If you know me at all, you know that I like my cars immaculate at all times, which makes me a bit of a car detail products geek. I like to try the latest stuff, in search of that wax, spray, protectant, brush or tool that makes car detailing that much better or easier.
Last fall, Mothers launched a new line of products called “Speed” that I’ve since tried and sampled extensively, and several of these goodies have found space in my proverbial detail bucket, and may warrant some room in yours.
Speed Clay 2.0 is an interesting tool for the clay treatment that comes before polishing and waxing; especially warranted for a vehicle that sits out a lot, and suffers from surface contaminants like acidy rain, sap, bugs, gardner “blower” fallout and such. We’ve all used detailers clay, which at first scared me, but once tried, has proven invaluable in exfoliating the paint and getting it uber clean and smooth ready for further treatment. Speed Clay 2.0 is a reusable clay tool that you use with a surface lubricant such as detail spray, or the suds of a proper car washing liquid; Rub this clay gently over the paint to strip away the gunk leaving perfectly clean and open paint. Unlike most clay bars, which are good for 1-2 uses, this can be washed and reused up to 20 times.
Among all the Speed products, the Spray Wax was the biggest find for me. You use it and treat it like a typical detailing spray, but it requires an extra step in application. You spread it thinly and evenly with a microfiber towel, then flip the towel, or have another dry towel handy, then gently buff it dry. Picks up thin dust, shines, and leaves some actual wax on the surface. Works best on paint that’s in really good shape, there’s no abraisive or polish in it that’ll recondition paint in poor condition. But it’ll replace most of the “quick detail” sprays in your bucket, and is also very nice on wheels.
The Interior Detailer is good for nearly any interior surface, particularly the dash, door panels, and plastic bits that get fingerprinty. Cleans those surfaces nicely, leaves a bit of a sheen, but not wet looking or greasy. Speed Tire Shine is pretty self explanatory and does a nice job. Plus there’s an all purpose Cleaner and Degreaser touted as just the ticket for icky engine compartments — I don’t have any greasy grimy engine compartments so haven’t tested it in that parlance, but it did a great job on my aircraft carrier-sized gas grille. And finally there’s a Glass and Screen cleaner that really cuts through the film on your window glass, plus does wonders for your tablet, e-reader, big screen TV or SmartPhone screen too; effective yet not harmful for those surfaces.
All this may seem like a shameless plug for Mothers products and I don’t mean it to be. My goal here is to share with you what I’ve tested, and what works for me and doesn’t. As you know I also use a variety of other products and will report on them here. I don’t work for Mothers Waxes, Polishes, and Cleaners, nor do they pay me to say this — jus sayin.
Below are the Mothers catalog pages that cover the new Speed products so you can read their descriptions, and make your own judgments. You can double click on either page to blow them up for easy reading. OK, I know it’ll be hot this weekend, but what else have you got to do but shine your ride and get out to a cars n coffee, cruise in or car show. That’s what I’ll be doing. Hope this helps, and thanks for listening.
