "worst expensive" products. I do like the following, though:



IZ Cockpit Premium. I use this all the time. It leaves a completely matte finish.



Blackfire Wet Diamond. I love the wet look it leaves on my black S2K. Easy to apply and remove, hyper-slick finish. I haven't yet tried the Fire & Ice combo--that's coming up this spring.



Pinnacle Souveran. I would never buy it at full retail, but I love the special look it leaves on my black S2K. It's hard to describe it. It may be my imagination, but I think I see a warm glow. I do wish it had better durability, though. Application is a dream.



Ultima Paint Guard Plus. This is the only protectant I use on my wife's CR-V. It is just too easy. I seal paint, cladding, and trim. Wipe on and walk away--period. I have never experienced any streaking problems, and I have now used it many times. Maybe there are other protectants that would give a "better" look, but I don't care. UPGP saves me so much time and work.
 
Accumulator said:
No, at least I don't *think* so. I'm referring to the BF All Finish Paint Protection. I got this a few years ago, came in a kit along with a precleaner.







Nah, the BF in question is *very* different from the UPP, not even remotely comparable looks-wise. That side-by-side comparison that showed how different BF looked would *never* make such an impression with any of the other LSPs I've used on those two cars. The UPP feels different too, slicker by quite a bit.



One of the reasons I like the UPP a lot better is that it doesn't make the two identical-paint cars look different. It was downright weird having them parked side-by-side and looking like different paint codes. Now they just look like two identical cars in slightly different condition.



But since my BF is so old, could be that the stuff they're selling these days is completely different.
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Thanks for the clarification, it looks like it is definitely different than the Wet Diamond then.
 
Best inexpensive products:



ONR at QD strength as a glass cleaner

Woolite HE diluted 20:1 with water for vinyl and leather cleaning

BioKleen Traffic Lane Cleaner diluted 32:1 with water for carpet/fabric cleaning ($24 gallon has lasted nearly 2 years!)

Armor All for tires and fenderwells



Best expensive products:



3M Ultrafina

Meguiars #105/205

Wolfgang Fuzion



I haven't come across anything expensive that hasn't performed well. :nixweiss
 
wfedwar- Ah, thanks for the updated BF info. Heh heh, mine's a lot older than 3 years too! I think even my newer version of UPP ( it's v3.0 AFAIK) is at least that old. Rob Tomlin, looks like we've figured that one out.



Back on-topic, I find it interesting how some members are categorizing certain products with regard to expensive/not :think:
 
Scottwax said:
Best inexpensive products:



ONR at QD strength as a glass cleaner
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Wow, I never would have even considered this. There is one single complaint that I have about ONR, and that is that it does not rinse clean off the glass, but leaves a slight haze behind.





Best expensive products:



3M Ultrafina

Meguiars #105/205

Wolfgang Fuzion



I haven't come across anything expensive that hasn't performed well. :nixweiss
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Same here. Of course there is a difference between products being "good values" and more expensive items that perform very well but may not fall into the category of a good value.



For example, I tried a sample of Dodo Juice's Supernatural wax yesterday (even applied it by bare hands....first time I have EVER done that) and I am very impressed. This is obviously a very high quality product. Does that mean that I am going to buy the full size size pot for nearly $200? Probably not, but I wouldn't criticize anyone for doing so, that's for sure.



I'd love to try Fuzion too.
 
Scottwax said:
Best inexpensive products:



ONR at QD strength as a glass cleaner
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Give DG AW full strength a go on glass. Streak free and leaves a great slick finish.



Try it. You'll like it.
 
ricka said:
Give DG AW full strength a go on glass. Streak free and leaves a great slick finish.



Try it. You'll like it.
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I've done that, same with Quikshine (which I still use for exterior of the windshield for its better than RainX effect) but ONR at QD strength is dirt cheap and has great cleaning power on dirty, hazy interior glass.



Rob-I don't have any hazing on glass with ONR. :nixweiss
 
Scottwax said:
Rob-I don't have any hazing on glass with ONR. :nixweiss
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I do, but I should clarify that this happens if I don't wipe off the ONR quickly after applying to the windows. If I leave the ONR on the glass long enough for it to dry *at all* it will not wipe clean and leaves a slight haze. As long as I wipe the glass off quickly, I don't have a problem.
 
Best Values

1 Optimum Instant Detail Spray - $50/gal but a gal makes 4 gal or $12.50/gal for a world class DS IMO

2 All other Optimum products by the gal.

3

12 oz. UPGP $35 for over 100 applications



Worst Premium Value

1 Wolfgang Instant Detail Spray - $89/gal and it doesn't compare favorably to Optimum or FK425!

2. Any wheel glaze/waxx when compared to DG TPP105 on top of DG Polymer Bonding Agent
 
Rob Tomlin said:
I do, but I should clarify that this happens if I don't wipe off the ONR quickly after applying to the windows. If I leave the ONR on the glass long enough for it to dry *at all* it will not wipe clean and leaves a slight haze. As long as I wipe the glass off quickly, I don't have a problem.
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Ah, I see. Works very well as a glass cleaner and you can't beat the price.
 
SpoiledMan said:
Overheats with anything more than a 5" pad. No trigger is something I just couldn't get used to.
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Yeah, I'd hate that, too. I use 7.5" pads a lot and mine has never gotten hot. You should send that back, it sounds defective.
 
After all this time, I just tried Duragloss Aqua Wax over the last two days for the first time, and I definitely have to add it to my list of best inexpensive products.



The initial "bling" and added wetness is incredibly impressive on silver! :eek:
 
SpoiledMan said:
Overheats with anything more than a 5" pad. No trigger is something I just couldn't get used to.
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Huh, my Metabo does OK with larger pads.



I agree about the PC-like switch instead of a trigger though; I'm *OK* with it, but I do prefer my Makita's trigger by a big margin.
 
best cheap products:
quick wax from biglots - as a low cost quicke its as great a shine as optiminum easy on or off use it as a spot wrmover as I dry also ($4.00)

worst for teh hype

Megs gold class carnnuba.
and lexol (yep gotta jump on that train,,)
 
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