Black Bowtie

https://adamspolishes.com/collections/ceramic-paint-coating-9h
 
Just finished up this nice GMC, washed,clayed, paint correction & Ceramic UV Coating. Check out before & after pics.
 

Stuff smells awful but some of the best trim product I've ever used if it holds up.  This stuff is trashed Alaska trim with no care for 13 years.

The Hand Polish can be used to bring out more gloss and depth to the surface. As for a pre-cleaner, what he meant is that it can be used to essentially polish away any types of Detail Spray or waxes on the surface to then re-apply a new layer of protection. The Hand Polish isn't a replacement for claying the surface, but it could be used in between claying if you want to take off a few layers of wax or even possibly cut through Paint Sealant without having to put a machine polisher to the surface.
 
A clay bar or a clay mitt will still be more effective at removing bonded contamination more quickly and safely than polishing the area multiple times by hand to try to get the same result (and possibly grinding in the contamination with the foam hex grip applicator). I hope that clears things up 👍

Also a great pre-cleaner.

Also a great pre-cleaner.

Also a great pre-cleaner.

I've been using the Tire Armor for a few months now and wanted to share my thoughts in video form. I have a truck on 37's that sees lots of dirt action, and I was mowing through VRT like it was water! I can't believe how long this Tire Armor lasts, even when my truck gets driven through rain and off road. Absolutely 10/10 recommend this stuff to anyone looking for a more durable tire coating!
 
 
 

My sisters 300 "Big Sal" is the latest hydrophobic car on the road courtesy of yours truly.  The new compound is nice to work with, ended up using that, polish, brilliant glaze and sealant. Did a full recon for her, sealed the windows and scrubbed 5 years of brake dust from the barrels. I owe her interior dressing and leather conditioner which I have yet to buy.

Happy Veterans Day to all my brothers and sisters. Training warriors today, so what a better way to celebrate!!

Friends, thank you.  Thank you for caring enough to post your thoughts, and taking time from your life to do so.  Thank you for making your feelings known,  and I can appreciate that you feel we have drifted from our core.  Thank you for continuing to care about our company and brand, even though it's not the company and brand that you supported initially. 
 
The reality:  I understand your point.  We have become a much larger enterprise. At the same time, our customer base has changed as well. Over 60% of our customers are under 30 today!  We have a fantastic marketing department that turns out limited edition promotional products and Adam's branded apparel. While I certainly appreciate the sales, it's not something I had in mind when we started. Nor would I ever have thought old or limited edition products would sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Never in a million years, and our marketing team has created tremendous brand equity, and demand.
 
I started this business to offer great detailing chemicals, matched with premium application and removal tools, and easy to understand instructions.  (Eventually, videos, to help the DIY enthusiast achieve incredible results at home, with ease.)  Above all, I want our customers to be impressed with the quality, ease of use, and results achieved with everything that comes from Adam's.  
 
The reality:  The promotional stuff sells, and the new majority of our customers are young.   I now have partners, a bank expecting us to meet goals, etc.  It's not just me and my small team, boot strapping to make payroll, and kick out a few new products each year.  Adam's Polishes has grown exponentially, and as a result, it has changed.  While the changes at Adam's are good for some, they are not appreciated by all. Especially the original customers, those who remember us small, with nearly all American made products.  Those who have supported our brand for a decade or even two. 
 
As some of you are aware, our ownership group acquired our chemical manufacturer last year, and now have access to truly amazing chemistry.  We have invested heavily in the business, updated the lab, and are now making products that are more advanced than the big players in our industry.  Crazy enough, we now have 150 employees, plus another 25 part time show champions.  While I'm humbled that we have established a much larger company, and are roughly 10X the size we were just a few years ago, I also miss the old days.  I miss the days of taking our entire staff out to lunch daily.  Miss indoor parking and a cross-fit gym at the HQ.  I even miss the days of whacking payroll on a credit card, and living in my first warehouse.  While those days were tough, doing whatever it took to survive was invigorating, exciting!  It's hard to do things like that as a large company.
 
You asked about DVK?  Dylan VonKleist is incredible at identifying and developing new products.  He knows detailing as well or possibly better than I do, and has his thumb on the pulse of the detailing community.  He was instrumental in starting this very forum!   I also miss Ashley Wilson.  She worked with us since high school, with her fantastic dad, Mike, one of our original team members.   Ashley was amazing with our resellers, and everyone she came in contact with.  When we moved the business to Colorado, she was unable to move with us, understood.  We had an outstanding controller, Patti.  She started with us in 2009, and helped us get through many, many hurdles.  Her positivity and influence on both me, and the staff was awesome!  She eventually moved on to work with a non-profit, which helps children.  Understood, and she is missed by all of our employees that knew her, and was replaced by a super capable CFO and eventually, an accounting team of five that are much needed to keep this enterprise afloat.  Great people, certainly needed, but a big company team is different feel than a small few person team.  Realize, those people who are gone have moved up, and as our business grew, we had to make changes.  We are friendly with each person that moved on, no bridges were burned in the making of Adam's Polishes!
 
I introduced Dylan to Cody, then the owner of Cyclo Tools, and he was hired there.  Then, Cyclo was acquired by Rupes, which is how Dylan landed there.  It was a good fit for him, the right move at the time.  Truth:  Dylan is one of the smartest, most OCD, focused detailers I've ever known.  His focus on detailing products made our line better, and makes Rupes a better company today.  We never replaced Dylan, and are still looking today. (If you know someone, please shoot me an email with a resume: Adam@AdamsPolishes.com.)  

Today:  Our customer service team is awesome.  Our marketing team, led by Matt Butcher, is amazing.  Our chemicals are outstanding, and our ceramic program is world class.  Our towels and accessories are very good as well.   As I always say, "VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS!"   We are one of the only companies on earth that honors a 110% Satisfaction guarantee.  Pleas, return any product you are dissatisfied with.  Whining about products online doesn't solve a problem.  Remember, you get 110% refund on products you are unimpressed with. Please, no whining, just contact us so we can make it right!
 
I gave 200% to Adam's Polishes for decades. (Gave 200% to detailing for the previous two decades as well. Been detailing for nearly 40 years now!)  Today, I've shifted priorities, to a family man, and business man.  In that order.  I used to come home after work and get on AdamsForums, and on other social media platforms.  Today, when I'm home, I'm a Dad, and husband. Today, I don't always get to the HQ, rather, I travel all over for business.  I'm on a plane at least 4X a week, and while my United Airlines status is rocking, my absence is noted at home.
 
God has been incredibly good to me, and our business.  I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to start and grow this business from zero. Blessed with an incredible and dedicated team.  Blessed to have met my wife, and blessed with our three healthy children.  Blessed to live and work in Colorado.  Blessed to have incredible customers who care enough to report your feelings on our direction!  
 
Finally, I encourage everyone to VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS!  Focus on the high quality products that keep your car shining, and your shine therapy soothing.  I'm still detailing something every week, sometimes daily.  It's my therapy.  It's always been my therapy.  Detailing is how I unwind and find clarity in this complicated world.  
 
I'm here as the Chief Detailer, and Founder of Adam's Polishes.  I'm not the CEO, not the marketing director, just the Chief Detailer.  If you don't like a product, please, contact our customer service team, and we will make it right.  (orders@adamspolishes.com, or 866-965-0400.)  When I tune in to listen to people complain about our business, it certainly hits a nerve.  If you have a product that has not impressed you, please contact us!  Vote with your dollars, and you will see more products that you love from Adam's Polishes.
 
Thank you very, very much for your loyalty, and for your business.
 
Humbly,
Adam

Gizmo, you nailed it. I think you put in to words what I couldn't. 
 
These lines specifically say exactly how I feel: "Keep the products streamlined, current, improve them as needed, and focus on providing training in the form of videos and social media posts on how to use those products. I'd also like to see Adam himself be a little more present. Being busy isn't an excuse. We're all busy. Be the face of the company, cut the cutesie crap, and get back to the products and support being the main focus."
 
The reason I don't believe our concerns will be honestly address or considered is because the company appears to be too far gone to return to the old Adam's Polishes many of us grew up with. If the mention of investors is true, then I see no way the company ever goes away from where it is now and returns to what made it so amazing originally.

Again, I get it. Companies grow and in order to grow and keep up with demand the companies need money fast and investors are the way to go. Take any major corporation today and look back 20 years and you'll see they just aren't what the used to be and many times they lost sight of what got them to where they are now. Its pure business, I know, but its also sad.

This is all really good discussion and I truly appreciate it. You all make very good points and there is all to consider that I had not previously considered or known about. That being said, the issue I think some people are having about the new pressure washer it that for the price it is being sold by Adam's along with the similarity to other brands that are sold for near 50% of the cost it seems (without knowing specifics) like we're being sold a cheap ("rebranded") pressure washer at twice the price of the other brand.

Maybe it is the unknown differences and the extreme similarities that are making people skeptical about the company's products and intention. Of course a company is always going to try to profit, that is what it is ultimately about. However, when some products appear to be high prices rebrands of cheap knock offs, why wouldn't you expect this sort of push-back?

When it comes to swag, I remember when Adams didn't really sell any and customers (including me) were asking for some swag. Never could I imagine Adams trying to dive into the coffee business, or socks (I believe I saw something like that at one point), or balloons. That just seems silly and seems to water down the company image in my opinion. It's like seeing Clint Eastwood (a very cool actor and person) ditch his strong tough guy image, that seems to still work for him, in order to pander to today's flat bill hat, gauged earring wearing crowd by wearing such things in hopes of appealing to today's younger generation. In all actuality, his normal persona still works and it his true brand. That's what I mean when I say Adams has gone from contender to pretender.

From a customer's perspective what I feel got Adams to be so popular and desirable at first was the Made In USA policy, the chemicals, towels, and basic tools of detailing. Now suddenly Adams is selling random items that seem gimmicky or overpriced rebrands and the answer when someone calls them out is "vote with your dollars." To me that's like being told my opinion doesn't matter. I am but one person and I'm I won't make a dent in the profit, but maybe there are others who haven't spoken up that feel the same way and together voting with our dollars may hurt a little.

The best thing to come out of this conversation is TheWolf's last post about sending this to HQ. Hopefully this grows legs and we can get an honest heartfelt response like we use to from Adam himself. That is another thing we used to see, but doesn't seem to happen anymore. I love to see a company grow and I'm all for people making as much money as possible, but when a company grows so big that it loses its humbleness, I begin to wonder if the customers even truly matter. At least when Adam was a visible and engaged figure of the company I felt like our voices were truly heard.

As the title indicates, I had a vacation day that I  had scheduled for today, mainly because I need to use a pile of them before the end of the year, so I gave my newest toy a full on detail today. 
 
1. Engine Bay Cleaning
 
Since this was going to be a full-out detail session, I diluted some APC at a 1:1 and used my new iK foaming sprayer that came last week. I do have to say, I was nervous about lightly hosing down my engine bay, but there is so much plastic and the wires/cables are wrapped up that I just needed to make sure that I didn't use the hose at full pressure. After applying the APC, I then used one of my lug nut brushes to agitate all of the surfaces and immediately following, I rinsed it off. 
 

 
2. Tire and Wheel Cleaning
 
While I let the engine bay air dry, I attempted to use my iK foaming sprayer with the NWC...however, it seems that it is too thick for that, so I used my normal spray bottle and Wheel Mitt and Lug Nut Brush to get within every nook. But, before cleaning the wheels, I used the TRC to hit the tires as well as the wheel well, and I used my Tire Brush to agitate. Then after rinsing that off, I then used the NWC to go after the wheels. 
 
3. Iron Removal
 
After cleaning the wheels, I emptied out the iK foaming sprayer and refilled it with IR, at a 1:1 dilution (primarily due to the fact that I have a 1 Gallon container on order). Having the Foaming Sprayer helped tremendously because at least with a constant stream, I didn't have to deal with using the spray bottle and hoping that I got every surface covered. In fact, I was even doing so well with making sure that it wasn't drying on that I sprayed down my wheels as well. 
 
4. Washing the Car
 
Because I normally wash my car outside, once I fill up the foam gun with water and UFS, I do not stop for any reason so that the soap does not dry on. I have found that using the Wedge seems to make my life a bit easier compared to the washing mitt. I start with the roof, then hood, then passenger side, then rear, and then finish with the driver's side. After this, I hose down the car really well and immediately pull it inside into the garage bay. 
 
5. Drying the Car
 
After pulling the car into the garage, I rinse out all of my washing tools and get them on my drying racks inside the garage. I then refill my bottle of DS from my gallon container and go to town, using that as a dying aid. I'll use the DS as one panel at a time, then use one of the Great White Drying towels to wipe (in one direction, generally downwards) to dry the car. I'll start with the roof and work my way down. 
 
6. Waxing
 
Once the car was completely dry, I moved onto waxing, with the BW and my handheld applicator. Because I was out of direct sunlight, I was able to hit an entire side at a time, so on the passenger's side, I'll apply the wax from front to back, so that when I'm done, the wax had enough time to cure so that it was ready to wipe off with a Polishing Towel. 
 
7. Tire Shine
 
This is self explanatory, but after waxing, I sprayed some TS into the Hex Grip Applicator, and went around from tire to tire. 
 
8. Engine Bay Detailing
 
I opened the hood and used the DS on every visible part of the Engine Bay, as well as the cowling and the rubber gaskets. 
 

 
9. Interior Cleaning
 
I used the New IAPC Gel to clean the driver's side seat and steering wheel, and then moved onto the AGC to clean the windshield and all windows, as well as the MFD and Instrument Cluster. While I was letting the IAPC Gel cure, I used the VRT on the door sill trim as the sun isn't kind to it. 
 
10. Interior Detailing
 
Using the ID, I sprayed some of the plastic bits on the center console and the Infotainment controls. 
 
11. Leather Conditioner
 
Finally, I used the LC on my dash, as well as on my seats and the center console arm rest. 
 

 

I 100% agree with you.  I'm not a fan of this gimmicky direction they have taken at all.  
 
I've been using Adam's products since 2011, and like you've mentioned, they have changed so much.  I noticed the biggest change in the company after Dylan left and Matt came in.  
 
I'm not going to bash Adam's, but I will say this:  I used to be 100% Adam's and wouldn't even dare consider another brand, but that is no longer the case for me.  I've discovered other brands that remind me of the old Adam's.  So I guess I'm voting with my dollar.  
 
Another thing that used to impress me about Adam's was the customer service.  But I've experienced 2 situations that were not handled in the way that they used to be.  Out of respect, I won't go into the details of that.  
 
But I know for fact that we are not the only ones feeling this way.  I've talked with many different people at car shows that are saying the same things.  We are not alone.  

I had a very open conversation with Adam himself about 2-3 months ago it was a good conversation where I voiced the same displeasure of Adams.  His final words to me were " Vote with your dollar"
 
 

So I spent the last two days working on my 19 Equinox. It's black, so every single flaw is going to show up.  Washed and clayed the car, polished it using the Finishing Polish and Swirl Killer, wiped her down with the Ceramic Surface Prep, then started with Ceramic Spray Coating.  Two days of busting my rear in 90* heat in the garage, and I have to say, I'm damn happy with the results.   Check out the pictures. The last pic isn't dust............that's the metal flake in the paint. It just POPS now. 
 
 

I’m still relatively new to the detailing game, but I’ve developed quite the Adams collection. I started with tire shine and it’s grown from there. Mine and my wife’s vehicles get Adams exclusively. Did a little work on my 2018 Camry XSE. Washed it with shampoo, then clayed, then a coat of brilliant glaze, and then a coat of Americana wax. The interior was vacuumed and cleaned with leather/interior cleaner, and then interior protection paste applied. Tires got Tire n Rubber cleaner then VRT, and wheels cleaned with wheel cleaner. All in all, I think it turned out well. Let me know what you guys think!
 
I’d like to get into the polishing/paint correcting next.  Here to learn before I buy a swirl killer kit next. 

I think Russia hacked our weather system!

I think Russia hacked our weather system!

I think Russia hacked our weather system!

Well guys I thought you knew me better than that, haven't you seen any of my previous posts, lol ! Of course I can get these scratches out ! No gauges needed here knowing how hard the clear coat is on Mercedes. I did the worst part of the scratches with Adams Heavy Correcting Polish, then did two more steps with Adams Correcting Polish and Finish Polish and then a coat of Adams Machine Sealant was applied and then topped off with a coat of Adams Americana Wax. Flex 3401 machine was  used and Adams correcting pads as well. Coat of machine sealant used on wheels and VRT applied on tires. Great products and techniques were used to bring the perfection back to this totally trashed paint, so don't let anyone tell you that you cant get scratches out of your paint if you have a mishap here and there. Here are some pics for you.   

I use the Clay Mitt just due that I have bigger vehicles and it cuts my claying time in half. You should always plan on at least polishing after claying, pretty hard not to mar a vehicle.

Instead of washing each panel I would use WW, much easier.

I am into scale models.



 

Been hunting for a few months, but finally broke down and bought a 2019 Equinox, Premier edition, earlier this week.  Black outside (yeah, I'm nuts) and black and brandy interior. Has everything, but I'm really loving the end to end sunroof. The Cadillac was a fantastic car, and hated to get rid of it, but the sunroof in that car drove me nuts. It only opened an inch and didn't slide open at all.  Would liked to have kept it and get a new car, but that wasn't possible. 
So of course, for two days I've been washing and cleaning it, and after getting my wife to open the doors and stand on the door sills to wash the roof, I had to go to Harbor Freight today to get a little step to stand on to make it easier. Works GREAT!  And since I had to reprogram the garage door opener, I found it's just the right height to reach that too.  It will get a lot of use for sure ($30).  Plans are to head to Grabiaks and get 3M or Expel on the front bumper, possibly the whole hood, or a deflector at least.  Already has mud flaps, and has running boards down the side.   Didn't think I'd like the 2.0 Turbo engine, but it goes like crazy.  Plenty of passing power.  And of course, like most new cars now, it has the stop/start thing going on.  Doesn't bother me and I already figured out how to get around it.  But man, I'm too darn old to learn all this new technology. Everything inside is touch screen to program.  Guess I'll have to learn .  Anyhow, a couple pics.  First one is at the dealership, then the inside , and then the little platform I picked up.