skinnyb
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2022
- Threads
- 12
- Messages
- 3,561
- Reaction score
- 8,902
- Location
- Knoxville TN
- First Name
- Alex
- Vehicle(s)
- 21 Mach 1. FJG, Tremec
Agreed about Pearl. Totally underwhelming. And GUF, on some mats it is very ineffective, the Mustang All weather mats, no good. I have found on Weathertechs it does leave a nice finish, albeit very short lived... And Motorplast, it looks great, for about 3 daysDFB's OVER & UNDER 2026
The following is list 5 overrated and 5 underrated detailing products on the market in 2026. Depending on how you see it, this could also be a do and don't buy list, or just a jaded detailer having a rant. I'll leave that up to you.
OVERRATTED –
Bilt Hamber Trace-less –
I’m not going to fully document my struggles with this product, but this is easily the most disappointing detailing product I have tried. After hearing all the hype, how this was the greatest glass cleaner ever made, when it finally arrived in Australia I bought the large 5-litre bottle, I was that confident.
And on first acquaintance, Trace-less is certainly a wow product, namely how quickly it flashes. Afterwards, you assume its left a perfectly clear glass surface. But then you notice light ghost marks in certain light, then you drive into the sun and you see all of the wipe marks. So………….Trace-less is NOT traceless. And trust me, I tried everything to make this product work, be that different towels, different application methods, different temperatures. Nope, it streaks.
My big problem with Trace-less is the dream I was sold at a considerable price, then having it completely fall well below its promise.............................it’s not actually "traceless". Maybe I expected too much? Maybe I'm too critical? Maybe I see what others don't? Maybe I've tried and compared to many products and brands? All I know is that I'm not the only one who has had trouble with Traceless, be that in AU or the USA.
McKee’s N-914 -
Several years ago, N-914 became the MUST HAVE rinse-less wash product. At the time, it was marketed as a product that “left nothing behind”, something certain people though was important. Compared to something like the polymer-based Optimum No Rinse (ONR), N-914 is surfactant based. Some of the early ONR competitors were simply watered down soaps (surfactants), however N-914 wasn’t and that’s where it gained a foothold over the former benchmark, ONR. But that notion of “leaving nothing behind” is flawed, especially how hybrid products with Si02 have become so popular, or the fact people would then go and spray a ceramic-spray sealant all of the car and called it a “drying aid”. Can you see where I find the nothing behind thing ridiculous?
To be fair to McKee’s, N-914 is a nice product. But I don’t think it's markedly better than the competition to warrant the hype, then or now. I found it lacking slickness, to me it had a sticky surfactant feel under the wash media. And despite the claims, you ARE leaving something behind, its simply unavoidable unless you follow with a prep spray or rinse the car afterwards (which defeats the purpose of a “rinse-less” wash).
The funny thing is, I’m seeing multiple suppliers drop the product from their stores.
Koch Chemie GUF –
This is another product that came to market with lofty claims. GUF is a dedicated dressing/protectant for rubber floor mats, one that doesn’t create a slip hazard. As far as I can tell, it’s the only product of its type. So, as soon as it became available in Australia, I ordered a bottle.
Prior to application, you clean the floor mat as usual, then dry. From here, you liberally mist with the product and then level with a towel. GUF has a strong solvent/alcohol aroma, which would explain why it flashes off the way it does. And yet, I can never really see an enhancement after using GUF……………which to me is a complete waste of time and money. And because of that IPA content, I’ve had it kill spray heads.
For rubber floor mats, I have much better luck using a product like P&S Swift, which contains a very mild dressing, so mild it doesn’t cause slipperiness. But at least you can see an improvement.
Koch Chemie Motorplast -
This will be a controversial one, simply because everyone seems to like Motorplast. This product was designed for easily dressing an enhancing engine bays, of which can be applied to a freshly cleaned and still wet surface. Koch Chemie would have you believe that this self-leveling wet application is unique to Motorplast………………but it isn’t, Meguiar’s and other companies have offered something similar for decades.
So why don’t I love this product. Look, its super easy to apply, smells nice, levels off well. But its too glossy for my taste. In theory, you’d just dilute it down………….which defeats the purpose of buying a RTU product. No, something like Megs Hyper Dressing does this task just as well, if not more so than Motorplast, and can be tailored to your taste. For the record, Hyper Dressing at 5:1 (4:1 is considered “natural”, so I go even further than recommended) is my preferred engine bay dressing for a “barely there” look.
P&S Pearl -
Right, so this one is probably relevant to a specific buyer type. On face value, Pearl looks like a screaming deal, easily one of the cheapest high-volume soaps on the market, and one that’s made by an industry favourite. As such, it’s sold as a value proposition, in theory ideal for professional use or those who want their money to go further. For example, 946ml sells for $29.95 ($14 USD), 1-gallon is $57.95 ($26 USD), and 5-gallon is $190.95 ($86.40 USD). But dig a little deeper and that value prospect is flawed.
Pearl is poorly concentrated, which means using 2 to 3 times more soap per application. And even then, it doesn’t foam or provide meaningful suds, lacks slickness, so-so cleaning ability, and the mild lemon scent is desperately dated. What annoys me most is how P&S claim Pearl is a “high foaming shampoo”………………..it’s not even close to that claim, no matter the dilution.
So even if Pearl was more concentrated, it still sucks to use. And that’s not “value” in my book. And those who do, well they obviously failed maths at school.
Dishonorable Mentions -
- The entire Labocosmetic brand, sexy bottles with a sexy Italian accent, but waaay too complicated.
- Sonax Perfect Finish, laced with fillers to mask the less than perfect finish it leaves behind.
- Gtechniq CSL + EXO coating combination, a so-so base coating that needs another coating to make it slick and hydrophobic, in turn doubling the price to coat your car.
UNDERRATED -
Armour Detail Supply Adapt –
This might be a surprise to have an ADS product listed here, mainly because the brand has rapidly grown to be an industry benchmark. And yet so many sleep on Adapt, which is actually one of my favourites from ADS. I think being classified as a “water-less wash” boxes Adapt into a corner and turns buyers away.
I absolutely love Adapt as a drying aid, the added lubrication for safe water-less washing proves useful here too. It’s great on door jambs and light interior dusting or cleaning gloss trims. I also think Adapt smells nicer than Amplify, and has a slicker feel under the towel.
Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Detailer –
Also sold in the Detailer range as M799 Pro Ceramic Bead Booster, this is a product that I’ve loved using over the years. And yet it doesn’t really get mentioned. And that's a shame because it really is a great product, super easy to work with, available everywhere.
In my case, I use HCD as a drying aid, which provides excellent gloss and slickness with minimal effort required. It’s only failing is the dated fragrance, and the price at full retail. Great product shunned by the brand snobs, which included me before I decided to give it a shot.
Opti-Coat No Rinse –
I believe this is the most underrated rinse-less wash product on the market. In recent years, Si02 infused rinse-less washes have become increasingly popular, and yet Opti-Coat No Rinse has existed long before this fad took off. As with the rest of the Opti-Coat Maintenance Line, this yellow version of Optimum No Rinse was designed to maintain Opti-Coat ceramic coatings, although you can use it on any LSP. I love the slickness of this product, both under the wash media and the final result, and I prefer the mango scent compared to blue ONR.
There are three reasons why Opti-No Rinse isn’t more popular. Firstly, up until recently you could only buy the maintenance line from Opti-Coat installers, usually sold as an add on sale to a professionally applied coating. Secondly, its only available in a small 473ml bottle. And thirdly, its more expensive, which relates to lack of a bulk quantity bottle size. Still, I really enjoying using this product, its waaay better than some of the more popular options on the market.
Carpro Reload 2.0 –
Reload was one of the first ceramic spray sealants to hit the market. Like any new and pioneering product, there were some peculiarities with Reload. What many don’t know is how Carpro subtly updated the formula over time, which addressed some of the application quirks. And with the latest Reload 2.0, it’s a night and day difference to the original. And yet, people completely sidestep Reload because someone somewhere once had it be a little streaky. Then there is the supposed lack of durability. I think people expect too much from a spray and wipe product like this, especially those who are hammering down with alkaline pre-wash soaps, then wondering why a sealant doesn’t last long enough.
Reload 2.0 fixed the application quirks, boosted the longevity, while remaining one of the slickest and glossiest spray sealants available. I also love Reload on trim, it producing subtle but long-lasting enhancement and protection without the potential risks that come with a ceramic coating on these surfaces. And I say long lasting because it takes the same effort to apply as a trim dressing, but won't wash off in the rain or at the next wash. And while Reload isn’t as hydrophobic as a full ceramic coating, it’s hardly a disappointment in that department.
Gtechniq Tri-Clean –
Most of what I’ve tried from this brand has been average at best, Tri-Clean is different. In response to the Covid pandemic, Tri-Clean was developed in conjunction with Biocote®, who are said to be a leader in anti-bacterial technology. As the name suggests, Tri-Clean does three things –
- Provide strong cleaning ability
- Provide disinfectant and anti-microbial properties
- Provide odour-absorbing properties that eliminate rather than cover up odours
Tri-Clean is pH neutral, meaning it can be safely used on all interior surfaces, including leather and Alcantara. I like the way this product wipes on, then flashes away to clean, non-greasy residue free finish. The only thing I don’t like about Tri-Clean is the Pine O Clean/Lysol-like scent, it is a disinfectant after all.
Honorable Mentions -
- Opti-Coat M-Wash, such an amazing soap that no one talks about. Expensive though.
- Optimum Power Wheel & Tire Cleaner, extremely capable, well above some the go-to's in this class.
- Opti-coat Clean & Protect, unlike similar products, this one actually delivers streak free results.
then it attracts dust like crazy. I only use it once in a while now... Never tried McKees or Traceless, I do have DIY rinseless V2, it works OK for what it is.Sponsored
