What is your favorite wheel cleaner & tire dressing?

FrankS

FrankS

Active member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
1,560
Reaction score
0
So many choices on AG site for a beginner. I'm looking for a good wheel cleaner that can be used for all types of wheels and a good tire dressing, and a good method to apply the tire dressing.
 
I really like opti bond tire gel applyed with a foam block. For cleaning the wheels I use car shampoo and water for light cleaning and then chemical guys diablo wheel gel for heavier cleaning. I fund both to work well and be of good value
 
+1 for opti-bond. Still playing with wheel cleaners to see what I like.
 
CG Diablo for the wheels and Tuf Shine tire clearcoat on the rubber.
 
For lightly soiled wheels: car soap (I prefer Optimum car wash) and a dedicated MF mitt

For wheels with more dirt and brake dust: Megs D103 APC+ (10:1 or 4:1 depending on how filthy - CarPro Trix is on my wish list)

Tires: CarPro PERL undiluted
 
Anyone like Megs Tire and Trim Gel?

I'm using 303, Perl and CG VRP and while I like all 3, I'm thinking of trying something thicker.
 
Tuf Shine blows every other tire shine out of the water, period.
 
Wheel cleaner - Duragloss All Wheel Cleaner.

Tire Dressing - PERL or Tuffshine.
 
wheel cleaner - I don't need nothing more than soap and water due to my wheels being opticoated . other vehicles get sonax full effect and IX paste if really neglected , for general cleaning - whatever I got dp cleanse all exterior cleaner - cg diablo - pb spray and rinse

tire dressing - optibond 1:1
 
Soap and water for my wheels will always do it. Tire dressing is auto finesse satin right now but if you can get clean enough tires then there isn't a better option than tuf
 
303 leaves the rubber looking new, but natural...I don't like my tires all shiny. For wheels, I leave them for last and use the same soap&water as the rest of the car, with a dedicated brush...On my BMW I'll spray first with Eagle brand (Yes Eagle) wheel cleaner to help with the brake dust. Wheel cleaner is not cheap, and one bottle usually only does 2-3 washes. If I had really nice wheels, I might choose more carefully

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using AG Online
 
Anyone used opti-bond and perl? If so how do they compare?

Currently I use Megs hyper dressing and CG clear gel.

HD is no good for winter and find the CG does not spread as well as I would like on application

Sent from my GT-N7100 using AG Online
 
Make it easy on yourself and go to your local WalMart where you can find Mother's Foaming Wheel and Tire Cleaner for about six bucks. It has two main benefits - it cleans both tires and wheels and you don't have to worry about what kind of wheels you have as it is compatible with all of them. Most of the time a good hose off is all that is required but heavily soiled areas will benefit from a light brushing. You will use a lot of product but it is cheap.

While you are there pick up some Meg's Endurance tire gel. It gives a long lasting glossy finish that is a snap to apply with any kind of applicator or brush. It will not sling if you let it dry properly.

These products perform very well, are inexpensive compared to many internet only brands and can be found locally, not only at WalMart but virtually any auto supply and even discount department stores. To me, that convenience is worth a lot.

Having said this, if you are ordering other stuff off the internet anyway then CG's Diablo is a good product and has the benefit of being able to be diluted to match your need and certainly worth a try, along with BlackFire's Total Eclipse tire gel if you prefer a matte rather than glossy look. If you do like your tires to have more shine, simply add another coat or two of Eclipse.
 
faulksy said:
Anyone used opti-bond and perl? If so how do they compare?
Click to expand...

PERL (undiluted) is more shiny and lasts longer. On my tires, opti-bond looks shiny for a day or two. PERL is shiny for at least a week.

Additional applications of PERL add gloss and make the shine last longer (3-4 weeks for me). Multiple coats of Opti-Bond don't seem to do much and is a waste of product IMO.
 
Soap and water for wheels, no need for dedicated wheel cleaners.

As for dressing, PERL 100% of the way for me.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snLGFwmTav0]Best Tire Dressing - CarPro PERL - YouTube[/video]
 
I use Chemical Guys signature wheel cleaner (buy it by the gallon to save) I use 3:1 for dirty wheels or 4:1 for maintenance.

and for the tires I use Chemical Guys V.R.P
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top