2019 AAP Detailing Awards
by Mike CardenasIn the detailing world, products come and go. Often times at a rapid pace, with some of them staying for decades and others quickly forgotten. 2019 brought on some great products and here are my top favorites in the following categories.
Most Surprising
This award is for the product or tool that surprised me the most. The one that exceeded expectations and really made me say wow.
WINNER – Colourlock Leather Protector
I first had a chance to use it at SEMA as Ram Iyer gave me the rundown on it and was surprised at the results. Applying it on leather and just leaving it to dry seemed bonkers to me, but it leaves no streaks, gloss and protects very well.
Best Bang for the Buck
This is for the product/tool that is the best value for the price.
WINNER – CarPro Pearl
This is one of the easiest and longest-lasting dressings I’ve used. What impressed me the most is how far one small bottle can go, the ability to mix to your liking also gives value.
Best Newcomer
This is for the best product/tool that was new to the site in 2019
WINNER – Colourlock
I have to give it to the entire Colourlock brand on the quality and performance of their products. Leather cleaning and care is something I constantly get asked about by clients, it’s my recommended brand for leather right now.
Most Versatile
This is for the product/tool that can be used for multiple use cases.
WINNER – Sonax Glass Cleaner
Sonax Glass Cleaner can be used as a no-rinse wash, all-purpose cleaner and works great for wet-sanding applications, oh yeah and glass surfaces. Having worked with Sonax over the years, it amazing how versatile this “glass cleaner” actually is.
Best Starter
This is the best product/tool for someone starting out with detailing.
WINNER – 22ple Insanity
For those starting into coatings, 22ple Insanity gives all of the bells and whistles of a professional coating without the installation drama. Super easy to use and instant gratification!
Best Professional
This is the best product/tool for a professional to add to their arsenal.
WINNER – Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus
Just when I thought the best couldn’t be better, it did with Wheel Cleaner Plus. I am not a fan of the wheel cleaning process and Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus saves me time. And as professionals, we all know that time is money.
These are my award winners for 2019 and like most of you, I am always in the pursuit of products that offer high performance, easy to use and value. I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings!
Good morning I was wondering what would be a good wax or ceramic to put on a new vehicle that is white thanks for your advice Joe
Joe, Give the 22ple Insanity coating a try. White can be difficult to get that wet-glossy look, but I personally own a white vehicle coated with 22ple Insanity and it looks amazing!
Great question as I also have a new white car and looking for some recommendations/opinions on making the white pop as much as white can.
White and Silver paints are always a challenge when it comes to getting gloss. As a result, I purchased a new car last November in white as I test a lot of products and I too was curious as to see what would be a great setup. Currently, my 2019 Golf Mk7 has 22ple Insanity topped with 22ple Finitura. I used Sonax Ultimate Cut for the compounding process and finished with CarPro Essence. My clients comment on how glossy it looks even when its dirty. Insanity has a unique blend of specially sourced types of silica to give that wet-glossy look.
Thank you for your recommendations