This is the final part of a four part article series by Marc Harris and Jacob Bunyan of Auto Lavish. In this series they will make a case against coatings, sealants, and waxes, to help you find out what form of protection is best for your needs! To view all of the articles in this series click here.
If you take one thing away from the series, I hope it’s the following:
There is no universal solution to everyone’s needs and you need to decide what is best for you. The best product is one you enjoy and use often.
If you use a $10 sealant once, I consider it a waste. If you use an $8,000 wax all the time and continue to do so over years, I’d consider that a good investment (as long as that type of money isn’t causing the other aspects of your life to become unraveled).
The same way we need to debate, discuss, and decide for ourselves which car is best for us based off price, size, fun, gas mileage, insurance costs, and maintenance costs, we each have to make some of those same choices with car care. The idea of writing a piece to counter industry trends and marketing hype has been something I’ve wanted to do for awhile. My clients often want to know my opinion on various aspects of detailing, and one of the most popular things to talk about are the products we use to protect our finishes from dirt and grime sticking to the paint as well as making washing easier.
As shown, each type of product has its own pros and cons, and in the end, whichever product you choose to use makes an insignificant difference compared to how you treat your car. If you’re a two bucket (with Grit Guards) washer that is constantly treating your baby like a queen, it’ll show regardless of what products you do or don’t use. There isn’t a short cut or a magic solution. If anything, I hope this short series will allow you to reconsider your favorite type of product to gives others a fair shake in your consideration for use.
Good luck in finding what works best for you, and hopefully we’ll cross paths while I enjoy the next 100,000 miles in my own baby. If you see me, give me a wave. Just don’t ask what protective product you should use on your car because I’ll argue against whatever you’re leaning towards 😉
