quote:
Originally posted by txmatt:
Most of these folks bashing CR results are members of the various wax cults who go off on weekend retreats to remote locations to multi-step-wax their vehicles while other devotees chant and dance around the sacrificial vehicles. I should know because I was once lured by the Zymol and Zaino and P21 drumbeat, spending 5x the necessary dollars and doing 3x the work for 10% better results. I have since reformed.
CR tests products for 90% of the population that uses a product as a tool for it's intended purpose. If you're looking for spiritual enlightenment from your car wax or car or slacks or wine, read Autpoia or Hemmings Motor News or Sommelier Today or something. For most folks, CR's highly rated products do a good job for their intended purpose. Does it mean there aren't better products out there? Of course not.
I couldn't agree more.
As to CR's tests, the test criteria used, the things tested for, and the variety and availability of brands tested, I've read many test articles on such things as exterior paints and stains, major indoor appliances, and outdoor motorized lawn and garden equipment. Personally, I think they do a good job. I've never understood all the CR bashing on this site. I suspect one of the main reasons is that CR's results don't validate the favorite brand of the bashers.
As to the car wax report, CR tested 28 brands, including, in CR's words, some "pricier waxes favored by auto enthusiasts". That's a LOT of brands. I defy anyone to find any type of any store that has anywhere near that many brands on its shelves. They tested for gloss, cleaning, protection, effort, residue, scratching or hazing, and compatibility with plastic. To quote from the above link giving the short version of the CR article:
"Consumer Reports tested using sample panels uniformly finished with white or black automotive paint, both with and without clear coat. Some were left to weather for 12 months on the roof of CR’s National Test Center in Yonkers, NY and others were put into a device that simulates extreme weather conditions. The panels were brought into a lab weekly, where technicians washed and dried them, and applied drops of water to measure beading effect. How well a wax causes water to bead, or repel water, is one way to determine whether wax still provides protection from acid rain and contaminants. To test for ease of use and how well products worked to clean and improve gloss on fading paint, CR used real vehicles, some of which had rarely or never been waxed.
To assess gloss, CR did side-by-side visual comparisons. For durability, CR tracked how water beaded to show how quickly the wax wore away. Cleaning and scratching/hazing tests also relied on side-by-side visual comparisons. For ease of use, CR used cars owned by staffers."
