RAD GARAGE - Rick's Residential Detailing Theatre and Dream Garage
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FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

Oldies but goodies

4/20/2020

 
Hopefully, you had an opportunity to view my most recent YouTube upload titled, "Friday Night Wash" in which I busted out some products I hadn't used in a while. I thought I would share my impressions of these products and I welcome your input. I'll go in the order the products were used and remember that these were products I kept after purging my collection, so they were already high on my list. 

Leno's Garage All Purpose Cleaner
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I only have Adam's rubber cleaning sprays, so when I went hunting for an alternative, the pickings were slim. I used the APC by Leno's and I don't think it is an ideal option for addressing tires, but it got the job done. I prefer more lather from my rubber cleaners and the Leno's just didn't provide the satisfying suds I was after. I see Leno's now offers a dedicated "Rubber and Whitewall Cleaner". 

Leno's Garage Wheel Cleaner
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I am a fan of this wheel cleaner. It has a decent amount of bite needed to break down the brake dust and other aggressive road grime that comes with winter driving. It contains the chemicals that turn iron deposits purple which I find satisfying. It lathers well once activated by the water in the tire brush and always leaves my wheels clean, and it didn't disappoint this time. 

Hyde's Serum Rustopper
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
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The name of this product along with the bottle's appearance reminds me of the products hawked by snake oil salesman in the olden days. It touts itself as a preventative remedy for rusty rotors that occur during the wash process. I sprayed the "serum" on the rotors at the conclusion of the wheel cleaning process. To say this product "stopped" the rusting would be disingenuous. I'd rather drive the car back and forth a couple of times and dust of the rusty fallout than waste my time and money with this product. 

Gyeon Q2M Foam
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
This was a lovely product to work with. It isn't the thickest foam I have ever had the pleasure of using, but it had strong cling and seemed to have the power necessary to lift the dirty layer of grime coating my car. Pressure washing the foam off the paint left the finish virtually clean. I think I could have probably ended the wash at this stage, but I always finish with a traditional bucket wash. I highly recommend Q2M foam for those that like the foam process. 

OBSSSSD Auto Wash Shampoo
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
This soap is quite possibly the most decadent and luxurious car wash soap I have in my arsenal. I used it liberally in the wash bucket, and it was beautiful to use. The lather is thick and it is silky smooth going on. Honestly, I can't see anyone not enjoying this high quality soap. 

Leno's Garage Evaporate
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
Evaporate is a drying aid that helps facilitate a quick towel dry while also leaving the paint finish glossy. Personally, as you saw in the video, I am not a huge fan of using towels to dry my car after a wash. So, I didn't conclude this step because I opted to pull out my Master Blaster air dryer. But, as a drying aid goes, Evaporate is effective. It goes on smooth and buffs off easily. 

Stoner Invisible Glass
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I have been using this aerosol glass cleaner for years and it never disappoints. I will always have a bottle of this stuff on hand because it is easy to use and always gives me flawless results on all glass surfaces. It reminds me of the "Bon Ami" foaming cleaner my Grandpa used in his auto body shop back in the 70's and 80's. Anyone remember that? 

Griot's Garage "Best in Show" Detail Spray
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
This is very similar to Speed Shine which has always been a trusty workhorse in my arsenal. It is the perfect quick detailer. I used it in the door jambs and rear hatch areas and was pleased with how it made those areas shine.

303 Aerospace Protectant
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I absolutely love this stuff. It does such an effective job of cleaning and adding a natural matte finish to the rubber seals and plastic trim pieces. I used it on all the door and window seals along with all the trim around the sunroof. I wiped it on and buffed it off and it left each piece looking new and natural. 

Zaino Z6 Gloss Enhancer
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
This is one of my all-time favorites. To me, it is worth the money for the smell alone. It goes on evenly, never streaks, and leaves the paint looking top notch. I am going to get back to using it on a more regular basis because it always satisfies. 

CarPro PERL
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I sprayed some 1:1 diluted PERL onto a dressing applicator and it didn't absorb into the fabric. It basically ran off. So, I held the trigger right to the applicator to load up the applicator. When I applied the mixture to the tires, it seemed to struggle adhering to the rubber. After numerous back and forth strokes, the tires seemed coated. But the coating was so thin and runny. After waiting a few minutes, which I don' like doing, I wiped away the remaining liquid to reveal a nice looking tire. I will use PERL again, but with no dilution. I'm curious if I will find the application process less frustrating. I'm still on the fence with PERL. 

Leno's Garage Tire Shine
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
The application process of Tire Shine was very similar to that of PERL. I sprayed the liquid onto a foam applicator and brushed it back and forth, and back and forth on the tire until I started to see some adherence. I needed to wipe away the excess liquid with a microfiber and it revealed a nicely dressed tire. 

OBSSSSD Tire Satin Finish 
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
The applicator I used for this one was more absorbent so I think that made the process a bit more satisfying than the previous two. It went on easily and lived up to the "Satin" in its name. After a quick wipe down with a dry microfibre, it left the tire looking matte black. My favorite of the bunch. 

Sprayway High Gloss Tire Cleaner and Protectant
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I have always been a sucker for foaming sprays. Something is so satisfying about seeing it going on in that snowy white manner. Obviously, waiting for the foam to dry challenges one's patience, so after three or four minutes, I removed the remaining foam with a dry MF towel. The think I like about the foam versus the wipe-on products is that the foam penetrates the side wall treads and leaves the entire side profile of the tire looking finished. While I can totally see why many people wouldn't even consider a foam, I have to say I like it. Obviously, you need to take some extra time to wipe the overspray off the wheel, but it's not a deal breaker for me. When you wipe the tire, you can reduce the resulting gloss with pressure until you get the gloss where you want it. 

Zane link
6/29/2022 02:16:44 am

Good reading tthis post


Comments are closed.
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    RAD GARAGE is my personal detailing theatre. I am a teacher who finds immense pleasure in completing deeply therapeutic, thorough and highly satisfying detailing projects in my residential garage. I have converted my suburban double car garage into a world class detailing environment and I enjoy caring for my own car and select cars belonging to others. The garage and the work I complete in it have allowed me to connect with other detailing enthusiasts from around the world. ​
    Contact me

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    I have teamed up with Teespring to offer viewers an opportunity to grab some RAD gear! Click here to see the current inventory of RAD merchandise available at my Teespring store! 
    Use "RAD10" to save yourself 10% until the end of March, 2021. 
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    Carzilla is a local detailing store that caters to the North American community of professional and enthusiast detailers. I have been a longtime customer and I am fortunate to call the owner a friend. Besides stocking a vast quantity of top quality detailing products, the owner has supported various garage and detailing projects of mine over the years.

    5 %   d i s c o u n t   c o d e
    "RADGARAGE"

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    I am able to offer all Canadian detailing pros and enthusiasts a 5% Carzilla discount code. Check out the awesome Carzilla online store here.

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    The team at Annovi Reverberi North America reached out to me and commended my work. They generously offered to supply me with one of their pressure washer systems. I can't express how satisfied I am with the performance of my AR630TSS pressure washer and highly recommend this machine to all enthusiast and professional detailers. If you are considering upgrading your existing pressure washer system, I highly encourage you to price things out over at the Obsessed Garage website. 

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    I have equipped my garage with a variety of LED lighting systems from this family-owned company out of Saskatchewan. They have a variety of garage lighting solutions to fit every need. Be sure to visit their website and use "RAD10" at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.

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    I am proud to rep Obsessed Garage. Click on the banner below to explore the complete OG inventory. By using my affiliate link, any purchases you make will help me equip and enhance my garage. 

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    25¢ per sq ft discount
    "RADGARAGE"

    Swisstrax manufactures the highest quality modular flooring system you can get for your garage. I am able to offer a 25¢ per square foot discount to Canadian friends wanting to install a Swisstrax floor in their garage. Simply reference "RAD GARAGE" in your email or phone call correspondence with the Swisstrax Canada sales staff. 

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    The  expert team at Glove Box curates boxes of high quality products that work together towards a common goal. I highly recommend you check out their website to see the various boxes and purchase options they offer. You can make a one-time purchase of any past or present boxes, or opt for a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription. Whatever option you decide to go with, use "RAD20" to receive 20% off your introductory order. 

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    Adam's is one of my all-time favorite brands of car detailing products. I have made friends with a number of team members and I appreciate the support I have received from them over the years. I have also been fortunate to meet many other Adam's fans from all over the world. Check out the Adam's website here. 

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    If you are in the Calgary or surrounding area and you are looking to have some concrete work completed, I highly recommend reaching out to the team at Concrete Innovations. They did a tremendous job on my garage drainage system. You can save $300 on your own double garage drainage solution by contacting them and telling them I referred you.

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    Tim and his team at Ethos have been hard at work bringing innovation to the detailing industry. I have been fortunate to have received a number of high quality Ethos products and I have found all of them to be highly satisfying. I am a huge fan of this company and their "Defy" ceramic protectant spray is one of my all time favourite products. 

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    Tunerworks is a performance-minded automotive service centre located in Calgary. It is my go-to source for wheels and tires and all other things automotive. If you are interested in connecting with the team at Tunerworks to see how you can improve your car's appearance and/or performance, give the team a call at 403.398.9833 and tell them Rick sent you. 

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    A few years ago, a Quickjack representative reached out to me because I had mentioned on this blog that I was looking for some sort of lift system. We corresponded back and forth and I ended up receiving a sweetheart deal on a QuickJack BL-5000 SLX lift system. I immediately fell in love with it. I sent the team at Ranger Products a variety of photos of the lift in action in my garage and they have featured them in various online ads, including the US and Canada Costco websites.
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    TRITON DOOR SERVICES
    Triton is owned and operated by Mike Awada and he is a highly skilled and experienced garage door technician. I highly recommend reaching out to Mike if you have any garage door concerns or if you are interested in upgrading your home's garage door and/or door opener system. 
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    The team at Auto Shield Canada has been extremely supportive of me and my detailing pursuits. They have provided me with samples of their graphene coating and even gone to the lengths of helping me apply it on a friend's 2008 RS4. I look forward to watching this company make deeper inroads into the market with their high quality coatings. 

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    The team at Lithium Auto Care has been highly supportive of me and my detailing hobby by sending me a number of samples in exchange for my feedback. I have been very impressed with the products I have tried and I have been even more impressed by the quality of service they have provided me. 

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    Extra Tough is a highly effective and versatile all-purpose cleaner. The team at Extra Tough sent me two complimentary gallons of this cleaner and I have used it in a variety of jobs around the garage. Most famously, I used it to deeply clean the carpeted wheel arches of a pristine Misano Red RS5. It is available through their website. 

    CROWN RALLY 8
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    I was fortunate to have been invited to participate in the 8th edition of the Crown Rally. This is a high octane car rally that explores some of the most amazing drives in the Untied States. Click the image above to learn more about this amazing adventure. 

    OTHER RAD FRIENDS

    ​Custom Decals YYC
    Geoff Wilkings Photography
    Glenmore Audi
    ​Kaizen Foam
    Space-Ray Heaters
    ​Tire Rack
    Trek Bicycles
    ​TSW Wheels

    OTHER RAD GARAGES

    In addition to showcasing my own garage, I enjoy sharing other amazing garages. Here are some spaces that I have featured on my blog: 
    Tavin Garage
    Tyson's Acura Museum
    Larry's Charlotte Showroom
    dubber's double
    Chad's "Next" Makeover
    Gully's Dream Garage
    Orland Park Audi Oasis
    Cory's Industrial Arts Studio
    Brynjar's Icelandic Garage
    Pat's Controlled Chaos
    ​Greg & Nancy's Place
    ​Brandon Burrell's Toy House

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