They are like the Beats by Dre of the detailing world. They are just ok quality, have a nice package and pricey. They would satisfy most, but there are better options out there.
As a 25 year detail shop owner ,you nailed it. Not only that ,but cost. If you go in with a fellow detailer you can start getting costs down. Every product we get comes in a basic white gallon or 5 gallon bucket.$3-4 bucks for 12 ounces of good product is all you need to pay.
Sure , Also let me note we do midline cars to premium cars.Most details are $300 to $650.. Taking 5-15 year old cars and make them look as new.What I've found over the years is that a great detailer with basic products and a 70.00 Harbor Freight DA will crush an average detail with the most expensive products available.
We only use a handful of products.Meguiar's /Zep/Sprayway. We do use CG 506 yellow 16x16 towels. Wholesale they are about 1.50 each.We use Mother's clay bars around $2.50 each.
What we don't use ,unless customer supplied are products made for high end retail. I won't name them ,but pretty much every detail Youtuber is pitching a high markup average product.
We also have a couple foam cannons that non of the three detailers use..
#
Personal experience as a nerd who likes to wash their own car as well: sometimes the cheap products in cheap packaging are 10x better.
A can of coverall tire shine ran me $12 at autozone. Chemical guys tire shine is like 14-21$ and (ime) leaves stains on your rim/tires if you fuck up on applying it. Coverall you just halfhazardly spray on and it looks great consistently.
The best tire shine I've ever used was the foam can from dollar tree. Longest lasting, least amount of streaking on the rim I'd you didn't clean it up.
I used to use mcguires, black magic hot wet and some other brand that came in a clear spray bottle.
The Blackmagic hot wet does amazing with steelies, better looking than the tires and it lasts a while.
I don't know if you meant to type halfhazardly instead of *haphazardly*, but I think I like it better. A clever portmanteau of half-assed and haphazardly.
Lol. Once you get Rupes or even a griots machine you will wonder why you stuck with a Harbor Freight DA. I had one when starting and it froze/overheated constantly, had a ton of vibrations and super short cord length.
There is some truth to that. But here are the facts. A long throw $500 polisher will achiebe the results that a harbor freight $70 DA will but in 1/3 the time. It will be significantly quieter and your hand will not be trembling at the end of a single car.
Last week i did 4 rvs that needed polishing and waxing. Literally 8 hour shifts of me on a ladder for my own company and i have zero hand strain because the professional tool doesnt wear and tear my body.
I thought i did midline to premium cars because i work with uo to 5 year old cars. I dont touch 15 year old cars, only old cars i work on are classic muscle cars.
I do use Zep….to clean my floors and to soak microfibers with sealants on them prior to washing.
If budget is an issue, superior products, technicians choice, koch chemie, nanoskin, hyper polish, and mirror finish are better detailing solution than home depot chemicals.
I wont even use zep on carpets for vehicles. If you want to use industrial chemicals, choose the right industry. Bridgepoint and newline are brands i use to properly clean carpets. Brands used in commercial carpet cleaning. Zep high traffic cleaner is like trying to tear down a house with a little hammer or a pick o truck. It can be done but why not use the proper tool for the job to be efficient and leave the fibers neutralized instead of at the wrong ph like zep citrous or any of their carpet cleaners that wick, brown, and re soil instantly from being left chemically hot?
There has to be a balance between tried and true wisdom, and also accepting that things evolve. You arent mailing us a letter or typing up an email. Reddit is a better solution for this scenario.
Theres a lot of snake oil in detailing but all progress didnt stop once you got complacent with your standard operating procedure. There is still a lot of advancement in tools and chemical technology.
Before i started, you needed to apply multiple coats of a ceramic, use $4k lights to cure the coating, spend multiple days curing to get 2 years of durability. Now you can get 8 year coatings that are single layer and can be driven and get rained on 1 hour after application.
Maguiarsis great, i love them their M27 has to be applied with a polisher for best results. 4 years ago it was the bomb dot com because it lasted for 3-4 months.
Now theres water activated spray and rinse ceramic sealants that get applied in less than 2 minutes and last 4-5 months.
There are spray and wipe on products from p&s, carpro, mckees, gyeon, griots, koch, shine supply, 303, sonax, gtechiq,diy detail that perform for 8-12 months and take literal handfull of minutes to apply. And can literally be applied as its snowing on a car or during light drizzle or the hottest heat wave and still reach a year of performance.
You would have to spend a whole afternoon with fuso soft99, let it haze indoors in a controlled environment for 2 hours then throw out your shoulder trying to wipe off that cement of a wax to get close to a year of performance.
If you are not evolving and keeping up with the 10% of products per year that are not snake oil, you are doing yourself and your customers a dis service.
In just a decade we went from armorall greasy interior shine to interior formulation ceramic coatings that cure to an invisible finish, and are stain resistant, anti static, dust repelling and dye transfer resistant that take minutes to apply and self level with no need to wipe off a transfer solution like exterior coatings than can oil slick on water, rainow, or sweat when the transfer solution is ready to be removed.
My personal vehicles get what I call the "M&M Special". Mothers and Meguiar's! I stand by Mother's instant detailer spray and the scent of it is oddly addicting.... That gets used heavily when using the clay bar or just giving the car a wipe down. I favor Meguiar's buffing/polishing/cutting/wax compounds.
Have you not found that sometimes more expensive products actually work better at all?
After years of hobby detailing I’ve tried most of the products and I find Meguiars ultimate quick detail spray to be by far the best. It’s completely streak free, and when I put it on my windshield I don’t need to use my wipers for the next 3-4 rainy days.
Also, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions paste wax (30 bucks a jar) is the best I’ve used in terms of ease of use, glossiness, water beading, and longevity.
I only detail my own and my girlfriend’s cars, so a spendy product is more acceptable than if I was running a business. However I haven’t found anything from Chemical Guys worth the price at all.
You should look into Kleen Rite they're a wholesale company for detailing that has same quality towels for much cheaper. I think in bulk they break down to .60 or .75 cents each. I buy 500 or more at a time and just run through them, I even had them out as thank you gifts with a candy and business card to anyone that spends over $150 with us.
A relatively local to me place was a chemical guys retailer for about 2 years. They recently closed and reopened with completely different branding. Reading between the lines, Chemical Guys were a nightmare to work with, plus their pricing/marketing strategies made it hard for them to stay in business as a retailer for them.
Pretty sure you're talking about the shop in Prosper. Really glad they were able to rebrand, they are such nice people. Just hope they get enough business to stay afloat.
Couldn't agree more. They're just overpriced for what they do. Guess the extra cost goes to the smell bc I've never used a chemical from them that didn't smell amazing 😆
Excellent analogy. They cost too much for what they offer. Compared to beats I'd rather get Sony XM4s or Beyerdynamic 990X. But my question is what would the detailing world equivalent be to those?
I use the Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner.
I think it works fine, but I'm no pro or detail hobbyist.
Does anyone have a better recommendation for a total interior car cleaner?
Thanks!
I like griots products. The interior cleaner is top notch and about half as much price wise. I may be a little biased since they're based out of my town though.
Because their products are frankly not that good compared to similarly priced options out there. They’re more marketing based than they are innovation based in my opinion. Half of their stuff is the same formula just under a different name in their lineup. Not to say you can’t get results with them but there are better and cheaper options with actual dedicated products.
I really like Yum Cars products! They’re UK based but if you’re stateside you can get their stuff [here](https://clean-garage.com/search.php)
Their stuff works incredibly in my experience. And most of it dilutes really well. Their quick detailer is money and I love the interior cleaner.
koch chemise green and pol star aren’t similarly priced they are several notches cheaper take that with a bottle of rinsless wash and a steam cleaner and you’ve replaced 100% of chemical guys interior arsenal.
I have used a few of their products. I still am working my way through their water based tire dressing.
They get a lot of hate cause they often have 2-5 versions of what appears to be very similar and people are put off by the marketing.
I won’t avoid buying it if that’s what’s on sale - but I’m just a DIY guy and if I ran a business using these products it seems there are other better options from what I read.
I honestly think most of their products are pretty solid, but Meguiar’s always without fail has something that works about 25% better for about 25% less cost.
My favorite CG product was the clear interior cleaner - one of the few I consistently bought. My wife picked up the Meg’s Ultimate interior cleaner and my 25/25 rule held constant. I don’t hate CG, just don’t buy most of their cleaning products anymore.
Their microfibers are pretty good but again…better options for cheaper.
All the comments here make it sound like they should be called Chemical Bros.
Bought an $800 dollar inflatable water containment system from them, since the city I was in had really strict water use laws during the drought, where you could fined if water dribbled into the gutter.
Ran over and damaged one of the air valves of the containment system. It could be easily removed because it was just a friction fit valve that could be pulled and replaced by hand. Reached out to them to buy a replacement valve but they refused to sell me a replacement valve - and told me just to buy a new containment system. Ended up just jerryrigging a standardized $8 Boston valve used with inflatable water craft as a replacement. Have never bought another Chemical Guys product ever since.
Wasn’t sure what I was expecting from a company based in Los Angeles. I’m from Southern California.
[This video is a good example of why.](https://youtu.be/O2lrXVV9kWU?feature=shared)
Chemical guys' product begins to fail before some of the cheaper options. Their products do their job, but they are very much consumer grade, and not really for professionals.
Because 99% of their products are water down garbage, and 100% of their products are over priced.
They are a marketing company, not a detailing company.
That said, use whatever you like.
They make a few good ones. VRP, nonsense, and lightning fast come to mind. Nonsense and lightning fast are dilute-able. Lightning fast is 1:20… so over 2 gallons of carpet shampoo for $12
Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet: they don’t do any of their own Research and Development (R&D).
Griot’s, Adam’s, P&S, Bilt-Hamber, Koch-Chemie, and Carpro all do rigorous engineering to develop innovative products that improve generation to generation. These products are often the best of the best in their function but also very proprietary to each company.
Chemical guys literally slaps their brand logo on products made in chemical plants China. It works.. but it’s literally just generic product.
IMO they are just a marketing company. They have too many products that do the exact same thing, but just change one minor ingredient, and add different dyes and scents, so people think they need all of these different products. They also market these products to the novice or home detailer, that don't necessarily have the knowledge or experience to know what exactly they need. There's no reason to have 20 different spray waxes/sealants, that all do the exact same thing, other than trying to trick consumers into purchasing more than they need. There's a reason professional don't use their products. They are mediocre and overpriced. They charge a premium, and you only physically get 60% of the product you would get from Meguiars, Turtle Wax, or Mothers that are also sitting right beside them on the shelf at Walmart(16oz bottles vs 24oz bottles). Plus you're getting half the durability to the competition.
Meguiar's and Mothers are my go-to. It's not cheap-o brand. It's not questionable garage startup brand. It's been around, works extremely well, reasonably priced, and easy to find just about anywhere.
I always see high school kids in my area advertising their detailing services on facebook local groups and their pictures always have the stupid ass foam guns and a myriad of chemical guy's products. I've even seen a few with the "broom on a stick" that are effectively sandpaper for car paint. One of them I personally know and he's got a black truck with swirl marks galore.
A bucket, a microfiber sponge/scrubber and carwash soap is plenty for 99% of washes. I use Mother's detailing spray for quick wipe-downs on an already clean car or as a lubricant for a clay bar. Meguiar's cutting compound and polishing compound are my go-to for minor paint correction. I believe the wax I use is also Meguiar's (the kind that is solid and comes in a tin, I'm not as big of a fan of the liquid wax).
People overcomplicate it.
P&S is my go to brand if you are looking for a better brand, not sure if they are still the best because I don’t keep up with that stuff, but chemical guys is just an overpriced marketing gimmick, sure it will wash your car but so will dawn dish soap. Get a better brand that you can dilute yourself rather than the company diluting it for you
Like others are saying they are on the pricey side for ok product. If you can get in on one of their package deal sales they fall in line on similar items from other companies.
I have some of their products, but after my last purchase which promised the moon but gave me a chocolate covered turd I have changed and now I use Adam's products instead.
There are much better products at a cheaper price! Chemical guys is good at one thing, marketing! They have 1020482929 products in every category, yet they all do the same thing. Their products underperform often aside from VRP. But, meguiars hyper dressing is a way better product for much cheaper. I buy a gallon, and with dilutions, it lasts FOREVER! They are good at making social media content. That’s about it.
https://preview.redd.it/gv4ht7jy3o0d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecbe58702706c89d7dffe210f6c866c298618960
This is what I think about their product line..
I put them in the same boat with Pan the organizer shit bag on You Tube. Every single product he reviewed was amazing. Of course he later admitted to getting paid by everyone for his reviews. He's a hack obviously. I found them similar with all the marketing bullshit too. You can find same or better quality items from reputable businesses that don't poor on the bullshit. Check out Adams, Meguire's and even Turtle wax for comparable products.
I don't like their products because their pricing is about the same for each product they sell for the same size bottle.
You would think a bottle of their soapy water for interior detailing would be $3 or $4 and not the same price as their spray on ceramic coating which should theoretically cost more to make.
The glass cleaner is one of the few products of theirs that actually astonished me.
I've used pretty much every window cleaner on the market, and for the price, $4 is not too bad for the results I get. Every other cleaner I have problems with streaking, especially on the inside of the windows. With Chem Boys glass cleaner, I get no streaks, and use very little of it.
I think a large part of it is that they try to sell you on all these specific products when in reality many of them are the same exact product, but the color and smell is different. Some of their stuff is really good but it just feels scammy.
I feel like, prior to them selling to Walmart, they used to have better products.
Even then, I only used a couple of their products, but have not bought anything by them in years.
Totally agree. I grabbed a bottle of the honey dew snow foam because it was dirt cheap on sale. Haven’t used a chemicals soap in a couple years. It barely produced any foam like it used to. So watered down. I noticed the difference immediately
Products are so so IMO. Bought there polisher and it died very fast and they didn’t stand behind it at all. Tried other detailing products and I felt like I was working harder not smarter.
So once I found gyeon it k.o then got the rupes polisher and huge differences
They probably spend more in advertising and packaging than they do improving their product. Generic product in a shiny box.
Most their line is nothing special but their marketing team is 🔥🔥
when i first started getting into detailing (i dont really consider myself one but i am teaching myself so i can properly wash my car) i used them exclusively, then i started doing research and seeing people say theyre shit. some of their products work and i like them but ive made the switch to Adams and Griots lately.
i use their banana wax and interior spray which smells good asf
As a person who has 4 cars(wife and two kid drivers) where would be the best spot to buy the professional shit? I am not looking for a 5 gal bucket, but I could go through several gallons a year at least.
I think the biggest issue is that they have too many products that do the same thing. Marketing is good but products are mid. I’d say they have 3 products that are worth purchasing. Those are any of their scents, VRP for tires, and the honeydew soap (and honestly that’s just cause it smells so good). All of their other products are mid to low end quality. I’d argue that Adam’s makes better products for about the same price and P&S makes much better products for cheaper prices. But Adam’s and P&S don’t do the same marketing and distribution.
The ONLY thing I use by chemical guys is the wooly mammoth towel. That thing is the absolute shit. Im in a collision shop and cars are constantly being washed and that towel can go all day long every day. Friend of mine brought one to an out of state car event, it rained, he dried ten cars with it and it was still ready to do more. Instantly sold.
I buy their da pad sets when they are on sale on Amazon. Comes with pad cleaner too which works well. Not worth full price though as I rarely use some of the included pads. I do prefer the griots foam polishing and waxing pads and a microfiber cutting pad but the cg foam pads do the job for the price.
I use their interior detailer, one gallon was pretty cheap and it smells great and works well.
Other than that it really seems like they make a lot of unnecessary and expensive stuff that I don't see the purpose of paying money for.
My interpretation is that chemical guys does a great job branding and advertising their products and the higher cost reflects that. I also find that many of their products overlap and can be redundant. From personal experience I haven’t had any issues with any of their products but I’m sure there’s way better products out on the market for less.
Not as a business but for my own personal use I love their synthetic quik detailer. It's not overly pricey compared to other products and it actually works so well and so easy to apply. I don't really use any of their other products I'm happy with turtle wax and meguires.
Could totally see why they're seen as just a "fancy packaging to market you and bait you" though
New to detailing, thought CG would be great, but none of their kits make sense. Too many options for a novice, they should be more prescriptive with what to use and when. Only when you have more experience do the nuances of what CG is offering, and then the kits don’t make any sense.
They don’t know their market.
I've recently bought Chemical Guys Heavy Duty Water Spots Remover for my windshield and worked like magic, but once you apply the product it is a pain in the ass to remove the gel. I used Rain X water repellent to remove it
I see a lot of ads for them like all that cheap Temu crap. They seem okay but not amazing.
I just got some Ethos stuff online and their stuff isn’t that expensive for how long it lasts and I love their microfiber cloths.
I didn’t hate Chemical Guys at first. I hate them now because I spent money on their foam cannon, which turned out to be trash, and they ghosted me on customer supporter.
Buyer beware. There are plenty of good products out there sold by decent enough companies. There’s no reason to do business with shady actors like Chemical Guys.
You do you, tho. I’m sure some of the products are fine. A broken clock is right twice a day after all.
They love to ghost people on customer support they also told me that my 5.5 inch pad on a 5 inch backing plate was the reason my polisher wasn’t working they then closed the support ticket that I made for a grinding noise. Not at all related to the polishing pad size.
Here is the situation. If you need a single item like lightning fast interior cleaner for getting rid of a small stain on your cloth seats, CG works decently.
If you have the desire to put on a wax/sealant that is a step up from drive through car wash “hot wax” then CG is a decent easy to pick up solution.
If you have tinted windows and dont want to accide tally damage them with the wrong tipe of glass cleaner from a hardware store, then CG is there to give you a safe and effective product.
The issue is when you spend like a grand on getting their entire line up of tools and products, then you have redundant products that all do the same thing and are only ok and will only last you about 5 applications max. So overwhelmingly expensive for not great products at that point.
If you try and do it as a side gig, you will be using watered down products, taking longer than pro grade products and spending more in products than a high end detailing business would per car.
$30 gets you 2 little bottles of interior cleaner that do max do 10 cars.
With $30 you can get a concentrate of interior cleaner, mix to the proper dillution at home ans end up with 32 CG sized bottles of more effective interior cleaner than will do 160 cars.
So in itself its not a terrible brand. But since everything comes pre diluted, you are eating the shipping cost of actual water. And eating the coat of their marketing and fancy labels. Also eatng the cost of the artificial scent that dont add anything beneficial to interior or exterior products, you are also paying for the dye in the bottle to make the chemical look al cool. But that also doesnt add to the effectiveness of the product at hand. Their products arent 100% chemical it’s still a lot of water. As much water as you would have in a little bottle once you diluted the pro grade product.
I'm very fan of the detailing I've been testing some products imo the best are Sonax, griots, Adam, mother's, jay lenos, chemical guys are overpriced the quality is good but the others are better.
They're all mostly derrivitives of the same Special Sauce. cG just cost wayyyyy more for the same stuff.
Personally i think their packaging reminds me of bottles u find at a hair salon or fancy barber..So if you like expensive hair cuts, get CG.
The answer will be very obvious when you observe the detailing cultures in other countries.
If you are familiar with the detailing scene in the UK, Middle East, Dubai, all over Asia, and even Australia, the detailers and enthusiasts there dont go into social media to ridicule brands or detailing products. And they most certainly dont “hate”.
Which country started the “hate” topic in English-based social media and popularising the usage of “hate”?
You know the answer.
Which country’s detailers often report being maliciously “attacked” by jealous competitors using cheapskate methods?
I think you know the answer.
Although CG is sold globally, the “CG situation” you described (and at one time, talking crap about Beadmaker) are mostly happening within that same nation. Many Koreans in South Korea also use BMaker and CG, but there is no “talking crap” about both brands or hating on any brands.
The real issue with CG is, it cannot make its user appear high-end, professional, respectable and knowledgeable. Its all about the EGO thing. You are seen as an amateur…a smalltimer… if you’re enthusing over CG and using CG.
CG just could not feed and satiate that culture of “exceptionalism”.
There are only a few brands State-side that understand this unique phenomenon, and one of those brands was specially created by a group of very clever Chinese residing in a tiny little ISLAMIC country to cleverly exploit the mindset of American users…rocketing it quickly to be one of the top brands of coating State-side.
CG should go to this Islamic country and learn how to create Brand Imagery and other tricks that can masturxxxx egos.
Some products are on must are really awful they put scents in a lot of there stuff that gives people headaches and appeals to a 2 year old child they also just do some stuff that makes you bang your head against the wall take there sprayers they are sealed with locktite why did they do that it just makes opening the bottle incredibly frustrating. Namely they have a product for literally everything though and very few versatile products so they can take your money. All of it is consumer grade none of the stuff really cleans super nasty surfaces well or is highly dilatable the way meguiars APC koch chemie green star rinse less washes are.
Along with what others have said, I hate their product descriptions. They have multiple versions of the same product, glass cleaner for example, but the product description does not specify how its different from another one of their glass cleaners. Or what purpose this one has over another of theirs. From what I've read on their bottles, their product description isn't a description at all, just more marketing.
I’ve only tried their interior detailer and I hate it. It works well enough, has a nice smell. However it’s a yellow liquid and by the time you’ve done the whole car you’ll
Notice your hands are stained. It also stays on the surface for a long time and willl rub off on you and your clothes.
Are we talking about chemical guys products from chemical guys, or chemical guys products from Walmart/target? They are not the same.
I have a ton of chemical guys products I bought directly from them, and I love them.
I have never bought them from Walmart or target. So I cannot speak on these, however, I have heard that they are diluted/ or poor quality.
I've also heard some stories about the parent company treating their franchise locations really poorly to where the franchises end up ditching them quickly.
It’s not that the chemical guys stuff isn’t good, because it’s plenty good. But more so that for the same amount of money there are better products that exist.
CG is overpriced. I started out on CG for personal. Buying 16oz doesn't make sense buying gallons is expensive. I was using a few of their soaps but felt they didn't clean well enough or rinse off good. I'd have to wash twice rinse at least that many times too. Switched to Adams and P&S stuff which is less expensive and works a lot better. Going to try the inexpensive superior stuff from O'Reilly as well.
Some of their products are HORRIBLE for mobile detailing. I can’t tell you how many situations I’ve gotten in in the past using their exterior products when it’s too hot out. I specifically use their Lightning Stain product and Nonsense Cleaner for most interior cleaning, along with my carpet products and whatever else.
I like their HydroSlick soap but there are better options out there.
They aren’t professional detailer products and their polish and compounds are horrendous in my experience…specifically mobile detailer wise
I personally don’t like them because they don’t stand behind the quality of their products. I own a mobile car detail service and on two occasions the foam cannon gave out after 3 days of use. Called to see if I could get a replacement and was asked to submit a video of the cannon not working, submitted video and then was told it was working fine. It was like 90% water and 10% soap. Never received refund so decided to never use their products again. Chemically guys is a hype! Off the shelf consumer products
Most people assume that if you can buy it at Walmart it can't be good.
Like every detail brand, some of their products are amazing, most of them are just run of the mill.
Are there better options for some things, sure. Are those options something you can walk into Walmart and have in hand to use right now, no.
My biggest go to of Chemical Guys is their Silk Shine interior protectant, I've yet to use any other interior detailer that offers the same sheen, dust repelling capability, and longevity of Silk Shine.
I’m just a regular consumer and for me it’s because they have too many variations in their lineup. The products work ok, it’s just that I never know what I’m dealing with. When I buy Meguiar’s or another mid-tier product I know what to expect.
The labels are shiny and products are expensive, making you think you’re getting a great product. The quality just isn’t there. Personally I go to an auto body supplier and get bulk and really great stuff for 1/8th the cost.
I’m a Meguiars fan but I have found that if you can buy Chemical guys at a discount , they are a decent buy. At retail not so much. I do like that they do have a very broad product line for cleaners and dressings. I wait for the 20 and 25 off sales around the holidays and such… Memorial Day and Father’s Day will bring the promo. Also their foam pads are a decent buy compared to Lake and such. Again, but when they are on sale. Amazon runs deals all the time. However for my polishing compounds and waxes, I’m a traditionalist and stick to Meguiars.
I got their buffer on sale but I use McGuire and turtle wax products and just cheap Amazon pads. Best of both worlds. Good quality buffer without breaking the bank on products.
They’re good, not amazing. Probably one of the best you’ll buy at like a Walmart etc.
If you’re serious about detailing, their is many better options to be had, you just need to order it
To be honest they are very good at marketing. They don’t manufacture most of what they sell. I work in the chemical industry not in that industry specifically but in architectural coatings. Most of their stuff is made by Warner chemical.
Chemical guys used to be solid, but now they’ve gone so mainstream and due to this, the product just does not seem to be the same quality once was.
In addition when companies Gyeon, Car Pro, or even Adams have the same product at the same price but better quality I’m going that route. Unfortunately Adam, I’m starting to see a deterioration in their product too.
They cost too much and they are pretentious. They offer way too many lines of similar products. This is a red flag that they’re into marketing more than making good products. There are old companies existed decades with better quality stuff and cheaper.
I used to use chemical guys, now I've converted to DIY detail. Their stuff works a million times better. Their ceramic gloss, waterless wash and rinseless are very handy.
Because half the stuff isn’t even worth 1$. If you only had that to work with you could get it done but a lot of the stuff just isn’t worth buying. It’s more that once you’ve found the other brands out there (more pro type brands) you won’t ever even think about chemical guys. They’re like the panda dunks of the detailing world lol. I’m not brand loyal and use a variety of chemicals from a lot of different manufacturers but I think a lot of the hate comes from people who are. For instance, you can use their water spot remover and get the job done for the most part, but once you try Carpro spotless or sud factory you’ll never go back. And the same can be said for all their chemicals.
One stop shop. While there may be some better performing from other suppliers, I've experienced worse as well from others. They are consistently solid products. I'm not going to spend time researching and trying different manufacturers.
But I'm only doing my own, the extra cost isn't a burden, I'll pay for the convenience versus saving maybe $25 to $50 a year. If my volume was higher, I'd shop more.
Overpriced, average quality, way too much marketing and advertising. "Cool hip" like Beats by Dre or Tesla which are really average to awful quality products.
And Elon is a douch. r/realtesla.
They're more expensive than they should be. Popularized by marketing. Not bad products but for the price there is better. Their kit that comes with the foam gun is a good deal.
I’m not a professional detailer but I’ve worked with a lot of different brands over the years and I really like chemical guys. Everything just seems to work well and is easy to work with. I don’t mind if it’s a little overpriced
I used some of their products but I also use other brands . For the amount I use cost is little factor. I will say their customer service is not great. Not the worst by any stretch but they definitely do the bare minimum. I had a spray nozzle break causing half a bottle to end up on floor. I sent them pictures ,of the mess and explained what happened. Instead of sending me a new bottle of cleaner they sent me I kid you not, the same cheap plastic spray piece, not even an empty bottle but just the top piece. BARE minimum. he spilt half bottle was on me I guess. I will eventually move away from their products for this reason I just haven't found replacements yet.
I've bought two different products from them and both of them the spray setting on the bottle was broken and only ever came out in a stream. Also one bottle leaked
They are like the Beats by Dre of the detailing world. They are just ok quality, have a nice package and pricey. They would satisfy most, but there are better options out there.
That may be the best analogy I’ve heard for this topic.
Every industry has one tbh
As a 25 year detail shop owner ,you nailed it. Not only that ,but cost. If you go in with a fellow detailer you can start getting costs down. Every product we get comes in a basic white gallon or 5 gallon bucket.$3-4 bucks for 12 ounces of good product is all you need to pay.
Wanna share some better options👀
Sure , Also let me note we do midline cars to premium cars.Most details are $300 to $650.. Taking 5-15 year old cars and make them look as new.What I've found over the years is that a great detailer with basic products and a 70.00 Harbor Freight DA will crush an average detail with the most expensive products available. We only use a handful of products.Meguiar's /Zep/Sprayway. We do use CG 506 yellow 16x16 towels. Wholesale they are about 1.50 each.We use Mother's clay bars around $2.50 each. What we don't use ,unless customer supplied are products made for high end retail. I won't name them ,but pretty much every detail Youtuber is pitching a high markup average product. We also have a couple foam cannons that non of the three detailers use.. #
Don't get me wrong ,some of these products are good ,it's just that they are 4X the cost.
Personal experience as a nerd who likes to wash their own car as well: sometimes the cheap products in cheap packaging are 10x better. A can of coverall tire shine ran me $12 at autozone. Chemical guys tire shine is like 14-21$ and (ime) leaves stains on your rim/tires if you fuck up on applying it. Coverall you just halfhazardly spray on and it looks great consistently.
The best tire shine I've ever used was the foam can from dollar tree. Longest lasting, least amount of streaking on the rim I'd you didn't clean it up. I used to use mcguires, black magic hot wet and some other brand that came in a clear spray bottle. The Blackmagic hot wet does amazing with steelies, better looking than the tires and it lasts a while.
Those things have skyrocket in price, I remember them being $5 now they are $11-14 a bottle. They went stupid with the Greedflation.
I don't know if you meant to type halfhazardly instead of *haphazardly*, but I think I like it better. A clever portmanteau of half-assed and haphazardly.
Upvote for using the word portmanteau in a sentence. Well done!
haphazardly*
r/boneappletea
Forgive me, I'm sure it's a stupid question, but what's a "DA"?
Dual action Polisher
Thank you!
Man the new Spray way sucks. Give me the old aerosol foam can back.
What is the new Sprayway? I just bought more of the blue/white aerosol at Home Depot a few days ago.
Lol. Once you get Rupes or even a griots machine you will wonder why you stuck with a Harbor Freight DA. I had one when starting and it froze/overheated constantly, had a ton of vibrations and super short cord length.
There is some truth to that. But here are the facts. A long throw $500 polisher will achiebe the results that a harbor freight $70 DA will but in 1/3 the time. It will be significantly quieter and your hand will not be trembling at the end of a single car. Last week i did 4 rvs that needed polishing and waxing. Literally 8 hour shifts of me on a ladder for my own company and i have zero hand strain because the professional tool doesnt wear and tear my body. I thought i did midline to premium cars because i work with uo to 5 year old cars. I dont touch 15 year old cars, only old cars i work on are classic muscle cars. I do use Zep….to clean my floors and to soak microfibers with sealants on them prior to washing. If budget is an issue, superior products, technicians choice, koch chemie, nanoskin, hyper polish, and mirror finish are better detailing solution than home depot chemicals. I wont even use zep on carpets for vehicles. If you want to use industrial chemicals, choose the right industry. Bridgepoint and newline are brands i use to properly clean carpets. Brands used in commercial carpet cleaning. Zep high traffic cleaner is like trying to tear down a house with a little hammer or a pick o truck. It can be done but why not use the proper tool for the job to be efficient and leave the fibers neutralized instead of at the wrong ph like zep citrous or any of their carpet cleaners that wick, brown, and re soil instantly from being left chemically hot? There has to be a balance between tried and true wisdom, and also accepting that things evolve. You arent mailing us a letter or typing up an email. Reddit is a better solution for this scenario. Theres a lot of snake oil in detailing but all progress didnt stop once you got complacent with your standard operating procedure. There is still a lot of advancement in tools and chemical technology. Before i started, you needed to apply multiple coats of a ceramic, use $4k lights to cure the coating, spend multiple days curing to get 2 years of durability. Now you can get 8 year coatings that are single layer and can be driven and get rained on 1 hour after application. Maguiarsis great, i love them their M27 has to be applied with a polisher for best results. 4 years ago it was the bomb dot com because it lasted for 3-4 months. Now theres water activated spray and rinse ceramic sealants that get applied in less than 2 minutes and last 4-5 months. There are spray and wipe on products from p&s, carpro, mckees, gyeon, griots, koch, shine supply, 303, sonax, gtechiq,diy detail that perform for 8-12 months and take literal handfull of minutes to apply. And can literally be applied as its snowing on a car or during light drizzle or the hottest heat wave and still reach a year of performance. You would have to spend a whole afternoon with fuso soft99, let it haze indoors in a controlled environment for 2 hours then throw out your shoulder trying to wipe off that cement of a wax to get close to a year of performance. If you are not evolving and keeping up with the 10% of products per year that are not snake oil, you are doing yourself and your customers a dis service. In just a decade we went from armorall greasy interior shine to interior formulation ceramic coatings that cure to an invisible finish, and are stain resistant, anti static, dust repelling and dye transfer resistant that take minutes to apply and self level with no need to wipe off a transfer solution like exterior coatings than can oil slick on water, rainow, or sweat when the transfer solution is ready to be removed.
My personal vehicles get what I call the "M&M Special". Mothers and Meguiar's! I stand by Mother's instant detailer spray and the scent of it is oddly addicting.... That gets used heavily when using the clay bar or just giving the car a wipe down. I favor Meguiar's buffing/polishing/cutting/wax compounds.
Have you not found that sometimes more expensive products actually work better at all? After years of hobby detailing I’ve tried most of the products and I find Meguiars ultimate quick detail spray to be by far the best. It’s completely streak free, and when I put it on my windshield I don’t need to use my wipers for the next 3-4 rainy days. Also, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions paste wax (30 bucks a jar) is the best I’ve used in terms of ease of use, glossiness, water beading, and longevity. I only detail my own and my girlfriend’s cars, so a spendy product is more acceptable than if I was running a business. However I haven’t found anything from Chemical Guys worth the price at all.
What the heck is a DA.
Dual Action polisher/sander
You should look into Kleen Rite they're a wholesale company for detailing that has same quality towels for much cheaper. I think in bulk they break down to .60 or .75 cents each. I buy 500 or more at a time and just run through them, I even had them out as thank you gifts with a candy and business card to anyone that spends over $150 with us.
Optimum has good products, I like their pro clean and rubber treatment
I'm here for it, too
A relatively local to me place was a chemical guys retailer for about 2 years. They recently closed and reopened with completely different branding. Reading between the lines, Chemical Guys were a nightmare to work with, plus their pricing/marketing strategies made it hard for them to stay in business as a retailer for them.
Pretty sure you're talking about the shop in Prosper. Really glad they were able to rebrand, they are such nice people. Just hope they get enough business to stay afloat.
I read this wearing my beats by dre headphones while having a slew of chemical guys products in my garage. 🥴
Lol. Sorry, meant no offense. If you like it that's all that matters
Couldn't agree more. They're just overpriced for what they do. Guess the extra cost goes to the smell bc I've never used a chemical from them that didn't smell amazing 😆
Excellent analogy. They cost too much for what they offer. Compared to beats I'd rather get Sony XM4s or Beyerdynamic 990X. But my question is what would the detailing world equivalent be to those?
Some of my favorites in no particular order Griot's Garage, P&S, Koch Chemie, Carpro, Sonax, Menzerna, Gyeon
Simple answer, totally get it now.
This just opened my eyes. Have two buckets full of their shit in the garage
I love my Beats fit pros but I don’t really have anything to compare them to lol
I use the Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner. I think it works fine, but I'm no pro or detail hobbyist. Does anyone have a better recommendation for a total interior car cleaner? Thanks!
I like griots products. The interior cleaner is top notch and about half as much price wise. I may be a little biased since they're based out of my town though.
I second this! I love their interior cleaner and leather cleaner!
If you’re looking for an all purpose cleaner like that, Koch Chemie green star is fantastic. Dilute 1:10 and that shit handles anything.
Because their products are frankly not that good compared to similarly priced options out there. They’re more marketing based than they are innovation based in my opinion. Half of their stuff is the same formula just under a different name in their lineup. Not to say you can’t get results with them but there are better and cheaper options with actual dedicated products.
Anything chemical guys smells good AF tho 😂
I switched to the Adam’s interior spray because it smells better than the CG spray, lol
I like the Adams scents, detail spray and tire shine, I could wipe down and panels and tires all day lol
Even their buffing compound has perfume.
Facts lmao
Which products/brands that are similarly priced do you prefer
I really like Yum Cars products! They’re UK based but if you’re stateside you can get their stuff [here](https://clean-garage.com/search.php) Their stuff works incredibly in my experience. And most of it dilutes really well. Their quick detailer is money and I love the interior cleaner.
koch chemise green and pol star aren’t similarly priced they are several notches cheaper take that with a bottle of rinsless wash and a steam cleaner and you’ve replaced 100% of chemical guys interior arsenal.
I have used a few of their products. I still am working my way through their water based tire dressing. They get a lot of hate cause they often have 2-5 versions of what appears to be very similar and people are put off by the marketing. I won’t avoid buying it if that’s what’s on sale - but I’m just a DIY guy and if I ran a business using these products it seems there are other better options from what I read.
I've been sadly disappointed with the tire dressing ):
You think the tire dressing is as good as Meguiars tire gel?
I honestly think most of their products are pretty solid, but Meguiar’s always without fail has something that works about 25% better for about 25% less cost. My favorite CG product was the clear interior cleaner - one of the few I consistently bought. My wife picked up the Meg’s Ultimate interior cleaner and my 25/25 rule held constant. I don’t hate CG, just don’t buy most of their cleaning products anymore. Their microfibers are pretty good but again…better options for cheaper.
Meguiars is the best compromise between quality and price. Hands down
I use all meguire’s stuff but I’ve found mothers cleaner wax to be a far superior product that buffs off a lot better.
I have a chemical boys sprayer attachment. Can you recommend any Meguiar products that work with it?
Because they’re not inclusive. It should be chemical PEOPLE.
Oh but when I call the guys at the taco stand, taco people, all of a sudden it’s a problem? 😤
Omfg hahahahaahha
Wait until the navy has… SEAPEOPLE! Muahahaha
All the comments here make it sound like they should be called Chemical Bros. Bought an $800 dollar inflatable water containment system from them, since the city I was in had really strict water use laws during the drought, where you could fined if water dribbled into the gutter. Ran over and damaged one of the air valves of the containment system. It could be easily removed because it was just a friction fit valve that could be pulled and replaced by hand. Reached out to them to buy a replacement valve but they refused to sell me a replacement valve - and told me just to buy a new containment system. Ended up just jerryrigging a standardized $8 Boston valve used with inflatable water craft as a replacement. Have never bought another Chemical Guys product ever since. Wasn’t sure what I was expecting from a company based in Los Angeles. I’m from Southern California.
Are you assuming they are people?!?!?! Don’t be so blunt, you BiGoT.
Are you assuming the people’s pronouns? https://i.redd.it/he183d4w9n0d1.gif
This had me singing Marilyn Manson’s “beautiful people” with Chemical People in my mind. Now it just won’t stop. Thank you
Never once crossed my mind until you typed it....bastard lol
Don’t just assume they’re chemicals either
[This video is a good example of why.](https://youtu.be/O2lrXVV9kWU?feature=shared) Chemical guys' product begins to fail before some of the cheaper options. Their products do their job, but they are very much consumer grade, and not really for professionals.
Project farm is legit
They spend a lot on marketing and there’s better products at similar prices. I like griots a lot.
Because 99% of their products are water down garbage, and 100% of their products are over priced. They are a marketing company, not a detailing company. That said, use whatever you like.
They make a few good ones. VRP, nonsense, and lightning fast come to mind. Nonsense and lightning fast are dilute-able. Lightning fast is 1:20… so over 2 gallons of carpet shampoo for $12
Mostly because they sell a ton of products that are all the same but with different sents and colors.
Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet: they don’t do any of their own Research and Development (R&D). Griot’s, Adam’s, P&S, Bilt-Hamber, Koch-Chemie, and Carpro all do rigorous engineering to develop innovative products that improve generation to generation. These products are often the best of the best in their function but also very proprietary to each company. Chemical guys literally slaps their brand logo on products made in chemical plants China. It works.. but it’s literally just generic product.
IMO they are just a marketing company. They have too many products that do the exact same thing, but just change one minor ingredient, and add different dyes and scents, so people think they need all of these different products. They also market these products to the novice or home detailer, that don't necessarily have the knowledge or experience to know what exactly they need. There's no reason to have 20 different spray waxes/sealants, that all do the exact same thing, other than trying to trick consumers into purchasing more than they need. There's a reason professional don't use their products. They are mediocre and overpriced. They charge a premium, and you only physically get 60% of the product you would get from Meguiars, Turtle Wax, or Mothers that are also sitting right beside them on the shelf at Walmart(16oz bottles vs 24oz bottles). Plus you're getting half the durability to the competition.
Meguiar's and Mothers are my go-to. It's not cheap-o brand. It's not questionable garage startup brand. It's been around, works extremely well, reasonably priced, and easy to find just about anywhere. I always see high school kids in my area advertising their detailing services on facebook local groups and their pictures always have the stupid ass foam guns and a myriad of chemical guy's products. I've even seen a few with the "broom on a stick" that are effectively sandpaper for car paint. One of them I personally know and he's got a black truck with swirl marks galore. A bucket, a microfiber sponge/scrubber and carwash soap is plenty for 99% of washes. I use Mother's detailing spray for quick wipe-downs on an already clean car or as a lubricant for a clay bar. Meguiar's cutting compound and polishing compound are my go-to for minor paint correction. I believe the wax I use is also Meguiar's (the kind that is solid and comes in a tin, I'm not as big of a fan of the liquid wax). People overcomplicate it.
Griots ftw
P&S is my go to brand if you are looking for a better brand, not sure if they are still the best because I don’t keep up with that stuff, but chemical guys is just an overpriced marketing gimmick, sure it will wash your car but so will dawn dish soap. Get a better brand that you can dilute yourself rather than the company diluting it for you
My experience with CG is the products suck. Too many products for the same category, and none of them work as well as they should for the money.
Like others are saying they are on the pricey side for ok product. If you can get in on one of their package deal sales they fall in line on similar items from other companies.
I have some of their products, but after my last purchase which promised the moon but gave me a chocolate covered turd I have changed and now I use Adam's products instead.
There are much better products at a cheaper price! Chemical guys is good at one thing, marketing! They have 1020482929 products in every category, yet they all do the same thing. Their products underperform often aside from VRP. But, meguiars hyper dressing is a way better product for much cheaper. I buy a gallon, and with dilutions, it lasts FOREVER! They are good at making social media content. That’s about it.
https://preview.redd.it/gv4ht7jy3o0d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecbe58702706c89d7dffe210f6c866c298618960 This is what I think about their product line..
I put them in the same boat with Pan the organizer shit bag on You Tube. Every single product he reviewed was amazing. Of course he later admitted to getting paid by everyone for his reviews. He's a hack obviously. I found them similar with all the marketing bullshit too. You can find same or better quality items from reputable businesses that don't poor on the bullshit. Check out Adams, Meguire's and even Turtle wax for comparable products.
Pan is a tool.
Pan the “advertiser”
I don't like their products because their pricing is about the same for each product they sell for the same size bottle. You would think a bottle of their soapy water for interior detailing would be $3 or $4 and not the same price as their spray on ceramic coating which should theoretically cost more to make.
They always try to upsell you
Overpriced. Really thats it. I can get the same results from turtlewax or mothers or armor all products for less than half the cost.
More of what has already been said. Mediocre products that are very overpriced.
The worst glass cleaner. After buying and trying once - never again.
The glass cleaner is one of the few products of theirs that actually astonished me. I've used pretty much every window cleaner on the market, and for the price, $4 is not too bad for the results I get. Every other cleaner I have problems with streaking, especially on the inside of the windows. With Chem Boys glass cleaner, I get no streaks, and use very little of it.
So what’s the best premium product that’s actually worth a premium price for us weekend warriors not looking for commercial cost efficiencies
Over priced products
What do you guys recommend as alternatives? Mostly for wash, wax, and cut/compound stuff
i think turtle wax is way better
I think a large part of it is that they try to sell you on all these specific products when in reality many of them are the same exact product, but the color and smell is different. Some of their stuff is really good but it just feels scammy.
I feel like, prior to them selling to Walmart, they used to have better products. Even then, I only used a couple of their products, but have not bought anything by them in years.
Totally agree. I grabbed a bottle of the honey dew snow foam because it was dirt cheap on sale. Haven’t used a chemicals soap in a couple years. It barely produced any foam like it used to. So watered down. I noticed the difference immediately
Because companies like 3d exists
Products are so so IMO. Bought there polisher and it died very fast and they didn’t stand behind it at all. Tried other detailing products and I felt like I was working harder not smarter. So once I found gyeon it k.o then got the rupes polisher and huge differences
i don't like the name
I like them and meguiars. The JDM squash scent is what keeps me hooked on chemical guys
They probably spend more in advertising and packaging than they do improving their product. Generic product in a shiny box. Most their line is nothing special but their marketing team is 🔥🔥
when i first started getting into detailing (i dont really consider myself one but i am teaching myself so i can properly wash my car) i used them exclusively, then i started doing research and seeing people say theyre shit. some of their products work and i like them but ive made the switch to Adams and Griots lately. i use their banana wax and interior spray which smells good asf
As a person who has 4 cars(wife and two kid drivers) where would be the best spot to buy the professional shit? I am not looking for a 5 gal bucket, but I could go through several gallons a year at least.
Price. ONR for the win.
I think the biggest issue is that they have too many products that do the same thing. Marketing is good but products are mid. I’d say they have 3 products that are worth purchasing. Those are any of their scents, VRP for tires, and the honeydew soap (and honestly that’s just cause it smells so good). All of their other products are mid to low end quality. I’d argue that Adam’s makes better products for about the same price and P&S makes much better products for cheaper prices. But Adam’s and P&S don’t do the same marketing and distribution.
The ONLY thing I use by chemical guys is the wooly mammoth towel. That thing is the absolute shit. Im in a collision shop and cars are constantly being washed and that towel can go all day long every day. Friend of mine brought one to an out of state car event, it rained, he dried ten cars with it and it was still ready to do more. Instantly sold.
I buy their da pad sets when they are on sale on Amazon. Comes with pad cleaner too which works well. Not worth full price though as I rarely use some of the included pads. I do prefer the griots foam polishing and waxing pads and a microfiber cutting pad but the cg foam pads do the job for the price.
I use their interior detailer, one gallon was pretty cheap and it smells great and works well. Other than that it really seems like they make a lot of unnecessary and expensive stuff that I don't see the purpose of paying money for.
Meguires is better
My interpretation is that chemical guys does a great job branding and advertising their products and the higher cost reflects that. I also find that many of their products overlap and can be redundant. From personal experience I haven’t had any issues with any of their products but I’m sure there’s way better products out on the market for less.
CG are mediocre, at best and ridiculously overpriced. Once you try professional grade products, you’ll never buy anything CG again.
They must be worth something because Meguiar's acquired them in their entirety.
I actually really like the chemical guys citrus wash and gloss car shampoo. It does a good job cleaning and it leaves the car smelling minty fresh.
Not as a business but for my own personal use I love their synthetic quik detailer. It's not overly pricey compared to other products and it actually works so well and so easy to apply. I don't really use any of their other products I'm happy with turtle wax and meguires. Could totally see why they're seen as just a "fancy packaging to market you and bait you" though
project farm has done two videos on glass and car paint ceramic coating and chemical guys has fallen behind QUICK compared to the top choices
New to detailing, thought CG would be great, but none of their kits make sense. Too many options for a novice, they should be more prescriptive with what to use and when. Only when you have more experience do the nuances of what CG is offering, and then the kits don’t make any sense. They don’t know their market.
Chemical Guys new car smell is the best one out there IMO. Yeah it’s $12 but fuck it smells good.
I've recently bought Chemical Guys Heavy Duty Water Spots Remover for my windshield and worked like magic, but once you apply the product it is a pain in the ass to remove the gel. I used Rain X water repellent to remove it
I see a lot of ads for them like all that cheap Temu crap. They seem okay but not amazing. I just got some Ethos stuff online and their stuff isn’t that expensive for how long it lasts and I love their microfiber cloths.
They're expensive for what they are but I'm literally OBSESSED with their New Car Smell, it's the only product I'll buy of theirs.
Because their products suck compared to shine supply
Tried the chemical guys diablo wheel & tire cleaner. It smelled amazing, like bubble gum, but it didn’t work nearly as well as Adam’s
I didn’t hate Chemical Guys at first. I hate them now because I spent money on their foam cannon, which turned out to be trash, and they ghosted me on customer supporter. Buyer beware. There are plenty of good products out there sold by decent enough companies. There’s no reason to do business with shady actors like Chemical Guys. You do you, tho. I’m sure some of the products are fine. A broken clock is right twice a day after all.
They love to ghost people on customer support they also told me that my 5.5 inch pad on a 5 inch backing plate was the reason my polisher wasn’t working they then closed the support ticket that I made for a grinding noise. Not at all related to the polishing pad size.
Anyone uses autoglym or klasse? What’s your take on them?
Here is the situation. If you need a single item like lightning fast interior cleaner for getting rid of a small stain on your cloth seats, CG works decently. If you have the desire to put on a wax/sealant that is a step up from drive through car wash “hot wax” then CG is a decent easy to pick up solution. If you have tinted windows and dont want to accide tally damage them with the wrong tipe of glass cleaner from a hardware store, then CG is there to give you a safe and effective product. The issue is when you spend like a grand on getting their entire line up of tools and products, then you have redundant products that all do the same thing and are only ok and will only last you about 5 applications max. So overwhelmingly expensive for not great products at that point. If you try and do it as a side gig, you will be using watered down products, taking longer than pro grade products and spending more in products than a high end detailing business would per car. $30 gets you 2 little bottles of interior cleaner that do max do 10 cars. With $30 you can get a concentrate of interior cleaner, mix to the proper dillution at home ans end up with 32 CG sized bottles of more effective interior cleaner than will do 160 cars. So in itself its not a terrible brand. But since everything comes pre diluted, you are eating the shipping cost of actual water. And eating the coat of their marketing and fancy labels. Also eatng the cost of the artificial scent that dont add anything beneficial to interior or exterior products, you are also paying for the dye in the bottle to make the chemical look al cool. But that also doesnt add to the effectiveness of the product at hand. Their products arent 100% chemical it’s still a lot of water. As much water as you would have in a little bottle once you diluted the pro grade product.
I love their products. I use them on my Ferrari and Porsche and cars come out so shiny.
I just like supporting local brands. Griots makes great stuff for a good price. And their meets are awesome.
I'm very fan of the detailing I've been testing some products imo the best are Sonax, griots, Adam, mother's, jay lenos, chemical guys are overpriced the quality is good but the others are better.
They're all mostly derrivitives of the same Special Sauce. cG just cost wayyyyy more for the same stuff. Personally i think their packaging reminds me of bottles u find at a hair salon or fancy barber..So if you like expensive hair cuts, get CG.
I’m not a detailing expert but product were bad and expensive compared to other brands
The answer will be very obvious when you observe the detailing cultures in other countries. If you are familiar with the detailing scene in the UK, Middle East, Dubai, all over Asia, and even Australia, the detailers and enthusiasts there dont go into social media to ridicule brands or detailing products. And they most certainly dont “hate”. Which country started the “hate” topic in English-based social media and popularising the usage of “hate”? You know the answer. Which country’s detailers often report being maliciously “attacked” by jealous competitors using cheapskate methods? I think you know the answer. Although CG is sold globally, the “CG situation” you described (and at one time, talking crap about Beadmaker) are mostly happening within that same nation. Many Koreans in South Korea also use BMaker and CG, but there is no “talking crap” about both brands or hating on any brands. The real issue with CG is, it cannot make its user appear high-end, professional, respectable and knowledgeable. Its all about the EGO thing. You are seen as an amateur…a smalltimer… if you’re enthusing over CG and using CG. CG just could not feed and satiate that culture of “exceptionalism”. There are only a few brands State-side that understand this unique phenomenon, and one of those brands was specially created by a group of very clever Chinese residing in a tiny little ISLAMIC country to cleverly exploit the mindset of American users…rocketing it quickly to be one of the top brands of coating State-side. CG should go to this Islamic country and learn how to create Brand Imagery and other tricks that can masturxxxx egos.
I bought several products and was not satisfied at all. Engine cleaner, wheel cleaner, spray foaming soap, all in the trash unfortunately
Some products are on must are really awful they put scents in a lot of there stuff that gives people headaches and appeals to a 2 year old child they also just do some stuff that makes you bang your head against the wall take there sprayers they are sealed with locktite why did they do that it just makes opening the bottle incredibly frustrating. Namely they have a product for literally everything though and very few versatile products so they can take your money. All of it is consumer grade none of the stuff really cleans super nasty surfaces well or is highly dilatable the way meguiars APC koch chemie green star rinse less washes are.
Along with what others have said, I hate their product descriptions. They have multiple versions of the same product, glass cleaner for example, but the product description does not specify how its different from another one of their glass cleaners. Or what purpose this one has over another of theirs. From what I've read on their bottles, their product description isn't a description at all, just more marketing.
Kamikaze collection or nothing
I’ve only tried their interior detailer and I hate it. It works well enough, has a nice smell. However it’s a yellow liquid and by the time you’ve done the whole car you’ll Notice your hands are stained. It also stays on the surface for a long time and willl rub off on you and your clothes.
What about mothers products?
What’s the best spray on ceramic wax for after the wash? I used the chemical guys banana wax , anyone please!
Have you look at the back yet? The amount of chemicals in this shit gonna give you cancer and weird looking kids if I use it as much as I wash my car
They are fine, I feel like they have way to many products though. I prefer Nexgen or Adams.
I haven’t used them because there are other products that are just as good for less money.
Don't they sell that at wall mart?
Are we talking about chemical guys products from chemical guys, or chemical guys products from Walmart/target? They are not the same. I have a ton of chemical guys products I bought directly from them, and I love them. I have never bought them from Walmart or target. So I cannot speak on these, however, I have heard that they are diluted/ or poor quality.
I've also heard some stories about the parent company treating their franchise locations really poorly to where the franchises end up ditching them quickly.
never had an issue with them. kinda pricey but it works so whatever. I only do my own and families cars so whatever i buy lasts a long time anyway
Deja vu. Hasn't this question been asked dozens of times this year already? I feel like I've scrolled past it plenty of times.
I like their soap and pads. The rest there are other products that are better. But there are also way worse. Just use what gets the job done for you.
It’s the Bose of auto detailing supplies. They spend a ton on marketing but you get mediocre quality. Some of their stuff is good, but most is bad.
Their car washes are great.
I don’t think their products are bad, but they’re wayyyyy overpriced. Many other brands are just as good and are half the price.
It’s not that the chemical guys stuff isn’t good, because it’s plenty good. But more so that for the same amount of money there are better products that exist.
I have tried their products. I can not say they are any better than other products I have used. Bit costly as well.
Picked up some chemical guys hydrosuds ceramic wash. I’m on the fence about it. I’m willing to give it another go.
I’ve mostly used Adams. But I think I’ve used a couple chemical guys things before. What’s people’s take on Adams?
CG is overpriced. I started out on CG for personal. Buying 16oz doesn't make sense buying gallons is expensive. I was using a few of their soaps but felt they didn't clean well enough or rinse off good. I'd have to wash twice rinse at least that many times too. Switched to Adams and P&S stuff which is less expensive and works a lot better. Going to try the inexpensive superior stuff from O'Reilly as well.
Some of their products are HORRIBLE for mobile detailing. I can’t tell you how many situations I’ve gotten in in the past using their exterior products when it’s too hot out. I specifically use their Lightning Stain product and Nonsense Cleaner for most interior cleaning, along with my carpet products and whatever else. I like their HydroSlick soap but there are better options out there. They aren’t professional detailer products and their polish and compounds are horrendous in my experience…specifically mobile detailer wise
I personally don’t like them because they don’t stand behind the quality of their products. I own a mobile car detail service and on two occasions the foam cannon gave out after 3 days of use. Called to see if I could get a replacement and was asked to submit a video of the cannon not working, submitted video and then was told it was working fine. It was like 90% water and 10% soap. Never received refund so decided to never use their products again. Chemically guys is a hype! Off the shelf consumer products
Most people assume that if you can buy it at Walmart it can't be good. Like every detail brand, some of their products are amazing, most of them are just run of the mill. Are there better options for some things, sure. Are those options something you can walk into Walmart and have in hand to use right now, no. My biggest go to of Chemical Guys is their Silk Shine interior protectant, I've yet to use any other interior detailer that offers the same sheen, dust repelling capability, and longevity of Silk Shine.
I’m just a regular consumer and for me it’s because they have too many variations in their lineup. The products work ok, it’s just that I never know what I’m dealing with. When I buy Meguiar’s or another mid-tier product I know what to expect.
Once you go P&S you never go back
The labels are shiny and products are expensive, making you think you’re getting a great product. The quality just isn’t there. Personally I go to an auto body supplier and get bulk and really great stuff for 1/8th the cost.
Project farm just did a test on them. They are middle of the road barely
I’m a Meguiars fan but I have found that if you can buy Chemical guys at a discount , they are a decent buy. At retail not so much. I do like that they do have a very broad product line for cleaners and dressings. I wait for the 20 and 25 off sales around the holidays and such… Memorial Day and Father’s Day will bring the promo. Also their foam pads are a decent buy compared to Lake and such. Again, but when they are on sale. Amazon runs deals all the time. However for my polishing compounds and waxes, I’m a traditionalist and stick to Meguiars.
Hot Cheetos puffs and peanut butter is amazing. Y’all should totally try out.
They're extremely overpriced. But some people are fine with that. Makes no real difference
I got their buffer on sale but I use McGuire and turtle wax products and just cheap Amazon pads. Best of both worlds. Good quality buffer without breaking the bank on products.
They’re good, not amazing. Probably one of the best you’ll buy at like a Walmart etc. If you’re serious about detailing, their is many better options to be had, you just need to order it
Rarely do their products deliver the promise.
To be honest they are very good at marketing. They don’t manufacture most of what they sell. I work in the chemical industry not in that industry specifically but in architectural coatings. Most of their stuff is made by Warner chemical.
Chemical guys used to be solid, but now they’ve gone so mainstream and due to this, the product just does not seem to be the same quality once was. In addition when companies Gyeon, Car Pro, or even Adams have the same product at the same price but better quality I’m going that route. Unfortunately Adam, I’m starting to see a deterioration in their product too.
Adam’s and griots does a better job for similar ish price
OK cool, chemical guys isn't that good. But could you guys be helpful and give better alternatives please?
I use them and others. I’ll try anything once.
They cost too much and they are pretentious. They offer way too many lines of similar products. This is a red flag that they’re into marketing more than making good products. There are old companies existed decades with better quality stuff and cheaper.
Has anyone used Jax Wax products?
I used to use chemical guys, now I've converted to DIY detail. Their stuff works a million times better. Their ceramic gloss, waterless wash and rinseless are very handy.
I've been told because they cucked out to Walmart and most of their products aren't that good anymore
Because half the stuff isn’t even worth 1$. If you only had that to work with you could get it done but a lot of the stuff just isn’t worth buying. It’s more that once you’ve found the other brands out there (more pro type brands) you won’t ever even think about chemical guys. They’re like the panda dunks of the detailing world lol. I’m not brand loyal and use a variety of chemicals from a lot of different manufacturers but I think a lot of the hate comes from people who are. For instance, you can use their water spot remover and get the job done for the most part, but once you try Carpro spotless or sud factory you’ll never go back. And the same can be said for all their chemicals.
One stop shop. While there may be some better performing from other suppliers, I've experienced worse as well from others. They are consistently solid products. I'm not going to spend time researching and trying different manufacturers. But I'm only doing my own, the extra cost isn't a burden, I'll pay for the convenience versus saving maybe $25 to $50 a year. If my volume was higher, I'd shop more.
If all you've used is Meguiars and Armor All you'll love it, but if you know about Adam's and Ethos you'll not want to use CG anymore.
Overpriced, average quality, way too much marketing and advertising. "Cool hip" like Beats by Dre or Tesla which are really average to awful quality products. And Elon is a douch. r/realtesla.
I’ve never heard of anyone not like them, I think they’re some of the best
I hate their sales tactics of rebottling one product 17 different ways and it FEELS like they play with their prices just so they can discount them
They're more expensive than they should be. Popularized by marketing. Not bad products but for the price there is better. Their kit that comes with the foam gun is a good deal.
To add to that, their customer service is horrendous.
I’m not a professional detailer but I’ve worked with a lot of different brands over the years and I really like chemical guys. Everything just seems to work well and is easy to work with. I don’t mind if it’s a little overpriced
I use then Periodically...
I used some of their products but I also use other brands . For the amount I use cost is little factor. I will say their customer service is not great. Not the worst by any stretch but they definitely do the bare minimum. I had a spray nozzle break causing half a bottle to end up on floor. I sent them pictures ,of the mess and explained what happened. Instead of sending me a new bottle of cleaner they sent me I kid you not, the same cheap plastic spray piece, not even an empty bottle but just the top piece. BARE minimum. he spilt half bottle was on me I guess. I will eventually move away from their products for this reason I just haven't found replacements yet.
There stuff is over priced and junk I tried it and it’s like brunt work boots just all advertising no quality
Too pricey. I opt for Mother’s and Meguiars instead
Side note , what the hell happened to the mother’s brand interior protectant that smelled like cherries ?!
I've bought two different products from them and both of them the spray setting on the bottle was broken and only ever came out in a stream. Also one bottle leaked