Sample Kit Impressions

[JDrach]

Hi guys. New guy here who's been avidly search the past year on detailing products. Granted my car is not new but I do like taking care of the car. So with this, I've done a lot of research and took great interest in Adams product line. As a surprise, I got the sample kit as a gift from my girlfriend of Christmas. One day I finally got to try out some of the products. Products include tire shire applicator, white single soft towel, edge less towel, microfiber glass cleaner towel, blue microfiber waterless wash towel, H2O GG, detail spray, tire shine, total interior detailer, waterless wash, and glass cleaner.

 

First off I work at a car dealership, so I have various car cleaning products. Some are decent, but not nearly as good as professional detailing such as Adams as I've found out. The car is claybared a few times throughout the year and usually has some form of wax on it. The last coat was put on in November and used Pro Gold P34 wax our washrack buys. It's okay nothing special. 

 

Impressions: First the packaging of the kit was top notch. The first thing I did was rinse the car down, scrub the tires and wheels with a soft bristle brush. Then I washed the car with a wool wash mitt we're supplied. Started with the hood first, then worked my way around to the windshield, roof, midway side up to the top of the windows, then all the way back around. Rinsed, then worked on the front and back bumpers and lower portions of the sides. While the car was still wet, I grabbed the blue waffled waterless wash towel and the H2O GG, was very eager to try this. First impressions was holy cow this worked like magic. Light mist over an area, wiped with the towel, then dried and buffed to a  dry shine with the white soft towel. Instantly saw a nice gloss and dry to the touch. Went around the car in a similar fashion to washing and outcome was outstanding, really looked great. Took detail spray to the hood to try it. Was easy to use, didn't streak much and the shine was more or so the same. Will find another use for that product. Tire shine looked great but did not hold up the next day through the rain what so ever. The interior detail spray took a small mess i mad from a banana peel residue that was left while I drove shortly, new that wouldn't be a problem. Cleaned up the mess and left a smooth surface. Need to find a conditioner for the leather. But I was most impressed by H2O GG. Application was easy and fun and really held up. Either bolstering the month old wax or sealed on its own. The rain beaded up nice, and practically no dirt and minimal dust residue after driving in the rain on the top surfaces, only dirt build up on the lower doors and back bumper.

 

I will definitely buy a bigger oz of the H2O GG, barely used a cm of the 4oz kit! And maybe look into the VRT for tire dressing and trim as well for the tire shine looked great, but didn't last through the rain. Will also want to polish the car to take care of clear coat swirls and will more than likely buy the 2 step Polishing kit with the 2 polishes, and the Porter cable polisher. Then hopefully finish up with the liquid sealant, glaze, and I'll decide on wax later. But will definitely want more of the H2O guard and gloss. Maybe the foam cannon to make washing during the summer at home more fun. Great products can't wait to try more.

[Chris@Adams]

Got her looking good........Thanks for the kind words!

[JDrach]

Thank you. Got black housings with retrofits in the works. Waiting for the weather to break to use the products again. Can't wait to dive into more. Curious how VRT compares to the tire shine. 

[stripesace]

Thank you. Got black housings with retrofits in the works. Waiting for the weather to break to use the products again. Can't wait to dive into more. Curious how VRT compares to the tire shine. 

 

Very similar. Little bit more matte finish. I find they both last about the same amount of time in similar conditions. 

[butters]

Took detail spray to the hood to try it. Was easy to use, didn't streak much and the shine was more or so the same. Will find another use for that product.

 

At the very least, you might think of Detail Spray as being used in the same way as the H2O G&G, in between your applications of G&G. The term I've learned here is a drying aid, i.e. after washing, spray on a still-wet panel before drying the paint. It actually does leave a really nice slickness on its own, as if just waxed.

Edited January 18, 2016 by butters

[Dan@Adams]

Thanks for the honest impressions! Sorry you were not fully satisfied with the Tire Shine, maybe it wasn't fully dry yet or maybe it was just a really bad rainstorm? Did you clean the tire sidewalls first before applying it, or did you apply it right over any previous tire dressing on the tire? With Tire Shine and SVRT, we recommend scrubbing the tire sidewall down first with something like our APC to have a clean surface to apply either dressing. The nice thing about both is that they are very easy to reapply.

 

Super VRT will give your tires more of a semi-gloss satin look, basically a nice clean new tire look, whereas Tire Shine can give you a super high gloss. Both products are water resistant to a degree, but not waterproof

 

With the HGG, you might get better results by spreading it with a towel like our plush Borderless Gray, Single Soft, or Double Soft instead of the blue Waterless Wash waffle weave towel, but I understand why you used that since it was the only other suitable towel included in the kit with the one Single Soft Towel. I will see if we can maybe raise the price of the kit $5 and include one more Single Soft or a Borderless Gray if everyone thinks that would be a good idea...makes sense to me, right?

[stripesace]

I will see if we can maybe raise the price of the kit $5 and include one more Single Soft or a Borderless Gray if everyone thinks that would be a good idea...makes sense to me, right?

Just exercise some executive authority  But YES. Since the description does say "every appropriate towel/applicator for the job"  

 

Since I'm in a suggestion mood this morning (ie... stuck on a conference call, and tired of working on a spreadsheet that the database guys will screw up when they try to merge it....) 

 

PERHAPS this is a great opportunity to distinquish a sample kit from a roadside kit. Same packaging, but in the roadside kit, include a 4oz bottle of APC or VRT in place of the H2O? 

[sahls01gmc]

Just exercise some executive authority  But YES. Since the description does say "every appropriate towel/applicator for the job"

 

Since I'm in a suggestion mood this morning (ie... stuck on a conference call, and tired of working on a spreadsheet that the database guys will screw up when they try to merge it....) 

 

PERHAPS this is a great opportunity to distinquish a sample kit from a roadside kit. Same packaging, but in the roadside kit, include a 4oz bottle of APC or VRT in place of the H2O? 

X2

[pirahnah3]

AS a note, I had the same problem with tire shine the FIRST time I used it. Barely lasted a day no real rain storms or anything. Tires looked awesome when done up with it but by 48hrs later they were just a dull black. Yes the first time I cleaned them I did hit the tires with APC before hand, 

 

The second time I made sure to really scrub them down and clean them up with APC again and a solid rinse to ensure no leftover product. Applied a little heavier than the first time, and made sure to not take off too much with the applicator. Man those tires shined for a good while and certainly looked great for quite a while. 

[JDrach]

I'll have to give it another whirl with the tire shine. Might as well since i have the sample. At my work we have this blue tire shine/dressing. I believe its silicone based but man does it make the tire SHINE. It stays on forever through all the weather and rain and even still feels greasy the next day lol. Not my type of shine, but the longevity of it is unreal. 

 

Also re washed the car today and beaded up nice and still shines just as good. Unsure if it's the H2O GG at work still or what but i'm loving it. 

[Ricky Bobby]

^the greasy feel is what most of us try to avoid. That is signs of a cheap silicone/oil based dressing. I prefer a water based dressing that nourishes the rubber of the tire.

[The Guz]

Your ride looks familiar . Car looks great.

[NG13]

Unsure if it's the H2O GG at work still or what but i'm loving it.

Absolutely is...H2O G&G should last 2-3 months. It is ok to use as your only LSP, you just have to apply more often than LPS if that is the case. Good luck with the tire shine too. It may help to watch the tire shine video on the YouTube channel to get an idea of how Adam's recommends applying it.

[JDrach]

So the car still beaded up and shines great. Actually kept using the tire shine, I think I use it so I can smell it   
So the company Jax Wax has a local dealer, after much of a headache and running around the region, I bought their liquid jax wax cherry wax. To say the least, I wasn't impressed. The H20 G&G left more of a shine to the paint as well as a smoothness to it. The cherry wax just didn't add much shine or anything to it.

 

Thinking of trying adams buttery wax...I'm not 100% sure which would be best for the blue paint. I do know it needs to be polished for it has some fine swirls (not horrific, but they're there) and would really want this blue to pop again so I can properly take care of the paint afterwards. Any input?

[mc2hill]

So the car still beaded up and shines great. Actually kept using the tire shine, I think I use it so I can smell it   

So the company Jax Wax has a local dealer, after much of a headache and running around the region, I bought their liquid jax wax cherry wax. To say the least, I wasn't impressed. The H20 G&G left more of a shine to the paint as well as a smoothness to it. The cherry wax just didn't add much shine or anything to it.

 

Thinking of trying adams buttery wax...I'm not 100% sure which would be best for the blue paint. I do know it needs to be polished for it has some fine swirls (not horrific, but they're there) and would really want this blue to pop again so I can properly take care of the paint afterwards. Any input?

 

The LSP (Last Step Product) is up to you, any of Adam's waxes or LPS will work fine.  I would recommend adding BG to the paint before applying the wax.  BG really gives some 'pop' to medium and darker colors.  I apply it to all the show cars and garage queens I do, and the owners love how it makes the paint look!

That being said, the Americana Shine Kit maybe something you want to consider.  The Americana wax is not cheap, but it lasts a long, long time. 

[JDrach]

Yea it would all depend on how much paint correction I need in the first place. I guess I was just a little upset over the quality of jax wax that I'm unsure on how much of a shine the buttery wax will give. I will for sure want to use brilliant glaze and a sealant, but want to correct the paint first. 

[vobro]

The most noticeable change in gloss,clarity and depth will come from polishing. Even if you have minor swirls the polish step will also clean your paint. Buttery wax is "shiny" and so is the Sealant.

[LT1xL82]

...The Americana wax is not cheap, but it lasts a long, long time. 

 How does Patriot compare?

[JDrach]

If the american wax is like 30$ more than buttery and lasts just as long and provides a better shine, I might just pick that up instead. I love detailing so I wouldn't mind applying every month or so. But I will have to polish the car then...

I have access to a rotatory buffer, so I might use that to save money. I know it's alot quicker and can heat up quickly. I did have some success with an unknown foam pad and meguires ultimate compound/polish. Thinking of either doing the 2 step paint correction with the same rotatory buffer and correct pads, or doing it by hand with the ez grip pads.

[Ricky Bobby]

How does Patriot compare?

Patriot applies easier on and off than Americana but lasts a bit less. Provides more wet look shine than Americana as well.

 

So say if you can get 3-4 months out of Americana you probably can get 2-3 from a coat of Patriot. Since the prices are so similar go with what your wallet can afford but Patriot is no joke and worth every penny over Americana, and Americana is a great wax.

[LT1xL82]

I plan to give Patriot a try.

 

The car is "quasi garage queen" with Xpel Ultimate. I'm thinking the Crystal Red Metallic may respond well to Patriot even being covered with the paint protection film. (Paint Sealant did basically nothing.)

 

I'm also going to do a test area with Brilliant Glaze.

[JDrach]

My question is: Should I attempt the 2 step process with the Orange and White pad on the rotatory or shell out some cash for a PC? All these products will add up, and the PC is around 150$ alone. 

[mc2hill]

My question is: Should I attempt the 2 step process with the Orange and White pad on the rotatory or shell out some cash for a PC? All these products will add up, and the PC is around 150$ alone. 

 

If you are experienced with a rotary, and can finish it down with the PFP + white pads, then go for it!  No need to get a PC, unless you need it for tight areas, or it's other uses.

[James__]

But if you are inexperienced with a rotary, the PC plus the products could easily wind up being the lesser expense.

[JDrach]

I used it on the hood of my car and didnt end up with holograms or burning the paint. I did see some results, but Im sure the unknown random foam pad could have held me back in results.