Tire Dressing questions

[magnus]

I am wondering what the differences between all the different tire dressings or products that can be used as tire diressing.

Here are the different products that I can gather from the different products lines (consumer, professional, detailer). I've put side notes where the catalogs have mentioned a specific detail).

• Gold Class Vinyl/Rubber Protectant (UV protection, non-greasy)
• Natural Shine Vinyl and Rubber Protectant (UV protection)
• Endurace Tire Protectant Gel (showroom or High-Gloss appearance)
• Hot Shine Tire Spray (anti-ozonants, brilliant shine)
• Mirror Glaze Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditionre 40 (UV protection, matte finish)
• Mirror Glaze Tire & Trim Dressing Gel 38 (antiozinate)
• Detailer All Season Dressing
• Detailer Silicone-Free Dressing (silicone-free, deep, rich high gloss)
• Detailer Hyper-Dressing (water-based, variable gloss)
• Detailer Accent Dressing

I've tried the Costco-carried No Touch product with somewhat acceptable results. I was really jazzed about Meguiar's Endurance Gel, but was quickly brought back down when the product turned brown after a few days and was extremely difficult to remove (tried EXTRA and scrub brush at recommendation of customer support, but was unsuccessful). My latest attempt is to use #40, with which I'm happy with the easy removal, matte appearance (not a requirement), and slight UV protection, but not happy with how fast it fades away.

Here is what I would like to know:
I found 10 different tire products. Could some assist in providing a more in-depth look at each product? I am interested in what each does. Some have UV protection (does this include UVA and UVB?) while some don't say. Some are matte, others are high-gloss, some don't specify. Some have a longer 'life' than others.

I think I have a headache now, so a big thank you to whomever can help out!

[Acuracl99]

My new fav tire dressing is all season dressing, its solvent based it dries very fast to a non greasy medium sheen and lasts weeks though puddles and rain and does not sling.

[2000]

some older tires will "soak up" some of the protectant the first couple of times with endurance, I think after a couple of apps that browning that your experincing will go away. I have switched to hot shine, easy to apply and you can tone down the shine with a wipe. I used nxt tech protectant and loved the look. seemed to be ok, not as long lasting as hot shine, but close. I have had the same experence with #40 on the outside, looks great, works great, just doesn't last as long on the outside.
#38 works great, but it is a gel so it's alittle harder to apply, I use it for all my extior trim. I didn't care for natural shine feel, but I only tried it on the inside. haven't used the others. hope that helps.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Tire Dressing questions

Originally posted by magnus
I've tried the Costco-carried No Touch product with somewhat acceptable results.

I was really jazzed about Meguiar's Endurance Gel, but was quickly brought back down when the product turned brown after a few days and was extremely difficult to remove (tried EXTRA and scrub brush at recommendation of customer support, but was unsuccessful).

Meguiar's tire products don't turn tires brown, here some information from Meguiar's FAQ.

1. Which Meguiar's products should I use on my tires?

Most people don't give a lot of thought to their tires except for how they look. Truth be known, your tires are designed to perform under extreme conditions of heat via kinetic energy transfer, high speeds for long periods of time and incredible forces of torque and flexing. That's a lot to ask from a chunk of rubber, inflated with air like a cream filled donut.

The science behind the modern rubber formulas used by major tire manufactures today is both complex and interesting. The rubber itself contains and ingredient called Antiozonant. Antiozonant is an ingredient that helps to prevent the exterior rubber surface from cracking, checking, oxidizing, and deteriorating. The rubber is designed in such a way as to constantly work its way to the outside of the tire and as such, continually replenish the exterior surface with fresh antiozonant.



After the antiozonant works its way to the outside of the tire and is exposed to the ozone in the air, it turns brown. The technical term for this effect is blooming.

This is why you see a brown film on the surface your tires. You can wash your tires with soap or an all-purpose cleaner and remove this film, but in a few weeks, it's back. That's because the antiozonant continually works its way to the outside of the tires every time you drive your car.

To maintain your tires and keep them looking sharp with a deep, dark black color, Meguiar's offers six unique tire dressings that treat the rubber with Meguiar's own special conditioning agents as well as patented antiozonants that replenish your tires' original antiozonants and keep your tires looking blacker longer than generic tire dressings and protectants. Special polymers actually penetrate and cure to the surface to form a long lasting barrier-film that protects your tires from inclement weather and exposure to corrosive elements.

(end of FAQ)

The reason you found the Endurance difficult to remove is because some of the polymers used in this formula cure to the rubber, this helps the product to last a long time, a feature many people like in a tire dressing. (The normal complaint about tire dressings is they don't last very long).

My latest attempt is to use #40, with which I'm happy with the easy removal, matte appearance (not a requirement), and slight UV protection, but not happy with how fast it fades away.

#40 has been around for a long time and is very popular for a tire dressing because it leaves a rich looking matte black finish, it doesn't last as long, which is because it's a different type of product than a product like the Endurance tire dressings. Because it doesn't last, it doesn't build up, which some people like for this reason.

What it comes down to is personal preference. Have you tried either of the Hot Shine products yet?

Mike