Junior

Dylan, have I told you lately......Welcome Back!?

I think we're all (or at least most of us) in the same area in terms of what we'd want from a coating -
 
Personally I think something that lasts 4 or 5 years sounds terrible! Thats a unique hell I don't want to exist in where I have no excuse to rub on my car. Something in the 18-24 month range would suit me just fine.
 
I'm also not all that concerned with gloss levels, ideally I want a coating that leaves the appearance of the vehicle unchanged vs. having nothing on it. I want excuses to use waxes, glazes, detail sprays and other things to bring out the gloss. Putting down a good paste is like therapy so why would I want something that takes away that need?
 
I want it to be stupid easy to apply - some coatings I've worked with are so temperamental that the process was more aggravation than it was worth. I finished frustrated and annoyed - I never want the joy to be sucked out of detailing.
 
Am I on the right track?

SInce I started testing coatings, both unique formulations and stuff sold by other companies, this isnt' true for all of them. The big guys the Opt and CP are living up to the claims for sure. The smaller outfits though - theres a lot of hype that isn't delivered on. One very popular option (that I won't name) was applied and I was able to completely diminish the beading properties of it in 3 washes by using nothing more than APC concentrate mixed in soap. The label of course claimed YEARS of durability. Others that claim self cleaning proved to do no better at repelling grime than a basic poly sealant.
 
My point is this - the coatings market has some legit players, then theres a lot of guys relying on smoke, mirrors, and consumer ignorance to capture market share. Heres the funny part - in the world of coatings there primary raw material (polysilazane) only comes from a limited source. The newer versions that promise more gloss cut that with resins. In a dumbed down way more resin = more gloss, but less durability. What you should be looking for in a coating (IMHO) is out and out durability since it can be topped with more traditional LSP's for the asthetic aspects.
 
What is truly exciting is whats on the horizon, legitimate self healing coatings that can be wire brushed and level themselves out in just moments. The catch - they require a full clean downdraft paint booth, professional paint spraying equipment, and cost thousands of dollars to have applied. Not exactly technology that people will be using at home.
 
The current generation of stuff is becoming more and more user friendly, what needs to happen is more consumer education as to what a coating can actually do. There are far too many claims that are just baseless out there and too much hype by guys who don't know any better. If/when we finalize a coating product the goal will be to set REALISTIC expectations for what the product does - not a bunch of outlandish promises.
 
Is a coating really a product everyone needs? IMO no. I wouldn't ever apply one to my C/10... doesn't make sense. Would I use one on my daily driver thats parked outside 24/7? Absolutely. Theres viability for use on wheels for most people, but not entire cars for everyone. We'll delve more into it as we work towards a solution of our own.

Hmmm... If only someone was testing coatings. That would be interesting.

Oh how I've missed detailed explanations like this. Loving it already

Thanks Doc

Yep Jamey, Your method is spot on! Most all wheels that come stock on today's vehicles have clear coat on them, so you treat them just as you do your paint. If black showed up on your pads you had bare metal, no black residue and it's clear coat.

Looks like Dave has you pointed in the right direction. Those would most definitely be a coated wheel in my experience.
Keep on them with the orange/white combo and they should shine up pretty well. Most times there are some defects or lines under the clear from the factory so you may not turn them into a mirror, but getting them back to the way they were when they rolled off the line in 2000 shouldn't be too difficult.

Man this is awesome news! Welcome back big guy!

This just feels right.

I was getting tired of chasing him him around the web anyway
Glad you brought the bum in from the cold!

I no longer feel the disturbance in the Force.

Today, we let the cat out of the bag.  The Shine Doc is in, and Dylan holds an honorary Ph.D in OCD detailing!  He dialed in our product line and upgraded our detailing system since 2008, and manifested multiple product and process improvements....at all times.
 
Dylan's attention to detail, his process of measuring perfection, and his pursuit of a flawless finish has earned him an incredibly positive reputation in this company, and industry.  Our company suffered without him.
 
Adam's is way better, and more complete with Dylan on our team, and it feels FANTASTIC having him back.
 
Welcome back my friend, and I'm honored to be on the same team again!
 
-Adam

We like transparency here at Adam's, and here is the reality: Shipping is the enemy of our business friends. You don't win paying shipping, and neither do we! FedEx wins. The reality is, the average order that leaves our HQ costs us between $11 and $13 to ship to you.
 
The alternatives are:
 
1- Use the USPS and save 50%, but increase shipping times to 7-10 days, no tracking.
2- Pack profit into the products by raising prices, so we can cover shipping and offer it free on orders over a certain threshold.
3- Initiate an Amazon-Style membership to cover a year of free shipping.
4- Sell everything through Amazon, who offers cheap shipping through their Prime program.
 
Anybody see a neat solution out there that I didn't mention? Our FedEx bill is nearly $500,000 this year, and trust me, $10K out to them every week, when we collect $3-4K in shipping from customers, hurts!
 
Has anyone seen my Bugatti? Ferrari? My villa? No, you have not, because we drive a pickup and a mini van. This awesome company is a passion, supporting American manufacturing, much more than it is a profit center. I love this business!!
 
If we could offer reasonable prices and free shipping even on small orders, we would! Consider a 2-bottle order. Total is $40. Product costs are roughly 50%, shipping cost 25%, and overhead costs, staff, rent, website, events, etc., another 25%.
 
It doesn't take a CPA to realize this process is dripping in red ink! So, we offer specials occasionally on shipping orders over $150, so the shipping can be absorbed.
 
Free or discounted shipping isn't making Amazon profitable either! http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/04/why-amazon-is-not-making-money.aspx
 
So, friends, the solutions we sell are made mostly by Americans. We don't employ Asian jail-laborers, so we can get ultra cheap goods with fat profit potential.
 
Did you ask for this narrative? No, you did not, but thanks for reading, and as always, thank you for your business!
 
-Adam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAa_lQb3d7g

We salute all of our Veterans!   Happy Veterans Day!! 
 
 

When I heard that Dylan was dismissed from SCG, I called him immediately, and invited him to lunch.  We immediately offered to bring him back, as he was a pivotal part of the growth that we experienced while he was on our team.  Let's face it, Dylan rocks, and we would love to have him back!
 
He is looking at several options currently, and will be making a decision that is best for his family, and bank account! SEMA is next week, and he has multiple offers and meetings.
 
We did part ways on good terms, and would love to have Dylan on our team again.......
 
Go Dylan, and no matter what, we support him and his family!

BOOM!  Thanks for letting us know Adam...

Detailers might be the biggest group of nut swingers I have ever met. People only seem to use the products that person they look up to use. Dylan is a very knowledgable and seemingly stand-up guy, and was a natural in all the adam's videos. But I didn't stop using or buying Adams because he wasn't around. I'm sure he'll do great wherever he ends up!
 
Adam's is where I got my detailing start, and although recently I've branched out to try some other products, this is one reason I'll always come back. Keep doing things like this Adam, and you will have customers for life. A+ good sir!

SCG must be morons

SCG must be morons

a water activated sealant would be nice
 
and nick, dont hide behind that mask LOL

People just need to check their credit cards. There are a bunch of them that will add an extra year to the manufacturers just because they bight the item with that particular card.
 
Maybe Adam can check into Square Trade to offer extended warranties, that is their game.

If I need a tool, I'll buy it from Adam's because I buy from Adam's.  However, I wonder how many people bought a tool from Adam's just for the warranty and never bought another Adam's product.  For the most part, these tools cost the same everywhere, so why should someone choose Adam's now if they have no intention of using other Adam's products?
 
My guess is that not many people did that anyway and that's why Adam felt comfortable ending the warranty.  It would still be cool if he offered to double the manufacturer's warranty or offered to extend it for a small fee.  Basically an incentive for non Adam's users to buy from Adam's.