Comparing Quick Detailing Potions

Hello Folks,

Introduction

It's my belief that if I were to ask 50 people to describe what a QD is, or
what they expect a QD to do, I'd get 50 vastly different answers. The list of
expectations from a QD seems to be as vast as the range of products that
are described as being QDs.

For me, a QD product helps fill the void when waxing is too much and just a
quick wash is not enough. When you've got some cherished metal to care
for, the simplicity of an ONR wash can just be too simple or plain too quick!
In the back of your mind is a desire for a slickness of feel, or perhaps the
sheer reflective beauty of that "just waxed" look. Of course, it's all marketing
BS and just another method of parting us from our hard-earned. Or is it?

Well, if you're wondering how badly I've been bitten by this bug, the number
of QD products I've tried is fairly extensive. There are a number of products
that are described as QDs but are in fact Waterless Wash & Wax potions.
They don't make it to this list.

Optimum No Rinse - Wash & Shine - ONR

I know that I've often written about ONR, so not a lot more to say here. I
often refer to it at "QD strength", but to me this product firmly remains in the
cleaners category. To my mind, far too much is made of the polymer coating
left behind by ONR. When you consider the dilutions that are involved;
at 32:1 or more, it doesn't really qualify as a QD.

If it's mostly the cleaning ability that you seek from a QD, then ONR will top
the list. The way it deals with bird lime and little bits of mud splatter makes
it my goto in a "gentle" cleaning regime.

Serious Performance Ultra Gloss Show Detailer - SPSD

This product was a revelation when I first tried it out. One reviewer had
even tried applying a second coat, not long after the first. This despite
his "Wow!" reaction to that first coat! With most other QDs where I've
tried this trick, the result has been little or no difference.

Whether you apply one coat or two, the slickness that's left behind is
just sublime. Everyone to whom I've privately recommended SPSD has
reported a wow factor! When it comes to the "just waxed" look, it has
usurped my previous QD favourite, the next product down.

Finish Kare #425 - FK#425

When it comes to raw slickness, shine and ease of application, then FK425
really takes some beating. However, it is far too easy to over apply it, and
the moment you do, you work against yourself. The smearing will be a
salutory lesson, though the parsimonious use makes it very good value.

On a squeaky clean car, and using a plush MF towel, you should have enough
on the cloth from doing a horizontal surface to also do the verticals. I will
often do the front wings immediately after wiping the spray off each side of
the bonnet; similar thing with the roof and doors. The rear wings may just
get a nominal spraying because I'll tackle the rear valance with the residue
from the boot lid.

The finish is very satisfying indeed!

Optimum Instant Detailer - OID

I feel a little ambivalent about using this product outside on my silver flake.
My experience was that it dulled the flake-pop somewhat. The fact that you
dilute the bottle contents @ 3:1 makes this product very good value though.

For a QD to tackle interior plastics, door cards etc., it's unbeatable! The faint
bubble-gum smell is pleasant rather than overpowering. I'm not sure that I
want constant olfactory reminders of how clean the plastic is. I'm far more
keen on the subtlety of interior aromas, and OID fits the bill perfectly.

What I've found though is that I have a preference for the more versatile
products. So, the OID will not be replenished, simply because I've found
that FK #108AS, which does my tyres and plastic trim on the outside, also
performs brilliantly on the rubber, plastics and indeed the leather on the
inside, not forgetting all the bits and bobs under the bonnet.

Optimum Car Wax - OCW

Yeah, I know, it's not strictly a QD. However, if you want to apply a wax in
as quickly as it takes to apply a QD, this product will never disappoint. The
longevity of this product has never been tested by me, mostly because the
joy of using it and the finish it brings dictates more regular use.

OK, I'll readily admit to being an Optimum whore, but when products go on
that easily, and perform to every possible expectation, their place as one
of the first to reach for products is fully justified. I could wax lyrical...

SwissVax QD

This product was a tempter into purchasing a magazine subscription almost
2 years ago. As a QD product it's pretty special and my use of it is only
ever for high-days and show days. Certainly, I'd accept it willingly as a gift,
but whether or not I'd wave my PayPal toward its outright purchase is quite
another matter.

The time for that test will come when it runs out. However, that won't be
for some while yet because of how little you need to use. One of the most
recent QD's I've purchased has been CG's V7 - and that quite magically
disappears into the paint like nobody's business. By comparison with the
SV QD it could in fact be a more expensive option. The two certainly won't
bear comparison in terms of finish - the SV will win hands-down!

By comparison your perfectly smooth and slick surface will be revealed as
seeming quite rough at the time of application. The SV QD is the only
product that has ever provided an audible squeak on the paint when its
applied directly to the pad, rather than to the paint surface. The only
drawback is that you need to apply it like a wax, even allowing it to haze
a little before you buff off. No spray and wipe here! Needless to say, with
its SV pedigree, the results are worth it!

Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer - UQD

If ever there was a really surprising off-the-shelf product, then Megs UQD
ticks all the boxes. Even though it is an OTS product, it isn't any cheaper
than any specialist product that you buy on-line. Compare it directly to
FK #425 in terms of volume and it's not good value. In terms of performance
though, it does take some beating. If you're a fan of nice tight beads after
a rain shower, this is your product!

Of note is the newly designed spray head on the bottle. It delivers the finest
of sprays so that you can very simply regulate the amount you apply to your
paint. As with any quality product, less is more. However, if you over apply
there isn't so much of a downside. I think you'd probably be quite hard
pressed to make this product streak.

The resulting slickness of the paint may not quite match that of the FK or
even the OID, but don't be fooled into thinking that it isn't much good as a
result. Just like ONR, you're left wondering just how such a fine liquid can
provide that level of protection. Did I mention the beading?

Chemical Guys V7 - CGV7

Although I've already mentioned this product I still think it deserves a place
in a list of favoured products. I have recently replenished my stock of V7 to
give it a fair crack of the whip. What the guys at CG seem to be doing is
challenging all the fairly established practices, such as applying sealant
after a wax rather than before, which in itself is absolutely no bad thing.

The risk is that it could backfire on them. The description of V7 hybrid being
either a QD or a sealant already seems to cause some confusion. At the time
of writing, if I were given a choice twixt V7 and UQD, without question I'd
pick up the UQD. There may be more to V7 than meets the eye, so the
research continues...

Gliptone Body Gloss

Gliptone are probably better known for their leather care products. However,
their range of other car detailing products need not be overlooked. When I
first used the Body Gloss, I was actually quite disappointed. Yes, it left the
paintwork feeling slick enough, but where was that just-waxed look?

Patience my dear fellow, patience. After an hour or so, I came back out to
the car and was quite simply amazed. If you want instant results, then this
stuff isn't for you. However, if it's shine you want and you're prepared to give
the product time to plate out, you won't be disappointed.

It may have been short-lived, but there was also some evidence of it filling
in some of the lighter swirls. It's the same garish colour as the FK425, which
to my mind, still beats it, just.

Lucas Slick Mist

This was just an impulse buy while in the motor factors buying some Greased
Lightning Oil Additive. I'd heard it mentioned previously, and it didn't seem to
disappoint. However, what I found was a very thin liquid that didn't impress
me too much. Unlike the UQD, I think the emphasis on this product leads
toward shine rather than any level of protection. Far too glassy for my taste.

The spray head seems to be deliberately (carelessly) designed to spread the
product all over the place, with little semblance of control for the user. I'm
not about to be bullied into restocking when that tactic is used. Beading was
fairly disappointing and longevity seemed virtually nil. So, at a similar price
point to the UQD, I'd not be too disappointed if it was out of stock.

Conclusions

Well, the first reach QD product for a long while has been the FK #425.
However these days, when it's a just waxed look I'm seeking from a QD,
it's the Serious Performance Show Detailer that I seek out. The whole
range of QD expectations cannot be provided out of one bottle, so the
others in my armoury have their places as described.

There's little to compare to the therapeutic affects of waxing a car and
the "just waxed" look brings another dimension to your efforts when you
stand back and admire the effect. So, the QD product is not necessarily
all marketing hype and it certainly fits the bill when re-applying a paste
wax would just be pure overkill.

The modern market is heading toward QD products that are confusingly
described as "Sealants" - that's where the hype can often mislead and
distinctions between potions become blurred. This applies especially to
products that should be more closely aligned to Waterless Wash & Wax
potions than QDs. In the UK, branding a potion as waterless can still be
marketing suicide.

Regards,
Steve