It's the finishing touch after washing and cleaning a car: tire shine. The tire gloss, commonly available in spray or gel, gives a car's tires a shiny look and often gives a vehicle a final bang to really make it stand out.
The number of glossy tire products on store shelves and digital stores seems to be endless. However, for all the cars that frequently come and go from the roadshow garage, we chose the best six glossy tires. Whether you're looking for a professional, detailed shine, a long-lasting product, or something to use quickly on the go, these are our top options for 2020.
Chemical Guys
With so many tire gloss products available, we've tried a lot. Seriously, a amount. The vinyl, plastic and rubber band from Chemical Guys (VRP for short) continues to prevail. VRP is water based and skips aggressive chemicals like petroleum and silicone. The formula also lasts quite a long time. Check out how good the tires look on Roadshow's long-term 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition XT. This is VRP for you.
Best of all, it doesn't cost a shipload of money and a single bottle will last a long time.
Meguiar's makes a lot of different tire shine products, but for those who need a budget selection that gets the job done, a can of Hot Shine Foam is just the ticket.
It's not water based like our best pick, which means it has chemicals in it, but that doesn't make it a bad product. The foam is easy to apply well and the results are good. However, try to keep it off the bike as it leaves an oily residue.
It doesn't last as long as we'd like it to, but when you need a quick shine for your tires, Hot Shine is far from a cheap cop-out.
Keep these points in mind when looking for tire gloss
- Make sure the tires have been properly cleaned: Applying tire gloss to old tire gloss can cause your tires to tan.
- Tire gloss isn't bad for you Tires: You may hear that the tire gloss is not good for your tires and can cause dry rot or cracking. That's not the case. Cases of dry rot and cracking are often more common in tires that have been exposed to the sun all day each day.
- Have a good quality tire gloss applicator ready: This little tool will make your life a lot easier when you choose a tire gloss gel.
- Higher quality products usually last a long time longer: While we're trying to get everyone's budget, the more expensive products are worth the coin.
Keep shining
As with any auto cleaning product, results can vary. However, if you keep the tips above in mind, any tire gloss will work fine. Here, too, higher quality ingredients ensure a longer-lasting shine and a clean tire offers the right blank canvas. Always pay attention to the curing times and other instructions the product recommends and you will get the final piece of a perfectly clean car.
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