Review, Comparison And Testing: Carpro PERL and Ultima Tire And Trim Guard Plus

[Marc08EX]

Review, Comparison And Testing: Carpro PERL and Ultima Tire And Trim Guard Plus

PERL Coat Plastic & Rubber Protectant, vinyl and rubber dressing, interior protectant
Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus, tire & trim protectant, tire dressing, rubber protectant

***I won't copy and paste the product description anymore. If you'd like to see them, you can directly go to the product page.

Price:

Carpro PERL:
$15.99 for 500mL
$24.99 for 1L

Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus:
$31.99 for 12oz.

Introduction:

I don't know about you but I extremely hate dressing my trim and tires. When I first started cleaning cars, I was mainly using Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel. Yes it made tires look shiny but man it was such a PITA to clean! And if you got your wash mitt or microfiber towel in contact with that stuff, man you'll have a hard time getting that stuff out. Not only that but it takes so much time to clean and dress trim and tires. You also have to be careful not to get it in contact with your paint and wheels. This is why I rarely dress my tire and trim. Sometimes, I only dress my tires when they are about to turn brown LOL! I also dress my tires/trim whenever I do a full detail because undressed trim/tires is such an eyesore on a perfectly shiny car.

I have since transitioned to water-based dressings. Yes they don't last as long as other types of dressings but man, it's so much easier to clean. I've only had Meguiar's Hyper Dressing and I love that stuff. When I got the Carpro PERL and UTTG+, I didn't know they were both water-based dressings. So SCORE!!! Can't wait to try something else out especially these 2 because I've heard so many good things about them.

The Review:

Here's a picture of the product description and instructions:

Both products really caught my attention. UTTG+ says it lasts for months and Carpro PERL says it lasts up to 3 months. I was extremely intrigued! I don't think trim dressings will survive that long in this hot desert heat. So if these 2 products survive our brutal heat and UV for at least a month, I think we have a winner.

I also read that UTTG+ says it dries to the touch. I like that in trim dressings so I'll be testing that out as well. I wish Carpro PERL said the same..

So to prep the side skirt plastic trim piece and tires, I used Meguiar's APC to clean them.

Spraying APC:

Brushing Tire:

Cleaning Plastic Side Skirt:

For the side mirrors and the wiper cowl, I just washed them with Meguiar's Gold Class shampoo as I was washing the entire car...

This is how a clean and bare tire/trim looks:

Clean tire:

Clean side skirt:

For this test, I used completely new foam applicators. I also used the same kind for both just to keep a level playing field. I understand that PERL suggested to use a dilution of 1:3 for external plastics but I didn't want to make a separate container for this. And I also wanted to use full strength on the tires so I said I'll do the same on the exterior plastics..

So I applied UTTG+ on the passenger side and Carpro PERL on the driver side wherever I'm applying it. Both the wiper cowl and the side skirts have untreated (control) sections. That way we can see if the dressing has evaporated completely or something.

Here's a picture of how each product looks when put in the foam applicator:

Here are some after pictures of different areas of the car I applied the dressing to:

Wiper Cowl (I waited 15 minutes to apply the 2nd coat):

Wiper Cowl - UTTG+ Side:

Wiper Cowl - PERL Side:

Side Skirt - UTTG+ Side:

Side Skirt - PERL Side:

Side Mirror - UTTG+ Side:

Side Mirror - PERL Side: (I may have over applied here LOL!)

Tire - UTTG+ Side:

Tire - PERL Side:

Most of the pictures you saw so far were taken when the car was inside the garage. I also took some shots when the car was outside under the sun to show you the gloss levels of each product.

Tire & Side Skirt - UTTG+ Side:

Tire & Side Skirt - PERL Side:

Wiper Cowl - UTTG+ Side:

Wiper Cowl - PERL Side:

***Most of these pictures were taken with the same lighting condition. For example, when I took the tire/side skirt picture under the sun. I flipped the car around so that the sun was behind me on both sides.

I will test the longevity and durability of both dressings. I will take daily pictures of the sections where the dressings were applied as shown in this review. I will drive the car every day to work and take pictures every day. I will also update the number of miles driven after each day but I don't drive much. However, the car will sit under the scorching AZ sun all day.

Thoughts & Observations:

- Smell: UTTG+ had an unpleasant smell IMO. It smelled chemical like. I don't know exactly what it smelled like but I didn't enjoy it. On the other hand, Carpro PERL had a very nice smell to it. It was fruity like. Maybe coconut smell? I'm not sure.
- Ease of application: UTTG+ was very hard to spread. The product seems to dry up very quickly and I find myself wanting to re-apply product to the applicator often. In addition, I had some difficulty making my application even on the plastic. I had to come back and touch up some areas that seem like it didn't have much dressing on it. Carpro PERL was the complete opposite. PERL was extremely easy to spread. A little goes a long way.
- Shine: UTTG+ has more of a matte finish. It definitely darkens the trim but doesn't produce a glossy surface. I think this has something to do with the product drying to the touch. I'm perfectly fine using this product on plastic trim but I wouldn't use this product on tires. It darkened the tires but there is absolutely no gloss on it. I like gloss on my tires. As you can see above, it didn't leave any shine behind. Carpro PERL was extremely shiny undiluted. It's perfect for what I want with tires but I think it's over the top on exterior plastic trim. But hey, the manufacturer suggested using a 1:3 dilution so I'm now following the manufacturer's recommendation.
- Durability: Testing is still on-going.
- Price: UTTG+ is very expensive at $32 for 12oz. It also doesn't bode well that I seem to want to use more product.. PERL is very economical. It's $16 for a 500mL bottle and you can dilute it!

Conclusion:

Both are extremely nice trim/tire dressings. You can't go wrong with either one of them. But if I had to choose, I'd have to go with Carpro PERL. It's more economical, can be diluted, easier to use and produces a glossy surface. Some people may not like too much gloss but you can tone this down by diluting the product with water. It's so versatile!

Now, if UTTG+ lasts a lot longer than PERL then it might even things out. So stay tuned for durability results!!!

Hope you enjoyed this review. Comments are appreciated and criticisms are welcome.

 

[fly07sti]

Nice job Marc. Subscribed!

 

[Rsurfer]

Nice review. I wished you had wiped down the trim with IPA after using the APC, to be sure you left nothing behind to disturb the bonding of the dressing. You did a great job however.rops:

 

[281]

Very nice!

 

[VISITOR]

Conclusion:

Both are extremely nice trim/tire dressings. You can't go wrong with either one of them. But if I had to choose, I'd have to go with Carpro PERL. It's more economical, can be diluted, easier to use and produces a glossy surface. Some people may not like too much gloss but you can tone this down by diluting the product with water. It's so versatile!

thanks for the lengthy review, I have to agree, PERL is fantastic! :xyxthumbs:

 

[Jaretr1]

I will be surprised if UTTG doesnt outlast PERL by a very long time. I tried PERL on some trim and it didnt last long at all.

As far smell of UTTG, part of the mantra of the Ultima brand is they do not add anything in their products that doesn't have something to do with the products performance. There are never any dies or fragrances added, which is why most of their products have a chemical smell. Interestingly, I dont think PERL has any fragrances added either, it just happens to smell better.

 

[Marc08EX]

Nice job Marc. Subscribed!

Thanks Don! Will keep you guys posted.

Nice review. I wished you had wiped down the trim with IPA after using the APC, to be sure you left nothing behind to disturb the bonding of the dressing. You did a great job however.rops:

Thanks a lot, Rsurfer!

Very nice!

Thanks James!

thanks for the lengthy review, I have to agree, PERL is fantastic! :xyxthumbs:

Thank you, VISITOR!

I will be surprised if UTTG doesnt outlast PERL by a very long time. I tried PERL on some trim and it didnt last long at all.

As far smell of UTTG, part of the mantra of the Ultima brand is they do not add anything in their products that doesn't have something to do with the products performance. There are never any dies or fragrances added, which is why most of their products have a chemical smell. Interestingly, I dont think PERL has any fragrances added either, it just happens to smell better.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Jaret.

 

[Sicoupe]

awesome write up Marc! thanks for sharing.

 

[Pats300zx]

Awesome comparison Marc. Subscribed for updates !!!

 

[jrs1418]

I predict the future: PERL will be gone or mostly gone after the first hard rain. UTTG will remain for about 1-2 months.

Try diluting UTTG 50:50 with water and shake well. This helps it spread a lot easier and thinner. 2 coats of this made my tires semi-gloss, which is what i like. 3 coats and it would have been pretty glossy.

The only thing i dont like about UTTG right now is that even though it dries to the touch, it collects dust initially until it wears off a bit. Then it'll still bead water for quite a while.

I use PERL exclusively on interiors and engine bays at a 1:3 mix ratio and it lasts a long time when there's no rain hitting it. I just wish it would lay down more smoothly and evenly.. on some interior leathers and panels it dries unevenly, you kinda need to buff it afterwards to even it out.

 

[Angus]

Good review! UTTG+ is for me being more of a matte finish tire dressing sort of guy. But it's still extremely valuable to know how shiny PEARL "neat" looks like.

I've also found UTTG+ a pain to spread and recommend using a Carrand Tire Brush over a sponge type applicator.

 

[spewking]

Any opinion that the new version of UTTG+ is less desirable in performance, ease of use, and durability than the previous version? That's the rumor I'm hearing.

I am both a UTTG and Perl fan...have used both on tires successfully with the nod going to Perl.

I really like the full line of Ultima products, especially the car wash and UIPG. I hope the UTTG+ situation improves.

 

[AZ Mike]

Great review. i am looking forward to your opinions on the durability.

 

[Marc08EX]

awesome write up Marc! thanks for sharing.

Thanks a lot, Kyle!!! It was my pleasure.

Awesome comparison Marc. Subscribed for updates !!!

Thank you so much, Pat! Will keep everyone posted.

I predict the future: PERL will be gone or mostly gone after the first hard rain. UTTG will remain for about 1-2 months.

Try diluting UTTG 50:50 with water and shake well. This helps it spread a lot easier and thinner. 2 coats of this made my tires semi-gloss, which is what i like. 3 coats and it would have been pretty glossy.

The only thing i dont like about UTTG right now is that even though it dries to the touch, it collects dust initially until it wears off a bit. Then it'll still bead water for quite a while.

I use PERL exclusively on interiors and engine bays at a 1:3 mix ratio and it lasts a long time when there's no rain hitting it. I just wish it would lay down more smoothly and evenly.. on some interior leathers and panels it dries unevenly, you kinda need to buff it afterwards to even it out.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Good review! UTTG+ is for me being more of a matte finish tire dressing sort of guy. But it's still extremely valuable to know how shiny PEARL "neat" looks like.

I've also found UTTG+ a pain to spread and recommend using a Carrand Tire Brush over a sponge type applicator.

Thank you so much, Angus! I totally agree with all your findings.

Great review. i am looking forward to your opinions on the durability.

Thank you, Mike! I'm looking forward to my findings as well. Will keep you posted.

 

[RMM]

Great review! Thank you very much. Looking forward for the follow-up! :dblthumb2:

I have and use both:
- PERL I mainly use (neat) for tires: nice finish and durability;
- UTTG+ (I still have the solvent based version) I absolutely love. It has tremendous durability and a very nice finish (I use in everything except tires because I think it is a waste of product...)

 

[Marc08EX]

Great review! Thank you very much. Looking forward for the follow-up! :dblthumb2:

I have and use both:
- PERL I mainly use (neat) for tires: nice finish and durability;
- UTTG+ (I still have the solvent based version) I absolutely love. It has tremendous durability and a very nice finish (I use in everything except tires because I think it is a waste of product...)

Thank you so much RMM!!!

 

[Marc08EX]

1 WEEK UPDATE!!!

I took pictures when I got home each day. I backed the car in the garage so the light was coming into the front end of the car. I tried to keep external variables as constant as possible. I drove approximately 10 miles each day and the car was parked outside the entire day under the scorching desert sun.

Pictures will be grouped each day in the following order:

1. UTTG Cowl
2. PERL Cowl
3. UTTG Side Mirror
4. PERL Side Mirror
5. UTTG Tire
6. PERL Tire
7. UTTG Side Skirt
8. PERL Side Skirt

Without further ado, here are the pictures!

DAY 1:

DAY 2:

I didn't drive that day so there is no update.

DAY 3:

DAY 4:

DAY 5:

I took some extra sun shots at the end of day 5.

UTTG Tire/Side Skirt:

PERL Tire/Side Skirt:

Here's the cowl under the sun. I was surprised at the dust difference between the two products. Not only that but I as even more surprised which product attracted more dust!!!

Observations so far:

• The shine of PERL on the tire quickly went away. But it was still black throughout the entire week. I totally understand this given how much brake dust and dust/debris the tires make contact with. Just don't expect the shine to last long on tires with PERL. UTTG+ on the tire wasn't anything impressive from the get go so that side didn't really matter.
• Applying a second coat on exterior trim seems to make it look darker / more dressed than the section with only 1 coat. But the difference is minimal. I don't plan on applying a second coat myself when I continue using these dressings.
• UTTG+ seems to attract more dust than PERL. A LOT more... I was SHOCKED. I found this very surprising because UTTG+ is supposed to dry to the touch. Originally, I thought PERL would attract more dust because I seemed to applied it heavy and the product didn't say it dries to the touch.
• Durability on exterior trim is very good after a week. Given how it didn't degrade too much, I can believe how this dressing would last for months. But I don't know how these would fare after a rain storm or after washing the car. I will give another update whichever I encounter first (rain or wash).

I'm thinking I won't wash my car for 3 or 4 weeks. If I last that long without the itch of washing it, I will give another update then.

 

[fly07sti]

Thanks for the update. I to am surprised at how much dust Ultima attracted.

 

[Marc08EX]

Thanks for the update. I to am surprised at how much dust Ultima attracted.

It's my pleasure Don! Thanks for the comment. :xyxthumbs:

You can also see that the protectant on the UTTG+ side skirt seems lighter than the PERL side.

Hope this helped.

 

[Marc08EX]

1 Month Update:

UTTG Cowl:

Perl Cowl:

Dust accumulation for both UTTG/Perl:

UTTG Side Skirt:

Perl Side Skirt:

I didn't even bother taking pictures of the UTTG on the tires because there wasn't really much difference.

Perl Front Tires (produces brake dust):

Perl Rear Tires (no brake dust):

As you can see in the pictures, both UTTG and Perl held up after a month under the hot Arizona sun. I'm guessing that these trim products will hold up for a long time so long as it doesn't make any contact with water. You can also see how the Perl looks amazing on tires especially on the one that doesn't get any brake dust. Both products attract dust but UTTG attracts a lot more.

After Washing:

When I was washing the UTTG sections, my wash mitt was turning black. The dirt felt very sticky and it was very hard to remove from the mitt. The Perl section turned grey but it wasn't bad. But more importantly, it washed off easily from the wash mitt.

The only good thing about UTTG was that it held up very well from washing. It looked like it was never degraded at all. Perl degraded quite a bit from the wash.

Conclusion:

Overall, I'll pick Perl over UTTG. Even though it gets washed off, I'd rather re-apply Perl after every wash as opposed to getting my wash mitt stained with the sticky goo UTTG attracts. And so long as you don't make contact with water, they will hold up pretty long. Perl also attracts less dust.