What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[WD Pro]

PS4S are notoriously hard to deal with, to the point where it's more a case of trying to achieve some sort of uniformity rather than outright perfection. First of all, I've found that they resist most of the dedicated tyre cleaners on the market, even with multiple rounds. That means needing to use a solvent sledgehammer to properly strip and clean the sidewalls. Then, when it comes to dressing, certain sections tend to reject the product, in turn leading to a splotchy finish. In my opinion, it's the waxy sidewall that is to blame here, initially resisting the dressing, then preventing its release come cleaning time.

Agree with all that, the sidewalls are horrible, both in maintenance / treatment, and longevity (side wall cracks).

Unless you are happy with ‘oil slick’ sidewalls, I’ve had other tyres that are so much easier to maintain and treat - just wipe any old water based dressing on, walk away and it looks great the following day. I had some Yoko’s that needed nothing more than original Armour All on a sponge to look good.

OK, we’ve had uncharacteristically dry weather here lately, but I simply misted my daily’s tyres with Megs hyper dressing (7:1) after it’s wash with no wipe off or anything else, and they are still looking presentable two weeks later.

After trying many options on PS4S, I've come to conclusion that Carpro Perl at 1:1, OG Tire Dressing and Auto Finesse Satin (their only good product) to be the best for these tyres.

Yeah I’ve never tried OG, but Perl is one of the better ones, but it still disappoints me a little on this tyre - a bit finicky to apply (compared to my comments on other tyres above) and once applied, I find it has a very small window of looking good (outdoor kept car).

I do prefer the AF satin (I think I might have put you into that originally ?). Compared to Perl I think it’s a bit more forgiving / a bit less time consuming with its application, and I find the sweet spot for it looking good to be a bit longer.

Bear in mind I think tyre dressings are one of the products most susceptible to suiting country / regional / weather / storage / usage specific conditions.

WD

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[skinnyb]

The Mustang has been on "daily" duty this week, so it was next in line for attention today. And what a nice day to be outside, and on a Saturday too! I worked every Saturday and Sunday for the better part of 10-years, having the choice to enjoy the weekend is new luxury for me.

There was nothing out of the ordinary today, just my usual wash routine. The exception being the application of ADS Ghost to the Michelin PS4S tyres.

PS4S are notoriously hard to deal with, to the point where it's more a case of trying to achieve some sort of uniformity rather than outright perfection. First of all, I've found that they resist most of the dedicated tyre cleaners on the market, even with multiple rounds. That means needing to use a solvent sledgehammer to properly strip and clean the sidewalls. Then, when it comes to dressing, certain sections tend to reject the product, in turn leading to a splotchy finish. In my opinion, it's the waxy sidewall that is to blame here, initially resisting the dressing, then preventing its release come cleaning time.

SUPER ANAL DETAILING NOTE - You may be wondering why having a CLEAN tyre is so important. Well, the cleaner the sidewall, the better the dressing will be absorbed, which will therefore last longer. And with all of the dust, dirt, road grime and tyre bloom removed, trust me, a dressed tyre will look MUCH better. If you don't clean before application, all you end up is a slurry of dressing and dirt, leading to a brown appearance. I've also found a dressing will glide over a clean tyre much better.

After trying many options on PS4S, I've come to conclusion that Carpro Perl at 1:1, OG Tire Dressing and Auto Finesse Satin (their only good product) to be the best for these tyres. That is because all three are very subtle to begin with, which means they can be levelled down for a uniform finish. So, the question is, how would PS4S react to a tyre sealant such as ADS Ghost?

For the initial clean, I went to town with my strongest tyre cleaner, Carpro ReTyre. Once dried with the blower, I then went in with Tarminator, however mineral spirits will also work and is more freely available.

Using a fresh foam applicator, I applied a single layer to each tyre, allowed to soak for a few minutes, then buffed them back with a towel. Multiple layers can be applied, but I decided to see how one coat would perform.

Overall, Ghost created a nice uniform finish. What I want to see is if this sealant can provide a more stable base for something like OG Tire Dressing or ADS Tire+ going forward. Perhaps with the more resistant layer of Ghost, these tyres will be easier to dress and achieve that goldilocks uniform finish.

Good stuff. I need to try ghost on my Mach 1. I have used it on my Mazda with Michelin Defender tires and it works really well on them. I still use my go to KCx PSS on my PS4S tires on my Mach 1 and it looks fantastic. No streaking and application is a breeze with a microfiber applicator...

 

[DFB5.0]

I have three sets of Michelin tyres in rotation, the above mentioned PS4S, the PS3 in my XR6, and the Agilis on the Ranger. While the PS4S is a diva, the PS3 and Agilis are very easy going. Despite the PS3's being hard to clean, they look good with just about any dressing.

PS3 & OG Tire Dressing -

PS3 & KCx PSS -

Agilis & Swissvax Pneu-

Agilis & Tire+

I've also found the Dunlop Sport Maxx (XR8) and Sport Maxx RT (Jaguar) to being receptive of a wide range of dressings, but also being super easy to clean.

Sport Maxx & OG Tire Dressing -

Sport Maxx & ADS Tire+

Sport Maxx RT & NV Onyx -

This is Auto Finesse Satin on PS4S -

So, can you tell I have a thing for tyre dressings? Easly my favorite detailing task!

 

[Evolvd]

I’ve heard mention of people using Darkside, knocking down the shine and then applying a coating of their choice on top.

May be worth a try?

 

[MAGS1]

D, when you’re ready for new tires, give the Continental Extreme Contact Sport02 (assuming they’re available in the land down under) a try. The sidewalls are pretty easy to clean IMO. ReTyre is usually enough for me to get the job done.

 

[DFB5.0]

D, when you’re ready for new tires, give the Continental Extreme Contact Sport02 (assuming they’re available in the land down under) a try. The sidewalls are pretty easy to clean IMO. ReTyre is usually enough for me to get the job done.

I'm really, really, really trying to resist buying a set of wheels for the Mustang at the moment. The set I'm eying off are forged 20-inch items that you can custom order in any color you like. By the time I buy new tyres, it's going to be a VERY expensive exercise. I'll probably look at Continental, or either the PS4S or new PS5S.

 

[DFB5.0]

I’ve heard mention of people using Darkside, knocking down the shine and then applying a coating of their choice on top.

May be worth a try?

Darkside and Ghose are both considered tyre "sealants". In which case, the idea would be to seal up the sidewall, the "dressing" would then be applied to the sealant surface, not the rubber surface. If that makes sense. I'll be interested to test out that theory going forward over the next few weeks, Ghost is supposed to last "up to 3 months".

 

[kilobravo]

After trying many options on PS4S, I've come to conclusion that Carpro Perl at 1:1, OG Tire Dressing and Auto Finesse Satin (their only good product) to be the best for these tyres.

Never tried Auto Finesse Satin but I'll put in my vote for Perl and especially OG Tire Dressing which is currently my goto dressing. The car is only driven occasionally, maybe 1000/yr so my longevity won't mean much but it gives the PS4S's the best look, IMHO.

Easly my favorite detailing task!

I hear ya on that D but for me, it's applying the topcoat to the paint with dressing tires second. :=)

Ghost is supposed to last "up to 3 months".

If that's true, I'll have to pick up a bottle but I find THREE MONTHS VERY hard to believe.

 

[DFB5.0]

Never tried Auto Finesse Satin but I'll put in my vote for Perl and especially OG Tire Dressing which is currently my goto dressing. The car is only driven occasionally, maybe 1000/yr so my longevity won't mean much but it gives the PS4S's the best look, IMHO.


I hear ya on that D but for me, it's applying the topcoat to the paint with dressing tires second. :=)


If that's true, I'll have to pick up a bottle but I find THREE MONTHS VERY hard to believe.

Stick with OG Tire Dressing, nothing wrong with it at all.

 

[Evolvd]

Never tried Auto Finesse Satin but I'll put in my vote for Perl and especially OG Tire Dressing which is currently my goto dressing. The car is only driven occasionally, maybe 1000/yr so my longevity won't mean much but it gives the PS4S's the best look, IMHO.


I hear ya on that D but for me, it's applying the topcoat to the paint with dressing tires second. :=)


If that's true, I'll have to pick up a bottle but I find THREE MONTHS VERY hard to believe.

It lasts quite awhile. I’ve washed my vert multiple times since applying ghost and I haven’t had to reapply yet.

 

[WD Pro]

I would be interested to know people’s recommendation (or top two recommendations) specifically for the black door trims that sit at the bottom of the windows ?

Whilst the above would be my top priority, if the product doubled up for the exterior black plastics that would be a bonus.

I have a reasonably specific list of requirements :

• Absolutely no gloss. A rich dark matt, or very mild satin finish preferred.
• Non greasy.
• Semi permanent - needs to get through at least three or four normal washes (preferably more, the longer the better).
• No streaking (following the above washes).
• Outdoor / non garage queen.
• Preferably available in the U.K. (without the need to import).

I would be interested if there is a common theme in the responses

WD

 

[Evolvd]

I would be interested to know people’s recommendation (or top two recommendations) specifically for the black door trims that sit at the bottom of the windows ?

Whilst the above would be my top priority, if the product doubled up for the exterior black plastics that would be a bonus.

I have a reasonably specific list of requirements :

• Absolutely no gloss. A rich dark matt, or very mild satin finish preferred.
• Non greasy.
• Semi permanent - needs to get through at least three or four normal washes (preferably more, the longer the better).
• No streaking (following the above washes).
• Outdoor / non garage queen.
• Preferably available in the U.K. (without the need to import).

I would be interested if there is a common theme in the responses

WD

hopefully you can get this where you’re at, but it comes highly recommended. I’ve not used it yet, but I will soon.

 

[MAGS1]

hopefully you can get this where you’re at, but it comes highly recommended. I’ve not used it yet, but I will soon.

+1 for the 303 protectant. It’s good stuff. I used it after the first wash when my car was brand new. Probably due to apply it again

 

[Brisvegas]

I would be interested to know people’s recommendation (or top two recommendations) specifically for the black door trims that sit at the bottom of the windows ?

Whilst the above would be my top priority, if the product doubled up for the exterior black plastics that would be a bonus.

I have a reasonably specific list of requirements :

• Absolutely no gloss. A rich dark matt, or very mild satin finish preferred.
• Non greasy.
• Semi permanent - needs to get through at least three or four normal washes (preferably more, the longer the better).
• No streaking (following the above washes).
• Outdoor / non garage queen.
• Preferably available in the U.K. (without the need to import).

I would be interested if there is a common theme in the responses

WD

The product Evolved suggested is available amazon uk
https://www.amazon.co.uk/303-Products-Rubber-Seal-Protectant/dp/B0DQ23B4LK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1M1I5R1QIMDYZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cVbqu94R6Da8BU72oHmG86x3HTaMIrqzywze0sLNB47wvzA7-P8KDW9CNhCNI9QnY-G25wl0JcFY4KfEkEh2Raue7PSKNrH8fmDTlaMMltge7CkhetY51u2piQzKVnr7bvE9HGELRxARVUArTTf-xllLieBtJvWvcM79bMJQEco.fCsHeAOQwyo2Apg1Mh6vvG2gCaHu1WefFzhMeAmXFbU&dib_tag=se&keywords=303+rubber+seal+protectant&qid=1746320488&sprefix=303+rubber,aps,360&sr=8-2&th=1

Also available Amazon Australia as well & i will order some right now

 

[DFB5.0]

Of the water-based dressings for exterior trim, 303 Protectant is a solid choice. Just know that its not "semi-permanent" and will wash off in rain and regular washing.

Short of going to a trim coating, which I'm moving away from, using one of the (many) ceramic sealants will give you that rich, dark, non-greasy and semi-permanent finish. I really love Carpro Reload for this, and pleasingly, you can order bottles right down to a 100ml size for as little as 7 pounds. I think once you try it on trim, give it a go on paint and see how you like it, one of the slickest, glossiest paint sealants on the market.

CarPro Reload 2.0 Spray Sealant — Polished Bliss
CarPro - ReLoad 2.0 Spray Sealant
CarPro Reload 2.0: Silica & Siloxane Spray Sealant — Slims Detailing

Below is the older Reload v1, the latest v2.0 is even better. As you can see, it's a subtle enhancement, while also providing UV protection (like 303) and hydrophobics (unlike 303). I also find its easier to apply because you don't have to worry about getting it on the paint.

Gyeon Cure would be another good option.

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