Review|Armor All: Extreme Tire Shine Gel

joshs09slvrZ

Hello everyone! For the past few years, my go to tire shine has been Optimum Opti-Bond. I love that it's water based, is relatively inexpensive, doesn't sling, lasts a while and looks great! I got the itch to try something (that has a bit more gloss) so I went with what I feel is probably one of the best OTC tire shine products (of course this is based off reading it on different detailing websites).

According to their website, Extreme Tire Shine Gel:


-Delivers serious WET BLACK SHINE that lasts for weeks.
-Rich, durable gel coats for a smooth, even look — without messy over-spray
-Protects against harmful elements that can cause cracking & fading

So I gave my wife's Nissan Rogue a quick wash to the body, but thoroughly scrubbed the tires to make sure they were as prepped as possible.

Price/Packaging: At $6.99, you received an 18oz. bottle along with a tire gel applicator inside the box. The applicator has a thin groove running along the center of the pad. You're supposed to squirt the gel into that groove and then apply to the tire. I think the groove is helpful because it holds the gel in and prevents it from falling off the pad and onto the floor or onto your clean rim.



Application: I felt this product went on very easy and even. A little bit of this stuff goes a long way. I was able to get one thin layer on the tire with just one thing line of product into the groove of the pad. If you've ever used Opti-Bond...then this Armor All product will remind you of it. It's the same color and consistency...though the Armor All may be a bit more "runny."

Appearance: This stuff looks great; plain and simple. It's slightly more glossy than Opti-Bond...which is what I wanted all along. It's not a greasy look...just a nice shine (which I think really sets off a clean car).

Durability/Sling: I'll have to post back here over the next couple of days to see if it slings and then update again in about a week to see how the durability is holding up. Unfortunately I don't think the durability will get a fair test because we're expecting rain over the next few days. But...if it still looks good on Friday/Saturday after driving through rain...I guess that would say a lot for the durability.

So...enough of all that...on to some pictures:

To be fair...this is after about 10-15 minutes of dry time. Per the instructions, the "Shine will intensify over the next few minutes!"







And then a few of the overall car (don't judge...just a quick wash and dry)





In this picture...the black plastic beneath the bumper also received a coat of the tire gel...along with all 4 mud flaps. This made them look unbelievable!







Overall...I think this is a great product based on what I've seen/experienced so far and will definitely have to use it again.

Thanks for looking!!

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Stillen Gen3 CAI|Berk HFC and CBE|UpRev|15mm H&R front spacers|20mm Ichiba rear spacers|Stillen front and rear sway bars|Yokohama S. Drives|Swift springs|JDM Blinking Fog|8000k HIDs|9% window tinting, 47% on full windshield

mikeTO

Thanks for the review. I've been looking for a good tire shine gel, so will give this a look.

harman.khinda

good review. let us know how long it lasts.

On the bumper and flaps try Meguiars Ultimate Protectant Dash & Trim Restorer works great, wont attract as much dust and will last a lot longer. I used it for the window cowl on the Z made a big difference in appearance.

joshs09slvrZ

I've used that before along with 303 Protectant and then most recently Mother's VLR. This gel by far looks the best...but, like you said, gels have the tendancy to hold more dirt and dust; we'll see how it goes.

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Stillen Gen3 CAI|Berk HFC and CBE|UpRev|15mm H&R front spacers|20mm Ichiba rear spacers|Stillen front and rear sway bars|Yokohama S. Drives|Swift springs|JDM Blinking Fog|8000k HIDs|9% window tinting, 47% on full windshield

B&W_Evader

I think I'm the only one who likes the dull flat look of the rubber as it ages. I think it looks more like a race car, less like a luxury sedan. I think some people like it because it hides the curb rash they put on thier tires.

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cheshirecat

I've used this product for quite a while.

Pros:
- serious shine, truly looks like a like a wet gel has been applied to the tires
- lasts a decent amount of time (week+ of daily driving)
- applicator that it comes with works well
- decent price

Cons:
- picks up a ton of debris. keep this in mind if you're going to a meet or show on grass (freshly cut grass is the worst). highway dirt will also build up
- Hard to get off the tire once a couple of applications have built up- you will need to use a strong detergent to break it down. Dryer sheets work well for this, believe it or not
- you will get wheel sling on your body panels with lower offset (aggressive fitment) wheels. The amount varies depending on how liberal you are in the application of product. I've found that no amount of "drying time" will get rid of the sling 100%. the sling will come off of your panels with some elbow grease- it's not difficult, just a pain.

Verdict:

I think it's an excellent "show" tire dressing. Just understand that it can, and will, get dirt, etc, embedded in the gel and that removing the dirty gel to get a "fresh coat" can be time consuming. The sling is the biggest issue but this can be combated by making sure you don't use "too much" product, however I've never had it go away completely. After the first time driving it and having the sling go everywhere, you should be ok as far as nothing additional getting on the panels.

Overall, I think it's a good product, but I figured people would benefit from my experiences with it.

joshs09slvrZ

This is a fantastic review and thanks for the heads up on picking up debris! I haven't seen the sling issue yet...but on my wife's Rogue...the tires are set in more in the wheel wells so any sling is caught up inside. The real test will be when I apply it to my tires on Friday and then drive over to Orlando same day. I'm lowered and with spacers...so any sling that could happen...will be noticeable on my door panels, etc.

I'll keep everyone posted!

__________________
Stillen Gen3 CAI|Berk HFC and CBE|UpRev|15mm H&R front spacers|20mm Ichiba rear spacers|Stillen front and rear sway bars|Yokohama S. Drives|Swift springs|JDM Blinking Fog|8000k HIDs|9% window tinting, 47% on full windshield

joshs09slvrZ

Hey guys! I gave my car a quick wash and wax this morning...here are a few pictures to showcase this tire gel. Unfortunately I won't be able to test the durability of it because it rained on the way to Orlando...but it definitely looked fantastic!







And my personal favorite:



Thanks for looking!!

__________________
Stillen Gen3 CAI|Berk HFC and CBE|UpRev|15mm H&R front spacers|20mm Ichiba rear spacers|Stillen front and rear sway bars|Yokohama S. Drives|Swift springs|JDM Blinking Fog|8000k HIDs|9% window tinting, 47% on full windshield

genki370z

ii like the results the product gave you, very nice and shiny, but like everybody stated it grabs alot of dirt when driven. i love to use adams super VRT. it gives the tires a matte look, plus it wont grab dirt and give it that brown tire look, and plus its water resistant. best stuff to use on tires AND platic/rubber trim IMO.

bigaudiofanat

The real test does not even start until about 3 days after you apply, and as a bonus rain as well.

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rossk7961

looks good, i was going to ask you about the gel spinoff til i saw it further in your post. To this day, the only tire gel I have used that does not spinoff is Zaino's brand. It's expensive but it's high gloss, long lasting, no spinoff

cheshirecat

hmm, i'll have to order some and give it a try

Ubetit

I prefer a clean deep black look wih minimal shine. I've been using 303 on tires for at least the last ten years. The best thing is it doesn't get all greasy/cakey like the gels and heavy sprays get. 303 keeps the tire dark for a long time.