Setec Astronomy said:
Well, as has been pointed out repeatedly in the past...Ford has 3 divisions, GM used to have 5+Saturn. How many non-car people realize that a Ford (whatever) and a Mercury Mariner are the same vehicle? Is the price difference really justifed by the different pieces? Or how about the...Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne? etc. Marketing is marketing, regardless of the business. Don't get started on the MF towels, that will really make your head hurt.
Whether the consumer took the time to educate themselves on whether or not the car was available under a different label, the point remains that the car companies *did not* attempt to deceive; it was common knowledge that many of these cars were the same, and if you confronted a sales man and asked them directly, they would be in deep do-do if they answered deceptively. This doesn't quite fit the scenario of the ultra detailing secret of who formulates and manufactures who's detailing chemicals. You can not get a straight (read: honest) answer from any of the "re-branders". Nothing but deceit. And I think *that's* what the majority of us have a problem with. Why pay Adam's price for butter wax when you can get it from CG's for a lot cheaper (at least, the last time I checked.)
The problem is *deceit*. I refuse to do business with any of these "re-branders"; they won't give me an honest answer, so I won't give them an honest buck.
BTW, if you spend a bit of time with the popular CG products, you'll learn to spot "rebranders" like a deer caught in the headlights. CG's products have an unmistakable Warner chemical signature to them... hard to explain, but it's kinda like how you can open a bottle of a Meg's product, pour some out on a cloth, and *immediately* know you have a Meg's product sitting on your MF before you even look at the bottle. Same with Menzerna. Same thing applies with Warner's products. Even the ones that have been changed slightly to help make them less distinguishable as a Warner product are easy to spot. (And no, I'm not going to get specific on those to avoid a potential flame war).
Now the four-star rebranders are not quite so easily picked out. And to give them credit, most of the four star products say something lilke "specially formulated for Setec Astronomy detailing by four star products." I can live with that, but flat out deception and lies? There's too many other honest detailing companies out there with just as good (and often better) products. Ultima UPGP is a well-known (and very good) product that was formulated for Ultima by Four Star. Full discloser on a great product. *That's* the way to effectively "rebrand", although the UPGP was more of a custom formulation done to Ultima's specs than it was a rebottle of one of four stars existing products.
For me, what it amounts to is that most all of (at least *my*) detailing needs can be met with products from companies that don't have these kind of shady business practices. I never hesitate to buy from Optimum, Menzerna, Meguiars, Finish Kare, etc., etc., The point? Get yourself some GOOD honest product from a manufacturer that is honest, and cares. Optimum and Meguairs *listen* to their customers and regularly improve their products based on the fact that they *care*. And there's a lot of other companies like that, too.... Like klearcote... I probably spelled that wrong, but the guys that produce the moose products. Great stuff, they listen to their customers, it's not so expensive to break the bank, they give great customer service, and their products work well.
With all the options available in the detailing product market, there's just no reason to give dollars to the shady rebranders.
Those are the ones that come up the most, I think.