What is your preferred wheel well dressing?

S

stilez

New member
and why?





I have mostly been using Meguiar's Hyper Dressing cut 2:1 for a long time, but I am on my last dilution of it. I was never too fond of it as it didn't last long and if it got on the paint, required some extra QD to remove.



Currently, I have been using CD-2 Engine Detailer which is great (lasts long, looks great), but is not very cost effective.



In efforts to keep the cost down, durability and sheen up, I ask you, Autopia, which wheel well dressing do you like :)?





DSC06413.jpg


food for thought
 
Believe it or not, I still have some Meg's Engine Kote. When that goes, I'll try Sonus Motor Kote, or I'm supposing, the clear Trim-A-Shield product for a semi-permanent gloss. I've tried Mop & Glow floor shine although I find the above automotive formulated products to look better. I assume this could be to lack of cleaners and more acrylic. :nixweiss. The M&G is going to vary in look from wheel well to wheel. Interestingly, I found it to look outstanding on the rear wheel wells of my dad's C4 'vette.



I've tried the tire foams, both DM and the PDMS tire dressing, the gels, etc. and they all do not seem to last very long when exposed to anything more than a few puddles. The heavy silicone dressings attrack every dust particle that come in contact with the wells too. :( I use to order cases of canned stuff because if I wanted pristine wells, I had to apply it often. I bet you could imagine what the street in front of my house must've looked like due to using that stuff all the time :o



When I first learned about Meg's Engine Kote I thought it would be ideal for my wheels since I understood it to be a better lasting dressing with a nice gloss. I tried it and granted, it's not as user friendly as AA, MSLT, etc but it lasts a bit longer and dust collection is greatly reduced. I find if I attempt to spray it on, globs may dry that didn't roll and smooth out in time. I fixed thus problem by applying it directly to a long handled sponge. For optimum looks, I let one coat dry completelt and apply a second. Don't let this stuff get on your paint. I did the same thing with the floor shine and I'm picturing Motor Kote to work the same way. Unfortunately though, gallon sizes of this type of product are not available. :( This makes me miss EK.



I'll look into the CD-2 and will eventually, probably try the clear Trim-A-Shield. It will be a mini project in it of itself but hopefully the reward will be great durablity and easy clean up during washes.



Sean, in your particular case involving volume of clients, it sounds to me you should stick with what you're doing or buy the other kind of dressings I mentioned by the gallon or the case.
 
I was very disappointed with the Sonus Motor Kote for wheel wells. It blotched for me horribly.



Right now I am using Armor All or Turtle Wax 2001 Protectorant. I got the TW when they were cleaning out their 32 oz bottles for .99 :clap: Both are cheap for me and can be obtained locally.



I know that these dressing wont last long through rain but for the price they can't be beat.
 
I just use any cheap water based dressing that I have(cut 1:1). Lately it has been EO pro water based dressing, I can buy it locally in a five gallon container for fairly cheap. I don't really dress my own too often.
 
I normally use Armor All or a tire foam/aerosol. I'm going to start slightly diluting the Armor All and see how it does (just to make it go a little further).
 
Yeah, I just use Armor All. In 2 days the owner's wells are filthy and they don't even notice. I saturate an old sponge, slap on a latex glove (for SUV's) and wipe away. I don't monitor durability and I don't dress my own wells.



I find Armor All on tires has a nice longevity though.



I'm a fan of No Touch foam as you know. If you got that case on Ebay, you can try it, but the drips could be a pain with staining driveways.
 
Spilchy said:
Yeah, I just use Armor All. In 2 days the owner's wells are filthy and they don't even notice. I saturate an old sponge, slap on a latex glove (for SUV's) and wipe away. I don't monitor durability and I don't dress my own wells.



I find Armor All on tires has a nice longevity though.



I'm a fan of No Touch foam as you know. If you got that case on Ebay, you can try it, but the drips could be a pain with staining driveways.
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I use the no touch too, on tires and wheel wells. I buy the four pack at costco. :)
 
There's Griot's Undercarriage Spray. Very slimy stuff though, be careful with it. Very slippery of you get it on the floor/driveway.



Gotta admit I usually don't dress the wheelwells on most of our vehicles. Keeping them clean (doing them at every wash) goes a long way all by itself.
 
Hi Temp Grape Tire Dressing, the best stuff I've ever used on exterior trim, wheel wells, and tires. It is easy to apply evenly, looks real good (badly weathered trim looks new again), has great longevity, not expensive.



The cons:



1) Not VOC compliant

2) Cosmetic only, not a protectant

3) Hard on hands and sprayers, even chemical resistant ones

4) Stains concrete and asphalt



If ease of application, looks, longevity, and value are your priorities Grape Tire Dressing is for you. If poison bothers you, you won't like it :laugh:



Mikeman out
 
Accumulator said:
There's Griot's Undercarriage Spray. Very slimy stuff though, be careful with it. Very slippery of you get it on the floor/driveway.



Gotta admit I usually don't dress the wheelwells on most of our vehicles. Keeping them clean (doing them at every wash) goes a long way all by itself.
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I agree 100% with the Griots US. I use it all the time at shows and it gives a great look. My only complaint is that its pricey. So for this reason its my show dressing for wheel wells. :bigups
 
Mikeman said:
Hi Temp Grape Tire Dressing, the best stuff I've ever used on exterior trim, wheel wells, and tires. It is easy to apply evenly, looks real good, has great longevity, not expensive.



The cons:



1) Not VOC compliant

2) Cosmetic only, not a protectant

3) Hard on hands and sprayers, even chemical resistant ones

4) Stains concrete and asphalt



If ease of application, looks, longevity, and value are your priorities Grape Tire Dressing is for you. If poison bothers you, you won't like it :laugh:



Mikeman out
Click to expand...



x2. I love this stuff. I've been trying AutoMagic's Dress-It-Right for wells and it works fine, but it just doesn't last long enough. Grape is great for any exterior trim. My only problem with it is, if you get it anywhere it makes it slimy and greasy and you can't get rid of it. The spray bottle I keep it in is nasty. :grinno:
 
Zaino Z-16 Love it for the looks first and durability second. I'm a "matte look" person.
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Oops. I misread this thread as discussing tire dressing. :laugh: I've been using ArmorAll for wells.
 
Grape is definitely nasty stuff. It turns into a real monster when it comes into contact with water. Everything must be completely dry before application. It's not easy to get off your hands either.



Fortunately, it doesn't hurt too bad when it burns through your skin to the bone. I think this is because of the simultaneous brain damage that occurs.



Mikeman out.
 
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