I decided I would put my $2.50 Rain-X Wheel Protectant (which is supposadly discontinued, but I found many bottles of it at Roses) to the test against the $40+
Klasse twins on the wheels. After a thorough cleaning and drying, I sprayed a thin coat of Rain-X Wheel Protectant on the passenger side wheels, and I buffed up the driver's side wheels with
AIO and then
SG. My goal was to see which side had less brake dust build up and which was easier to clean. With my BMW brakes, brake dust builds up quickly, and I have to wipe them down every day to stay ahead of the game. Anyway, hear are my results:
Scale of 1-10
1 being your wheel is better left untouched
10 being if Jesus made car care products
Ease of use: Rain-X:
10 Can't get any easier than spray and go
Klasse:
4 Rub, buff, apply, wait, buff...
Initial shine: Rain-X:
4 No difference than before it was applied
Klasse:
9 Wheels were dazzling and shiny
Brake dust build up: Rain-X:
6 It wasn't magic, but it noticably works
Klasse:
5 The Klasse side had a slightly heavier coat of brake dust at the end of the day
Ease of cleaning: Rain-X:
9 A damp sponge wiped it all off, no problem
Klasse:
6 Some spots needed rubbing and pressure, and overall, the wheels did not look as nice as the other side
Price: Rain-X:
10 $2.50? I'm glad I bought more than one!
Klasse:
4 A little bit does go a long way, but still, $40 does not justify it's performance... at least on wheels
Overall Rain-X Wheel Protectant: 7.8 Klasse AIO and SG: 5.6
Conclusions: Both are much better than nothing, but I would give the edge to Rain-X because of it's ease of use and great performance, not to mention the rock bottom price. And since all each wheel needs is a thin spray of the stuff, the bottle goes a long way. My test did not include durability, which I would bet Klasse would win, but since all Rain-X needs is a squeeze of the trigger, I have no problem applying it after each wash. I love Klasse, and it has done great things for both my car paint and my wheels, but for the price, Rain-X is unbeatable. I hope you can find Rain-X Wheel Protectant! It deserves to be in any Autopian's collection.