Frequently Asked Questions

No, and every page says so. We compile what manufacturers publish, cite each figure to the document it came from, print the blanks, and do the arithmetic in front of you. How we research sets out the full method.

A published six-axis scoring rubric applied identically to every ranked page, fed only by published manufacturer figures. The axes, weights and per-category bands are on how we research, and the working for each score is printed under the product.

No. There is no commission field in the product data and no commission term in the rubric — it is absent rather than weighted at zero. Several products here are sold by makers we earn nothing from, and those pages say so.

Because a remembered price is worse than no price: a reader acts on it. Prices render only from a live data layer with a 48-hour freshness gate, and that layer is not currently enabled for this site. The list prices you see in tables are captured on a stated date from a named source and never appear inside a button.

Sawyer V., on every page. An enthusiast who reads manuals and compiles specifications — not a professional detailer, not certified by anybody, and not somebody with a test lab.

That the manufacturer does not publish that figure anywhere we could find it. It is information rather than an omission on our side, and it costs the product points on the transparency axis of the scoring.

Two buckets, two grit guards, a wash mitt, a pH-neutral soap and a drying towel — about $105. That is a complete, safe wash setup, and it prevents more damage than any product upgrade. Building a kit under $300 spends the rest.

On published claims, a DIY coating works out at $12 to $40 a year and the real return is time rather than money — washing gets faster and the car stays cleaner. The arithmetic is here.

No. Coatings improve chemical resistance and make the surface easier to clean. The hardness numbers quoted in this category describe a cured film in a laboratory and say nothing about stone chips.

For a real cannon, yes. Garden-hose foam guns exist and produce noticeably thinner foam — the comparison covers what you lose.

8mm to 9mm. The shorter throw is more forgiving on edges and curved panels and finishes more cleanly with less technique — the beginner roundup.

It is difficult, because a random orbital stalls under pressure rather than concentrating heat. The realistic risks are edges, badges and trim, which is what masking tape prevents.

When the paint feels rough through a thin plastic bag after washing, not on a calendar. For most cars that is once or twice a year.

An ammonia-free one. Ammonia degrades the adhesive in aftermarket film, which is what turns tint purple and bubbled — the tint guide.

Silicone films hold dust electrostatically. A silicone-free protectant with anti-static treatment avoids it, and leaves a matte factory finish rather than a gloss.

Neither, ever. If that changes it will be published in the editorial policy first and disclosed on every affected page before anything else.

Use the contact form and name the page and the figure. If it disagrees with the source it cites, that is a bug. Errors are fixed in place with a dated note and never silently deleted.

Ranked pages every 90 days, comparisons every 120, guides every 180. The date on each page is labeled “Last verified” because it means somebody re-opened every source, not that the page was edited.