Costco MF better than Pakshak MF? review inside...

wifehatescar

wifehatescar

My L5-S1 is killing me!
I bought 3 packs of the yellow Costco MF's referenced here:

http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23507



They passed the CD test the same as Pakshaks, i.e. both do not scratch unless rubbed hard, then the both scratch.



I have both (see pic) and I have to say the Costco's actually feel softer and more plush overall (after both brands are washed and dried once). This might possibly be due to the fact that the Pakshak's has a "thin and thick side". The Costco's are identical between each side. I just used the Costco's to Z6 QD and they were great.



So, $.60 vs a couple dollars each...anyone else care to comment? I may be full of it so I'd like some other opinions. Although I keep getting the "you get what you pay for" voice, I'm not sure if it's really warranted.
 

Attachments

  • dadsmb2.jpg
    dadsmb2.jpg
    38.4 KB · Views: 385
I bought some of the Costco's MF also - for door jams, etc. they are nice but products from China currenlty just don't have the same quality control of Korea.
 
I've got both and I can hardly believe you are comparing them. I found the Costco ones have a stitching which DOES swirl my paint, so I use them for things like the interior.



The Costcos are a great value, but they are "utility only" in my collection.
 
maxshine said:
products from China currenlty just don't have the same quality control of Korea.
Click to expand...



Yeah, I've heard that and I don't doubt it. I just wonder whether that really matters? If they physically (to a trained/experienced eye) perform the same, do microscopic differences matter? To me if the fibers don't scratch and clean/buff just as well, does 1/50 the dia. vs 1/100 the dia. of a human hair make a difference other than letting me sleep better at night?
 
BoxsterCharlie said:
I've got both and I can hardly believe you are comparing them. I found the Costco ones have a stitching which DOES swirl my paint, so I use them for things like the interior.



The Costcos are a great value, but they are "utility only" in my collection.
Click to expand...



To be fair, I did not try rubbing the stitching on my paint or a CD because I normally don't use any stitching on the car. Point well taken though, thanks for the observation.
 
I love my Costco ones. So far I only have one pack, so I can't say anything about its quality control. Maybe some are nicer than the others?



In comparison with my PakShaks, they perform and feel very similar. They are less staticy, too.
 
maxshine said:
...products from China currenlty just don't have the same quality control of Korea.
Click to expand...



I'm not about to comment about either of the towels in question but what makes you think that Korea has such great quality control and China does not? I can tell you some real horror stories about Korean goods while my many years of buying Chnese goods (expensive silks mainly) has been relatively trouble free. Now, there are surely Korean mills that have decent quality control but a blanket endorsement of all things Korean is going a bit far.



FYI... the only supplier of that blue fabric for the Burgas Afghan women where forced to wear by the Taliban where Korean mills while mills in three other countries refused this business.
 
BoxsterCharlie said:
I've got both and I can hardly believe you are comparing them. I found the Costco ones have a stitching which DOES swirl my paint, so I use them for things like the interior.



The Costcos are a great value, but they are "utility only" in my collection.
Click to expand...



Agreed! :up



They are apples and oranges. Costco ones curl when dried and feel a bit rough.



I have them (24 of them) and enjoy them and have used them on my paint, but PakShak, for the money and qaulity is by far the best deal going. They are heads and tails superior to the Costco ones.



I have heard that the quality control and manufacturing in Korea is better than China and the touch and feel of the actual clothes from by countries lead me to agree with that sentiment since I have about 100 MF's combined from both countries.
 
RABEL said:
The Korean product is not produced by Slave Labor.

Personally I'd rather have Ronnie and a free Korean make a buck.
Click to expand...



oh yeah? as an chinese i rather have the SLAVE LABOR make the buck. i've been using the cheap MF i order from online, never had a problem. on my car ,friend's car, and client's car NOT a scratch.
 
I have used and seen both the PakShak towels and the CostCo towels, and would have to say that the PakShak towels are of higher quality, but this is not because of where they are manufactured. I know Ranney, and he would not sell a low quality towel - for CostCo price is the most important factor, quality is at the bottom of the list. It has nothing to do with where the products are manufactured.



We have bought towels directly from mulitple manufactures in Korea and China and it is just not the case that the Korean factories have better quality control across the board. It is a factory by factory distinction not a country by country distinction. Also, I must say, that you get what you pay for. Good factories will produce microfiber on the cheap if you want to sell them cheap. That is what CostCo does. Ranney buys better towels for a higher cost (as do I), and sells them for more.



Our Pro Detailing Towels are manufactured in China and I think that they are higher quality than PakShaks.



You get what you pay for. Use your best judgement, and don't belive everything you hear or read. The China/Korea distinciton is simpily a myth.



Ian
 
I have about 60 towels varying from Chinese, Korean, Swedish and german. I agree with Ian. The korean ones from my normal supplier are terrific and have no holes or curling after many washes. Another Common Korean brand here Sabco (supermarket) are far inferior. Flimsy, easily holed and seem to have a colour bleed problem.



I have two different Chinese ones and they are both pretty awful wear wise but one of them seemed pretty good when new.



I guess importers quality controls and sourcing ability are more important than the country they come from. Thats what brands are all about I guess !



Dan
 
DFTowel said:
I'm not about to comment about either of the towels in question but what makes you think that Korea has such great quality control and China does not? ..



FYI... the only supplier of that blue fabric for the Burgas Afghan women where forced to wear by the Taliban where Korean mills while mills in three other countries refused this business.
Click to expand...





I won't comment on the Afghan issue. But in general higher quality products come from Korea - not China. Electronics, Power Tools, etc. Sure you can get quality from China and poor quality from Korea. But there is a reason why most higher-end suppliers use MF's from Korea - not China. I like the China made Costco MF's for utility. I was suprised they came in a sealed bag which Euro brand products from China rarely do.
 
sheep208 said:
oh yeah? as an chinese i rather have the SLAVE LABOR make the buck. i've been using the cheap MF i order from online, never had a problem. on my car ,friend's car, and client's car NOT a scratch.
Click to expand...



Where did you purchase the cheap MF that caused no problems?
 
jgv said:
I showed my wife the pic posted and asked her: which looks to be better?



...the blue one :rolleyes: she answered. Why?
Click to expand...



Psychology at work! I thought about becoming an I/O Psychologist (the folks that help make color choices, design workspace, design training programs etc) so its funny you noticed that.



To me the blue ones look more inviting and feel plusher also. Even in my own collection, I have blue, mint green and dark green Pakshaks, I always use up the blue ones first, they just seem better. Its a "richer" and "higher quality" color.



Notice Ranney sells out of the blue also, never seen him out of the other colors.
 
I have many of both products in question. My Costco towels definitely have a "soft" side for lack of a better description. It isn't quite as obvious but it is detectable. My Pak Shak towels are easier to spot the soft side but in my experience are far more absorbent. I'm one of the guys that doesn't put a lot of stock in the CD test. Both brands seem to be equally soft and I haven't been able to find any damage to my paint using either brand. Like one of the other members said I kind of try to use my Costco towels as door jam and less prominent area towels (I have used them after initial wash when new on my paint). I had no problems with them. I don't like how the corners roll up on the Costco towels after they are dried my Pak Shaks don't do this. All in all I feel like I've gotten what I paid for and overall prefer the Pak Shak towels though I feel there is a place for both brands. :)
 
I wouldnt let the "brand" or where you buy these towels from play a role in what you percieve as quality. A vast majority of these towels are mass produced and impoted from relatively few manufaturers. Who repackages them or where you buy them from is irrelevant. I'm amused at the number of "Look at these cheap MF towels from here or there....." posts. I posted one a few years ago when MF was just starting to get big and I was blasted by a few saying how you get what you pay for, you need to purchase only from here or there, and how certian towels are made specially for auto and detailing uses. It seems now that popular opinion has shifted and its now in style to find cheap MF towels. I guess I was a bit before my time. LOL, Oh well its good to see people seeing through advertising.
 
I agree totally with Avalanche. And, these towels are not meant to be in the same league as what other, more expensive towels have to offer, they are simply an adequate alternative. There performance is based on quality and price, and it appears its not really necessary to spend high dollor for a towel that will perform within your desired expectations. Also from what Im hearing, certain towels are not identical on both sides ? Is there a reason that maybe one of the sponsors could elaborate on ? I have purchased these "high dollar" towels from various vendors in the past, and I still use them, there still in good shape, and still perform well, however i more than likely will not spend that money again, simply due to the fact, I dont need to . I have a towel i supply that performs at my level of expectations. Cheap and inexpensive are completely different...

...."It is a great art, to know how to sell wind."

.......Baltasar Gracian, 1647
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top