JFTaylor

#1. What are you folks doing to protect and shine your wheels? I’ve seen posts complaining about polished wheels being too dull. Personally, I like the look. I understand that the wheels are clear coated. Should they be Zainoed like the rest of the car? I saw a product that’s a sealant called Auto Wheel Wax at http://www.alloywheelwax.com/. It’s an off shoot of Tough-Seal like Tough-Guard. Like all makers, they make great claims of keeping break dust off for 3 mos. etc. It’s about $28 plus shipping from the UK. I already have the Zaino, thanks to several discussions on this forum and plan to do the Magic this weekend. Any thoughts or suggestions?
#2. What type of Tire Shine do you recommended? I’ve always used Armor All, Son-of-a-Gun, or Black Magic. Stoner looks good though. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance. JT in VA Bch

Weasel

Both painted and polished, which is cleared, should be Zainoed.

seibert1814

I've tried every tire dressing/treatment in the book. Go to www.supershinedetail.com and you will find the BEST tire dressing there is.

Kaosinla

C6Witch

Zaino for sure...

c6nut

I use Zaino. It is the best.
http://www.zainostore.com/

Epro

I take good care of my (parents) Impala. I usually armour all the entire inside every 2 or 3 weeks. And wash it with a non scratch brush (forget the name) and a water bucket with armour all car wash added in. Now for a wax job, I don't wax it much >.< I like to use the turtle stuff though.

LS WON

How does Klasse AIO and Sealant compare. it is very similiar to Zaino but with less steps with same results.

LS WON

So what car wash product is recommended? Exclude Zaino because it has its own car wash.

Killrwheels

It provides the same protection and benefits as Zaino does. I use just Klasse AIO on my chromies since new , because it has a chemical cleaner not just a protectant included.

Never found anything that truly did NOT allow brake dust to settle, just some sealants that make it easier to remove. Putting on Baer Eradispeeds and ceramic brake pads made a world of difference though.

TOGWT

Quote: #2. What type of Tire Shine do you recommended? I’ve always used Armor All, Son-of-a-Gun, or Black Magic. Stoner looks good though. Any suggestions?

~One man’s opinion / observations~

Tyre (Rubber) Cleaner:
For any type of protect ant to work well on rubber first remove any brake dust, road tar, grease and grime, wax and dead rubber from the surface to properly clean it. 3M Tire and Wheel cleaner quickly and safely clean wheels and tires in one easy step. Leaving tyres and wheel surfaces with a brilliant shine, cleaning the toughest scuffs and soil from sidewalls.

Tyre Dressings:
The porous nature of rubber and polymers attracts dirt, dust, and brake dust and road grime, for any tyre protect ant to work well on rubber it must be applied to a clean surface. A rubber cleaner (3M Tire & Wheel Cleaner PN 39096) will remove old dressing, any dead rubber and properly prepare your tyre for the application of a protect ant. Spray cleaner on to a clean surface, agitate with a stiff tyre brush, rinse and apply a tyre dressing

The Good: Water based dressings- Polydimethylsiloxane (usually a milky-white liquid) does not contain silicone oils, petroleum distillates, waxes, or solvents that can harm rubber and / or vinyl over time. Most water-based dressings use a combination of natural oils to offer a non-greasy, satin finish. Most of these products also contain UV blocking agents to help keep tires from cracking, fading and hardening. Most, if not all water-based dressings are biodegradable, whereas Silicone is not.

The Bad: Silicone-based dressings- Dimethyl Silicone (usually a clear greasy liquid) contains petroleum distillates as a cleaning agent. The difference is in the carrier system used. Solvent based products use a hydrocarbon solvent to suspend the product. When you apply it, the solvent evaporates leaving the dressing's active ingredients (Silicone oil) behind. Some bottles have a warning that they contain Petroleum Distillates

The Ugly: Silicone is an active ingredient in sun UV amplification. As a low quality silicone dressing evaporates away, the silicone oil is left behind, the sun then amplifies these residues, and the drying process is accelerated.

~Hope this helps~

Knowledge unshared is experience wasted [each one / teach one]
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ JonM

LS WON

How about 303 protectant for the tires and interior?

skybolt31

In my opinion the best tire care procduct is black shoe polish. I use paste unless the tires have a lot of detail, then a liquid is easier. Put on as many coats as necesary to get an even finish and let it dry, then shine it up with a shoe brush. After you have washed the car, no need to reapply, just hit it with the shoe brush again. Little more work initially, but in the long run, I think it is easier. It will leave your tires with a rich satin lustre that basically makes them look like they are new and last much much longer than any of the regularly available dressings.

Your mileage may vary............

JFTaylor

Thanks Jon, Great info. JT

TOGWT

~One man’s opinion / observations~

Most shoe polishes are formulated with either beeswax (melting point 130oF) or carnauba wax (melting point 180oF) I would seriously question “last much, much longer than any of the regularly available dressings”.

(as a side note most shoe polish use silicone) Dimethyl, it contains petroleum distillates which are environmentally unsound and give a slick, oily finish, which attracts dust and dirt. It also causes rubber compounds along with sun iteration to remove the micro-wax in tyres as well as its carbon black (it's what gives tyres their colour)

~Hope this helps~

Knowledge unshared is experience wasted [each one / teach one]
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ JonM

C5corvetteman

As you can see, there are many great suggestions on your thread. Sooooo, I thought I would add my $0.02 worth.

I have high polish aluminum rims and use Mother's chrome finish on them. It is a bit runny, but I put it on with my fingers. I squeeze the liquid into the palm of my hand and then take my other hand and fingers and apply all over the rims. Let dry for about 1/2 hour or longer.....then wipe away with a old 100% cotton towel. Excellent shine.

On my tires, I use NXT Vinyl, Rubber, Platic spray. I spray it on after I have applied the Mother's chrome finish and it has had time to dry. When you spray it on the rubber tires, you will have some spray on your rims. Let stand for about 1/2 hour then wipe away the excess, or you can spray it on a form applicator or rag and applie it to the tire itself. Either way, it leaves a great shine and you do not have any that will "sling" onto the body.

skybolt31

Well I suppose I would question it too except for I have been using it for the past 25 years and have tried many alternatives looking for an easier way to do it. I like your theory, but I am happier with my empirical data.

ZaneO

Sounds like you haven't tried any quality dressings.

skybolt31

No doubt about that!

ZaneO

You might be interested in Zaino Z16 and/or Poorboy's dressings.