I wish I could claim this was someone else's car, but, uh, well, err. Yeah.

Anyway, here's my informal test of Sonax Full Effect.

I hate, hate, HATE cleaning my car, especially my wheels. And the MINI is especially problematic in that regard. I've tried most of the over-the-counter stuff, and gotten the same results you probably have: better than nothing, but a big "meh!" otherwise. And I'm pretty sure that's what damaged my Lexus wheels.

So, I was anxious to try Sonax to see how it did.

Pic 1 - Before
This represents about 6 months between wheel cleanings, or maybe 11-12K miles for me. I wish I'd taken a close up so you could see how dark they were. Just horrendous. The fronts of my wheels probably looked like the backs of yours.



Pic 2 - Green
This shows Sonax right after being sprayed on. It's a neon green, thin and smells like urine.



Pic 3 - Red
After 60-70 seconds, you can see that this stuff is different than anything else currently on the market. It visibly reacts with the brake dust, changing color as it works its magic.


Pic 4 - Clean
After five minutes, I rinsed the wheel and these were the results. There is still some dust really glued to some portions of the wheel, but the vast majority was removed - and certainly more than any other product I've tried would have taken.


Pic 5 - Multiple Cleanings
Well, I don't want to seem like a shill, so I'm not showing the final results after multiple cleanings. I just wanted to demonstrate how well this stuff works with ONE application and a simple rinse. The final results, after three applications, using a wheel brush each time after the first, is a perfectly clean MINI wheel, which you've already seen.

It does seem to like a dry wheel each time, so let the wheels dry between applications.

Great product, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. I'd rate my satisfaction on par with the first time I tried Hydro. I might actually keep my wheels clean now for a change.

 

I just tried it today myself.
One application, a little wet brushing, and good as new.
Great stuff.
I'm with you, I hate cleaning wheels, but this makes it better.

 

My front wheels are always worse then the back. I'd be interested in the pH of the product.

 

i think it's neat that it changes color.

but that's about it. just use your car shampoo and boar's hair brush. better yet, for stubborn grime, use simplegreen 50/50 with water.

 

Two things:

1) Why dilute the Simple Green?
2) I've tried many other methods and products, since Quicksilver first hit the market, and while most get the surface dust off, none really seemed to clean the really thick, baked-on stuff. Sonax is the first product I've ever tried that worked for that, too.

If I maintained my wheels regularly, I could get by with a gentle buff from a handful of freshly plucked goosefeathers. I (clearly!) don't, so, for my wheels, like so many other things in my life, I need some chemical help.

 

Wow.

I was going to buy it, but ended up buying Pinnacle gel, not bad especially with a brush.

 

this product has no acid in it, the ph is 7.5.

I have used simple green straight and diluted and its not all that good, you still need to brush. its cheap that's for sure.

but its not effective.

when you do this day in day out you want to use as little effort as possible to improve your time and of course using less of your hands and wrists.

I'm just speaking from a pro perspective. This has saved me time on every detail I've done in the last 60 days.

 

Used this product also and highly recommend it!
It sprays on liquid and once red, it clings to the brake dust and turns into a gel like substance. A Little aggitation, and wheels look like new!

 

I ordered some from AutoGeek.com on Saturday, hope it's as good as you're sayin'!!

 

This SONAX cleaner rocks!

 

My Sonax Order will be here tomorrow!! Gonna' have to find some energy after work to actually use it and give Molly the bath she didn't get over the Weekend.

 

If it doesn't contain acids then is it safe for non clear coated polished rims?

 

no, you still need to care for non-clearcoated wheels differently...such as not letting product DRY on the wheel.
it gets into the molecular level and dyes and stuff stains.