shmedley

Chris is just mad that he can't get a wet Portillos Italian Beef sandwich or any Lou Malnatis pizza lol ( @falcaineer sorry I just had to, not going to say what I had for lunch today though 😅)

Chris is just mad that he can't get a wet Portillos Italian Beef sandwich or any Lou Malnatis pizza lol ( @falcaineer sorry I just had to, not going to say what I had for lunch today though 😅)

Hello from Central IL. New member with a hell of a project on my hands. I have been wanting to make the leap to a better quality product for a while and had a few Adam's products from when I was on the LS1GTO page many years ago. 
 
I recently purchased this 1981 Turbo Trans Am SE that had been sitting in a barn for 13 years untouched. Yes, I know the first pic is at a commercial car wash but I only used it (at very low pressure mind you) to get the majority of the loose stuff off. As you can see from the last two pictures I still have quite a bit of work to do. It appears that the paint is pretty good and the car only has about 55,000 miles on it and was very well taken car of. 
 
I have a foam cannon and an assortment of products coming sometime in the next week and will do what I can when the weather allows. For now I am focusing on mechanical stuff but the weather is supposed to be near 50* later in the week and the weekend so hopefully I will have time to give it a good soaking and cleaning and we'll see what we have. 
 
First daylight in 13 years... 

 
After a mild rinse...
 

 

I can get behind this. I use the limited edition DS more than I do regular. I like the scent of the regular but I like to switch it up sometimes. Maybe for some of them, we can use the term "Seasonal" instead of Limited. I think my favorites are the OG Untamed DS, I think it's pina colada, and I believe 2019 Memorial Day, the label is light blue and it smells like root beer float. 

I have a metro-like device that is old and on its last legs, the place that I have found it it really work great is for the outside mirrors.  It is the one tool that has worked to get them to stop dripping.  Given the condition of my old one and the point that I take care of the kids vehicles, I put one in the Christmas wishlist for  the kids and they are pretty good at reading the hints, knowing it benefits them.
 
The hint may not be overly subtle since it states “needed for Spoiled’s Mustang and Rotten’s Evoque that Dad details”.

Didn’t realize there was a forum, so based on the amount of threads here I might not be sleeping for a while. Anywho, I’m Andrew from Castle Rock, CO. Just got a decent size order over Black Friday. Came here trying to find some info. I love ordering mystery boxes because it tend to get and try things I probably wouldn’t normally order. Gonna do some research to find and answer but if someone wants to chime in that would be great. In my mystery boxes I received a ceramic spray coating and a ceramic paste wax. Which of these would go first? Spray coat and then wax? 
 
Here is my 1999 Eclipse GSX

Welcome Keith to your newest addiction from a fellow Chicago area resident. I'm in the western burbs, If there's anything you want to try let me know. I won't hold it against you being a cubs fan either  

Welcome Keith to your newest addiction from a fellow Chicago area resident. I'm in the western burbs, If there's anything you want to try let me know. I won't hold it against you being a cubs fan either  

Beautiful family Adam.

Since you posted yours, I'll post mine. The picture attached is from the finish line of the 2019 Bataan Memorial Death March. I just completed 26.6 miles of rough and rugged terrain.
 
Wife Karlie. Katie 9 (holding our female German Shepherd "Sami"), Ella 6 (in white), Mark 4 (in black), Matthew 1 (in stripes).

Thanks Mike and each of you who responded to this thread.  I absolutely care.  This business is my baby.   I lived on Top Ramen and canned tuna with ranch dressing in a 950 sq ft warehouse on the railroad track,s next to the 405 freeway for three years while starting this business.  I'm not up to see Adam's be gimmicky, or low quality. 
 
Stand by, we will continue to develop and launch new, quality products, and I certainly hope to continue to earn your trust, and your business.  Realize, I'm no longer the only person launching new products, and if I was, I'd have 5 hours of things to focus on for each hour of the day. Tough for a detailer with OCD and ADD to do!
 
I've leaned on our entire team, as has our CEO, to bring excellent, high quality detailing products and accessories to the market.  
 
Forgot to include a photo of our young family, this one from last week in McCall, Idaho, heaven on earth.  Celebrating my wife, Melissa's birthday.  Towel wrapped Luca, 11, Cristiano, 9, and Enzo, 6 with a LaCroix on his head: 

Thanks Adam for taking time out of your busy schedule to address this.....well said!

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

I've been using Adam's stuff since 2005ish. Started with a bottle of the original Detail Spray and yellow (or were they white?) microfiber towels, then some VRT, then some car wash, Brilliant Spray Glaze, APC, swirl and haze remover, buttery wax, etc. and eventually ended up with basically every product available. I still have a cabinet full of Adam's stuff, new and old. Anybody with Adam's who pulls up my information will see a pretty long order history, so I feel somewhat qualified to address this.

What got me interested in the brand originally was the simplicity of the lineup, and Adam. I liked the face of the company and I liked being able to "special order" something better than what could be bought in stores. Seeing Adam's passion for providing simple, quality products and how-to support for those products was all I needed. I understand the expansion of the lineup to include ceramics, accessories, etc. to stay current. I'm not onboard with the "lifestyle" stuff personally. I'd like to see the focus be on a solid lineup without branching off on sub-lines. 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. 
 
I remember placing an order many years ago. Shortly after the order went through, I got an email from the man himself simply thanking me for the repeat business. That email has generated LOTS of repeat business from me over the years. I don't know if I came across the Adam's of today that I would be as impressed or loyal to the brand as the Adam's I discovered almost 15 years ago.
 
I know it doesn't do any good to live in the past or cry over spilt milk, and I don't know the details of the divorce and I doubt we ever will. BUT, I will say the Adam's of a few years ago with Adam and DvK at the helm was the Adam's I felt good about. It was exciting, professional yet casual, and generally in good hands. I'm not saying beg DvK to come back, because comments he's made have made it clear that's not an option, but I would love to see that version of Adam's back. 
 
 

My pocketbook is thanking me that there is no fat guy sizes on them this time.

You know Chris, Chicago's the place with Lou Malnati's and Portillo's all over 

59 entries, I put them into a spreadsheet chronologically. Google's random number generator chose...
 
drumroll...
 
#52 - Tim! Please PM me with your current mailing address and I'll get it sent on the way!
 
Thank you everyone that entered. We'll do one of these again soon

We use detail spray and Interior Detailer throughout the house. With out Husky hair can get everywhere and it helps it not to stick to everything. It's what always happens to the special editions when they come out, the wife either grabs them or tells me to order them (who am I to tell her no to making an Adams order?) for the house
 
We also use glass cleaner, Brilliant Glaze and some OG all purpose cleaner in the bathroom a lot 
 
Have used foaming cleaner on the couches and use leather conditioner on the wife's purse a couple times 

Thanks!

Thanks!

That sounds crazy Tony!  Not how we roll, typically....but...it sounds like we gave you some poor customer service.  I apologize, and we typically offer a higher level of customer care.  I've sent you an email.  We can certainly make this right.  Looks like your Flex backing plate disintegrated.  In fact, we haven't carried that tool in years, and we don't carry backing plates.  As for the leaky gallon of TID, and broken cap on the Ceramic Boost, certainly, we can make that right.  However, the gallon is likely expired, judging by the label.  I believe it's a 2012-2013 blend date?   If it works for you, order this Flex backing plate from Amazon, and we will get you a $100 store credit to shop as you wish!
 
 https://www.amazon.com/Flex-452-661-FLEX/dp/B01N2IX434/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1546576118&sr=8-5&keywords=flex+xc+3401+vrg+5.5+inch+backing+plate
 
Sending you an email now....thanks Tony, 

When I apply TS, I spray it into a foam block and rub it onto the tire. This keeps me from spraying it all over everything that's not a tire and I can also rub it in real well and get even coverage. I've never had any problems doing it this way. I don't see a need to wipe it. I just let it dry for a while and I haven't seen any sling or anything. 

We use detail spray and Interior Detailer throughout the house. With out Husky hair can get everywhere and it helps it not to stick to everything. It's what always happens to the special editions when they come out, the wife either grabs them or tells me to order them (who am I to tell her no to making an Adams order?) for the house
 
We also use glass cleaner, Brilliant Glaze and some OG all purpose cleaner in the bathroom a lot 
 
Have used foaming cleaner on the couches and use leather conditioner on the wife's purse a couple times 

Looking for some people with some sweet cars to take pictures of here the next few weekends. I have an incredible camera. Its the Sony A7 mark 3 so I would really like to get some shots of some cars. I have done a few cars before but if anyone is interested in meeting up PM me or something. I would love to take pictures of some cool cars! I am in Highlands ranch so anyone in Denver or within about 20-45 min let me know. It would be pretty cool, Here are a few pictures of some cars Ive taken. Please pm me if interested!! Totally jut for fun and free of course. Anything for Adams Family  (BTW all these are unedited pictures. Straight from the camera to my phone)
 

Hi everyone!
 
Just wanted to finally say hello! I’ve been using Adams’ products for awhile now and haven’t looked back!
 
also have an obsession with their detail sprays ?

We use it all the time in the house, we use it like pledge. With a husky in the house everything helps with hair.