Do you use inexpensive car soap or high end car soap? I think it's crazy that people pay 40-50$ for a gallon of soap. I keep getting tempted to buy Megs. go,d class at costco but then I wonder if it's cheap like kirkland mf towels. I used gold class a long time ago when I started washing my own cars, It was decent nothing special high suds but it didn't feel like it had good lubricity. I think most won't ever use the costco mf towels on their cars but does anyone think they are safe on door jams and wheels?
40$ car soap?
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Finick
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- Jul 31, 2017
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To be fair those are the mf towels I use all the time. I get no marring from them, so I don’t really see a reason or need to pay upwards of like 3 bucks a towel until something changes.
Gold class is good stuff. In my opinion car soap is car soap. Feeling slick doesn’t really mean much to me. Considering ONR feels like it has no slickness to it at all, and I’ve never had any issues washing with it, I’m sure any soap you grab will be fine.
When I use up my gold class I’m going to grab a gallon of hyper wash. I like gold class but I wish they offered a consumer level soap that left nothing behind.
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Gold class is good stuff. In my opinion car soap is car soap. Feeling slick doesn’t really mean much to me. Considering ONR feels like it has no slickness to it at all, and I’ve never had any issues washing with it, I’m sure any soap you grab will be fine.
When I use up my gold class I’m going to grab a gallon of hyper wash. I like gold class but I wish they offered a consumer level soap that left nothing behind.
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VISITOR
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- May 10, 2007
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hyper wash is $26 a gallon (even cheaper when on sale) but you only need 1 ounce per 3-5 gallons of water. so you save money and use less product compared to gold class which is 1 ounce per gallon. i have used several gallons of hyper wash and it cleans well and leaves nothing behind, it's like the johnson's baby shampoo of car care...
RippyD
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- Jan 24, 2016
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Cost isn't always what it seems to be. Megs Gold Class is ~$20 per gallon and dilutes at ratio of 128:1. Carpro Reset is one the more expensive ones: it's $85 for a gallon and dilutes at 500:1. Megs costs $0.16 per gallon of car wash soap when it's diluted. Reset costs $0.17. Cost per gallon isn't really an apples-to-apples comparison.
I'm sure Megs Gold Class is a good car wash soap. If you want more lubricity you could consider something else. And as you can the "expensive" ones aren't necessarily more expensive.
Edit 1: typed Reload when I meant Reset.
Edit 2: Dislike? No offense intended.
I'm sure Megs Gold Class is a good car wash soap. If you want more lubricity you could consider something else. And as you can the "expensive" ones aren't necessarily more expensive.
Edit 1: typed Reload when I meant Reset.
Edit 2: Dislike? No offense intended.
- Thread starter
- #7
Adams car shampoo at 40$ a gallon, Is this a good value? I was given a 16oz bottle to try and if I remember correctly the directions said 2/3 oz into your bucket which I assume would be a five gallon bucket. I used this shampoo 3 times and I have to say it seems like a very nice shampoo I just can't figure out what gave me the gloss and a little slickness the adams shampoo or the ammo hydrate I used as a drying aid? I am currently over hauling my car wash process and trying a bunch of new products as wel,
Finick
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I think that’s a great example of focusing on value. I understand being put off by the high price tag, but sometimes people just forget to math out how much something actually costs to use.
I haven’t noticed anything with my Kirkland mf towels I haven’t noticed with any of the other ones I have. That being said, all of my towels are closed loop. I’m honestly more cautious wiping my paint with a towel with a silk or satin edge than I am the stitched ones, it just seems less ideal.
Gloss enhancers, whatever they may be. It’s not as offensive as a wash and wax style soap by any means, but I like my lsp, so I like to see it’s look without anything altering it.
RippyD
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- Jan 24, 2016
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Not sure. Let's try to find the right ratio and then we can do the math. I'll take a look when the game is over. I would guess it was the after wash product you used that gave you slickness and shine. Trying a lot of different products... sounds familiar.
EDIT: Found it during a commercial. They recommend 2 oz per 5 gallons as a starting point - add more if needed. So that would be 40/128*0.4 = ~$0.13 per gallon. (Divide the price by 128 to get price per oz, then multiply by the oz used per gallon. In this case that's 2/5 or 0.4).
The Guz
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- Jun 17, 2013
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Leaves gloss enhancers which can affect an LSP. Seen it happen.
Justin at Final Inspection
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- Feb 19, 2014
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I use cheep soap for preparing vehicles to be corrected etc.
I use a more pH balance or LSP/coating friendly safe soap for maintenance washes. Something like Mckees 37 Sio2 auto wash or Carpro Reset.
I use a more pH balance or LSP/coating friendly safe soap for maintenance washes. Something like Mckees 37 Sio2 auto wash or Carpro Reset.
MattPersman
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- Apr 27, 2013
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When you try one of the better soaps with the high dilution ratios next time you use a cheaper one you really do feel like you need a ton of soap on comparison
So like above posts the math is what you need to do. Sure it’s expensive on paper but you are using so much less
The ones I have a slight issue with are the ones that have the loose ratio directions. “Just use an ounce or two “
In what ? Per gallon? Per 5 gallon? In foam gun? Willy nilly the amount and use more to buy more sooner ? Under what reasoning would you want double or half the amount ?
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So like above posts the math is what you need to do. Sure it’s expensive on paper but you are using so much less
The ones I have a slight issue with are the ones that have the loose ratio directions. “Just use an ounce or two “
In what ? Per gallon? Per 5 gallon? In foam gun? Willy nilly the amount and use more to buy more sooner ? Under what reasoning would you want double or half the amount ?
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PA DETAILER
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- Mar 5, 2011
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That is why I love HW! The dilution ratio, and it's a great soap!
Eldorado2k
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- Nov 9, 2015
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Nothing wrong with Meguiars Gold Class Car Wash. I used that soap non stop for 15+ yrs. starting with my 1st car and it worked absolutely great, certainly no issues with lack of lubricity or cleaning power, but then again no PH balanced car wash soap serves as a "detergent" so that so called strength is mostly irrelevant for 99% of car wash soaps.
Costco Kirklands don't scratch a dang thing. Not even my old batch of them, which I consider "C" grade towels.
Costco Kirklands don't scratch a dang thing. Not even my old batch of them, which I consider "C" grade towels.
Desertnate
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- Aug 5, 2013
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I used Gold Class for a very long time, but after trying a few others that are only slightly more expensive I'll never go back. I've found some of the others to clean better, lubricate better, and are easy to rinse off to prevent water spots.
I also don't by the gallon any more. The last gallon of Gold Class I bought lasted a very long time, and by the end it had turned into a stiff gelatinous goo that wouldn't dissolve very well. It also didn't clean very well at that point either. I only maintain 3~4 vehicles, so a 32oz bottle of most shampoos will last me 4~6 months. It might be more expensive, but this allows me to always have a fresh bottle on hand and I can try out many different products to see what I like best. It also allows me to have a couple on hand at the same time to use on cars depending on their LSP without taking up huge amounts of space.
I also don't by the gallon any more. The last gallon of Gold Class I bought lasted a very long time, and by the end it had turned into a stiff gelatinous goo that wouldn't dissolve very well. It also didn't clean very well at that point either. I only maintain 3~4 vehicles, so a 32oz bottle of most shampoos will last me 4~6 months. It might be more expensive, but this allows me to always have a fresh bottle on hand and I can try out many different products to see what I like best. It also allows me to have a couple on hand at the same time to use on cars depending on their LSP without taking up huge amounts of space.
DaveT435
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- Jun 23, 2012
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Talking about towels scratching or marring. I'm curious what LSP you use wax, sealant, or coating? While coatings don't offer a huge increase in scratch resistance it's been my experience that they do help prevent light scratching or marring from towels.
mc2hill
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- Feb 19, 2009
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When I do a traditional 2 bucket wash I use one of the $40/gallon soap mentioned in this thread. I find it leaves a slicker finish than the Meg's Gold, but if I was buying OTC I would pick the Meg's Gold. The biggest difference between the two for me is I can let the $40 stuff dry on the paint as I wash the vehicle. Once it is clean, I dunk the cleaned mitt back in the wash solution and 'wash' the car again (wipe 1/2 the car, get more soap and do the other 1/2). After rinsing with a strong spray, then a pool rinse, there are no soap or water spots to mess with.
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goldenlight
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- Mar 25, 2012
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Guest it all comes down to your preference. Meguiars Shampoo Plus works for me..
I don't think the Costco towels are bad for the cost. I don't touch my paint with them but do use them around the interior and on the wheels and under the hood.
Gold class is a solid soap, but I'm not that picky about soaps really as some others have mentioned. I do think hyper wash is a bit better however.
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Gold class is a solid soap, but I'm not that picky about soaps really as some others have mentioned. I do think hyper wash is a bit better however.
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