Armor All Wash & Waxx Detailer - Aweful QD

[Byk]

I just bought the "Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer" as I was in WalMart and they have this rebate of $15 gas card if you buy 3 Armor All products. So I got their interior cleaner, wheel wash brush and "Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer" just to try it out. I know, I don`t know what I was thinking.



This is an aweful product. It`s a bit milky once you spray it on the car and it`s very gummy - the MF towel actually catches it instead of sliding easily on the paint.. I guess it`s the Carnauba wax that this thing is supposed to contain.



Buyer beware - this is nothing like the Meguiars or Mothers QDs. I`m not even sure if it qualifies as a QD because there is nothing Quick about it. It`s some sort of QD/Wax hybrid.



I`ll try to return mine as I sprayed it 3 times. Sucks like no other detailing product I ever tried. Stick to Mothers or Meguiars QDs if buying in WalMart.



This is the product for those curious:

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-5666668reg.jpg



Lifts away dirt, water, spots and dust

Fortified with real carnauba wax

Contains a unique polymer combination to leave an extraordinary shine

Great for removing dirt and grime between washes

Restores water beading

500 ml size





Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer | Canadian Tire (http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/CarPaintCare/PRD~0392854P/Armor%2BAll%2BWash%2B%2526%2BWax%2BDetailer.jsp)



BTW, the reason I used Waxx in the title - there is something wrong with this board as if I type "Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer" in the title I get a blank page for some reason without being able to post. Strange.

[dan46n2]

I won`t touch an Armor All product, I can`t help but think their products will damage my car after the whole cracking dash and tires fiasco years ago even if they have reformulated the product.

[Byk]

I won`t touch an Armor All product, I can`t help but think their products will damage my car after the whole cracking dash and tires fiasco years ago even if they have reformulated the product.



Cracking dash and tires? People keep saying this, however I used the original Armor All for about 20 years and never had any problem leading it to damage something. These days I know of better alternatives, like 303, however can still get very good results with Armor All Original - but it`s very important to wipe it off after applying so that you have no greasy residue left.



The fact that Armor All Original feels so greasy when applying it is what throws me off, however when there is an awesome deal for it I`ll pick it up.



The Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer on the other hand is not worth picking up for $1.00 unfortunately.



my 2 cents.

[Byk]

Some History about Armor All

Armor All Products Corp. -- Company History (http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Armor-All-Products-Corp-Company-History.html)



Nothing about Cracking Tires or Dash in the article above.

[dan46n2]

They used to use silicone in their product, that would soak into the dash and expand under heat causing the cracking dash and tires problem from what I have read.

[BigAl3]

the wash & wax car wash is not very good either. the best offerings AA has are the tire foam and tire gel which i use all the time. as far as cracking tires/dash, i haven`t experienced anything in the many many years i`ve been using it...

[dan46n2]

I`m sure a lot of people used Armor All for many years and had no cracking dash or tires but apparently it has happened to some as this has been talked about for years.

[GoudyL]

Armor all was reformulated in 2007, (Less overspray, less shine) and further developed into a "Natural Finish" and "Ultra shine" formula.



Any issues with dash cracking (assuming they can be traced back to using AA) would be with the old formula. I wouldn`t be shocked if some of those stories involved people using AA on very old, dried out vinyl dashboards that were going to crack no matter what was applied.



IMHO the bigger problem is that AA can make your dashboard too shiny, causing lots of glare on the windshield. I used the AA wipes (probably old formula) and they made the very hard to drive in the day time.



For myself, I use Turtle Wax Ice, Total Interior Care, and am very happy with it. It cleans everything, leaves a nice scent, and gives a natural finish.



--------

As for this product, I`m guessing its closer to a spray wax vs a QD.



What did the instructions say on how to use it?



How was the surface before you used it?

[Byk]

Armor all was reformulated in 2007, (Less overspray, less shine) and further developed into a "Natural Finish" and "Ultra shine" formula.



Any issues with dash cracking (assuming they can be traced back to using AA) would be with the old formula. I wouldn`t be shocked if some of those stories involved people using AA on very old, dried out vinyl dashboards that were going to crack no matter what was applied.



IMHO the bigger problem is that AA can make your dashboard too shiny, causing lots of glare on the windshield. I used the AA wipes (probably old formula) and they made the very hard to drive in the day time.



For myself, I use Turtle Wax Ice, Total Interior Care, and am very happy with it. It cleans everything, leaves a nice scent, and gives a natural finish.



--------

As for this product, I`m guessing its closer to a spray wax vs a QD.



What did the instructions say on how to use it?



How was the surface before you used it?



I used this on a just washed car. The instructions say to

"Shake Well, Spray Product onto a cool section for best results, wipe with soft terry towel. Flip over and wipe surface to a high gloss shine."



I followed the instructions to the point except for substituting my plush MF instead of a terry towel - this may be a reason why it was sticking more to the paint instead of gliding.



The description seems to indicate it to being like a QD - "For the days when you can`t give your car a full wash. Armor All has developed... Our breakthrough technology lifts away dirt, water spots, dust and more while leaving an extraordinary shine..."



Perhaps the product may give some nice shine (not really confirming this), but it seems like way too much work and gives me that "Yuck" feeling

[Toy_Cam_Ed]

Hope the mods don`t mind me bringing up an old thread, but I saw no need to start a new one.



Anyone else try this product? It`s pretty cheap over at walmart, so I thought I`d give it a go. Havn`t used any yet, but if it does suck, I`ll just return it. A few people over at amazon.com seemed to really like it, so I thought what the heck. I`ll report back after I try it Saturday.

[Dan]

I`ve used it a few times, I agree, its crap. Probably the worst OTC QD there is. It does dry slick, but applying it, is the exact opposite.

[salty]

One of the worst products I`ve tried.

[dervdave]

Its different from a normal QD because its a type of waterless wash.

[Toy_Cam_Ed]

After trying it finally, I have to say it`s not bad. It seems to be more of a quick wax than anything else. It is pretty thick for a QD, but I had no problems applying it and the results were decent.

[Toy_Cam_Ed]

I might add that I had "etching" on the windshield because the previous owner had old crappy windshield wipers with dirt embedded in them. Needless to say, running them dirty scratched the windshield. But armor all`s detailer can be used on glass (according to the bottle) I said what the heck and gave it a go on the glass. Wow, somehow it removed (or covered up) the scratches on the glass. Very impressed by that.



I may or may not continue using it as a complete QD for the paint, but if nothing else, I found something that works great on glass and inside of doors, etc.