As I was hitting my tires with a shot of protectant today, I was thinking about the guys that put on the "wet look" tire shine stuff.

Does anyone really like that? When tires are new, they are a deep black color, with only a small amount of sheen. They aren't glossy.

So when I look at a car with shiny tires I can see that they where obviously treated. I think a tire that looks new is more attractive, don't you?

8) That stuff reminds me of when I was a kid helping a shyster used car dealer in town get cars ready for the auction! Cleaned them and shined them then he would spray the tires and under the hood with clear lacquer! Boy did it make the car sharp under the bare bulb lights in the auction house! :lol: I like a natural look to tires. :cool:

I don't like that super shine either, I prefer a deep black satin effect. My favorite dressing is Zaino Z16, here's pictures after 180 miles in rain and scorching sun, great stuff!
http://dftowel.com/elky/Z16tire.jpg
http://dftowel.com/elky/Z16close.jpg

Clean, black and matte. Even Leo's are way too shiny for me!

In Australia we have a producted called Polyglaze Tyre Black. It is a water based latex paint which you apply to the tyre. After a short while it dries completely and leaves a shiny coating which lasts for months unless you scuff the tyre on a gutter. The shine is obviously not for everyone. Forgive the non elky pic (this was a ride I had a few years back - Holden Calais).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/Hemi57/DSCN0023.jpg

I don't like the shiny look either!!!

Although it's made for UV protection on boat seats, 303 Aerospace Protectant works great on vinyl tops, dash pads, and yes, tires.

Here's another vote for 303 Aerospace Protectant. Makes the tires look like new (not shiny). Also use the stuff on the door and window rubber, dash, rubber and plastic stuff under the hood etc. No greasy sheen. Hopefully the UV block will help exposed stuff look good a little longer. I save the Armor All and the like for the wheel well liners.

Jerry

How do you remove the blue protectant and the stuff they use to seal the bead on new tires. i have scrubed and still have flat streakes and blue tint on my new coopers.

time will get the blue off!

I always tell the tire dudes send me tires with white letters. I got some cooper cobra's new with white letters.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/418000-418999/418892_51_full.jpg

Westley Blech-White will clean whitewall and black tires. Makes them look new. But keep it off your wheels. It's not good for aluminum and mag wheels or paint. This stuff will really clean up grimmy things like under fender wells. It will work on engines as well, I would wet any painted things with a little water first and use a paint bursh to help get in to tight places....Doug

Guess I'm odd man out. Depends on the car.

I like the nice black satin look on more traditional size tires and most white letter tires like the Camino. Formula 303 or similar look. A professional detailer told me that years ago they sometimes used motor oil to get the look they needed for car shows.

There should be a law against using high gloss treatment on any car made before 1967 or so at least.

However, I have a current model sports car with 19" wheels and very low profile tires (from the factory) and me likes the glossy look on those. I use tire gel on them.

Sorry I couldn't be more definitive. :dontknow:

Take care.

I use Soft Scrub with bleach to clean the tires, gets anything I've had one them off, although I'm not sure about the blue stuff. If you have white letter tires like I do, and plan to keep using cause they look more muscle, the soft scrub will not only clean up the tire, it'll bleach the white real shinny so it has a nice contrast on the black. So I don't use gloss on the Camino. I do however, use a bit on a foam pad and rub it lightly on the tires of my daily RSX-S. The tires on that are lower profile so it actually looks good with a light shine. Guess it all depends on the car for me.

I like a GREASY lookin' tire. Always have. Even the raised white lettering with that greasy black shine behind it looks good to me. That's just me though. I don't twist hairs over what car it's on or what kind of tire it is. When I go to the good car wash I always pay that extra buck to throw on the tire shine.

I just think it speaks "Look at me! I'm clean and my owner loves me!" Of course I'm also the strange dude that still spit shines his work boots even though I haven't seen the military for over ten years. Eventually I give up on the spit shine but when I first get a new pair of work treads I always clean and shine 'em until I can shave in them. I guess I view my tires the same way. I like them to look better than new.

Adrian