Ed Hartman said:
I would agree except that this product was apparently developed as direct competition to Klasse and Zaino. Since that is the case, I think it is appropriate to contrast and compare between the three.
1. Shokar is a two step system like Klasse with a mild cleaner and acrylic sealant.
2. It has a very clear and wet look, very much like Z2 Pro.
3. The sealant is as easy to apply and remove as Z2 Pro and much easier to apply and remove than SG.
4. It is very slick, much like both SG and Z2 Pro.
5. Personally, I don't particularly care of the look of any of the three on black, just too bright looking, IMO.
The one question mark for me is durability. 7 weeks just isn't enough time especially when SG and Z2 Pro are legendary for their durability. I think that is going to be the real test to see if Shokar is a worthy competitor and we won't really know that until this summer.
As far as what Chris from eShine has said, since I don't know the true make-up of any of the three products, I don't know if what he is saying is correct or not. I would think, however, that he wouldn't send a product he really believed in to anyone on Autopia if he didn't personally feel was an excellent product. I had never had any contact with him until he PMed me asking if I would like to try an new sealant system that may be coming to the market. What am I going to say? No, I don't want to try new products? Get real.
My samples sat on the shelf after I tested them on my washing machine, not because they came across initially as bad products but I didn't have any new pads and didn't want to contaminate the results by using a pad that had remnants of other product that wouldn't wash completely out of the pad. Besides, it was Christmas rush and I just didn't really feel like experimenting. I then saw Anthony's review and he seemed really happy with the product. Based on his client base and excellent skills, I took that as a good sign and decided to try it myself. The Shokar polish to me, at least on paint in good condition seem to be the equal of AIO in both cleaning ability, appearance and ease of use. The sealant gives me Z2 Pro looks without mixing in an accelerant and is much more user friendly than SG. What is not to like about that?
Those who want to try it will, and I suspect the majority will really like Shokar. Will it be considered on par with Klasse and Zaino? If the durability is as good, I suspect it will. Does that mean those who really like Klasse and Zaino will completely switch? Maybe, maybe not. I can't take the sealant plunge on black for my own car, no matter how good the product is. For example, Shokar, Klasse and Zaino just don't make black paint look the way I personally like it to look, so I'll be sticking with carnaubas or a carnauba blend sealant like EX. On all other colors though, I am really happy with Shokar's appearance and performance to this point.
As far as vendor participation, I am fine with it provided they aren't coming here making outrageous claims and hawking their products. I do appreciate them answering questions about their products though.
