[lagagnon]

Over the past few years I have noticed that many car care products are really just a silicone-based product gussied up as something special - and often over-priced.

For example, I am currently using these 4 products:

Mother's Back to Black Trim Restorer
ArmorAll Leather Care
ArmorAll Tire Shine Gel
303 Protectant

...and honestly they all look, smell and feel exactly the same - namely of silicone. In fact the first 3 above look, feel and apply identically. The protectant spray is just not in a gel form.

I don't want this thread to degenerate into an opionated rant on which products might or might not be better than others.

What I was hoping to generate is discussion on whether others have noticed this and whether anyone knows of any studies of what exactly are in these products?

It seems to me reminiscant of Steve Martin's comic sketch on McDonald's ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4u9dv-YPzA ) food and how it all comes out of one big vat ;-)

It is obvious to me we are being well and truly marketed the same stuff which works well in a number of vehicle care applications.

Comments?
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[JRRF]

It is obvious to me we are being well and truly marketed the same stuff which works well in a number of vehicle care applications.

We are undoubtedly being well marketed -- with everything!

 

[FI Spyder]

Silicone is a very useful and is in many products (itself a product of the space age). I tend to find that Maguiars and Auto Glym make good products and often use them although not above buying something on sale at Canadian Tire just to see how it works.