Testing Adam's Products

I

imported_Intel486

New member
IMPORTANT, READ THIS PART FIRST! :

This is not test results or a Review for what I'm doing with the kit Adam's sent me. Here I am simply going to be posting what I'm currently doing, problems I'm coming across to see if anyone else ran into similar problems, application tips people may have, current thoughts, etc. These will basically be my testing notes. Just because I posted an opinion here does not make the product bad. I may have simply had a bad day, used something incorrectly, etc.



When I am done, then I will post complete reviews of everything I have along with pictures. I'm taking a good amount of them too... anyone spare some bandwidth when I post them? :D I will post my final thoughts on the different products that day.



(The pictures stuff is really for people on F150world) Please feel free to post anything you want in here but try to keep pictures to a minimum in this thread. They take time to load and are sometimes annoying if you post large ones. I don't need to see your before and after pictures. What I want to know is what you did to get the results you got, though and your feelings on these products. I also want you to suggest ways you want me to test the products out.



Notes



Now, let me be a hypocrite and post a picture :D Here is what they sent me:



adamskit.jpg




The kit is very nicely packed inside the bucket and come with everything you'll need to detail. I have the following products incase you want to comment on a specific one.



Grey Foam Applicator Pads (For Dressings)

Waffle Weave Microfiber Towel (chamois, Drying)

Blue Microfiber Towels (Buffing Residue off)

Microfiber Applicators

Clay Bar

Scratch Out

Car Soap

Detail Spray

V.R.T.

Revive

Brilliance

Butter Wax



I've been speaking to Adam's via email so some questions and comments I may not post here. He may also choose to respond to what I'm posting through email but I would hope he would post in this thread. He does have an account here, right?



Today I had some extra time this afternoon so decided to try some products on a select area of by truck; the place I do all my other products testing... the bedcover :D



Since it has been over a day since I washed my truck I had to do it again. I chose not to use Adam's Wash Mitt because I have not had a chance to do a CD test to it yet. Anyone use it before? How well did it work? How much soap did it hold? How well does it create suds? Did it leave any marks in the paint?



The instructions for the car wash say to squirt it right on the wash mitt. I though I'd be fair and do as it said and I did. When filling the bucket it created a LOT of suds. Very nice!



I noticed it didn't really rinse off the wash mitt during the filling. I kind of rinsed a little off into the bucket but the bucket was almost full. As I washed it laid down lots and lots of suds because of the soap on the wash mitt. I noticed that as I moved around the vehicle the suds became less. I think this might be because it was all on the wash mitt. If this is the way he wants it used, then I think it might put too much soap down and strip wax off quickly. Next time I'll put it in the bottom of the bucket and fill the bucket unless someone can offer a better idea. The soap does seem to be pretty concentrated though, which is good, more for your money.



I got a chance to try out the Waffle Weave Microfiber Towel. I didn't have time to do the CD test on it before I used it before hand. I usually do the CD test when the product is new so there is no chance that dirt from use is causing the scratch. I'll then follow up some time later with another CD test on the item after it has been used to see if it has changed with time at all. Some products, especially MF, tend to trap dirt over time that does not release.



I didn't drive the vehicle around the block like suggested and don't have any gas for my leaf blower so I had to use it to dry an extremely wet truck with the waffle weave. I started with tailgate since it was in the sun. It did a good job at getting the water off and hardly left any water behind (probably because it wasn't full of water or damp yet). I then did the back window. It left a good amount of streaking on the windows because of the water it didn't pick up. The problem I had was when I started on the bedcover. There was just too much water on there for this little chamois. I had to put it down on the cover, pick it up, and wring it out after each small section. I was really starting to miss my full sized bath towels for drying these large, extremely wet areas. Right now I feel this would be good for drying a vehicle without a lot of water. Next time I try it I will first use a Cotton Bath towel and then use the Waffle weave to finish up.



It did leave a good amount of lint on the paint too. It wasn't thick lint like the cotton towel does but it was the same amount. It hadn't been washed yet so that might have been the problem. It now has been washed though so I'll see what happens next time I use it.



Just for your information I normally use 1 large cotton bath towel to get the majority of the water off my truck. I then use a small cotton hand towel to dry all the windows and mirrors. I don't ever have problems with streaking. One side to get the water off and then flip it over to the dry side to wipe to a clean window. I'll then use two smaller cotton towels hand towels on the paint of the truck to get drips, etc.



I only had time to do small sections on my bedcover because the light was fading fast. I did several sections. I used the clay on a large area towards the back even though my paint didn't need it. After I was done I couldn't see any spots in the clay bar… go figure since I used the Acid Bath on it like 4 months ago :p It did remove some light contamination from the paint though. You could feel it if you felt both sections. I didn't really notice any streaks from the clay on the paint.



My truck has light cobweb marks on it. I ended up deciding to do 3 small sections on the bedcover. Two sections I used Scratch Out on and one I did not use Scratch Out on but the rest of the system. I did two sections with Scratch-Out so I could get a good view of how well it did remove them. I then did the whole Revive, Brilliance, Butter wax thing. I only applied each product once.



The paint seems extremely oily when I was done. Kind of like when I apply P21S or use Mother's Instant Detailer. I will be interested in seeing how long it lasts. People who have tried this system before, how long does the oily feeling last? How many washes?



I did strip a small strip when I was done with Denatured Alcohol. It removed all of the oily feeling and the paint felt like it did when I started. If I noticed tomorrow a lot of the cobweb marks are gone, then I'll try some denatured alcohol to see if they are gone or hidden. Don’t get me wrong though, sometimes it is good to have some type of product that can hide imperfections. Show car people will appreciate it!



After I stripped the one area clean with Alcohol I noticed a mark on the paint from either tree sap or bird poop I hadn't noticed before I used the Denatured Alcohol. Now, it could have been there and I just not have noticed or it could have been hidden. This mark is also on a section I applied Scratch Out + everything else.



Also, I noticed I was using a good amount of the Quick Detailer. Guess that is because you use it along with the clay bar, use it to dampen each applicator, and use it for product removal. It seems to work pretty well. I'll try to quick detail with it to see if it leave streaks on the paint like Meguiar's Consumer Quick Detailer does.
 
Got a small notebook to jot stuff down :p ... wow I'm a nerd...



This stuff seriously attracts dust! About 50x worse that P21s. I came out and looked at my truck after being on the highway and you could se an obvious line down the bedcover. Side I applied Adam's stuff was covered with dust and the other half was virtually dust free. I think it was that extreme oily feeling on the paint.



I washed the truck again today because I wanted to get that dust off, line looked stupid, and I wanted to try out the V.R.T. After the wash I used a cotton towel to blot up most of the water and then use the waffle weave. Worked a lot better this way! I did use a small cotton towels on the windows though... I was driving around with spotty, streaky windows all day today because of what the weave did the other day.



After the wash all the oily feeling is gone! Absolutely gone. I can hardly tell a difference when using just my hand to feel the different parts of the paint. You can feel it better when running a towel over the paint. Still not as slick as it was after first application. I did not use the Quick Detailer after the wash. I'm saving it because I seem to be using it a lot. Might want to buy a big like 32oz. bottle of it if you really like the adam's stuff... Maybe it won't attract so much dust this time!



The soap... I thought of this yesterday but forgot but today when washing I put a note in by little book. The smell out of the bottle is good but then I was washing and kept getting sniffs of the soap... It took me awhile to figure out what it reminded me of. Horses!!! The car soap reminds me of the smell of horse food... at least the type of food they had at the stables I once visited.



BTW, no one answered above, do you put this stuff on the wash mitt like suggested or just mix into the bucket? Today I mixed into the bucket and it seemed to work fine.



Ohh after washing the lint was virutally gone from waffle weave.



V.R.T. Seems to give a good shine. Was soaking in a little spotty on my tailgate handle when I walked inside. I'll see how it looks tomorrow. It gives a pretty low gloss shine to tires but it makes them black. I was looking at them in the shade though. I'll have to check them out tomorrow after I drive on them some.



Wish I could fine out more of what is in V.R.T. It seems water-based from smell and looks.



Now... I chose to really test their claim of it wipes off paint easily and just stuck the sponge on a spot of paint and pulled it off ... now, it took a few tries with their quick detailer and a MF applicator to get this stuff off the paint. After first quick detailing it seemed to leave a gummy substance on the paint that was a PITA to remove.
 
The notebook is a great idea! I've been trying stuff every two weeks and only remember stuff off the top of my head...
 
On another board (F150world) a distributor for adam's is upset about the review I'm giving his products and calling them "unfair" because I'm too attached to what I currently used and they were even unsure of sending me the products in the first place.



He is now saying he will send me a box to send the products to someone else who can provide a "fair" test... yhea... and if he does watch how much of this stuff I can use in a day :)



I have not done anymore testing of their product today as I just got home about 10mins ago. I plan on doing stuff tomorrow with it, maybe.



I just thought I would share how he is treating someone who is simply using the products as his intructions say and am posting what I'm seeing.
 
He can't live with the fact his products are up to your standards? So he is having you give them back? hmm... he did give them to you to test right?



That pretty much settles which one I am going for next. I was decideing clearKote or adams. Not it's ClearKote and possibly NEVER adams.
 
Intel has been getting bashed by some people, on other sites, who were also GIVEN the product to test. Unfortunately not all people respond well to critsism. Is his opinion the end all no, but it is very valuable for others to make an informed decision before purchasing. He has stated that he is only reporting what was happening, and it was not a review, which he was planning on doing later, if he still has the stuff:D I'm not writing to say good or bad about their products, which I never heard of until recently, but to support honest comments by a respected member of many forums. Yes David may have an attachment to PRO products, but if I were him I'd keep my stock up until he's sure he wants to switch a product yet a product line. David stay objective and keep on posting what you see, it is of interest to many, and to dislike of few....we win:D:xyxthumbs
 
I used "Adam's" products a couple of years ago after finding him at the OC swap meet. This was before I found this site and knew better. I notice that he has new packaging for all of his products; same stuff different labels. I found the products to be overpriced and not much better than anything else available at AutoZone, etc. Just my 2 cents
 
I am also a member on fordtruckworld and have been keeping

up with and even contributing to the adams threads. What

I said over there was Mike (bones1) was rude and what he

said was uncalled for. Telling someone they will send and

empty box for the return of their product is very unprofessional.

Intel never gave a review, only observations. Even at the

top of his thread, he explains that his posts are only notes and

with the help of people who have already used the product these

issues could get corrected. What it appears like is that they

were "expecting" a good review and when they heard some

negatives they asked for their merchandise back. I've already

bought the kit but have not had a chance to use it. I was

waiting for Intels review. I've also bought the Klasse twins

along with P100. I'll probably go with the Adams in the spring

and switch over to Klasse/p100 in the winter. What I find

funny is that nobody from Adams has made any posts after

asking for their product back. I've checked and it appears they

have been logged on.
 
I am on FTW as well and have been following the posts. Isn't the whole purpose of sending the products for him to review them and give his opinions (good or bad) ??? He is just giving his observations of the products. I can't believe they would actually send a box for him to return the products to them.



You would think that they would ask him what they could do to make the products better....



Just my observations...
 
saab 9-5 said:
I used "Adam's" products a couple of years ago after finding him at the OC swap meet. This was before I found this site and knew better. I notice that he has new packaging for all of his products; same stuff different labels. I found the products to be overpriced and not much better than anything else available at AutoZone, etc. Just my 2 cents
Click to expand...



It is actually good to hear what you said. I kept sitting over at FTW reading posts and posts about how great Adam's polishes are. How the have the best system ever created and you have to use it! Nothing compares to it, even Zaino.



I'm then trying them out thinking... Am I using this stuff wrong? It doesn't seem that much different than some of the other stuff I've used.



I believe you hit the nail on the head with your statement of "before I found this site and knew better." I believe most of the people over there who tried Adam's and were posting rave reviews were only using a wax previously on their vehicles and didn't know what a polish and glaze could accomplish. After they had tried the Adam's system they were totally impressed because they had never experienced a multi-step paint process before.



Also got something to say about V.R.T. I washed my truck the other day and applied the V.R.T. to the tires. It gave a black look but not a high shine. It really wasn't even all that black. I pulled up infront of a friends house and he could see I had washed my truck (Since it had been incredibly dirty for about a week before) and first words out of his mouth were, "Why didn't you dress the tires?"



I will say V.R.T. does work well on plastic, exterior trim. Get something else for tires.
 
Intel,



Did you use their wash mitt? It's a synthetic. After reading

alot of posts here, I thought that would leave scratches. I

was going to only use it on the tires. If you used it, what

did you think of it and would you use in the paint?
 
Hey Intel have you heard from the Duke yet?;)



Last summer I was talking with an old friend in the biz, and asked what the California market was like for detailing products, his response to me was "don't waste your time, every mom and pop has their own brand for sale out there" he was simply amazed at the number of different products in competition. I'm glad saab 9-5 let us know the origins of the products.



You have definitely stirred up a little fire over there..did you get the box yet?..those words were edited out before I got to see them:shocked



That's actually one of the saddest things I've ever heard in biz from a customer service point, it blows my mind.
 
blackxlt said:
Intel,



Did you use their wash mitt? It's a synthetic. After reading

alot of posts here, I thought that would leave scratches. I

was going to only use it on the tires. If you used it, what

did you think of it and would you use in the paint?
Click to expand...



I have not had a chance to use it. I'm going to do a CD test with it dry and in a car wash solution to see if it scratches before I try it out. Feels like a synthetic wash mitt I picked up in pep boys awhile ago except the elastic band has been removed and the hole sewn shut so you can't put your hand inside.



It is extremely plush and thick though.
 
Poorboy said:
Hey Intel have you heard from the Duke yet?;)



Last summer I was talking with an old friend in the biz, and asked what the California market was like for detailing products, his response to me was "don't waste your time, every mom and pop has their own brand for sale out there" he was simply amazed at the number of different products in competition. I'm glad saab 9-5 let us know the origins of the products.



You have definitely stirred up a little fire over there..did you get the box yet?..those words were edited out before I got to see them:shocked



That's actually one of the saddest things I've ever heard in biz from a customer service point, it blows my mind.
Click to expand...



Haven't read anything from Duke.



Yhea, I think I have stirred up a nice fire :)
 
i hope i added to it.



Intel-



I appreciate your honesty and loyalty to the products you are committed to using. If I had known of your committment to these products ahead of time, and was aware that you would be unwilling to fairly test our products, I never would have wasted your time by asking you to evaluate us.



The reason I asked you to evaluate our products, it that you are constantly giving detailing advice to other members. It was our belief, that after evaluating our products, you would have a similar experience as the other members who have purchased and used our products in the past.



The negative results you experienced have never been expressed by any customer. In fact, our customers have expressed exactly the opposite results.



Many other FTW members have expressed interest in trying our stuff. Since you are obviously displeased, we would like to send a shipping box to your detail shop, UPS postage paid. You can then put the Detail Kit back in the box, and we will pay to ship it to the first member to respond to this post, who would like to evaluate it, or just use it up!



Thanks again for your evaluation. We will ship the empty box to you tomorrow, UPS ground.
Click to expand...



there's the thread where he said he was sending the box.
 
blackxlt said:
Intel,



Did you use their wash mitt? It's a synthetic. After reading

alot of posts here, I thought that would leave scratches. I

was going to only use it on the tires. If you used it, what

did you think of it and would you use in the paint?
Click to expand...



OK I just did a dry test of their wash mitt against a Viking Wash mitt. Both unused and new.



I used the weight of my arm and went back and forth for 3 mins w/ each CD.



The Viking left scratches but there weren't too many. The Adam's mitt covered the CD with them!
 
Thanks samiam..for letting me see the unedited version.

wow..that's about all I can say

and that was a good post..

let me know when I'm on the firing line:D



Intel you have to call them as you see them...if they had said, try doing this or that for better results....it would have made you both look good, but it looks like they put their proverbial foot in the mouth....WHO'S NEXT ON "THE REVIEW IS RIGHT"..COMMON DOWN:D we got free stuff!
 
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