Is the Foam Gun Worth It?

[pizano_luis]

I currently just use my hose and don't think of buying a pressure washer anytime soon (detail as a hobby for my personal cars - no business), but I've been having my eye on the Foam Gun?

I feel like that would not only make things fun but I think it will help and speed things up in a way?

 

What's everyone's thoughts on the product? Does it work well? I've seen videos but would like to hear other experiences on it.

[sixsix]

To me, it's a waste of time and product. Doesn't speed up the process either, if anything it takes longer. I see no benefit in using it.

[Rich]

I have one.  I like it.  The foam loosens up the dirt and sends it running down the car, takes a lot of the dirt off the car first before I start washing it with the mitt, and keeps the dirt out of the wash water.  Worth it to me.

[Beemer]

I use my foam gun every time I wash.  Don't know about saving time because I try to not be in a hurry.

 

I typically will hose down with just water.  Foam it up.  Let dwell for a few minutes while i fill my wash and rinse buckets.  Wash a couple of panels.  Foam the vehicle again.  Wash a few more.  Foam.  Wash.  Foam.  Wash.  Rinse it all off.

 

Foaming during the wash keeps the soap from drying on the car.

 

I have two bottles for my foam gun and I use them both.

 

 

[PacificNWBuckeye]

While I don't have an Adam's foam gun I do use my Gilmour for every wash, laying down the layer of foam before washing just feels better, especially when it is pretty dirty. When my Gilmour packs up I will get one of the Adam's guns.

[SlammedRT]

'Worth it' is obviously going to be different among users but I like it. I also believe it is a safer method of washing then without it. The soaps are ph neutral which help prevent water spots as well. The whole point is to prevent minor scratches which prevent paint corrections which saves clear coat. If your concerned with any of that than I'd say its worth it.

[Bryman312]

thanks for this post.  i think ill be getting one too!

[rondre]

I don't have the foam gun but do have the red spray nozzle and love it - looks to be the same as what comes with the guns just w/o the gun attachment part.  I do have a foam cannon (non-adams) and I can actually attest to pre-foaming helping loosen dirt.  I foamed down my truck with the cannon and for some reason started on the side i'd just foamed rather than the one I started foaming on.  By the time I got around to that side a few minutes later the dirt was wiping off very cleanly while on the first side i had to make several passes.  I've never been one to let the foam sit but have been now and finding it does help.  Personally I like the pressure washer method as the foam is thicker and seems to stay on the vehicle longer but that's just based off my use vs what i see in videos.  I have a quick disconnect on the pressure washer and spray nozzle so it's pretty easy to swap between the 2.  The pressure washer is electric and doesn't foam quite as well as my gas powered which was stolen a couple months ago but it still will paint the car white.  If it were me I'd recommend getting a cannon over the gun but if not an option I believe the gun would be a good choice over just the 2 bucket method.

[chops1sc]

I look at it another way. When you pre-rinse you run the risk of the water drying leaving water spots before you get to wash the entire surface. The foam gun ( and cannon) allows you to put your soap on the vehicle which is "safer" than water drying. Just another way to look at it I guess!

[falcaineer]

My two shinny pennies, cleaned with MP : value is the in the eye of the user. I own the premium version and while I don't use it every wash, it's pretty fun to watch the suds flow and it does add another layer of protection between the wash pad and the paint. That can only mean good things, right?

 

But I do have a couple issues with the overall experience. Thankfully, for those considering getting one, they're not issues with the product itself, I don't think.

 

- The pressure out of my house isn't the greatest, so the foam doesn't shoot out like it does in some of the videos out there or, obviously, like it would with a foam canon. I have to stand relatively close to the car to ensure the suds hit the car and not the driveway.

- The foam doesn't seem stay on the car very long, so it's disappointing to watch them just roll off. It's possible I don't use enough CS (I use a few ounces of CS/W&W + warm water in the canister), and/or the PS is so slick it doesn't get the chance to cling. 

 

All cards on the table, I just got a FC, but since I don't yet have a pressure washer (read: excuse to get one!) I haven't made the jump yet. I still anticipate using the FG, but who knows, may end up trading/selling it away.

[jakerodz7]

I rarely do traditional washes anymore but when I was all about them and felt to lazy to bust out the PW and FC I did enjoy using my FG. Be warned that you will more than likely use a lot more soap if you want to see a thick layer of suds coming out of your gun onto the car. Not only that but unlike with the FC where I could typically do 3 to 4 passes on the car, I was lucky to get 1-2 with the FG which again contributes to the using more soap situation. It was still worth it though, especially with all the soap I had and still have on hand. 

[zeps7784]

Yes. I think it is for sure. Way easier than the foam cannon and pressure washer and still gives good suds to knock down the particles. 

[pirahnah3]

I would say its a solid piece, but really depends on what your going to use and how often. A pressure washer if you own a home is really a good tool to have, even the electric only ones are great for a multitude of reasons. If you going to stick with the hose only unit, I think it is a worthwhile investment just in the fact that it gets soap onto the paint sooner to help encapsulate and then remove contaminates with less damage to the paint during the washing process. I think the standard gun is a decent option but there are some larger differences between it and the premium one. First off the construction overall, plastic vs metal components, your also dealing with different canisters. 

 

I have the premium and while I dont use it all the time (I do mostly waterless washes on my daily) when I do its really easy to add a bunch of soap to the car quickly and easily. 

[zeps7784]

I hate setting up the pressure washer. It’s such a pain.