Pinnacle PCL vs. P21S PCL vs. 3M SMR???

Dave N

Dave N

My PC goes to 7...
Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or...

P21S Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or...

3M SMR for dark paint



I'm looking for opinions on these three paint cleaners. I have a 7 month old truck that I drive 90mi each day to/from work, plus it is NOT garaged. We haven't even got our first snow yet here in IL, but I'm already itching for that spring detail! After winter, I plan to do a clay/clean prep on my truck and am wondering if anyone has an opinion on which of these 3 cleaners would work the best for me. My truck has had various polymer sealants on it since I bought it new, so the paint isn't oxidized, but it does pick up a lot of road grime from the conditions I've described above.

Thanks.
 
I do not have any experience with the PPCl but I use both 3M SMR and P21S. Both products are very good. SMR is a little more aggresive and works great for light swirls. If you do not have many swirls or they are very light the P21S is great. What I have done is start with SMR and then go over it with the P21S. The SMR works great with a PC but I thought the P21S worked better by hand.
 
Thanks for the reply, Kev.



Does anyone else have any thoughts as to the differences among these 3 products?
 
Of the three, SMR is the most abrasive followed by P21S. The PPCL is slightly abrasive but does most of it's cleaning with solvents.



You choose one according to the situation. Always start with the least aggressive solution available to you. If that doesn't do it work up the ladder.



PPCL is more of a fine-finish product for me. I don't expect much of it unless I have REALLY light mars or hazing left from other abrasives. It's a nice finish product for most everything. For swirls use SMR or, my choice, 3M Finesse It II. P21S is middle of the road and I tend to never use it as it doesn't do either end of the spectrum exceptionally well.
 
I have both PPCL and SMR. So far I've found the PPCL to be more aggressive than I thought but, in the grand scheme of things, it's rather mild. The SMR with a 7424 is milder than I thought it would be.



Sooooooo, I can't definitively answer the question but I have used both and found they work as advertised. My car is dark green and has been covered in various polymers since new so I too want a product that cleans off the crud and leaves a perfect finish for any protectant I want to use. Currently that is Blackfire.
 
Wow Brad! Pretty strong words. Dave, I'm a huge fan of Pinnacle PCL. It sounds like this product would fit your current needs. I've never really heard anyone speak negatively about it. It is generally mild stuff. This is partly why I love it so much. Great cleaner for well maintained finishes. Laters
 
OK, thanks a lot guys -- I'll try the Pinnacle. I wonder if I'll get the citrus-smelling or the chemical-smelling kind?
 
Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Pinnacle Paint Cleanser. I use it a lot. It just has it's limitations.;)
 
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