Are dedicated wheel sealants worth the time/money

Desertnate

Desertnate

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For a vehicle that is well maintained are wheel wax/sealants really worth the time and money?

Right now I hit the wheels on my vehicles with Klasse SG or 845 when doing my seasonal detail. This seems to help them wash up a little easier, but because I keep the wheels pretty clean, I've not paid much attention to how long these products hold up or whether they actually do any good.

It seems there area fair number of products available here at AG that are designed to protect you wheels. Some have longer life span than others by their own admissions. Some products like Prima, Wolf's, and Poorboy's mention being pretty durable, while DP and Wheel Wax mention weekly application or re-applying every encounter with harsh conditions.

I'm not really looking for product recommendations, but just a general feel for whether it's worth my time and money to even bother with this family of products.
 
I don't see much point in them. My wheels come clean with soap and water if cleaned regularly. Why bother adding a coating that won't last.
 
hogie said:
I don't see much point in them. My wheels come clean with soap and water if cleaned regularly. Why bother adding a coating that won't last.
Click to expand...

Because it will keep them looking cleaner for longer without maintenance.
 
I don't think a separate/special product is necessary for wheels (and I finally used up my jar of Pb's Wheel Sealant last year). On the other hand, Opti-Coat is fantastic for wheels.
 
My wheels are painted, I treat them just like any other painted surface on the car.
 
specific wheel sealants are made to withstand the heat and everything wheels have to throw at it though I just use regular sealant followed by old jar of cheap wax after weekly wash
 
Well as far as waxes to wheels. (Sounds like Toys for Tots lol)

I've tried Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax and Collinite 476s on my wheels.

I found the Megs UPW had more gloss after being applied and buffed off compared to 476S.

However, 476s had a great amount of gloss and seemed more durable to me. Also, it seemed to gather up less dust, during my weekly or bi weekly maintenance washes. It also makes cleaning the wheels a lot easier.

Just what I've come to see. I have been wanting to try a wax that is specifically for wheels though, Just to see, so when I do I'll let you guys know my results.
 
Use CarPro HydrO2 for a quick and easy wheel sealant... works great and takes 2 minutes to protect 4 wheels.
 
Here is a couple of ways to look at it:

From a business standpoint: It is a great upsell! You can sell a wheel wax/sealant without lying that it will improve the ease of maintenance and will prolonged how clean the wheels will remain between maintenance. If it is a regular maintenance vehicle for you then you are upselling something that will be a time saver for you in the long run.

From a personal standpoint: The above applies in ease of maintenance.


The real question though is "Do I see value in a dedicated product over what I already have??" Personally I can't see great benefits in a dedicated product. Most often we have soooooo much left over products which end up turning "bad" because we have so many different products on hand, and always buy the "latest and greatest". The cost/benefit ratio just goes out the door when you account for the cost of the products we throw away. Personally I would rather use my high end paint sealant on my wheels even if it is not designed for the heat, exposure to contaminant (from dirty water to break dust) etc... even if I have to reapply often. I would chance that over seeing it being thrown because it spent too much time in the bottle.

Nobody ran any comparison but I would assume that longevity should be very much within the same statistical range. It would make no sense that they would reserve a solid chemical/heat resistant product for the wheels only.
 
jamesboyy said:
specific wheel sealants are made to withstand the heat and everything wheels have to throw at it
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That would be like the heat of a black car in the summer sun? I just don't buy that my wheels are getting any hotter than that.
 
My cars are both coated, I didn't coat them to make it easier but to see how long it will last.

I use Meguiar's Hyper Dressing, easy on and last a week or until you wash it again.

Coatings are nice but nothing looks better than that just dressed tire.

Sent from my LG-D800 using AG Online
 
How much do you guys typically charge for this service and besides CarPro what is a good quality and fairly easy to apply wheel wax/sealant?
 
They are worth it if you can get someone to pay you to apply it to their car. Other than that, OptiCoat.
 
Thank you for all the inputs.

Based on what I'm hearing, I'll gain nothing from going with a dedicated product. I'll just keep my current routine and save the money and shelf space.
 
I've been using Collinite #476 on my wheels w/o a problem.

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
 
I just recently started using wheel wax. Never really saw the need previously since I wash my wheels constantly and soap and water gets them clean.

But I decided to give some wheel wax a go and I'm hooked.

I've been using Auto Finesse Mint Rim wax. It has worked great. Smells great (minty), gives the rims a little shine, and I'm finding less brake dust on them. The brake dust is also coming off a lot easier. So I think it's worth it. At least on your own vehicle :xyxthumbs:

Not sure how long it lasts yet... So far it's holding up well on the truck, and the truck gets driven in very crappy weather.
 
I had been using Collinite on my wheels, both 845 and 476, and was well pleased. Last year I made a package deal for some waxes, which included Finish Kare 1000. Based on its claim of added heat resistance, I tried that on my wheels and found it more durable and more dirt-resistant than Collinite, something I would have never believed possible. I was impressed enough with its performance on my wheels over an entire PA winter, that I just my entire DD with it this past weekend.

Bill
 
jamesboyy said:
specific wheel sealants are made to withstand the heat and everything wheels have to throw at it though I just use regular sealant followed by old jar of cheap wax after weekly wash
Click to expand...
Most of the Wheel-waxes/sealants, and their
double-first Cousins: Paint-waxes/sealants...
are basically the same sh!!t.

Wait a minute...
How about FK1000P Hi-Temp Wax (per: BillyJack's above post); and, something like Nanolex Premium Alloy Sealant?

-Anyway:
I've heard it's hard to beat synthesized diene car-care products, for sealing automotive wheels.


Bob
 
I`ve had many sets of expensive wheels, and used to spend hours removing, thoroughly cleaning, applying paint sealant, then waxing. I tried CarPro Hydr02....and woah! Easy on, easy off. Makes my wheels extra glossy and easy to clean with soap/water. I am on 2 month mark, and they still bead like crazy. I have a Passat with upgraded turbo and goodies as well as upgraded brakes, so they dust a lot. They are easier to clean now than my old way of 2 coats JetSeal 109 topped with wax.
 
Sicktred08fsi said:
I tried CarPro Hydr02....and woah! Easy on, easy off. ....
Click to expand...


You mix this 1:3 and spray it on correct? Sorry if that is an obvious question. Before you apply this do you do anything special prep wise to the wheels besides the obvious thorough cleaning, Iron-x, and drying?
 
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