Informal Poll - Could you tell the difference

jatleson

jatleson

New member
When I was TV shopping a couple years back, I came to the conclusion that any of the nicer TV`s out there would look great in my family room. Sure TV set `A`, looks different/better than TV set `B` in the showroom (both looked good), but in the end any of them would look good in my family room.

Here is my hypothetical situation....

2 identical cars (2010 BMW e90 335i Montego Blue daily drivers in Chicagoland for discussion purposes).
2 highly skilled/experienced detailers, each doing a wash, clay, correction, polish, wax/sealant/coating on their assigned cars

1 car/detailer uses Meguiars car wash, Griots clay and detailing spray, Meguiars 105/205, finished with Collinite 845 (this just happens to be my current lineup of chemicals), wheels coated with Hydro2

Other car/detailer uses Polish Angel or whatever the newest, hippest, `best performing` chemicals out there are.

Both cars look great when done

In a side by side comparison, would you be able to tell which is which?

Discuss
 
There is a reason we do not limit ourselves to 1 compound and 1 polish... there is also a reason that we do test spots on every.single.vehicle. Regardless of if we have worked on the same year, make, model, and color before.

The only way to maximize your results in a given situation is to test out various options to see what produces the best results for the given situation. Something as simple as using a different pad, making 1 more pass, using slightly less pressure, using a faster machine speed, etc. can make subtle differences in the final result that, under inspection with proper lighting and a trained eye, could help to determine subtle differences in overall finish quality.

To your point about the TVs... would it look that different under normal lighting conditions to most people? no... but this forum and this obsession isn`t for "most people" ;)

In a similar note, I have a friend who is a big audiophile, and swears by lossless music files and excessively expensive speakers because of the differences in clarity and what not... most of us normal people will never notice the differences. Ignorance is bliss in many cases.
 
My first year at Autogeek I must`ve used 30 different brands and processes on my red motorcycle. I would park it in the same spot on the back porch and would be able to make observations on the gloss/color/reflection from my spot on the couch as the sun went up and down. There were definitely times I could tell a big difference in the finish. That`s what sold me...through trial and error and actually using a bunch of different products while keeping as many other variables as consistent as possible just like a scientific test.

I get to try out a lot of free samples too and a lot of it isn`t great. I was just telling a forum member recently that I was testing a new windshield washer fluid and it ruined my freshly polished and coated windshield :wall. That product will make it to Autopia over my dead body and now I have to redo my windshield. That`s just one example. I`ve had stuff on my motorcycle or car that I couldn`t wait to take off, and stuff that I didn`t want to take off.

I like the audiophile analogy. You have to listen to hear a difference, but there`s a big difference between cheap speakers and a quality setup. Some people swear to not hear a difference between X brand speakers and Y brand speakers, ignorance is bliss.
 
No.

That`s why I am not interested in PA.

I may be interested if they brought something revolutionary to the table. I am not saying the products aren`t excellent, as from others` reviews I am sure they are.

I am just saying there are other products out there that are just as good for like 1/4 the price.

I dunno specifically about your example, but I`ll put Nattys ($20) against Swissvax BOS (~ $300) any day.


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Me: Maybe, I am learning more and using more products every year. My eye is becoming more discerning so I think I could tell the difference between coating and sealant and sealant and (carnuba) Wax but telling the difference between products in the same category would be tougher for me at this point.

Average Joe: no, I dont think they have the ability to tell the difference between a good bargain wax or sealant and a 3 figure coating.

As for spending lots $$$ on products, its the law of diminishing returns. You have to keep spending a lot more to get a little better. What price point you are comfortable at is a very personal decision.
 
Swanicyouth said:
No.

That`s why I am not interested in PA.

I may be interested if they brought something revolutionary to the table. I am not saying the products aren`t excellent, as from others` reviews I am sure they are.

I am just saying there are other products out there that are just as good for like 1/4 the price.

I dunno specifically about your example, but I`ll put Nattys ($20) against Swissvax BOS (~ $300) any day.


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Ronkh said:
I did that 50/50

It`s somewhere on here........
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http://www.autopia.org/forums/poorboy-s-world-forum/27086-wax-comparison.html?highlight=smagard
 
I usually can`t tell. I can kind of see the differences in overall product types, such as waxes vs. sealants vs. coatings but I can not tell most products apart on a properly prepped finish. I would certainly never know if I didn`t put the products on there myself - you could tell me it was a $300 wax and I`d probably believe you.

There are some products that have produced a finish that I was especially impressed with, but as unpopular as it is around here, mostly I find them interchangable in appearance and it comes down to the prepwork for the majority of it.
 
heisenberg said:
I usually can`t tell. I can kind of see the differences in overall product types, such as waxes vs. sealants vs. coatings but I can not tell most products apart on a properly prepped finish. I would certainly never know if I didn`t put the products on there myself - you could tell me it was a $300 wax and I`d probably believe you.

There are some products that have produced a finish that I was especially impressed with, but as unpopular as it is around here, mostly I find them interchangable in appearance and it comes down to the prepwork for the majority of it.
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But then there are other factors:

How long will it keep "that look"?
How long will it "protect" the finish?
Does "a" protect better than "b"?
etc
etc
 
I wont be able to say "oh this car used meguiars and other budget sorta friendly products and this one used polish angel, wolfgang, zymol."

I might be able to say "hmm this car looks better."

too many variables, first the detailers, then the products, but say somehow we eliminate one variable such as... the detailer, and somehow we can automate detailing with some awesome CNC detailing machine (patent pending, dont even think about stealing my idea!!!) then... well probably yes.

I can very honestly say that PA stuff, well, many higher end stuff has some serious water beading (balls), while the more regular stuff (mini puddles)... has a more regular beading effect, and they do have their subtle differences in appearance... might come down to the better product for the given clear coat formulation.
 
It would depend on the paint in question, and/or my familiarity with it.

There are just *so* many effective...and time-efficient...products available these days that it`s a whole different ballgame compared to a few years ago. Easy enough to get/keep a vehicle nice, so what`s open to improvement?

That`s what I`d ask myself first- a) what`s unsatisfactory, or at least open to improvement, about the current results and b) whether [some different product] is the likely solution. I do think that some folks tend to do the "if only I spent more on the latest, greatest products my results wouldn`t be so disappointing." Unless a vehicle is more-or-less already perfect (and staying that way) I`d skip the boutique stuff and limit my concerns to the basics.

Are we talking limited-use vehicles? I gather most people treat Garage Queens and Daily Drivers differently.

EDIT (repeating for the umpteenth time): Doe people see Subtle Autopian Differences? Sometimes. Accumulatorette could *instantly* tell the diff between Souveran and other waxes on her silver Audi. No hints/etc. at all...she took one look and asked what I changed and why. So no, I don`t believe the "nobody can see such differences". But she`s probably a bit more discerning about such stuff than most people.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
In a similar note, I have a friend who is a big audiophile, and swears by lossless music files and excessively expensive speakers because of the differences in clarity and what not... most of us normal people will never notice the differences. Ignorance is bliss in many cases.
Click to expand...

I side with your audio friend. Most of my music library (99% is live music, not studio) is in both Lossless FLAC and also backed up with MP3 @ 256 Kps). I can tell the difference. Ok I am a FLAC snob, LOL. But to the point of the paint comparison, Most of my favorite LSPs look very similar to my amateur eye. But I am not a pro. A few look better on different paint colors. I chase `pleasing results`, as I am not skilled enough to push it farther.
 
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