Fast forward a few hours and I get another text from Buzz, with a reply to my earlier suggestion of driving the car: “Are you actually insured to drive it?”. Truth be told, while I definitely did want to drive the car, when the reality set in that I could well be taking it to TRAX, I had my reservations. Firstly, this is my friend’s car. I know (to an extent) just how much blood, sweat, and most importantly, money, has gone into building a 2500bhp car. Secondly, I’ve never driven a car with more than 2000bhp. In fact, I’ve not driven one with more than a 1000bhp. Not many people have… The fastest vehicles I’d driven prior were a 825bhp supercharged S550 Mustang from Clive Sutton, and a 800bhp R32 Skyline GT-R. So on the power front, I was quite literally in the kids leagues.

Driving the Twin Turbo Lamborghini Huracan

Back to how this opportunity came about, and whether I was insured to drive the vehicle. The short answer was yes, and just like that, Buzz put all his trust in me to take the Twin Turbo Huracan to the show. If anyone knows Buzz, you’ll know that he’s a larger than life character, but few have earned enough trust to hop behind the wheel, let alone take the car away for 24 hours…

It’s now the day before TRAX, I’ve driven to Buzz’s place in my Mrs’s 2012 Ford KA (yes, I really am trading in a KA for a 2500bhp Huracan, what on Earth is life…) and a slightly buzzed Buzz comes bounding out. Hugs (and kisses) out of the way, I hop into the cockpit and fire it up. At this point Buzz is shouting all manner of instructions at me. In the moment, I’m half listening half pinching myself that this is really happening. Brief over with, it’s time to make the journey to Silverstone, right when the light is starting to go.

First impressions

The next hour flew by, not because I was driving quickly, more on that shortly, but simply because it was so easy to drive. Once I’d negotiated out of town and onto the motorway, I started to settle in almost immediately. What I can’t quite believe is how stock-like the car feels. Of course that is until you hold onto a gear for just a touch longer and hear the turbos start to spool. It’s an addictive sound, you don’t even need to use full throttle, just build the boost and listen to it flutter. That’s what driving is all about. You can keep your batteries, I’ll take more of this!

Speaking of sound, this car is so obnoxiously loud. It’s funny because usually people hate ridiculously loud cars, but here, I, nor other roads users, could get enough. Van drivers will virtually drive into hedges just to let you by and get a glimpse of it in all its marvel. In short, there are no silencers, and the rear bumper has been removed, so there is no sound deadening. But f*** me does it sound incredible. It’s raw, and once you start to hear the V10 scream, just hold on tight.

Time-warp acceleration

If you’ve got 2500bhp ready to be unleashed under your right foot, you’re going to want to see what that feels like at least once aren’t you? Naturally, I’m the same, and I know that if I’d have given the keys back to Buzz without at least feeling what this car is capable of, even for just a few seconds, not only would I have been disappointed, but I know Buzz would have been too.

So, I put on my big boy pants, found a suitable stretch of tarmac, zero traffic, and put my foot down. Holy s***. Nothing could have prepared me for the g-force pushing me back into the seat. Suddenly you feel the front end become light for just a second as the power shoves the rear of the car into the ground. It doesn’t scramble for grip, it just hooks up and goes. Before I knew it I was travelling at speeds enough to send me to jail for a decent stretch. And that was roughly 4 seconds.

It’s a complete sensory overload, adrenaline floods through your body, a smile/slightly panicked look adorns your face and you’re gripping onto the wheel so tightly you worry you may actually pull it off. It’s like nothing I’ve felt before, almost like a plane right before takeoff on a runway.

Twin Turbo Lamborghini Huracan performance figures

To put the performance into perspective, let me just go through some of the official acceleration figures for this car, because without experiencing it, it’s hard to comprehend. These figures are GPS verified using a Dragy device.

This car, at Santa Pod, completed the ¼ mile in just 7.7 seconds, at a speed of 193.7mph. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that means 0-193mph takes 7.7 seconds. More staggeringly, the 0-60mph is over in 1.88seconds, while the 60-130mph sprint is over and done with in just 2.27 seconds. 0-130mph? That takes 4.15 seconds… That means that by the time a 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera goes from 0-62mph, this Huracan is travelling at over double the speed. It doesn’t stop there though, 100-150mph is over in a blink of an eye at 2 seconds flat. These are speeds that would trouble the very peaks of the hypercar industry. You can forget Bugatti, this is an area reserved only for the fastest Koenigseggs and the fearsome McMurtry.  And yes, this is still a road car, and it certainly doesn’t cost north of £1million either!

And for you drag racing nerds out there, the 60ft comes in at 1.49 seconds and completes the 1/8th in 5.25 seconds at 152.9mph.

What’s a twin turbo Lamborghini Huracan like in normal driving?

The one thing that struck me most about this 2500bhp Huracan is the fact that for all intense and purposes, it’s a regular road car. It’s a tool that takes you from A to B. And above everything, it has to be able to do that, otherwise there’s not much point to it… This car can do exactly that. When you’re driving regularly, it changes up and down automatically, the throttle is easy to control, the brakes don’t grab and bite, the gearbox isn’t clunky (parking can be tricky).

In fact, if you ignore the parachute pully inside the cockpit, you’d have no idea it had been modified so extensively.  And that’s where I have to take my hat off to not only Buzz, the owner, but everyone involved in the build. There are too many people involved in the build to name, but I know the hard work that GV Performance has put into maintaining the car, so a special shoutout to Gee. Not only have they managed to build Europe’s Quickest Lamborghini, but they’ve done so in a way that doesn’t compromise on it being driven in any scenario.

Returning the car

The only thing left to do was to hand the keys back to Buzz. This is always the hardest part of driving some of the cars I’ve experience. I know that there likely won’t ever be a time where I get to drive another V10-engined car, let alone one that can boast such ridiculous feats. It was a pleasure, and an honour to be entrusted with it, I just wish I could have spent another 24 hours with it. Before I leave you, here’s one thing I will say. No matter what anyone says, people treat you differently when you drive a Lamborghini. Suddenly traffic moves out of your way, women (and men…) smile longingly at you and walk around feeling 10ft tall. No wonder Buzz always seems like he’s hooked up to a caffeine drip…

Right, where’s my Ford KA?!

Love modified cars? Don’t forget to visit our Fast Car Events page for more info on what show we’ve got coming up next. 

The post 2500bhp Twin Turbo Lamborghini Huracan Driven appeared first on Fast Car.

How I tested the TopDon TopScan

I had a couple of cars ready and waiting to plug the TopDon TopScan into their OBDII ports. On one of the cars, a 2005 Audi A3 Sportback, I knew there was an issue with a parking sensor. Would the Bluetooth scanner find it? I was also interested in finding out if I could reset things, such as an oil service. And I wanted to know if I could see live engine data. This can help to diagnose problems by looking at the behavior of the engine.

Using the TopDon TopScan

What’s in the box?

Contained in a compact and neatly organized box that’s less than five by three inches and two inches deep, there’s even less inside. The device is only three inches long and has a QR code printed on it. I later discovered this can be used to confirm a connection between the TopDon TopScanand your phone when using the app.

The only other item inside the box is a small user guide that’s straightforward to understand. After reading through it, I was confident I could be up and running in a matter of minutes.

Downloading the TopScan app

I immediately hit one major obstacle when attempting to download the dedicated app for the TopDon TopScan. Armed with a one-year-old Samsung Galaxy A13 running Android 13, I searched through the Google Play Store to find TopScan, but discovered it could not be installed on the phone. There was no reason why. The user guide didn’t offer any help, so I emailed TopDon in the US and China. I soon received a reply explaining the phone has 32-bit architecture and the TopScan app needs 64-bit. An app called AIDA64 can be downloaded to identify whether the phone’s CPU has 32- or 64-bit.

Undeterred, I tried looking for TopScan via the App Store on an iPhone. I tried three such phones, but couldn’t find anything, so contacted support again. A reply within a few hours recommended looking for an app called TopGuru. There was no mention of this in the user guide.

However, by this time, I’d borrowed a Google Pixel 3A and managed to install the TopDon TopScan app for an Android operating system (7 onwards).

Connecting app and TopDon TopScan OBD2 scanner

Upon launching the TopScan app, everything ran very smoothly. I had to register for the first time using an email address to activate the scanner. Then the app was opened, the scanner plugged into the car’s OBDII port and the two were quickly paired. Had it not worked so smoothly, the user guide explained how to enter a serial code on the scanner or use a QR code displayed on it.

Using the app

Although TopDon’s literature suggests a car’s VIN can be automatically identified, meaning details on make and model are provided, this didn’t work. Instead, I had to select this criteria, which didn’t take long. It took longer to run through a comprehensive auto scan, which was very thorough. TopScan correctly identified our parking sensor fault. And it even displayed the correct fault code (P01547).

As a diagnostic tool, I was impressed with the performance of the TopDon TopScan Bluetooth scanner. And it’s quite powerful. For instance, it can actively test some equipment. I also liked the eight different functions for resetting a service light, battery or electronic park brake (EPB). It’s disappointing to not have any live data or a dashboard of gauges, which can help to check engine values, such as coolant temperature.

What I also don’t like is that the app is only available for one year. It will then need to be renewed, which currently costs $49 for the basic Lite version (included), or $99 for the Pro, which covers injector coding, seat and window calibration (13 reset functions). With the scanner costing $79.99 on Amazon, there’s only $30 between a Lite subscription and a new unit.

TopDon TopScan verdict

As a diagnostic tool, the TopScan from TopDon is sophisticated and worth the money. Anyone with a 32-bit Android phone won’t be able to use the app. And anyone wanting gimmicks such as a dashboard and live data should look elsewhere. The annual subscription is pricey – a bit like buying a printer, only to find a new ink cartridge costs nearly as much. For a scanner that takes most of its functions from professional equipment, it’s a good performer for diagnostic work.

TopDon TopScan OBD2 Scanner RRP: $89.99, buy here / £69.99, buy here.

Be sure to check out our best Bluetooth OBD2 scanners guide for more information on scanners.

If you love car events, don’t forget to check out our Fast Car Entertainment event series. 

The post TopDon TopScan OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I tested Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax

Step one was to clay and polish my test panel to ensure the surface was perfectly prepared. I followed up with CarPro Eraser to remove any polishing oils so that the wax could adhere to the paint without any issues. Next, I used my gloss meter to take an average gloss reading from the test section. Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax was then applied according to the instructions and allowed to cure. I then buffed it off, before taking new gloss readings and observing water behaviour. The review was conducted as part of a group test alongside other well-regarded waxes. Check out our Best Car Wax article to find out which wax I think is the best on the market.

What Meguiar’s says

This is the company’s top-tier wax, so you’d expect it to be good, and Meguiar’s certainly makes it sound very impressive. According to the website, Ultimate Paste Wax is a premium paint protectant with a synthetic wax blend for maximum performance. It features an improved formula that delivers even better durability than before. Meguiar’s proprietary Hydrophobic Polymer Technology increases surface tension for relentless water-beading action. Meguiar’s say this advanced formula also delivers deep, dark reflections, incredible gloss and shine while leaving a slick finish. Finally, Meguiar’s say that it goes on butter smooth and comes off just as nice, even in direct sunlight. Going into the test, I have very high expectations, and expect this wax to be lovely to work with, and to really last, too.

What it’s like to use Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax

Meguiar’s metal tin makes this wax feel more upmarket. I like that the lid doubles as storage for the included applicator, and you get a microfibre cloth, too. As far as first impressions go, Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax is off to a great start. Meguiar’s was not telling fibs when it said this wax goes on and comes off nicely. Ultimate Paste Wax is lovely to apply, and buffs off with very little effort, making it a pleasure to work with. The gloss meter revealed a noticeable increase in gloss, and Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax delivered the most gloss out of the paste waxes I have tested. Its water behaviour after application was also good – not the best, but it sheeted the water away nicely.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 86.7
• Gloss after: 88.2
• Gloss change: +1.5

I like Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax a lot. It feels upmarket, it’s very nice to work with, and delivers impressive gloss and good water behaviour, too. It’s durable as well, and after 12 weeks on the panel, it was still clearly there, protecting the paint and clearing away water. The fact you can apply it in direct sunlight is a big bonus. About the only criticism I have is the price, and this is definitely more of a treat purchase than something like Bilt Hamber’s wax. But it’s a very nice wax that you will enjoy using, and which will last, so it’s a great choice.

RRP: £35.90, buy now / $21.99, buy now.

Now you’ve found yourself a great wax, there’s no excuse as to why your car shouldn’t be shining at one of our shows. Check out the links below for more information on Fast Car Entertainment events.

• FordFest
• Trax
• Classic Japfest
• German Car Festival

The post Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Step one was to ensure my test surface was properly prepped. This involved claying and then polishing the paintwork. This was then followed with an application of CarPro Eraser to remove any polishing oils and residue. This gives the wax the best surface possible, meaning it can perform to the best of its abilities. I took an average surface gloss reading and then Bilt Hamber Double Speed-Wax was applied according to the instructions. The wax was allowed to cure, then buffed off. Finally, I took another set of gloss readings to record the average and sprayed the panel to test water behaviour.

What Bilt Hamber says

Bilt Hamber is a firm of few words, relying on the performance of its products to sell themselves, rather than going big on fancy marketing. And so it is with Double Speed-Wax, with the company just giving you the bare essentials. Bilt Hamber says that this is an
ultra-durable easy-to-use paste wax, that leaves behind a medium-hard film.

The carnauba wax used provides a deep rich glossy, highly water-repellent and detergent resistant film. Bilt Hamber does make a point of saying that Double Speed-Wax provides an economic and superior alternative to costly paste waxes, which it says cannot compete performance-wise with this material. We shall see. It is also keen to point out that Double Speed-Wax has won a certain magazine’s ‘Best Wax and Sealant’ award for the last 10 years running. There are some big claims there, and all those awards mean I expect a lot from this simple wax.

What it’s like to use Bilt Hamber Double Speed-Wax

First Impressions are okay – it’s very unremarkable. There’s no fancy scent or packaging, but then that’s just Bilt Hamber all over. I’ve tried Double Speed-Wax before and it didn’t blow me away, and using it this time, I encountered the same issues I had before. Bilt Hamber says it’s easy to use, but I can’t agree with that. It’s very sensitive to the applicator being overloaded and quickly becomes sticky when applying the wax to the car. It also feels a little grabby on removal, even after giving it a good amount of time to cure.

You need to be very light and careful with the application to avoid it being a pain to work with. It was annoying on a small portion of a small panel, so if you overdid it while working on your whole car, you’d not be happy about it. However, it delivered a noticeable increase in gloss, which you often don’t get with wax, and delivered the best water behaviour out of the four paste waxes I have tested.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 87.8
• Gloss after: 88.9
• Gloss change: +1.1

Overall, Bilt Hamber Double Speed-Wax is very impressive. Out of the four paste waxes I have tested, it delivered the second-best increase in gloss and the best water behaviour. It’s also less than half the price of the next cheapest wax I tried, Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax. It’s durable, too, still performing very well after 12 weeks on the test panel. Add in the fact that it comes with an applicator and a microfibre cloth as well, and it’s astonishing value for money. My only complaint would be in terms of application and removal, but it’s a minor gripe, and this is a superb choice of paste wax.

Size: 250ml RRP: £20.95, buy now. Not available in the US.

Be sure to check out Buffy’s group test in full as she finds the best car wax on the market.

Now that your car’s looking its best, it’s time to show off your pride and joy! Be sure to check out our premier car events below:

• FordFest
• Trax
• Classic Japfest
• German Car Festival

The post Bilt Hamber Double Speed-Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Now before I get into this review, I will point out that since driving this car, Audi has revealed that an RS5 Competition is on the way. And if the RS4 Competition is anything to go by, then that should rectify a lot of the issues I had with this Audi RS5.

Tell me about the Audi RS5

At roughly £86,000, this Audi RS5 is the Black Edition model, meaning it gets some choice upgrades over the standard car including neat darkened trim that’s adds in a touch more aggression. But other than that and the quad exhaust system, there isn’t too much to distinguish it from an S-Line A5. For some that’s the perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing, but for me I’d like a few more distinguishable touches.

Under the bonnet is Audi’s 2.9-litre twin turbo V6 engine, which officially produces 444bhp and 443lb ft of torque, and takes the RS5 from 0-62mph in a blistering 3.9 seconds. For a car weighing almost 1.8-tonnes that quite some feat. It’s all thanks to Audi’s quattro system, which we all know very well. Unlike Audi’s latest differentials, this one can’t send more power to the rear. And therein lies it’s first issue.

What’s the Audi RS5 like to drive?

Fast it very much is. Fun it very much isn’t. Sadly, while the RS5 has the ability to decimate any road that’s put in front of it, you won’t be tackling those roads with much of a smile on your face. The steering feels numb, there’s a real lack of any feeling, which leaves you disconnected from the entire drive. The suspension feels too soft and the car leans in the corners, showing its weight and washing out in understeer. It struggles to transition from left to right with any sort of composure. A sports car this is not.

The engine, while powerful, isn’t the most charismatic, and the exhaust note is muted despite the existence of an optioned RS Sports Exhaust system here (£1250). There is some drama pitched through the cabin, but it’s not enough to make you feel like you’re in something with almost 450bhp and can do 174mph.

But, driving this car for a week has made me realise that I’m taking the car out of its comfort zone. It’s not designed to be hooned around a back road. No, it’s designed to take you places very fast and in great comfort. And that it does remarkably well. Cruising around effortlessly is what this RS5 does brilliantly, and that softer suspension is welcomed on these badly surfaced roads.

The seats, while not the most supportive when the going gets tough, do offer a great amount of comfort day to day. And with Audi’s virtual cockpit, navigating the car’s endless menus has never been so easy. Phone connectivity is seamless as you’d expect, while ergonomically there’s enough space for the whole family and luggage.

Conclusion

It’s hard to ignore the lack of excitement behind the wheel. While it’s a car that promises to do it all, but delivers on only a few of those. It’s fast, practical and comfy, but lacks any sort of character. It’s a good car, but not one that will be remembered anytime soon. Hopefully the recently announced RS5 Competition can bring back some pedigree for the RS5.

Love German cars? We’re hosting our premier German Car Festival event this October 6th at Goodwood Motor Circuit! Don’t miss out on show-stopping display cars, track action, simulators, trade stands and more! 

The post Audi RS5 Sportback Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Audi. While famous for its quattro system, has faced a great deal of criticism over the years. I can admit that I am one of those who criticized some of the brand’s vehicles. Take the outgoing TT RS, for example. That five-cylinder engine is a peach to listen to, but mated to the S-tronic gearbox, it feels lazy and suffers terribly with turbo lag.  Show it a corner, and the equal power distribution between front and rear is blindingly obvious, as the more throttle you applied, the more it understeered.

But, there is good news. Audi is going in the right direction. And this RS4 Competition variant is a prime example of that. We first saw this new era come to light with the latest RS3. Far more agile, and with a want to go sideways thanks to a 70% rear bias power delivery, it felt exciting to drive. If I’m honest, that’s not a term I’ve used to describe many Audi driving experiences over the past few years.

Why has Audi built an RS4 competition?

I drove the regular Audi RS4 back in 2022. There’s no doubt that it was a fast car. It had a point and go attitude, once the wheels were straight, slam the throttle and that 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 would hurl you down the road at a huge rate of knots. However, show it a corner and all that weight and size suddenly revealed itself in a bucket load of understeer, numb feedback and a dull driving experience. It was missing character. Missing that feeling that makes you want to take the long route home. Something, oddly, the B8 and B7 RS4 generations had more of.

With BMW launching the brilliant M3 Touring in 2023, Audi had to save face. Here was a manufacturer that had lightly dabbled in fast estates throughout history, but never fully committed to it, releasing a similarly-priced estate that was not only faster and arguably better looking, but one that left you smiling after every single drive. Audi had no choice but to make changes.

What’s new on the Audi RS4 Competition over the regular car?

What do you exactly get for your £84,600? For starters, those looking for more power better look away now. You still get the same 444bhp and 430lb ft of torque from the 2.9-liter twin-turbo. Audi has instead turned its attention to the chassis. Out goes the dynamic suspension system, and in comes a set of adjustable coilovers. The rear differential also has been tweaked to allow for more slip and the numb steering feel has had some life injected into it by removing the speed-adjusted ratio in place of a fixed ratio.

Elsewhere, you get a new 19-inch wheel design wrapped in new Pirelli P Zero tires. Inside, you get sports seats as standard in the UK, while European cars are equipped with fancier bucket seats. There’s no choice of colour here, you can only have it in Black.

What’s it like to drive?

For what is essentially a few chassis changes, it’s surprising quite how much the Competition variant sharpens the RS4. Now sitting somewhere around 10mm lower than the regular RS4, it’s much happier attacking a set of corners, managing to hide its size and weight as it transitions left to right. It’s not a sports car. Nor will it ever be. But, you could be fooled into thinking there’s a lot more wizardry at play here. Best of all, the introduction of coilovers doesn’t appear to have affected the ride quality on the whole, despite the fact you can’t dial the firmness down at the touch of a button anymore. It is firmer, but not enough to disrupt the day-to-day comfort.

The biggest improvement, however, is the way the car feels. Gone has the numb steering feel and lackluster body dynamics. There is finally some feedback from the steering wheel thanks to the fixed ratio steering. It feels more alive, and more connected to the road. It’s a quattro Audi that feels exciting to drive, and that’s a big compliment for a B9-generation that had so far been a sad way to see out the last-ever RS4 as we know it.

The engine

That engine feels as strong as ever, but there is a noticeable lag when hitting the throttle. It seems to be consistent across all of the RS range, no matter what engine it is; whether that’s the six-cylinder engine we have here, or the 5-pot and V8. Whatever it is, it can be frsutrating, but you do learn to live with it, and adapt the way you drive on corner exits to accommodate for the lag. The result is that you hit the throttle earlier in the mid-corner, and then by the exit, you’re on full throttle. The combined performance and the adjusted chassis means that you can get the thing sideways if you aren’t careful. But, in true fashion, the RS4 Competition does bring you back in line.

What I will say, however, is that with the chassis now being far more capable, this updated model should have seen an increase in power. The chassis never has any trouble distributing the 444bhp available. I’d have liked to have seen some ECU tweaks unlock closer to 500bhp. This would have seen it more closely matched with the M3 Touring.

How fast is the Audi RS4 Competition?

Officially, the Audi RS4 Competition does 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in a whopping 3.9 seconds. Audi RS’s have always been strong off the line thanks to its Quattro drivetrain layout, so no surprises there. The RS4 Competition has a top speed of 180mph, rather than the standard 155mph top speed limit normally given to German performance models.

What’s it like to live with?

Truth be told, it’s a big Audi that simmers down day to day, taking in the weekly shop, weekend trips away, ferrying kids around or whatever it may be. It’s as calm around town as any Audi, and with a 494 liter boot space, it has more than enough room to pack in the golf clubs, bikes etc. That being said, do make sure you drive in comfort or auto driving mode while in standstill traffic or around town. In the car’s sportiest setting, there’s an odd lurching sensation between gear changes and also when coming to a standstill, almost as if it isn’t happy being in 1st gear and coming to a stop. It can be uncomfortable for passengers and is something that plagues the RS Audis.

With Apple CarPlay, heated seats and the virtual cockpit, the RS4 Competition behaves like an Audi should on the road. The cabin feels like a nice place to be, with buttons, dials and switches all finished in metal that give off a satisfying click when operating them. It feels suitably premium in here, and as it should for near-on £85,000. Audi has really nailed the car’s interior, and hasn’t quite been plagued by the new fashion of long, connected screens across the dashboard. The virtual cockpit takes some getting used to in order to nail down your muscle memory, but there are an endless amount of features that can be accessed on the display via the car’s steering wheel that you almost never need to use the 2nd central screen.

Economy

On a longer motorway run, I managed to average around 30mpg, which is slightly better than the quoted combined figure of 28-29mpg. On shorter journeys and around town, this figure dwindled to the low 20s. For more spirited driving, expect around 15-20mpg.

Audi RS4 Competition verdict

A part of me is sat here thinking this is the car Audi should have given us from the day the B9-generation RS4 was launched. It needn’t have been a limited run model released in the final year of production. The Competition variant not only feels more alive, and much more engaging, but it looks cleaner, and more aggressive too. The drop in ride height thanks to those coilovers and the additional of the new wheel design has transformed the appearance. Some might argue it loses the wolf in sheep’s clothing appeal, but I think it does justice to the performance that it beholds.

While the RS4 Competition is a much improved version of the RS4, it still lacks behind the thrill of the BMW M3 Touring. That car makes you feel more involved, and despite having 4WD, still feels RWD driven. In fact, the car’s configuration settings allows the car to be driven in RWD mode only, so you can still get plenty of sideways action to liven up the experience. In truth, the RS4 Competition should have been the car Audi gave us back in 2018 when the B9 RS4 was launched. The regular car feels lackluster in comparison to the Competition, reaffirming that it wasn’t one of Audi RS department’s finest hour.

Thankfully, though, the Competition model sees out RS4 production with somewhat of a bang. Given the chance, we’d still snap up a B7 RS4 in a heartbeat.

Like German cars? Be sure to check out our premier German Car Festival event at Goodwood Motor Circuit. 

The post Audi RS4 Competition Review: Better Than An M3 Touring? appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £199.99, buy here. Not available in the US.

What’s in the box?

The Road Angel Halo Ultra kit is delightfully simple. In the box, you’ll find the camera, an adhesive pad, a power lead & socket, and a mounting clamp. A shortform paper setup guide is thrown in too. And that’s it. Simple. You can also add a hardwiring kit as an optional extra.

Specs:

• Resolution: 4K 2160p @ 30fps
• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Extra Features: parking mode-ready, GPS, in-built memory

Installation

Installing the Road Angel Halo Ultra into your car is relatively straightforward, but it isn’t the best design I’ve come across (that would be the magnet-based system that Garmin uses). Still, it doesn’t take too much effort to stick the camera mount to the windshield via the supplied adhesive pads. The only trouble is that, due to how strong those adhesive pads are, it can be a real pain to reposition them if you’ve got the angle slightly wrong.

As a general rule, you want to place the dash cam high and central on the windscreen so that it can capture the best view of the road ahead, and so that it won’t interfere with your line of sight from the driver’s seat.

Power

The next stage is to secure a power source for your dash cam. To unlock the full functionality of the Road Angel Halo Ultra, you should ideally hardwire it into your car. By doing this, the camera will receive a constant power stream, allowing it to remain active even when the car is parked with the ignition turned off. That way, you can make use of parking mode and always have eyes on your car’s surroundings even when you’re away from your vehicle. I’ll speak more about the app-based functionality that this camera has later on.

However, as this would be a short-term installation into my own personal car, I opted to review the camera by powering it through the 12V power socket instead. This is a much less invasive (and significantly easier) way of powering the camera, but again, does mean you won’t have access to parking mode.

Connecting to the app

With everything in place, the next thing you need to do is download the Road Angel app and use it to sync your camera to your smartphone. This is a straightforward process as the camera comes with built-in 5GHz Wi-Fi, so all you need to do is connect your phone to the camera’s WiFi signal.

The app opens up all sorts of functionality. For a start, it acts as the core hub where your dash cam’s videos (or still images) will be stored, and allows you to edit them on the fly and download them to your phone. You can also livestream the camera’s footage on the app, so if your device was hardwired you’d be able to check in on your car whenever you like. The app would also send your phone notifications if it detected any movement or activity while you were away.

Anyway, once you’ve got the app setup all sorted, you just need to tuck away any dangling wires in the cabin and you’ll be good to go!

Functions and features

As well as being a simple camera, the Road Angel Halo Ultra offers other services too. They are as follows:

• ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: lane departure warnings, onward collision warning, front car movement warning.
• In-built GPS.
• G-sensor to detect impacts: when an impact is detected, the camera will automatically store the footage of that moment. However, I found the default setting to be too sensitive as it would register bumps in the road as impacts. Fortunately you can change the sensitivity settings, though it might speak to the ride quality in my ’05 Celica rather than anything else…
• Parking mode (when hardwired).

Daytime performance

The Road Angel Halo Ultra makes use of the SONY IMX415 image sensor, and as such it offers crisp and clear images with accurate colour palettes. Above is a snippet from my test of the camera in the daytime, so to test how well it performs, watch the video and pause on certain frames to see how many fine details you can see. Look for things like registration plates, street sign fonts… even any identifiable features of the jaywalker that attempts to cross a busy intersection. The better clarity, the more useful the camera is in the event of a legal scenario, or simply a recreational one. GPS as standard is also very welcome, as it means you’ll have exact stats for your speed and whereabouts.

Night performance

Every camera performs worse at night, that’s just the reality of having less light to work with. However, I think the Road Angel Halo Ultra does a commendable job in the circumstances. Glare is nowhere near as harsh as I’ve seen on some other cameras, and the colours are still largely representative of reality. Where it falls down is in the clarity of the image, but again, that is to be expected. Overall, a solid performance in my opinion at both day and night. Watch the videos above to decide for yourself.

Verdict

So, does the Road Angel Halo Ultra get my vote of appreciation? Yes, it does. NAPA Racing deem it to be good enough to help them test their touring cars, and from my experience, it’s certainly good enough for day-to-day use on the street. There are admittedly some things which I’m not a fan of. For example, it’s pretty dependent on the Road Angel smartphone app, so if you prefer the old-school ways of memory cards and USB cables, this might not be the right dash cam for you. Similarly, there’s no support for a rear camera, so it can’t offer all-round coverage.

However, what it can do, it does well. I was impressed by the quality of its images, and although its extra functions and features aren’t as expansive as some other dash cams on the market, they all worked quite well when I encountered them. Plus, the ability to provide a parking mode is an absolute must in 2024.

Overall then, if you don’t mind resorting mainly to a smartphone app to use your dash cam, this is a great option if you just need a cost-effective way of recording 4K footage through your car’s windscreen.

The post Road Angel Halo Ultra Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $14.99, buy now / £17.99, buy now.

How I tested Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax

Step one was ensuring that my trusty test panel was properly prepared. First, I polished it using Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. I then used CarPro Eraser to remove any polishing oils. Next, I took three gloss readings for the test section to get an average. The wax was then applied according to the instructions and allowed to cure, before being wiped off. The gloss meter was then brought in again to get a new average reading. Finally, I sprayed the panel with water to see how it behaved.

What Mothers says

This is very much a down-to-earth, old-school kind of wax, with no fancy gimmicks. Mothers says that Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax provides unsurpassed shine, depth and protection. It’s made with the finest Brazilian #1 yellow carnauba for superior shine and protection. It is also non-abrasive, so you can use it as often as you like. You can also apply more than one coat for extra protection. Based on that, I would expect a wax that’s easy to apply and remove, and that offers reasonable levels of gloss and decent beading.

What it’s like to use Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax

I have to say this wax is quite disappointing. Application and removal were both so-so, with this wax feeling rather sticky when going on and coming off. I was definitely hoping for better here. The gloss meter also barely registered any change at all after application. Carnauba wax traditionally delivers a rich, warm finish, but my blue test panel isn’t the best colour to see that. Finally, water behaviour was also disappointing, with very slow sheeting.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 87.7
• Gloss after: 88
• Gloss change: +0.3

Sadly, there’s not a lot of good things I can say about Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax. It didn’t really deliver much, it wasn’t great to use, and it didn’t handle water well, either. It’s cheap, at least, so that’s something, but I wouldn’t choose this over one of the much better waxes I’ve tried.

The post Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $19.97, buy here / £23.95, buy here.

How I tested Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

Before waxing, I polished the test panel using Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. CarPro Eraser was then called in to remove any polishing oils and ensure the paintwork was ready and prepped. I then took three gloss readings for the test section to get an average score. The wax was then applied according to the instructions and allowed to cure, after which I wiped it off. Afterwards, I used the gloss meter a second time to see if there was any increase after applying the wax. Finally, I sprayed the panel with water to check water repellency.

What Chemical Guys says

Butter Wet Wax is another carnauba liquid wax that’s not fancy but should perform well, as carnauba paste waxes are always good. Chemical Guys says this wax is easy on/off application to give you a deep wet look to your paint. It’s a wipe-on, wipe-off formula that can be applied on wet or dry paintwork. Chemical Guys also says that it will lightly cleanse the paintwork. I’d expect it to be easy to use, and I’d like to see a decent increase in gloss, plus some good beading.

What it’s like to use Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

Butter Wet Wax has a lovely banana scent, and I would have been disappointed if it didn’t, based on the color. Of course, that’s not so great if you don’t like bananas… Chemical Guys’ promise of easy-on, easy-off didn’t quite materialize, though. Instead, I found it a bit sticky when applying and removing it. Perhaps the colder weather during testing had an effect on this and it would be nicer to work with in warmer temperatures. There was an increase in gloss, albeit a very small one. Water behavior was also very disappointing, with no observable beading or sheeting. The water just sat there, so I don’t know what to say about that, really.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 88.2
• Gloss after: 88.6
• Gloss change: +0.4

I found Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax to be very disappointing. It wasn’t that great to use, and I was really shocked to see how poorly it performed in the water test. I like the banana scent, and I like the fact that you can use it in direct sunlight and on wet paintwork. However, my overall experience was disappointing. Perhaps liquid waxes might fare better in warmer weather, but in this test, Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax was a letdown.

The post Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £179.99, buy here. Or, get it for £199.99 on Amazon as part of a bundle. 

What’s in the box?

The test package I’ve received is the dual-channel offering, meaning that you get both the main 4K-resolution A810 front camera and a slightly less powerful rear camera too. If you wish, you can alternatively buy the front camera on its own.

As standard, the cameras come with a 12V cigarette lighter plug socket and power lead, plus another cable to physically link the rear camera to the front. You also get a plastic trim tool to help you tuck away all the unsightly dangling wires that you’ll have left over after installation.

The 4G Hardwiring Kit that you see here is an optional extra. It unlocks features such as remote control over your dash cam while you’re away from your car, plus surveillance even when your car is parked. It costs an additional £49.99.

As you can see from the photo above, memory cards also come at additional cost, and none were supplied with this test package. So, I had to use a random spare one that I had from prior dash cam tests. However, if you buy the bundle package listed at the top of this page, you’ll get a 128GB SD card as part of the deal.

Installation & setup

Naturally, the first part of dash cam ownership is installation. This is nice and simple with the 70mai 4K A810. To begin, remove the protective seal from the provided adhesive backplate and stick it up high and central on your car’s windshield. Behind the rearview mirror is a good spot.

The mount on the back of the camera will then slot onto the backplate and you can swivel the lens to make sure it’s pointing straight out the window. Then, remove the camera’s screen protector (pictured) in advance of operating it and insert your memory card.

Power supply

There are two ways you can power this 70mai dash cam. The easiest way is by using the supplied 12V power cable (as pictured).

As this was a short-term installation in my own personal car, I chose not to opt for the more invasive hardwiring option. Like I mentioned before though, the 4G hardwiring kit does offer increased functionality, so I’ll guide you through what that process looks like below. If you plan on keeping this dash cam in your car for a long time, it’s well worth doing.

4G Hardwiring kit

Helpfully, 70mai has created a useful video guide which covers the processes involved with hardwiring a dash cam into your car. So, if you want to know about the technical aspect of installation, please click on the video above.

Once you’ve installed the hardwiring kit, a whole range of additional features will open up to you. First, download the 70mai app and then pair your phone with the dash cam. Once you do this, you’ll be able to access the camera’s vantage point remotely when you’re away from your car, as well as change the camera settings through your phone. As part of this remote surveillance you can also take still photos and even timelapses.

My favorite added features, however, are the app alerts and vehicle tracking capabilities. Essentially, if your dash cam registers notable vibration/movement, or detects activity that it deems as suspicious, it’ll send you a notification on your phone. So, no matter where you are, you’ll always know if your car is at risk and who may be at fault if it is. As for the tracking capabilities, the car’s location refreshes every 15 seconds, so if you unfortunately find yourself in a situation where you need to track down your car (perhaps if it has been stolen), you will be able to do so via the app.

Will a hardwiring kit drain my car’s battery?

One thing to note is that the hardwiring kit will draw constant power from the car’s battery, however it has a low-voltage cut-off coded into it, meaning it should never drain the battery to a point where your car will no longer start. It’s a shame that there’s no OBD2 power supply option at the moment though, as this is a great non-invasive, easy way of securing a constant power supply, which some other dash cam manufacturers make use of.

Rear camera setup

Once you’ve got the front camera installed, you can turn your attention to the secondary camera. In the bundle linked at the top of the page, this 70mai rear camera is the device that’s included, however you can also buy an interior-facing camera to use instead if you’d rather. For this test, I had access to the regular rear-mounted camera, and installing it was incredibly easy. All you need to do is stick it to the top-centre of your car’s rear window and then use the supplied wires to connect the rear camera to the front camera. This is so that the rear camera can piggyback off the front one’s power supply and memory.

At the end of your installation, you’ll be left with plenty of wires draped across your car’s cabin space, so make sure to tuck them behind interior panels or headliner. Plus, when you turn the camera on for the first time (by switching the car on), you’ll have to do a basic setup covering elements like language, time, and date. After that, you’re ready to hit the road!

Daytime camera performance

The first thing I noticed about the quality of the footage captured by the 70mai 4K A810 was how crisp the the images feel. The camera makes use of Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 image sensors, which help to capture very well-defined details. Due to compression, the footage you see here may not be an exact reflection of the peak performance, however I can confirm that the raw files look very sharp indeed. You can test what I’m talking about for yourself – while watching the video above, pause it on certain frames and see how many small details you can make out. Pay particular attention to things like small text on road signs or license plates, or identifiable features of pedestrians that I drive past. I think you’ll agree that the amount of detail you can pick out is quite extensive.

The other thing I wanted to mention was the MaiColor Vivid+ Solution (MVS) technology that the camera uses. To put it simply, this tech helps portray colours more accurately. As such, even though I’m driving through a fairly uninspiring environment in the video above, the image never feels too washed-out beyond reality.

In conclusion, daytime performance is a positive attribute of this camera. The rear camera isn’t quite as powerful as the front one, but its 1080p resolution recording hardware certainly suffices. Plus, it’s always nice to see that there’s GPS built-in as this means the camera can record speed and co-ordinates as well. The camera does record audio, however the default setting is for the audio to be off – something which I didn’t discover until after after collecting this footage (apologies for the lack of sound!)

Night performance

Every camera faces difficulties when the sky turns dark, simply because that means there is less light to use. However, different cameras cope with this in different ways, so here I’ll outline the positive and negative aspects of the 70mai’s night-time performance.

On the plus side, the same positive qualities regarding colour remain true here, thanks to the aforementioned MVS tech in conjunction with 70mai’s Night Owl Vision system. Night Owl essentially helps to improve colour saturation and exposure balance specifically when the environment is dark, and as you’ll see above I think it does a good job portraying accurate colours in difficult conditions. However, if you do the same test of watching the video above and pausing it on certain frames, you’ll notice that the camera’s ability to pick up fine details is reduced. That’s quite normal for any camera in the dark, however I have seen other dash cams cope a little better in this regard.

Similarly, the camera suffers quite a lot from glare in my opinion, compared to others. Likewise, the dashboard and interior reflections caught on the windshield are more prominent than on cameras that offer additional CPL lens filters. Overall then, whereas you can pick little fault in the 70mai’s daytime performance, the night-time recording doesn’t quite reach the same heights. That said, it’s still an acceptable level of performance.

Verdict

So, would I recommend the 70mai 4K A810? Yes, I would. It’s priced very competitively and its daytime performance in particular left me impressed. Plus, if you choose to hardwire it into your car, the accompanying smartphone app adds some highly useful security features. The only downside for me is the slightly sub-par night-time recording, but that’s me being nit-picky to be honest. No camera performs exceptionally well in the dark, but some perform better than others. Although the 70mai isn’t class-leading in that respect, it still copes acceptably well when there’s less light available.

Overall, this camera is a very solid option, and you could get it for an even nicer price than normal. To celebrate its launch, 70mai is offering between 15-40% off the RRP across different bundles until the 31st of March 2024. So, click on the Amazon link below or one of the other links at the top of this page to see what great deals you could get this month.

The post 70mai 4K A810 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $18.00, buy it here / £26.99, buy it here.

How I tested Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax

Before waxing, preparation is key, so I used Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound beforehand. I then applied CarPro Eraser to remove any oils from the paint. After taking an average gloss reading, I applied the wax as per the instructions. Once it had cured, I wiped it off, and then measured the gloss again, before checking the water behaviour.

What Meguiar’s says

With cutting-edge Si02 hybrid technology, Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax delivers hybrid ceramic protection that seals the paint but is as easy to apply as ordinary liquid wax. Meguiar’s says the formula produces a slick, protective, water-beading layer between your paint and the elements. It leaves behind ceramic protection and durability that lasts and provides a super-high contact angle for extreme water beading. Meguiar’s emphasises how easy it is to use, so that’s something I’ll be looking for. I’m also expecting some very impressive water behaviour.

What it’s like to use Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax

Application and removal were easy, and it spreads well, cures quickly, and wipes off easily enough. That means it’s as good as its rivals that I’ve tested but not necessarily better. There was barely any gloss increase, which was a little disappointing, but, being honest, seeing any sort of significant gloss increase after waxing is rare to see. However, Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax promised impressive water behaviour, and it delivered. In fact, it delivered the most impressive water behaviour out of any of the liquid waxes I have tested thus far. There wasn’t much beading, but it sheeted away water at a serious pace. And while sheeting is less impressive, it’s preferable to beading in terms of protecting your paintwork. An impressive performance on that front.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 88.4
• Gloss after: 88.6
• Gloss change: +0.2

Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax might not seem that impressive at first glance. It’s a little expensive compared to its rivals and delivers very little in terms of gloss increase. However, it really performed when it came to water behaviour, comfortably beating all the other liquid waxes I’ve tried. And seeing water disappear from your paintwork is what you want after you’ve spent all that time waxing it. If you’re looking for a slick liquid wax that delivers ceramic protection and impressive water behaviour, this is it.

The post Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $33.99, buy it here / £24.99, buy it here.

How I tested Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax

Putting my trusty sunroof test panel to use, I first washed it with pure shampoo. I then used Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound to get the surface ready ahead of waxing. CarPro Eraser was then applied to remove any oils from the surface. A gloss meter was used to take an initial average gloss reading from the test section. I then applied Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax according to the instructions and allowed it to cure. Finally, the wax was buffed off, before the gloss readings were taken once more, and then I observed the water behaviour.

What Adam’s says

According to Adam’s, Graphene Liquid Wax is designed to refresh and rejuvenate paintwork. At the same time, it utilizes the same reduced graphene-oxide ceramic resins as Graphene Ceramic Coating and Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating. These resins seal the surface and make the vehicle more maintenance-friendly. Adam’s promises an easy on, easy off application, and says that Graphene Liquid Wax fills minor imperfections, swirls, and removes light oxidation. Finally, it offers 4-6 months of protection and comes with a Key Lime scent. Based on that, I want to see good gloss and a nice slick surface, and I want it to be easy to use.

What it’s like to use Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax

Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax certainly impressed me in terms of application. It promised an easy-on, easy-off experience, and it delivered. This wax spreads for miles, meaning you only need a small amount on your applicator to cover a large area of bodywork. It is also very easy to remove, which makes your life that much easier when you’re waxing a whole car. Top marks for the user experience, then.

After application, the surface felt incredibly slick, which is what you want from a wax, with my gloss meter sliding all over the place, a good sign. While the gloss increase was small compared with that offered by paint correction, an increase is still an increase. And no doubt its filling and mild correction properties helped on that front. However, I was very disappointed in Graphene Liquid Wax’s water behaviour. Considering its surface slickness, I was expecting water to launch itself off the test panel, but not so. There was very little beading, while sheeting was slow, and I was expecting a lot more from it in that regard.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss before: 87.7
• Gloss after: 88.9
• Gloss change: +1.2

Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax is a strong performer. It’s great to use, and a real joy to work with both in terms of application and removal. The fact that it also fills and corrects paintwork makes it especially impressive, and makes it more than just another wax. The gloss boost and surface slickness were also very impressive. Just about the only disappointing aspect of this wax is its water behaviour. But that aside, I like Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax a lot.

The post Adam’s Graphene Liquid Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £69.99, buy it here. Not available in the US.

Setup

Initial setup of the Ooono Co-Driver NO2 is much the same as with the NO1. And that’s a good thing, as it’s wonderfully simple to get up and running. All you have to do is download the Ooono app, and then connect the Co-Driver NO2 to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Once that’s sorted, place the device on a surface inside your car that’s within arm’s reach of your seating position as a driver. This is important as part of the Ooono Co-Driver’s functionality will require you to press its central button. More on that later…

Navigation & integration

Before we get into the actual performance of the Ooono Co-Driver NO2, I want to walk you through all the additions that Ooono has made to its product since the Co-Driver NO1.

One of the biggest new inclusions is a navigation function. See, the way the Co-Driver works is that it piggy-backs off your phone’s GPS to alert you when you approach speed cameras or potential hazards reported by other members of the Ooono community. As such, it felt like a massive missed opportunity that the NO1 didn’t offer any sort of navigation service. Well, Ooono has rectified that with the NO2, which allows you to seek directions from the app.

Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

The other big new addition is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. Now, that word ‘compatibility’ is the key here. This isn’t a device which can introduce those infotainment services to an old car which doesn’t have them in-built. All it means is that the Ooono app can be used in cars that already have Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, when the Co-Driver NO2 is plugged into the car’s head unit. As a result, you’ll be able to see the Ooono navigation map on your car’s touchscreen, for instance.

Unfortunately, this is one aspect of the Ooono Co-Driver NO2 which I haven’t been able to test first-hand. My Celica’s aftermarket stereo requires me to plug my phone into it to boot up Android Auto. However, that means there’s no way for me to plug the Ooono in. Equally, if I just plug the Ooono in (as pictured above), the aftermarket stereo doesn’t have the ability to boot up Android Auto by itself. Theoretically, if you have an old car with an aftermarket system that allows wireless smartphone connectivity, you could connect both devices at once. But again, that’s not the case here. Nevertheless, I was able to at least test the navigation system on the smartphone app.

Road test

So, moving onto the road test. The same core Ooono community-driven service is available across both the NO1 and the NO2, so if you want to hear my detailed thoughts on that, have a read of my Co-Driver NO1 review in which I used the service over hundreds of miles. Ultimately though, if you want a quick snapshot of how the Ooono Co-Driver NO2 works, it goes like this:

If you see a speed camera, press the device’s central button to log it. This will mark it out in the Ooono database and will alert other Ooono users when they come across it. Similarly, the Co-Driver will flash and beep at you when speed cameras and road hazards that others have reported are on the horizon. You can press the central button to confirm those reports, or the top button to dismiss them as an error or no longer relevant.

How does the NO2 perform?

One area in which the NO2 has improved this service is through the aforementioned dismiss button (which isn’t on the NO1), but also through how the device communicates with you. In the past with the NO1, you really had to pay attention to tell whether it was alerting you of a speed camera or a simple road hazard. Now though, the LED lighting and sound associated with either warning is much better differentiated.

The new navigation system is solid to use. Although it can’t locate some addresses as quickly as other services (leading to me having to resort to searching for postcodes rather than addresses), it does a good job of directing you, but doesn’t seem to take into account live traffic data as well as rival apps like Google Maps or Waze. It’ll warn you about traffic when you approach it if it receives such data from its third-party sources or community self-report, but that might not result in a different route being presented.

Another new feature to mention is that the Ooono Co-Driver NO2 has a rechargeable battery; a big improvement over the basic replacement system of the NO1. If you plug the NO2 into your car, it’ll draw energy, meaning you no longer need to worry about it cutting out mid-trip, though its moments of Bluetooth connectivity trouble do remain.

Verdict

Well, overall, the new navigation service and CarPlay/Android compatibility are certainly positives. As are the improvements made to the Co-Driver’s audiovisual system, and its rechargeable battery. However, I’m still left with the same questions as before with the NO1.

If you can already get route directions and speed camera warnings from Google Maps, I’m not sure why you would need the Ooono as well. Granted, if you live in a region where other services face restrictions around speed camera warnings, then the Ooono Co-Driver NO2 would indeed be very handy. For the UK market though, I struggle to see enough of a benefit over rival services. In essence, my issue is not with the Ooono’s ability to conduct its stated abilities – it does them quite well. The problem is that, in my opinion, Google and Waze does them better.

The post Ooono Co-Driver NO2 Review appeared first on Fast Car.

If you’re an enthusiastic driver (like all of us here at Fast Car), you’ll want to make sure you’re on top of both your car and the road conditions at all times. The Ooono Co-Driver NO1 aims to help you achieve that, by warning you of upcoming speed cameras and road hazards so that you can adjust your driving ahead of time. That way, you’re less likely to end up in a dangerous scenario (or find yourself hit with a costly fine). On paper, there’s a lot to love about that idea, so in this review I’ll be testing the Ooono Co-Driver NO1 in a variety of environments to see if it really delivers.

Setup & Functionality

As you’re about to find out, everything about this device is… simple. As far as setup goes, that’s certainly a positive. The process couldn’t be easier. First, you download the Ooono smartphone app and then you connect the Co-Driver to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Once that’s done, the app will prompt you with a short tutorial about its basic functions. Check out the video above to get an idea of what that tutorial covers.

As should now be apparent, the Ooono Co-Driver NO1 doesn’t use any high-end laser/radar equipment – it is simply a community-driven self-report app with a speaker/lighting system attached. By piggy-backing off of your phone’s GPS, the Co-Driver will alert you when you’re approaching a previously reported speed camera or road hazard. It’ll do so through beeps and light flashes that you can tailor to your own preference. Then, if the camera or hazard is indeed there, pressing the device’s big central button will confirm the report. As far as mounting the device goes, you just remove the adhesive seals and stick it wherever you fancy inside the car. See? Simple.

Road test

Right, so that’s the theory laid out. Now how does it work in practice? To find out, I went on a several-hundred mile journey to the coast and back, during which I encountered all sorts of roads and levels of population. To get the best use out of the Ooono Co-Driver NO1, you’ll want to stick it somewhere within arm’s length and within eye sight of your seating position as the driver. As you can see, I placed mine on a part of the dashboard close to the driver’s door. This meant it was easy to access if I needed to press the button to confirm a report or report a new camera/hazard, and it didn’t get in the way of any of the buttons or features of my car’s center console.

The Ooono Co-Driver NO1 starts automatically when it connects to your phone, so there’s not even a start-up process to bother with. Simply get in your car, bring your phone along with you, and start driving.

Coverage

The first leg of my journey took me along the UK’s most notorious motorway, the M25. This would be a great benchmark to see what sort of community coverage there was in the UK – after all, if there are gaps on a road as regularly used as the M25, it wouldn’t bode well for the rest of the country. Happily, the Co-Driver picked up all but one speed camera (which I promptly reported), and in fact was possibly even a little too trigger happy. I’d get warnings for gantries where I knew for a fact that there was no speed camera even though the gantry wore the speed camera sign. And that’s the problem with a self-report platform, it does open itself up to the possibility of collating false positives from drivers who are regurgitating signage where no camera actually exists.

Speaking of false positives, while first investigating the device, I accidentally pressed it in such a way that reported a speed camera. As I was in my house, that was clearly an error, but when I went to retract the report I was surprised to learn that there’s no way of doing so. Instead, the Co-Driver app will automatically erase it if nobody else confirms the report. So, I guess that kinda works as a concept, but I can’t help but feel the process would be improved if the user could just remove their own erroneous report in the first place.

Anyway, having made it to the coast, I met up with a friend who guided me to a fairly remote street where they knew a speed camera lay in waiting. The idea was to see whether the Co-Driver’s usefulness extended to more rural parts of the country as well as the heavily populated ones. On this occasion, I received no alert. Whether this is because nobody in the area has reported it, or because locals are savvy enough to know whether it’s out of service, is hard to say. However, I will note that the Co-Driver did alert me to other cameras on more frequently-used roads within that coastal town. So make of that what you will.

Connectivity

The next topic I want to cover is connectivity. When looking at consumer reviews for the Ooono Co-Driver NO1, this popped up as a potential flaw. Various people claimed that the connectivity between the Co-Driver device and their phone wouldn’t stay stable, rendering it useless. For about 85% of my journey, I experienced no such problems. The device and my phone seemed to be communicating with each other happily, without any problems. But then, on the way back, the Co-Driver device seemed to just give up about 45 minutes from my destination.

At first I thought that perhaps the battery had drained, but that can’t have been the case – Ooono claims its replaceable lithium ion battery will last 30,000km (or 8-10 months), and I had only done about 350 miles. Besides, when I went to access it the following day, it burst into life as normal. For that reason, I can only assume that the connection dropped out, at which point I could no longer report new cameras and hazards, or be alerted to them. Frustrating.

Verdict

Having concluded my Ooono Co-Driver NO1 review, I came away from it feeling rather confused. The first thing I wanted to try to understand was: who is this product actually for? There’s no form of navigation feature, but if you use Google Maps or Waze like the rest of us, you’ll already have access to speed camera warnings via those apps (and with a much larger community of reporters). So, what’s the point of having a separate device that *might* tell you something which you can already learn by looking at your regular navigation system? The answer to that, I suppose, comes down to regional differences.

Here in the UK, Maps and Waze is allowed to feature such warnings, but that’s not the case in every country, including some European ones like France. So, if you live in a country where the laws around speed camera warnings are a little tighter, or if you’re travelling through one on an international road trip, then that is where the Ooono Co-Driver community could come in handy, at least in regards to speed cameras. Similarly, if you’re driving in the UK without GPS navigation, you’ll at least be able to rely on speed camera warnings from the Ooono. But if you’re not using GPS, chances are you know the roads well, and thus where the speed cameras are. The real-time hazard reporting could be useful in any country though, but again some navigation apps have this in-built too.

What sort of driver should buy one?

Overall, there’s a decent idea in there, but unless you find yourself in a very specific set of circumstances, I’m not convinced that this iteration of Co-Driver fully capitalizes on the potential. If you’re a new, inexperienced, or semi-reluctant driver – or if you never use GPS navigation apps, then this device would help you stay alert to your surroundings. But if you’re a driving enthusiast, I reckon you’d be just as well off using your own road knowledge and vision out of the windshield. Or, y’know…. Google Maps.

The post Ooono Co-Driver NO1 Review appeared first on Fast Car.

With a pad diameter of 125mm, this is a small polisher. Perhaps it’s useful for working around objects. I’ll only find out for sure when I put it to test on faded paintwork, which is exactly what I’ll be doing in this review as part of a larger polisher group test. Armed with the sponge pad supplied with the polisher, I got to work with a color restorer, followed by some trusty car polish.

RRP: £115.95, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

A kit bundle for this polisher includes a cloth bag, battery, charger, polisher and a 125mm-diameter sponge pad. Everything can be stored inside the bag.

The polisher is quite compact. It has no additional handle, only a grip at the front of the body. There are two plastic M8 screws adjacent to the spindle. I removed these and found I could fit a handle from another polisher I was testing.

The polisher is supplied with a 125mm-diameter hook and loop backing pad already fitted. However, there’s a Hex tool slotted through the body which can be used to remove the backing pad. Unless you wish to remove the backing pad, it can remain fitted. And this means the sponge pad that’s included with the polisher is quick to fit.

Tech spec

This polisher has a brushless motor. With seven speed settings from 2,000rpm to 4,800rpm, they increase in increments of 500rpm. There’s a 15mm offset orbit, so it rotates off-centre. This should help to avoid swirl marks.

The generic 20V lithium-ion battery (it can be used with a number of Sealey tools) has a useful feature. There’s a button on the side of it, which if pressed, displays the state of charge of the battery. This helps to show whether it needs rechanging. And whether you have a 2Ah or 6Ah battery (or any one in between), they all use the same charger.

The controls for operating this polisher are slightly different to the norm – there’s no trigger. Instead, there’s a slider to switch it on and off, denoted by I and O markings. Once switched on, there’s a small square LCD panel that displays the speed setting, which always starts at zero. The speed setting is changed via two buttons labelled with a plus and minus symbol. The LCD panel can only display two digits, so 4,800rpm for example, is displayed as 48.

Confusingly, the packaging for this polisher states a different minimum and maximum value for the motor’s speed at 2,100rpm and 5,000rpm.

Using the Sealey CP20VOP cordless orbital polisher

This polisher is noticeably noisy when used, producing a high-pitched buzz. It doesn’t get any worse at the faster speed settings, but it’s irritating. Ear plugs may be needed. There’s no gradual start-up of the motor when it’s switched on, although it always starts on the slowest speed setting. And with the slowest speed setting being 2,000rpm, it would help to be lower for polishing jobs.

With a small 125mm-diameter pad, it’s more work to polish large areas than a bigger diameter pad. However, it’s useful for working around tighter spots.

Adjusting the speed using the two buttons is simple and it’s also straightforward to switch the polisher on and off.

I found this polisher is easy to control and effective for rectifying faded paintwork. But it’s quite a handful for polishing.

Verdict

As a compact polisher, this one from Sealey has its uses. 125mm means it’s useful for tight spots, but not so good for larger areas. The lack of a handle can make it quite difficult to control at faster speeds. And it needs slower speeds for polishing. But, if you already have some of Sealey’s 20V power tools, it could be an inexpensive addition.

The post Sealey CP20VOP Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £148.61, buy it here. Not available in the US – consider this instead ($207.60)

What’s in the box?

As a bare polisher you get a backing pad, polishing bonnet and a couple of handles. Two handles is quite unique – most have only one. Both are secured with Hex bolts, supplied with the polisher (and a tool to fit them).

I found the D-shaped handle was a tight fit. It needed a lot of effort to maneuver it into position on the body.

If you buy a bundle deal, then you can expect a soft bag, a couple of batteries and a charger.

Tech spec

With six speed settings ranging from 800rpm to 2,300rpm, these seem suitable for polishing and paint rectification. Their increments are 800rpm, 1,100rpm, 1,400rpm, 1,700rpm, 2,000rpm and 2,300rpm. There’s a rotary dial on the top of the body to change the speed setting.

The polisher’s brushless motor is operated via a trigger. There’s a lock button next to the trigger, which prevents the machine from being accidentally operated. Consequently, there’s no way of locking the trigger when in use.

The supplied backing pad is secured to the threaded spindle of the polisher by winding it on. The spindle can be locked by pressing a button on the top of the body. There are also a couple of flats on the unthreaded section of the spindle. A 17mm open-ended spanner can be used to grip them.

The generic 20V lithium-ion battery (it can be used with a number of Sealey tools) has a useful feature. There’s a button on the side of it, which if pressed, displays the state of charge of the battery. This helps to show whether it needs rechanging. And whether you have a 2Ah or 6Ah battery (or any one in between), they all use the same charger.

Using the Sealey 20V 180mm brushless rotary polisher

Being a brushless motor, it’s smooth to operate. The trigger can be lightly squeezed to start the motor spinning. The more you squeeze it, the faster it goes up to its set speed. It’s very controllable.

The motor on my test model was noisy and high pitched. My ears were ringing after a few minutes of use. A pair of ear plugs helped.

Weighing in at 5.3lb (2.4kg), it feels quite light and seems to be well balanced. The choice of handles is a good idea.

I found this polisher was easy to use. I liked the sensitivity of the trigger, enabling me to adjust the speed of the motor.

Verdict

If you have already invested in Sealey’s range of 20V cordless power tools, then this polisher is definitely worth considering. Otherwise, it may seem like an expensive investment and commitment to a specific brand. But for your money, you get a capable polisher backed with a three-year warranty.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post Sealey CP20VRPX Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

There is however, a price to pay for all of this, but is it worth the money?

RRP: $223.78, buy it here / £166.80, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

You get a lot of accessories if you buy the bundle. These include a plastic D-shaped handle, two batteries, a charger, backing pad, two sponge pads and polishing bonnet. A bare body is also available if you already have the 18V battery and charger.

This polisher is supplied in a sturdy plastic carrycase that’s the size of a small suitcase. It takes up a lot of room, but the polisher can be left part-assembled inside the box, removing the battery and backing pad. So it’s easy to grab and start using almost straight away.

This Milwaukee polisher is advertised as being 180mm in diameter. However, the supplied backing pad, two sponges and polishing bonnet all range between 125mm and 160mm.

The two 18V 5Ah batteries supplied with this kit take a little under one hour to fully recharge. A set of four indicator lights on each battery displays the state of charge. Press a small button on the battery and they light up.

Tech spec

As expected from this sort of price, this polisher has a brushless motor. It also has an electronic brake. So, when the trigger is released to switch off the motor, it doesn’t slow down under its own speed. Instead, it stops progressively within a second or two and you can feel the motor being stopped.

With six speed settings, a rotary dial on the top of the body switches between them. It’s only labelled with values for 800rpm, 1,200rpm, 1,600rpm and 2,000rpm. Yet it’s easy to figure out what the speeds are in between.

A two-stage trigger starts the motor spinning. The first stage sees the motor spin at a speed slower than what has been selected. It’s not a progressive start-up, but an instant surge of half-power. Squeeze the trigger a little more and the motor will instantly get up to its selected speed.

There’s no lock for the trigger so you have to keep it pressed. There is, however, a lock for preventing the trigger from being accidentally pulled.

Using the Milwaukee 180mm 18V brushless cordless polisher

The supplied hook and loop backing pad is wound on to the motor’s spindle. It can be locked by pressing a button on the top of the polisher’s body. Alternatively, gripping the flats on the unthreaded section of the spindle with a 17mm open-ended spanner will lock it.

Despite the diameter of the sponge pads and polishing bonnet were less than 180mm, I found them easy to work with. I could maneuver them across paintwork, whether it was when applying a color restorer or buffing polish. And the polisher only weighs 4.8lb (2.2kg), so it’s light and agile. It’s not too noisy, but my test model did have a high-pitched whine.

I asked my local bodyshop to try this polisher because they already use a similar mains-powered model. They found it similar to theirs and very easy to use.

Verdict

You get what you pay for in this case. Your car’s paintwork is probably expensive to respray, so does it deserve a good-quality polisher? Only you can decide, but if you want a polisher that the professionals would be happy using, this one is worth considering.

If you already have a selection of 18V-powered Milwaukee cordless tools, then a bare polisher body is quite cheap. Otherwise, the bundle I tested is expensive, but you get a lot for your money.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post Milwaukee 180mm 18V Brushless Cordless Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £95.81, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

Supplied with a plastic D-shaped handle that’s secured with Hex screws. A fabric, zipped bag, is included. It’s slightly too small if the D-shaped handle remains fitted in the upright position. Slackening its Hex screws to fold the handle flat against the body helps to fit it in the bag.

The polisher is also supplied with a hook and loop backing pad pre-fitted. A spanner is included should you wish to remove it. The backing pad is required to fit the supplied sponge pad. There’s no polishing bonnet.

With a power cable that’s nearly 16.5ft (5m) long, this is the longest lead I have found on a polisher.

Tech spec

The 125mm diameter polisher’s lowest speed setting is 2,000rpm and its fastest is 6,400rpm. For polishing, it could do with being a little slower. There are six speed settings, selected via rotary dial. And a plastic slider to switch it on and off. Weighing in at 4.8lb (2.2kg), it’s quite light.

Using the Draper Storm Force dual action polisher

With six speed settings, the slowest at 2,000rpm is quite fast for polishing. For faded paintwork where a cutting compound or colour restorer is needed, this polisher seems suited. I gave it to a professional bodyshop. Of course, they found it wasn’t as controllable as their more expensive polishers. And they found that whilst it didn’t make a mess of the paintwork (swirl marks), it didn’t do much good.

I don’t do polishing for a job, so I found this polisher easy to operate. It made a difference when I applied a colour restorer to faded paintwork, then polished it afterwards.

I also like the smooth start-up of the motor, which doesn’t give a sudden burst of power. The slider switch isn’t as good as a trigger, but it can be locked, so you don’t need to keep it pressed.

There’s a small amount of variable speed built into the slider switch. Depending on how far it’s pushed forwards; it’s not simply an on/off switch. Even at the fastest setting, the motor spins slowly at first and builds up to its maximum speed.

There is of lot of vibration through the body at all speeds. I tried the fastest speed setting when dealing with faded paintwork. The amount of vibration was manageable and the maneuverability of the polisher was excellent. Remember, it’s quite light.

Verdict

If you’re new to polishing and unsure whether you’ll use such a tool once or every month, try this one. It’s cheap and easy to use. You may find you want more, but you won’t have spent much getting to that point.

See how it stacks up against other products in my machine polisher group test.

The post Draper Storm Force Dual Action Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

If you already have some of Draper’s D20 tools, then you probably won’t need to buy a battery and charger. So the cost of a body only can be quite reasonable. Otherwise, look for bundle deals instead of buying the battery and charger separate.

RRP: £144.75, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

This polisher is supplied in a cardboard box, with no carrycase or bag. We acquired a battery and charger, both of which were supplied in cardboard packaging.

A hook and loop backing pad is already fitted to the polisher. It can be removed with a Hex tool that’s included. However, it can be left fitted because it’s needed for using the supplied 125mm-diameter sponge pad and polishing bonnet. A handle is included, which is attached to either side of the body – a plastic screw needs to be removed.

There’s a button on the side of the battery, which if pressed, shows the status of its charge. This is useful for knowing when it’s ready to recharge. It should take between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on which battery is fitted (they range from 2Ah to 5Ah).

Tech Spec

There are six speed settings for this polisher, starting at 1,600rpm. The fastest speed is 4,710rpm.

The speed settings are displayed in three pairs of red and green numbers along the base of the body with a soft-press button below them. Providing a battery is fitted, pressing the button switches between the different pairs of speed settings, with a light illuminating red or green to signify which setting is chosen. It all makes more sense when you start using the polisher and press this speed setting button to change the rotation speed.

Being a random orbit polisher, the motor doesn’t just rotate, but it also orbits by 15mm. This helps to reduce the risk of swirl marks, creating a greater variance in its pattern of movement.

Using the Draper D20 random orbit polisher

A large red plastic slider switch on the top of the polisher’s body switches on the motor. It doesn’t start spinning gradually, but instantly fires up to whatever speed setting is selected. So it’s wise to start on the slowest setting.

The plastic switch feels a little flimsy and amateurish when compared to a trigger that’s used on most polishers. The switch can be locked by pushing it fully forwards. This means you don’t have to keep it held whilst using the polisher.

It’s a little awkward to change the speed settings. And you can only increase the speed, not decrease it. So you have to get to the maximum speed setting to start again at the slowest.

The weight of this polisher is quite light at almost 6lb (2.7kg) is light. It feels balanced and easy to maneuver over paintwork.

With a sponge pad attached to the hook and loop backing pad, I applied a color restorer to sun-damaged paintwork. It was quickly and easily revived, then polished with the polishing bonnet. This polisher from Draper was easy to operate.

Verdict

This polisher from Draper can be a value for money investment, if you already have the battery and charger. Otherwise, unless you find a bundle deal, it can prove expensive.

The range of speed settings could do with being a little lower for polishing. There’s no progressive start-up for the brushless motor. And no means of reducing the speed without increasing to the maximum setting and starting again.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post Draper D20 Random Orbit Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $398.42, buy it here / ~£270, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

As a bundle kit, the DeWalt 18V brushless cordless rotary polisher is supplied in a soft, zipped bag. There’s plenty of room for everything supplied in this kit and more, meaning the handle and backing pad can remain attached.

A side handle is supplied in the kit, which is similar to what’s used on most angle grinders. A D-shaped handle would have been useful. And some polishing accessories, such as a sponge pad and a bonnet. There’s only a hook and loop backing pad.

Our kit includes two 18V lithium-ion 5Ah batteries and one charger, but not if you buy the bare body only.  A flat battery should take 75 minutes to fully recharge. I like the battery status lights on the side of each battery, activated by a small push button.

The supplied backing pad is secured to the threaded spindle of the polisher by winding it on. The spindle can be locked by pressing a button on the top of the body. There are also a couple of flats on the unthreaded section of the spindle. So the spindle can be gripped with a 17mm open-ended spanner instead of pressing the lock button.

Tech Spec

There’s a rotary dial on the top of the body to select one of the eight speed settings. 800rpm is the slowest, followed by 1,000rpm, 1,200rpm, 1,400rpm, 1,600rpm, 1,800rpm, 2,000rpm and 2,200rpm.

There’s also a useful lock button next to the trigger, which prevents the machine from being accidentally operated.

The battery is fitted to the polisher body at 90°, suggesting it reduces the risk of it fouling paintwork.

Using the DeWalt 18V brushless cordless rotary polisher

The trigger of this polisher is very sensitive. The more you squeeze it, the faster the motor spins (up to its selected speed). The initial press of the trigger always results in a smooth and gentle startup of the motor. When in use, it’s easy to adjust the speed dial to increase or decrease the speed.

There’s a useful lock button next to the trigger, which prevents the machine from being accidentally operated. This is especially useful if the polisher is left inside its storage bag with the battery attached. You can’t lock the trigger when using the polisher. So you have to keep your finger held on the trigger to keep it running.

I found the smoothness of operation of this polisher is excellent. From the initial startup to running at maximum speed at 2,200rpm, it’s controllable. It’s also quiet and very light, weighing in at a few ounces over 4lb (1.9kg).

With a sponge pad attached to the hook and loop backing pad, I applied a color restorer to sun-damaged paintwork. It was quickly and easily revived, then thoroughly polished.

DeWalt 18V brushless cordless rotary polisher verdict

This polisher from DeWalt has a mouth-watering specification. It feels very easy to use because it’s light, well-balanced, smooth and quiet. It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post DeWalt 18V Brushless Rotary Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

With my 1976 Volkswagen Bay Window campervan in the garage, its red paintwork had lost its shine in places. Could this polisher revive it?

RRP: £92.99, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

Sealey’s variable speed sander & polisher doesn’t have a carrycase or bag, although several are available from them. This mains-powered machine includes a large plastic D-handle and a couple of hex screws to secure it to the body. I initially found it awkward to fit. Once in position, there’s a tool to fit the two hex screws. And a hole in the side of the handle makes it easier to access one of them.

The 6ft-long (1.83m) power lead is very short. An extension lead will probably be needed. It may have to be carefully positioned to avoid fouling the bodywork of a vehicle when polishing it.

Fitting the supplied hook and loop backing pad is very straightforward. There’s a lock button on the body that stops the spindle moving. The short instruction leaflet supplied with this sander and polisher states the spindle has a left-hand thread. Our test model had a normal right-hand thread.

Tech Spec

The speed settings range from 600rpm to 3,000rpm. There’s a dial on the top of the body that is clearly labelled. It starts at 600rpm, followed by 1,000rpm, 1,400rpm, 1,800rpm, 2,200rpm, 2,600rpm and finally 3,000rpm. When running at a selected speed, there’s a mechanical push button to lock the trigger on. This lets you release the trigger and keep the polisher working. Another press of the trigger releases this lock and switches the polisher off.

This polisher also boasts a soft start, so it progressively builds up to its selected speed.

Using the Sealey MS925PS

As a sander, this is too aggressive and often difficult to control. A dedicated sander is a better option.

As a polisher, it’s easier to work with, especially at slower speeds for waxing and polishing. The slow speeds are useful. However, at the two slowest speeds, the motor occasionally dropped its speed and seemed to momentarily cut out. This was not noticeable at the faster speed settings.

I found it useful to adjust the speed setting whilst using the polisher, increasing and decreasing the speed. I also liked the variable speed trigger – the more you squeeze it the faster the motor spins.

There’s only a polishing bonnet included, so I borrowed a sponge pad to rectify some faded paintwork. Using a color restorer fluid at 2,200-3,000rpm, the polisher occasionally grabbed. It was, on the whole, controllable and effective, but it’s quite heavy at 8.8lb (4kg). And it’s noisy at 93dB when used on the fastest setting, so ear plugs or defenders are recommended.

With the D-handle attached, it’s handy to rest the polisher on its back without fouling the power lead.

Verdict

For a heavy and noisy sander and polisher, this mains-powered machine is competitively priced. So it may appeal to novices or anyone wanting something that will be occasionally used. For regular use or anyone who is experienced with polishing, look for something lighter, quieter and probably more expensive.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post Sealey MS925PS Sander/Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I had my 1976 Volkswagen Bay Window campervan ready to test this polisher on. Its red paintwork had lost its shine in places, so would this polisher revive it?

RRP: £89.99, buy it here.

What’s in the box?

The Clarke CP185 sander & polisher is supplied in a large plastic carrycase. It locks shut with a couple of flimsy-looking plastic catches, that don’t look particularly substantial. I’ve seen these before and they generally don’t last long before one or both of them break off. In fact, I have the same ones on the box of a Clarke trolley jack. I confess I snapped them off when I accidentally closed the lid on them and wasn’t looking.

There’s a separate plastic D-handle to secure to the body of the sander & polisher with two hex screws. And a hex tool is supplied to fit those screws. I found it quite a struggle to maneuver the handle into position to line up the mounting holes. And if you intend to store the equipment in its case, the handle will need to be removed.

A comprehensive user manual outlines how to use the equipment. It also lists the spares available for it with an exploded diagram of the body. There’s even a fault-finding table and instructions on replacing the brushes (a spare set is included).

The power lead is very short at 6ft or 1.83m long. So an extension lead is usually required when working around a vehicle. Plus, the lead can easily drag over the paintwork because it’s so short.

Tech spec

This sander & polisher has six speed settings ranging from 600rpm to 3,000rpm. Each one is selected via a dial on the top of the body, which is numbered from 1 to 6.

The diameter of the polishing bonnet is 180mm, which is a standard size. Consequently, there are lots of different types of pads that can be fitted. It’s a shame a sponge pad isn’t included, especially considering this appeals to beginners who often need everything.

I noticed that Machine Mart doesn’t sell any individual 180mm-diameter sponge pads, only 150mm. They do sell a comprehensive kit of sanding discs with 180mm polishing pads and bonnets for £20.39. So you may wish to shop around for more sponge pads, or use the smaller 150mm-diameter ones from Machine Mart.

The supplied backing pad is threaded on to the spindle that protrudes from the body of the polisher & sander. There’s a lock button on the top of the body should the spindle rotate when fitting the backing pad.

Using the Clarke CP185 Sander & Polisher

With speeds ranging from 600rpm to 3,000rpm, this machine is seemingly well-suited for polishing. And it’s easy to adjust the dial for those speeds when using the machine. Sadly, it’s very noisy, so you will need ear plugs or defenders. I managed to polish several areas of paintwork using the supplied polishing bonnet. I was careful with how much polish was applied. Too much may make the bonnet wet, which could create swirl marks.

The weight of the polisher is noticeably heavy at 8.2lb (3.7kg). It’s not so bad on flat horizontal surfaces because you can support and guide the polisher. On vertical surfaces it’s quite a handful to hold.

As a sander, this machine is far too aggressive. I wanted to key the gloss paint on the wooden front door of my house. Using a 120-grit sanding paper, it swiftly took the finish back to bare wood.

As a polisher, I like the progressive start-up of the motor that’s gentle to begin with. Under operation, the trigger can be locked on, so you don’t have to keep it pressed when polishing.

Verdict

The Clarke CP185 sander & polisher is competitively priced. It’s let down by flimsy catches on its plastic carrycase, the lack of a sponge pad, excessive noise and weight. If you want to strip paint, it’s perhaps a good sander. As a polisher or for rectifying paint damage, it’s heavy and you’ll need to buy a sponge pad.

The post Clarke CP185 Sander & Polisher Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Sizes available: 8.45fl oz (240ml), 33.8fl oz (960ml), 169.1fl oz (4.8 liters). RRP: from $22.70, buy here / from £19.76, buy here.

How I tested Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish

Before testing, I prepped my sunroof test panel. First I washed it and then clayed it to remove any traces of wax or coatings. I then dried it and used my gloss meter to take an average gloss reading. I then applied Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish using my dual-action polisher, carrying out four sets of four alternating passes. Any remaining product was then wiped off. Next, I took another set of average gloss readings before using my inspection light to carry out a visual check of the surface for any remaining swirls and marks.

I’ll get into my detailed findings shortly, but first, feel free to see how this polish stacks up against others in my car polish group test.

What Sonax says

According to Sonax, Profiline Perfect Finish has been specially developed for the 1-step polishing of locally sanded paint damage such as dust inclusions or runs. Special nano-abrasives allow good scratch removal with optimal gloss, leaving no holograms or buffing marks on the paint. With this being part of the Sonax professional range and with such an impressive description, I had very high hopes for Profiline Perfect Finish. I want to see an impressive level of correction and a high increase in gloss.

What it’s like to use Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish

I did not enjoy using Profiline Perfect Finish. It was incredibly wet, with a lot of sling spraying the areas around it. There was also a lot of product left on the test section after use. The product is rated at a 4/6 cut, and it corrected well, with only a small amount of swirls remaining. However, I didn’t like the finish. It was very hazy with quite a lot of visible marring, which was disappointing. It felt very unforgiving in that respect. The gloss increase was very impressive, however, one of the highest I’ve tested for a polish.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss reading before: 81.9
• Gloss reading after: 87.9
• Gloss increase: 6

Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish is rather disappointing. It cuts well and delivers an impressive increase in gloss, but it’s not nice to work with. Worst of all was the hazy finish with lots of marring. I expected so much more, especially based on Sonax’s blurb for the product. Perhaps you need to work it over the paint for longer to produce a clearer finish, but other polishes I tested did so much better within my test parameters. It’s expensive, too, which adds insult to injury.

Sizes available: 8.45fl oz (240ml), 33.8fl oz (960ml), 169.1fl oz (4.8 liters). RRP: from $22.70, buy here / from £19.76, buy here.

The post Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Sizes available: 16 fl. oz (473ml) RRP: $20.00, buy here / £17.05, buy here.

How I tested Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish

I used a sunroof test panel, which was washed and then clayed, to remove any wax or coatings. The panel was then dried, and divided into sections. Using a gloss meter, I took an average gloss reading for the test section. I then applied Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish using my DA polisher, carrying out four sets of four overlapping passes. I wiped away any product residue and then used the gloss meter to obtain a new average gloss reading. Finally, my inspection light was used to check surface clarity.

For full disclosure, this test was part of car polish group test. So, if you’d like to see how Meguiar’s Ultimate Car Polish compares against rivals, check out my guide to the best car polishes of 2024.

What Meguiar’s says

Meguiar’s bills Ultimate Polish as the final step before waxing for maximum gloss and reflectivity. It features rich polishing oils that add a deep, rich, wet look to paint. While it works great on all paint, it’s especially good on dark-coloured cars. Ultimate Polish perfects the paint before waxing, giving you the perfect surface to work with. Based on this, I’m expecting not so much in terms of correction, but I’m hoping for plenty of gloss.

What it’s like to use Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish

Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish is another product that’s very nice to work with. There is a bit of sling, but it’s nowhere near as bad as its Ultimate Compound counterpart. As Ultimate Polish has been designed to deliver a refined finish, I knew the cut wasn’t going to be great. And the inspection light showed that some surface marks remained. I had been hoping for an impressive gloss increase, but it seems that without some prior prep with a more aggressive product, Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish struggles a little.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss reading before: 83.9
• Gloss reading after: 88.5
• Gloss increase: 4.6

If you’ve compounded your car and are looking for that next level of refinement, or are working with paint that needs just a tiny bit of correction, Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish is a great choice. Just the fact that it delivered a better increase in gloss than Ultimate Compound while having a much gentler cut is proof of that. However, on its own, it just doesn’t cut it as a standalone polish if you’re looking for strong correction.

Sizes available: 16 fl. oz (473ml) RRP: $20.00, buy here / £17.05, buy here.

The post Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Sizes available: 14fl oz. (398ml), 17.6fl oz. (500ml). RRP: $15.99, buy here / £12.24, buy here.

How I tested Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax

I took my sunroof test panel and washed it then clayed it to ensure the surface was free from waxes and coatings. I then dried the panel and, using a gloss meter, took three readings to get an average gloss reading. The product was then applied using a DA polisher. I performed four sets of four alternating passes. Any remaining product was then wiped off, and an average gloss reading was taken again. Finally, using my inspection lamp, I checked for remaining surface imperfections.

This Turtle Wax test was part of a larger group test. So, if you’d like to see the results of that, head over to my guide to the best car polishes of 2024.

What Turtle Wax says

As its name implies, this is an all-in-one. It combines a polish, wax and ceramic coating in one simple step. It features precision platelet technology that removes light swirls, scratches and paint transfer for easy surface restoration. It also applies a hydrophobic SiO2 ceramic coating that delivers water-beading, chemical resistance and a wet-look shine. Turtle Wax says it’s a professional-grade car scratch remover that will repair cobwebbing, fine lines and swirls and is the total package for surface restoration and protection. Based on this information, I’m expecting impressive results, with strong correction and a lovely gloss increase.

What it’s like to use Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax

Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax was very wet, and there was quite a lot of sling, and a lot of product left on the panel. It didn’t polish well at all and I didn’t like the finish. It looked good to the naked eye, but the inspection lamp revealed that it was hazy and there was marring present. My initial reaction was that I had done something wrong, however, all the other polishes I tested, bar one, delivered a perfect finish. Perhaps you need to work it for longer, but within the test parameters, it was disappointing. The gloss increase was reasonable, though, but the finish ruins things, really.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

• Gloss reading before: 80.5
• Gloss reading after: 85.7
• Gloss increase: 5.2

Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax is disappointing. It didn’t cut very well, leaving quite a lot of swirls behind. On top of that, the marring and haziness marked it down further. The gloss increase was okay, and the fact that it’s an AIO means you don’t need to add any wax after using it. But, overall, I was not a fan.

Sizes available: 14fl oz. (398ml), 17.6fl oz. (500ml). RRP: $15.99, buy here / £12.24, buy here.

The post Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Sizes available: 15.02 fl. oz (450ml). RRP: $11.89, buy here / £18.70, buy here.

How I tested Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound

I prepped my trusty test sunroof panel, by washing and then claying it. This ensures there is no wax or coating left. After drying, I used my gloss meter to take an average gloss reading. I then applied Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound using a dual-action polisher, carrying out four sets of four alternating passes. After wiping off any remaining product, I took another set of average gloss readings. Finally, I used my inspection light to carry out a visual check of the surface.

I should also note that this was part of a wider group test where I put the best polishes on the market against each other. If you want to see the results of that, have a read of my guide to the best car polishes.

What Meguiar’s says

Meguiar’s pitches Ultimate Compound as a polish that will tackle pretty much anything you throw at it. Its abrasive technology quickly removes stubborn oxidation, stains, bird-dropping blemishes and other sub-surface defects. At the same time, it polishes the surface to a mirror finish. Unlike traditional rubbing and polishing compounds that scour the surface, Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound features clear coat-safe micro-abrasives. They have been designed to produce an amazingly clear finish that is free from scratches, hazing and swirls. And it can be applied by hand or is a DA polisher. With no fillers or wax, I’m expecting to see some serious cut and impressive shine.

What it’s like to use Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound

Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound is very nice to use. It spreads well and goes a long way. It didn’t feel too wet under the pad, but there was quite a lot of sling. This means there was product residue spraying onto the surrounding test sections. This is always annoying because it means more wiping around an area you’re polishing, and wiping areas you’ve already polished.

However, I have no complaints about the performance. In terms of pure correction, this is the best polish I have tested. It delivered a stunning clear finish on the test panel with jaw-dropping reflections. Using the inspection lamp, the test section looked virtually flawless, with Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound making light work of all surface imperfections. However, in terms of gloss increase, it performed poorly, with the lowest increase I’ve measured. This is understandable as Ultimate Compound is designed for correction rather than being an AIO or fine polish.

Gloss meter results and verdict

• Gloss reading before: 83.5
• Gloss reading after: 87.7
• Gloss increase: 4.2

If you’re looking for a serious compound that will deliver incredibly impressive results, Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound is my product of choice. It did an amazing job of getting rid of surface imperfections, leaving behind a stunning finish. However, the gloss meter revealed that other polishes I tested delivered more shine. But if I was looking to just correct a car’s paint with a view to further refining it with a polish afterwards, Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound would be my choice. And, to be honest, it looks so good to the naked eye that I don’t know if you’d bother with further polishing. Other polishes might deliver better numbers, but Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound delivers real results.

Sizes available: 15.02 fl. oz (450ml). RRP: $11.89, buy here / £18.70, buy here.

The post Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $149.99, buy here. £118.81, buy here.

How I tested this dash cam

It’s important to get across how a product performs at each stage of ownership. So, with that in mind, I’ll be covering everything from installation to practical testing, giving you a snapshot of not only what it’s like to fit one of these to your car, but also what you can expect from it once it’s up and running.

To do this, I’ve documented how I installed it into my own car, and I’ve included footage from two different journeys – one during the day, and one during the night.

What’s in the box?

Before we get started, I just want to go over what you’ll find in the box when you order a Viofo VS1. Remember when I said I loved simplicity? Well, it doesn’t get more simple than this. Camera, power lead, PC connection lead, trim tool, spare adhesive back plate – job done. You get a user manual too obviously, although it’s worth pointing out that the hardwiring kit, bluetooth controller and even the memory card are actually optional extras. Each were included in this press kit, however if you want to buy a VS1, you’ll have to pay more for those.

Installation

Positioning

The first thing to consider when installing any dash cam is where to place it on the windshield. As a rule of thumb, the best idea is to put it somewhere high up and central, as that means that the camera will not only get a good view of the road ahead, but also be out of your own line of sight. For that reason, I always choose to put dash cams up behind the rearview mirror.

In the case of the Viofo VS1, this really couldn’t be simpler. It comes with an adhesive backplate with a protective cover that cleverly has a little tag to make its removal nice and easy. Then, once you’ve stuck the camera into position, the main body pivots around a hinge so that you can get the angle of the lens correct. It can be a bit stiff at first, so don’t be afraid of applying a little bit of force.

Connecting to power

There are two ways in which you can connect the dash cam to a power source. The standard way (which is the option I chose for this test) is to plug the camera into your car’s 12V outlet with the supplied power cable. This provides the camera with a source of energy as long as the car’s ignition is on, and shuts off once the car switches off.

Alternatively, you can order a hardwiring kit at additional cost (£15.04). This will allow you to directly wire the dash cam into the car’s electronics, thus ensuring that the camera receives a constant power supply. This is necessary if you wish to use the camera’s ‘parking mode’, a feature which allows it to pick up incident footage even when you’re away from your car. There’s no need to worry about your car’s battery either, as the device will sense when the battery reaches a maximum low threshold. When this happens, it’ll stop drawing energy to ensure that it doesn’t completely deplete the battery.

Parking mode

Parking mode can come in various different forms too. The standard setting is classed as ‘auto event detection’. Essentially, it’ll only record when it notices a moving object. If no movement occurs, visual or physical, the camera will lay dormant. The next option is ‘time lapse’. This does what it says on the tin, and records continuously at a low frame-rate without audio. Then, finally there’s low-bitrate recording, which uses extra small file sizes to enable continuous recording with audio.

Finishing touches

Once you’ve successfully installed the camera, insert the memory card and press the microphone button for a long time until the camera responds with audible feedback. This is how you format the memory card, which is crucial to do before use. If you don’t do this, the camera won’t record footage as it’s intended to.

With that done, the only thing left to do is to tuck the wires away behind your car’s plastic trim and/or roofliner. You can use the supplied trim tool to help you with this, but be prepared to get creative. Just make sure that the wires are out of sight and unable to interfere with any of the car’s controls.

Bluetooth controller

Now, if you order the basic Viofo VS1 package, you won’t have access to this as it is an optional extra (£15.83). However, since they sent me a Bluetooth controller to try out, I figured I might as well give it a go.

The first thing to note is how small and light it is. This is great news as it means you have more choice regarding where to place it. For example, I placed it on the lid of a storage compartment in my car’s center console, and because it’s so light, the controller doesn’t affect the lid’s ability to support itself upright when open. As for how the controller works, simply press its central button for three seconds when the camera is powered on and the two should automatically pair. Then, when driving along, you can manually save precise recordings by pressing the button. This will often be easier to do (if you place it within arm’s reach) than the alternative; pressing the corresponding button on the camera itself.

Happily, I had no trouble getting the two devices to pair with each other, and the controller worked as intended.

Additional features

I’ll be honest, if you want lots of features from your dash cam, then this isn’t the device for you. Some dash cams I’ve encountered are incredibly features-rich, like the Nextbase iQ, for example. However, the Viofo VS1 focuses purely on the basics. That’s not necessarily an issue though, as it executes those basics well.

The only additional features incorporated into the VS1 which I haven’t already spoken about are the fact that it comes with GPS, voice control, a G-sensor, and an emergency recording function. GPS is a welcome inclusion, especially at this price point, as this means the dash cam will track your location and speed – two things which could be important for car theft recovery or forming a legal defense in the event of an incident.

Impressively, this is something which the Viofo VS1 has in favor over one of its market rivals, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2. In fact, the Viofo also offers better image quality than the Garmin; 1440p resolution versus 1080p. However, you can power the Garmin through your car’s OBD2 port, which is something that the Viofo misses out on. That OBD2 connection is particularly handy as it means you can use parking mode without the need to hardwire.

The emergency recording function, meanwhile, can be operated manually at the push of a button or automatically if the G-sensor detects an impact.

Performance at day

*Due to media compression the footage you see may be lower quality than the raw 2K 1440p file*

Now, with the theory out of the way, it’s time to get practical with some road tests. The Viofo VS1 dash cam powers up automatically when you switch your car’s ignition on, so that eliminates the chance of you frustratingly forgetting to turn it on. It records in short 1-minute segments by default, and will overwrite the oldest files when it runs out of storage capacity.

The Viofo VS1 makes use of the Sony Starvis 2 image sensor, which should mean there is less visual noise and motion blur than there otherwise would be. To test this, have a watch of the video above and see how many fine details you can pick out, such a license plates, sign texts or people’s faces. For the best results, try pausing the footage on certain frames. I think you’ll agree that the VS1 performs well in this area.

Performance at night

Darkness is always difficult for cameras, but again the VS1 does a reasonably good job. The finer details are naturally lost unless there is a direct light shining on them, and as for glare, I’ll let you decide on whether the results are positive or not.

I should note that, given the wet conditions, this was a particularly difficult test of camera clarity.

How can I access my footage?

There are a couple of ways that you can access the dash cam’s video files. One way would be to insert the camera’s memory card into your PC or laptop and view the files directly on your desktop. The alternative way would be to download the Viofo app and pair your smartphone with the camera via WiFi. On the app, you can manage video files and even view a livestream of the camera’s viewpoint.

Verdict

So, would I recommend the Viofo VS1 dash cam? Absolutely. It’s a master of the art of combining performance with simplicity, so if you want a competent budget dash cam that won’t take up much room in your car, you can’t go wrong with a Viofo VS1. I was particularly impressed with its inclusion of GPS and 1440p image resolution – two features which are not always seen at this price point. In fact, the only gripe I have with it is the lack of OBD2 power support, and as I mentioned earlier, if you want a more complex dash cam with a wider range of functions, then you’d need to look elsewhere. Overall though, I think the majority of people would be served perfectly well by the Viofo VS1.

However, if you are looking for more comprehensive coverage, with additional cameras for the cabin and rearview, perhaps consider the Viofo A229 Pro instead.

The post Viofo VS1 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Clarke CP150 Pro dual action sander/polisher RRP: £83.98, buy now.

What’s in the box?

The Clarke CP150 Pro dual action sander and polisher is supplied in a compact, sturdy-looking plastic carrycase. It locks shut with good-quality metal clasps. Inside, there’s the polisher/sander body, a hook and loop backing pad, sponge pad and polishing bonnet. There’s also a spare set of motor brushes, a spanner and user manual.

There’s a large plastic D-handle to fit on to the body with a couple of hex screws. It’s a sturdy handle that can be easily fitted in several different positions. Unfortunately, the handle has to be removed to fit the polisher back into the carrycase. And the backing pad also needs to be removed. The handle is a little tough to maneuver into position.

The hook and loop backing pad requires a spanner (supplied in the kit) to fit it. It has to be squeezed between it and the 14mm nut on the body. A stud on the backing pad threads into it. If the nut isn’t gripped, it will rotate and the backing pad cannot be fitted. The spanner is quite awkward to position.

Clarke CP150 Polisher and Sander tech spec

This sander/polisher has six speed settings, which are selected via a dial on the top of the body. The dial displays numbers 1 to 6, with 6 being the fastest at 6,000rpm. Unfortunately, there’s no information on the speed of the other settings. 6,000rpm, for example, is too fast for polishing, but we can only assume the slowest setting (number 1), is perhaps around 2,000rpm.

The diameter of the backing pad is 150mm, which means there are plenty of aftermarket sponges and polishing bonnets that can be fitted to this machine. The ones included in the kit seem to be good enough to get you started.

The mains power lead attached to this polisher is a little over 6ft (2m) long. So it’s quite short and will probably need an extension cable to work around a vehicle. And being short, it does increase the risk of it fouling the bodywork.

The total weight of the sander/polisher with a backing pad is 5.7lb (2.6kg), which is not too heavy. It feels well-balanced when holding it vertically and horizontally. There’s a noise rating label on the body, which states 91.3dB.

Using the Clarke CP150 Pro dual action polisher and sander

This machine doubles up as a sander and polisher. When sanding, we noticed a considerable amount of vibration is produced. It’s also very noisy, so should be used wearing ear plugs or defenders. When compared to a dedicated sander, this isn’t as good, being slightly more aggressive and noisier.

As a polisher, it’s more capable, but still very noisy and with lots of vibration transmitted through to my hands. It’s easy to maneuver because it’s quite light, but its dual action can result in it wandering off. The dial for adjusting the speed of the motor is easy to move when using the polisher. I also like the progressive start-up of the motor that’s gentle to begin with. And the trigger can be locked on, so you don’t have to keep it pressed when polishing.

The 150mm-diameter sponge pad and polishing bonnet are a good fit and remain in position during use. I used a color restorer fluid to remove sunlight damage on red faded paintwork. I also polished my Clarke steel workbench that’s painted glossy red. It was quite a workout thanks to the vibration (and I wore ear plugs), but the polisher did the job.

Clarke CP150 Pro dual action sander/polisher verdict

As an entry-level polisher, the Clarke CP150 Pro dual action sander/polisher is a budget-priced introduction for a beginner. It can rectify paint problems and buff polish and wax. As a sander, I’d recommend buying a dedicated machine instead. And I’d also recommend investing in ear plugs and a pair of thick work gloves.

See how it stacks up against its rivals in my machine polisher group test.

The post Clarke CP150 Pro Dual Action Polisher & Sander appeared first on Fast Car.

Before applying the polish

How I tested Autoglym Super Resin Polish

I used a test panel that had been prepared beforehand to ensure that there was no wax residue left. Next, I used a gloss meter to take a gloss reading before I did any polishing. Then I applied Autoglym Super Resin Polish to a polishing pad and did four sets of four passes in alternating directions. Any product residue was wiped off, and then the gloss was measured again. Finally, I used a Meguiar’s MT103 Sunlight 3+ Detailer Inspection Light to check for surface clarity and remaining imperfections.

Using a machine polisher to apply the Super Resin Polish

What Autoglym says

Autoglym Super Resin Polish is, without a doubt, the company’s best-known product, and it’s been around for as long as I can remember. It restores glossiness while gently removing minor scuffs, scratches and marks across your car’s bodywork. Designed to help return old and new paintwork to its former glory, it delivers a deep, glossy finish, is super water-repellent and is ideal for removing small scratches and scuffs.

It has deep ‘filling’ properties to restore dull paintwork quickly and easily. Autoglym even says you can get good results by hand. It also leaves behind a protective wax layer, making the process that much quicker. My expectations were that it would be doing more filling than actual polishing, so I was interested to see how it would perform.

Autoglym Super Resin Polish applied to sun roof panel

What it’s like to use Autoglym Super Resin Polish

First things first, Autoglym Super Resin Polish was very nice to work with. It spread easily across the test section but wasn’t too wet at all. There was virtually no product left on the panel after polishing, and virtually no sling either. I certainly have no complaints about what it is like to use.

As expected, the level of correction was rather lackluster. While there was an obvious improvement in the surface of the paint, the inspection lamp revealed that quite a lot of scratches remained. However, when it came to gloss, it delivered incredible results. In fact, the gloss increase was so high that even removing the highest of the three readings in case it was a glitch, it still came out on top in my group test. You can’t argue with a result like that.

Inspecting the paintwork after using Super Resin Polish

Verdict

It’s easy to see why Autoglym Super Resin Polish is so popular. It’s very easy to use, and it delivers very impressive results with minimal effort. If you’re looking for something that will give you a perfect finish, Autoglym Super Resin Polish can’t cut it (literally).

But it makes up for its lack of polishing power with that massive gloss increase. And the fact that it also waxes as you work means you don’t need to do anything else once you’re done. I would personally sacrifice a bit of gloss and choose a car polish that cuts more aggressively for a better finish. But for sheer ease of use and instant results, you can’t go wrong with Autoglym Super Resin Polish.

• Gloss reading before: 78.7.
• Gloss reading after: 87.8.
• Gloss increase: 9.1.

Size: 16.9 fl. oz, 33.8 fl. oz. RRP: $27.00, buy now / £16.99, buy now.

The post Autoglym Super Resin Polish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Sizes available: 8.45 fl. oz, 16.9 fl. oz, 33.8 fl. oz. RRP: $23.95, buy now / £13.95, buy now.

How I tested Auto Finesse Tripple

As the Tripple car polish was part of a larger group test, I elected not to use a whole car for the test. Instead, I picked up a spare BMW sunroof and divided into sections so I could compare each of the products. Be sure to check out the results in our Best Car Polish guide.

First up, I made sure the sunroof was clayed, washed and dried thoroughly before any product was applied. Before applying the Auto Finesse Tripple, I used a gloss meter to take a gloss prior to any polish. We’re looking for an increase in gloss reading once the product has been properly applied. The higher the number the greater the product. Make sense?

I applied Auto Finesse Tripple to a polishing pad and did four sets of four passes in alternating directions. Any product residue was then wiped off, and the gloss was measured again using the gloss meter. Finally, I used an inspection lamp to check for surface clarity and remaining imperfections.

What Auto Finesse says

Auto Finesse bills Tripple as the ultimate all-in-one car polish. It’s been designed to clean, refine, glaze and protect paintwork in minimal time, and in one simple step. Auto Finesse Tripple has been engineered with diminishing abrasive technology, swirl-filling glaze agents and T1 grade Brazilian carnauba wax. Its easy-on, easy-off formula makes it very easy to work with, and it lets you quickly carry out single-stage paint enhancement while adding protection at the same time.

Auto Finesse Tripple is safe to use on everything from modern two-stage paintwork with a clear coat layer, vintage topcoats and gloss plastics. It has also been formulated to include ultra-slick film formers and glazing agents designed to fill and obscure minor swirl marks and other light defects, along with an infusion of T1 grade Brazilian carnauba to leave behind a barrier of wax protection that lasts for up to a month. That all sounds very impressive, so I’m expecting a decent level of cut, and some serious gloss thanks to the combination of fillers and wax.

What it’s like to use Auto Finesse Tripple

Auto Finesse Tripple was quite wet when I was using it, but there’s not much sling at all, which is always a bonus. It was easy to remove what product was left on the panel, so Tripple definitely lives up to that easy-on, easy-off promise. Tripple’s all-in-one (AIO) credentials are a polish, glaze, and wax, unlike something like 3D Speed, which has two stages of cut. This means that I wasn’t expecting Tripple to perform as well as some other products in terms of actual correction. It did make a very big difference, but the inspection light revealed some imperfections remained.

As Auto Finesse Tripple uses diminishing abrasives, if you were to use it for longer, you’d get a more refined finish, which this test doesn’t allow for in the interests of fairness. The glaze and wax did combine to deliver some very impressive gloss levels, as I was expecting. Auto Finesse Tripple delivered the second-highest gloss increase I have tested, which is very impressive.

Gloss meter results and verdict

• Gloss reading before: 81.7
• Gloss reading after: 88.3
• Gloss increase: 6.6

I’m not a huge fan of glazes because their filling is only ever temporary. But you can’t argue with the results that Auto Finesse Tripple delivered. It’s nice to work with, and while it didn’t deliver the best levels of correction in our group test, it made up for that with those final gloss readings. This is a polish that will give you fantastic-looking results with minimal effort. It’s great value for money, too, making it very hard not to like. Auto Finesse Tripple is a very nice car polish indeed and one I awarded Best Value Car Polish in 2024.

Sizes available: 8.45 fl. oz, 16.9 fl. oz, 33.8 fl. oz. RRP: $23.95, buy now / £13.95, buy now.

The post Auto Finesse Tripple Car Polish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

A range of third-party apps on Android and iOS smartphones and Windows-operated PCs and laptops can be used with the vLinker MC+. Apps including Auto Doctor, OBD Fusion, Car Scanner and Torque are generic. However, BimmerCode, BimmerLink, FORScan, JScan and Dr Prius are specific to certain makes and models, and also work.

How I tested the vLinker MC+ scanner

I had a 2005 Audi A3 (diesel engine) to test out the vLinker MC+. I decided to use the Car Scanner app to identify a specific issue with the car’s parking sensors that I knew existed. The objective here was to find out how easy the OBD2 scanner could identify the problem, and whether it would could find any other issues on board. I also took note of how easy the setup was. So, could the vLinker MC+ and Car Scanner app find the parking sensor issue?

RRP: $59.99 Buy / £59.95 Buy.

Using the vLinker MC+ OBD2 Scanner

What’s in the box?

The vLinker MC+ comes in a small box that’s nearly five inches long, less than three inches wide and just over an inch deep. The device is small. It’s the width of the OBDII port and a couple of inches deep. So it can be awkward to unplug from the OBDII port, but has ribbed sides to help grip it.

An informative quick start guide is included, which has been poorly translated into English, but easy enough to understand. Just refrain from wincing at the poor grammar.

Downloading the app

The quick start guide lists several recommended apps (presumably for Android, iOS and Windows), but doesn’t explain where to find them. The Google Play Store is the place to look for an Android phone. The App Store is where you’ll find the right one for an iPhone. And a search online through Google, for instance, will help to find the right software to download on to a Windows-based PC or laptop. I installed Car Scanner on to an Android phone. It took a few minutes to complete.

Connecting app and scanner

There’s a connect button on the face of the vLinker MC+ to help with connecting the app and device. This can be pressed once the device has been inserted into the car’s OBDII port, the ignition is switched on and the app is running. The two were quickly paired when I tested this, and the app correctly identified my Audi A3.

Using the app

The Car Scanner app provided some impressive diagnostics when tested with the vLinker MC+ on my Audi A3. It managed to correctly diagnose the parking sensor problem and display a fault code with a description. A full diagnostic scan initially listed 198 different systems, but these were generic so most didn’t apply. It took a few minutes to complete but was much quicker when I conducted a second scan. Car Scanner remembered which systems to check.

The features available in the free Car Scanner app help to make the vLinker MC+ look impressive. A dashboard display shows speed, engine rpm and coolant temperature. A Performance function can time a standing start to 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100mph. The app can even record fuel consumption.

vLinker MC+ OBD2 scanner verdict

Providing you find the right app to suit your needs, the vLinker MC+ is an impressive Bluetooth scanner. It can communicate with a wide range of cars and ECUs and seems capable of retrieving some very useful information. Some apps may require purchases to activate particular features or to be able to use on multiple cars.

The vLinker MC+ is straightforward to use. The front face of the device has a useful connect button and a display to tell you what’s happening. And grammatical errors aside, the quick start guide is similarly straightforward.

To see how it faired against other Bluetooth scanners, be sure to check out our guide to the best Bluetooth OBD2 scanners.

The post vLinker MC+ OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.

If you want to work smarter, not harder, 3D Speed is the car polish for you. Promising to compound, polish and wax in one easy step, it sounds like a dream come true. I put it through its paces to see if it really is as good as it sounds.

How I tested 3D Speed Car Polish

I used a test panel that had been washed and clayed beforehand to ensure that there was no wax residue left. Then I dried the panel and used a gloss meter to take a gloss reading before I did any polishing. I applied 3D Speed All-In-One Correction Glaze to a polishing pad and did four sets of four passes in alternating directions. Any product residue was wiped off, and then the gloss was measured again. Finally, I used a Meguiar’s MT103 Sunlight 3+ Detailer Inspection Light to check for surface clarity and remaining imperfections.

What 3D says

According to 3D, 3D Speed is the most popular AIO (all-in-one) product on the market in the world. The company says it’s fast and easy to work with and can be used with any type of machine. 3D makes its own abrasives in its privately owned manufacturing plant based on its own research and development by its team of in-house chemists. 3D Speed first acts as a compound to remove swirls, scratches and water spots. Next, polishing agents refine the surface to leave a high-gloss shine. Finally, 3D Speed leaves behind a layer of synthetic paint sealant blended with Montan wax. It certainly sounds impressive, and if it performs, this could be the only polish you’ll ever need…

What it’s like to use 3D Speed Car Polish

3D Speed is a very nice polish to work with. It’s not too wet on the pad, and there’s very little sling as you work it into the panel. This means there’s less cleaning during and after the polishing process. It spreads very nicely as you go, and a little definitely goes a long way. It took a few wipes to remove the 3D Speed residue from the panel, and the results were instantly visible, even before I did any measuring. The test panel was in a right state beforehand, and 3D Speed did amazing work to deliver an incredibly shiny test section.

3D says that 3D Speed’s polishing agents have been designed to deliver maximum D.O.I or distinction of image, and I can’t argue with that. It delivered a very impressive increase in gloss, and the inspection light showed very few remaining surface marks. I reckon if you worked 3D Speed even longer to allow the polishing agents to really refine the finish, you’d get even better results.

Verdict

There’s no such thing as perfection, but 3D Speed comes very close indeed. While it’s not the best in terms of gloss or cut, what it delivers is very strong results in each area. That makes it the ultimate all-rounder. It has enough cut to get rid of heavy surface marks and imperfections. The polishing agents then refine that finish to deliver very impressive gloss. And the icing on the cake is the protection it leaves behind.

Once you’ve polished a panel and wiped it off, you’re done – you don’t need to do anything else. 3D Speed is an awesome all-in-one that makes paint correction so much quicker and easier. If you’re looking for pretty much the perfect all-round compound and polish, this is it.

The post 3D Speed Car Polish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Chemical Guys VSS Swirl & Scratch Remover car polish claims to be able to tackle moderate swirls and surface imperfections, while also polishing your paintwork to deliver a high-gloss finish. I gave it a thorough workout to see how it performs.

How I tested Chemical Guys VSS Swirl & Scratch Remover

I acquired a rather swirly sunroof panel and gave it a wash. I then clayed it to make sure the surface was completely clean and ready for polishing. After drying, I used a gloss meter to take gloss readings before polishing. Then I used a dual-action polisher to work VSS across the surface, performing four sets of four overlapping passes. After wiping away the residue, I measured the gloss again and used an inspection light to check for surface clarity.

As Fast Car’s in-house detailing enthusiast, I’ve come across my fair share of detailing products, so I’m well placed to assess this Swirl & Scratch remover’s performance against the rest of the market.

What Chemical Guys says

Chemical Guys describe VSS as an easy-to-use polish with a strong cut that will quickly and easily remove swirls, scratches, and defects. It then finishes like a polish to deliver a mirror shine. VSS has been designed for paint with light to moderate swirl marks, scratches, and defects. It uses diminishing abrasive technology. These innovative abrasives cut fast to quickly remove swirls, scratches, and oxidation. They then finish like a fine polish to create a wet mirror finish on painted surfaces. VSS restores a lustrous scratch-free finish without filling in or covering up swirls, scratches, or defects. Based on that, I want to see some impressive cutting performance followed up with high gloss.

What it’s like to use Chemical Guys VSS Swirl & Scratch Remover

Chemical Guys VSS feels quite wet under the pad, but there’s very little sling, which is always nice. It just makes using the product that much easier. Again, this feels like a polish that will spread for days and go a very long way. Despite how wet it feels, it wipes off the panel very easily. Chemical Guys says that VSS can tackle moderate swirls, so our test panel definitely put it through its paces. But it performed incredibly well and really made short work of the worst of the surface imperfections.

The inspection light showed what a difference it had made, with just a small amount of swirls remaining. And the gloss increase was strong, too. As VSS uses diminishing micro-abrasives, working it longer would deliver an even more impressive finish. That means if you were using VSS on its own to do your whole car, you’d really get the best out of it.

Verdict

Chemical Guys VSS Swirl & Scratch Remover might not excel in any one area, but it does everything very well. I like the cut, I like the finish it delivers, the gloss is good, and it’s great to work with. The fact that it cuts like a compound and finishes like a polish really gives it the edge over other products. It’s very easy and forgiving to work with, too. Other polishes might cut better or deliver more gloss, but Chemical Guys VSS tackles two steps in one go, and you can’t argue with that. And as many of us would rather add our own choice of protection, the lack of wax will be a bonus for many. VSS is an excellent choice of polish, and you won’t be disappointed.

Need a buffer to help apply it? Check out our machine buffer guide to understand the different types available.

The post Chemical Guys VSS Swirl & Scratch Remover Car Polish Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I have known about RetroSound for years, but this is the first time I have tried a car stereo of theirs. So, as you can imagine, I was excited to get stuck into this RetroSound San Diego Ghia review. I realized that I had had some preconceptions though. To say a reviewer never has any, is piffle. You have to be able to identify them as such, is all, and be honest. I saw a system of many knob choices to go on your selected front panel, to fit your chosen body. I didn’t realize the chromed knobs were metal castings and that fit and finish of all parts was top end.

The chromed parts are perfect and can sit alongside classic car OEM controls and match completely. So I was wrong to think it was just ephemeral. This device is not just about looking good, but is very well-engineered, too. The assembling of all the parts ends up as a beautiful looking, solid head unit. I got the feeling it was designed to last for as long as your classic would live. In testing it ran no hotter than 47C on a day so hot I tested it shirtless, wearing wet flannels on my shoulders. The heatsink on the back is a good chunk of metal.

The really clever thing is RetroSound’s spindle InfiniMount technology. What was once a set of shafts that were used to mount the radio, are now two separate assemblies. A pair of two-way short-twist controls that can do Left and Right and a push function for the middle knob. The center knobs can also fully rotate. That gives you a host of control options, plus the row of five push-buttons. Each spindle-knob assembly is on a short telephone type wire and plugs into the main body unit. They mount on said InfiniMount brackets. These allow huge mounting flexibility. You get all the parts you need.

Setup and operation

Making the images and video was fun. I plugged in the DAB antenna and an old type FM aerial. The 3.5mm tip-ring-sleeve analogue Auxiliary socket got an ironic signal up it. Ironic as it was analogue, from a small pocket-DAB unit’s headphone output! It has a weak signal but you can hear it perfectly via that Aux.

I plugged a USB stick onto each USB socket. Each of them has a little cap you can seal it with if unused, as do the RCA output cords. You get Front, Rear and even Subwoofer RCA outs with this Motor 6 main body module. The sophistication is higher than normal in that you can choose your subwoofer crossover frequency, between 80Hz, 120Hz or 160Hz.

I stuck the thermocouple upon the chunky rear heatsink. Despite me running it hard on a steaming day, it didn’t get above 48C.

How well does it work?

Simply put, it’s brilliant. Where some FLAC readers do not like FLAC16, this unit ate them happily via the trailing USB-2 socket. It played the Peter Gabriel Live in Athens but it didn’t read the other stick on the USB-1 port. That had some WAV files and m4a tunes that the device isn’t rated to read. It is cool that you get two USB’s, though. You can get an accessory to extend one of these to appear on your dash in the cigar-lighter position. I would hide USB-1 away, laden with on-era driving tunes, and use USB-2 as the changeable one. There’s no SD card slot but the version 5 Bluetooth is awesome for streaming. It was fast to pair and the whole scrolling of the video title I was watching, was cool as heck. Sound quality was definitely good enough for playing tunes from YouTube.

The on-board TrueRATING 4x25W amp has some real muscle, enabling that impressive sound quality. Clean and crisp with great detail, it made my B&W LM1 test speakers sing. As so often with a really good unit, I found myself relaxing, taking a break and just listening to music. It was actually a wrench to get back to work. And that is the best compliment you can pay electronics. It transported me off to a better place. The bizarre thing is, it looks like it was from a Karmann Ghia, or some old ‘splittie’ bus.

Google “Fluffy’s Vee-Dub collection” and marvel at literally millions of dollars worth of classic VW buses. The RetroSound system will have a match for all of them, and you wouldn’t know until you played the tunes.

It has to be said, the features and technology on this are darn clever, making a worldwide-applicable radio in one unit.

Tech specs:

• Single DIN mech-free DAB+/FM/AM 30-preset radio with USB/Aux/Bluetooth (V5) streaming and calls
• Onboard Power: 4x45W @4ohms
• FM configurable to USA/EUR/AUS/JAP/RUS broadcast standards. Local/Distant settable signal sensitivity
• Front, Rear and Sub RCA out, 2x 2.1A USB on cables with socket caps, wired microphone included
• Fully modular designed system of high quality, that can be configured to fit any car of any era
• Plays MP3, FLAC, WMA files via USB
• Made for iPhone/iPod

Well, that’s the end of my RetroSound San Diego Ghia review. Need something a little less niche? Check out our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post RetroSound San Diego Ghia Review appeared first on Fast Car.

In 1986, the movie ‘Star Trek IV The Voyage Home’, made a joke about computers. Scotty tries to control a computer by saying, “COMPUTER” and it doesn’t work. Bones hands him the the mouse, so he speaks into it. “Hello Computer!” There was also a reference to transparent aluminum as gift to his back-in-time-travelled hosts. Not only have we surpassed their flip-phone communicators but we now have transparent ceramic aluminum. And now, Amazon Alexa has joined in the humor. You can program it to wake up when you say, “COMPUTER”.

The KD-DB922BT is a pukka CD tuner with a bunch of other clever capabilities but it does leave a couple of things out. There’s no SD slot under the beautiful flip-down face-off front piece and you don’t get a case for the faceplate. But what a cunning thing!

RRP: £149.99. Buy it here. (Not available in the US, try the the JVC KD-T915BTS instead, RRP: $147.98)

Setup and operation

While I had a white-box sample unit without printed matter, I think I had all the accessories, like removal keys. There was no face-case though, soft or hard. This seems to be a new norm whereas you always got one in the past. The Caliber RCD 120 we tested also lacked a face-case, as did the other full-posh packaging JVC deck.

Operation was slicker and faster and more intuitive than some. It was fast to load a disc and the Aux socket was sensitive. I could hear the voice recorder notes with perfect clarity. I like the two-line display and loved how the clock just set itself as soon as it tuned the DAB. FM was drawn in well and the RDS displays of the stations showed rapidly.

The front USB slot read all my files and showed the track names as well as the artist. The on-board amp is good and strong and made good levels. It has AM too, although I really don’t even know what’s out there in crackle-land.

I installed the Amazon Alexa app and paired up the radio to the phone by Bluetooth. Had I any friends, I could have connected two phones and even played DJ with them, sigh…

The digital audio control, or DSP, is clever. You get Time Alignment by speaker type and distance, while ‘Sound Response’ is a small bass-lift to MP3 and WMA file playback. And the 20kHz to 44.1kHz super-highs zone is added-in by interpolation by the Digital Track Expander. It is fiercely clever and all adds up to good sound from all sources.

How well does it work?

I loved how pretty and shiny the face plate was, and yet was sad that once the clear sticky film was removed, you were on your own. Just the delicacy of the bridge-piece over the slot is a worry. It wouldn’t take much dropping or clumsy treatment to hurt it. It needs that case!

I had the customary play with all the formats and marvelled at the quality and looks. This is ‘retail’ at £150, (which may be why SD is left out…) but it’s top quality in every way.

Apps can be a pain. My phone told me that I had filled the app’s cache and needed to clear it. It kept starting different menus and asking me different stuff each time I fired it up during testing. I admit I was fretty enough, having read the (detailed and good) online manual, to message Mr. JVC. I asked him if the sample unit might have issues? It kept on prompting me to get the app and connect to Bluetooth. I rebooted both the phone and the unit twice. Then it burst into action.

I said “Alexa, Claire Rayner, Wikipedia” and right away Alexa was reading out the beginning of my mum’s Wiki page. That felt like being Montgomery Scott of the Enterprise.

But I couldn’t get a grip of Alexa after that when trying to video it. I am totally inexperienced with it, had never used Alexa properly before and admit I got vexed. But that was about apps and phones and permissions, all stuff outside the remit of my review. The underlying point is this – it works with Amazon Alexa!

Tech specs:

• 1-DIN CD Tuner DAB+/FM/AM radio with 1.5A USB/Aux/Bluetooth (V4.2) streaming and calls
• Onboard Power: 4x50W or 2x50W + 1x50W to 4 ohm subwoofer (4x22W RMS) CUTE FEATURE!
• Has digital crossovers, (2-way/3-way), 13 band EQ with eight presets
• Dual phone connection, with ability to DJ between both phones
• Works with Amazon Alexa, also uses JVC Smartphone wifi remote app
• iPod/iPhone music playback: iPod Touch Gen.6 to iPhones 5S to 12
• Two-zone Variocolour (32,768 colours) illumination, with optional Music Sync. – pulses to the rhythm

To browse other options, check out our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post JVC KD-DB922BT Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £244.99, buy it here. Not available in the US, try the JVC KD-X560DBT instead.

A long while back, JVC made all their stuff themselves. Scale and sales volume are the key factors for a company to get big enough to do this. A lot of the rest would use subcontractors, even if they offered special ‘breathed-on’ limited editions to mark corporate anniversaries. That’s just manufacturing politics and logistics. The quality you get is always about the company doing the asking. There are some absurdly cheap items coming from China but there’s also top quality electronics assembled for brands worldwide, there. For example, it is well known that tabletop grills of all brands from costly to cheap, come from one factory. And Grundig and JVC are both major players.

Plainly put, the JVC KD-X561DBT and the Grundig GX-4308 are the same device. Microscopic differences do exist but are absurdly minor. The manuals vary hugely, though. The brief, color Grundig one is full of pretty pictures and is made for idiots like me. The monochrome JVC comes with a massive multilingual print job of a starter guide. Then, their QR code takes you to the website for the manuals in every language.

Oddly, despite the full size JVC manual online being so major, the detail in it is low. You have to refer to the specifications to find the frequencies and slope choices of the electronic crossovers, for example. The Grundig box/manual proudly bears the Hi-Res audio logo icon and the JVC does not. Yet the JVC has the Made For iPod/iPhone icon and the Grundig does not. The JVC radio is settable to Europe and Middle East. The Grundig has Europe, Asia, M. East, Oceania, Latin and N. America to choose from on the menu. Also both offer presets and one user EQ for the 13-band equaliser. The presets have different names on each unit.

So, if the basic kit is the same, does it perform as the Grundig does? Well, hopefully this full JVC KD-X561DBT review will answer that question for you…

Setup and operation

I took all the stuff I had plugged into the Grundig GX-4308 and it was like playing with the same unit. Admittedly, the looks and finish of the JVC are superior in a cool black and anodized kind of way. The Grundig even looks a bit dated by comparison. The buttons are arranged slightly differently and JVC use a magnifying glass icon instead of rows-of-script for their menu access. Another button is marked “BASS” but is a little misleading and should be marked “Audio”. It opens up the EQ, X’Over, Loudness, and Delay menus.

KD-X561DBT paired up a treat just like the 4308 and played music via bluetooth. I tried to make a call and found myself annoying Mr. Blaupunkt UK as he could not hear me. I reached around the back and realized I had failed to push the mono microphone jack plug fully home. Just like with his unit, when I couldn’t make the Aux work. It was about the plug needing to be tickling a switch point inside. I apologized, booked the Blaupunkt Frankfurt for return and told him about the plug problem! Sometimes, being too delicate and careful is not the thing. The microphone product, just like the wires’ colors and little labels on the back, are identical to the Grundig.

The joyous thing for #vanlife people and #vloggers, is that the entire 1-DIN package can become an adjunct to your studio. You do your thing, document on video and edit. And your car radio, from a normal DIN slot becomes a playback device. Driver can listen and passenger can watch.

How well does it work?

There’s a need to offer better value if you’re a less than cool brand like Grundig! I keep on mentioning their product but it has to be said. There’s no hard case included with JVC’s product, to carry the faceplate away. There is no DAB antenna included with the KD-X561DBT, either. Both are included with the Grundig GX-4308. Also, this JVC is a later product in date terms and thus has cost a bit more than in 2021. It has a higher ‘retail’ price. That said, the discounting is so savage out there, that RRP is just a faintly amusing starting point. For the money ‘asked for’ at retail, there are sellers adding in a DAB antenna and crucially, that reversing camera. That makes the whole package compelling for many folks. The price difference is merely about shopping effort to be truthful, despite ‘retail’.

The JVC information is still hugely better than what Grundig offer, which was comparatively lacking clarity. The amount of file types that the system can indeed read is huge, and includes AAC and OGG and MKV and Bitmaps and all sorts. It is safe to say that both machines have the same capabilities too.

My little USB TV pilot about fishing played a treat on it and it sounded the same. There are only two things I now want to compare. One is that the JVC EQ presets have different names. I want to see if they are the same curves! Finally, the KD-X561DBT can be bossed by the JVC RM-RK258 remote. I will lay money that the Grundig, which makes NO mention of a remote, has the IR window and can be bossed by one too!

END SHOCK: The facepiece of the Grundig runs the JVC. It even runs ‘Virtual Sub’!

Tech specs:

• Single DIN mech-free DAB+/FM/AM radio with USB/Aux/Bluetooth (V4.2) streaming and calls
• Onboard Power: 4x45W @4ohms
• FM configurable to Europe or Middle East broadcast standards.
• 2V Front, Rear and Sub RCA out, 1A USB, wired microphone included
• Optional RM-RK258 remote control NOT included
• Plays MP3, FLAC, WMA, OGG, MPEG1, 2, 4, H264, JPEG, MKV, BMP, PNG files via USB
• Made for iPhone/iPod (iPod touch 6, iPhone 5s to X only, not for 11 to 13)

Not quite what you’re looking for? Have a read of our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post JVC KD-X561DBT Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Pioneer are the OG brand of car audio. There was a time when I was a sales rep in car electronics for Electrosystems, which was profoundly educational about the industry. It meant visits to car audio stores and to oily fitting bays where they fixed your bulbs and fuses. And while some had names like Autosound and Auto Audio (both still big operations) many were just “Joe’s 12V Sparks”. But no matter how small the business, if they had a waiting area, there was a Pioneer car radio stand. So, as you can imagine, I was keen to conduct this Pioneer MVH-S520DAB review to see if they really are still the brand to beat today.

Pioneer were the very first to do ‘component’ car audio with their legendary Centrate units. It was 1983 and by 1984 they had released the world’s first in car CD player. So they know what they are doing.

Pioneer care about sound quality. I was flown to ‘Vegas to the SEMA show with Pioneer once. The main thrust was their new units’ new feature, something called ‘ASR’ for Advanced Sound Retriever, which had emerged before other systems like it. It takes the music file in MP3 or whatever, analyses the high frequency content and interpolates a high frequency zone. It literally adds back in the breathiness and even psycho-acoustic highs we are not supposed to be able to hear. But it is proven that we can tell. Super tweeters as they are called, play way over 20kHz and make stuff sound sweeter. The HiRes specification goes way up higher than 20kHz. Pioneer did it first. JVC call their version, ‘Sound Response’ and it also interpolates highs to add back in. Pioneer’s version that also works over Bluetooth is called Sound Retriever Air.

That historic prowess does indeed seem to remain within the MVH-S520DAB. It’s a lovely-looking, easy to use mechless media player-radio with real smarts for the money asked. Keep reading to find out more…

Setup and operation

The display is handsome if not that major in element-count. It is all about the scrolling text as well as that crazy color customization LED backlighting. The menu system is easy to use. You twist and press, like so many do. I plugged in the USB and AUX and the window-mounted DAB aerial and my FM twig.

I admit that I got a bit flustered on take one of the little video clip I like to make though, having managed to confuse the unit until it didn’t show Spotify as a source option. It also said NO SIGNAL on the DAB. Puzzled, I phoned Team Impulse in Watford, my local experts, to see if they might advise me. I was certain that I needed an adaptor to get DAB. He put me right and explained the whole SMA/SMB screw-down versus push-fit DAB plugs and sockets thing by market. I powered down the Daiwa power supply which looked like the battery has been disconnected to the radio. It reset, tuned itself to the DAB stations and once again showed that I could play Spotify as a source.

It also had BT Audio for Bluetooth sounds. I was a bit confused, as to play Spotify, I just paired the unit, which was fast and easy. It sounded great and scrolled the track title of my restricted, free Spotify account. Firing up YouTube and the video title, then channel name, scrolled across the screen. But I just could not get the app to connect to the radio. Frustrating but it’s about apps, not the radio, I reckon.

It read and text-delivered on the USB stick as soon as I plugged it in. The Aux proved to be clean and loud, so my 28 year old can be heard, as a toddler, singing.

How well does it work?

The features for serious sound control make this a contender for bossing a truly hench system. The front and rear speaker outputs can be crossed-over so the deep bass is kept from speakers that will waste energy trying to reproduce them. There is a choice of frequencies from 50Hz and up. That’s great for removing deep stuff from say, rear six-inchers, to make them hit harder. You can run four inchers much louder if you cross them high-pass at 200Hz.

There is also control for that subwoofer RCA output. Alternatively, set the three sets of RCAs up as a fully digitally crossed-over network of outputs. No amplifier to feed? You can still do the subwoofer drive thing by internal speaker power. I recall Pioneer doing this first. Others have copied it.

The rear speaker wires can be set to just run bass. You need a 2 ohm woofer and it will get 70W! The others I have seen do this manage a 1x50W into a 4 Ohm subwoofer. Heard at a trade show, this does make some bass with a big old speaker. Look for one with low power handling and high efficiency. (e.g. 98dB/1W/1M and up) A JL Audio W0 15 would be hilarious to see how loud and deep it gets. Alpine sell an active bass box that only uses a head unit chip amp. And it works and sells well.

A real peach of an easy-to-understand unit, with lovely sound. I just think I shouldn’t have set the ASR so high. The ASR Air function doesn’t show on the display, separately settable, but I definitely made the YouTube track over bright on Bluetooth!

Truly cute, great looks, pity about no face case… but heartily Fast Car Approved.

Tech specs:

• 1-DIN mechless DAB+/FM/MW radio with USB/Aux/Bluetooth streaming and calls
• Onboard Power: 4x50W MOSFET, or 2x50w + 1x70W @2 Ohms sub drive
• 13 band EQ, with two user settable memories, Time alignment, speaker type settings
• Front, Rear, Subwoofer RCA outputs, which can be configured as three-way crossover outputs
• Works with Spotify, also works with iPhone 5 to iPhone X
• Uses Pioneer SmartSync app, which opens up detailed crossover control and more and even adds Alexa
• ASR Advanced Sound Retriever, enhances upper frequencies by interpolation. (Like JVC ‘Sound Response’)
• Customizable 200,000-colour illumination, plays MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC

Want to view other options? Check out our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post Pioneer MVH-S520DAB Review appeared first on Fast Car.

One sweet feature of this unit was that you get a DAB antenna included for installing inside the car. This isn’t an ugly carbuncle but rather neat. Only one small part protrudes. The rest is on self-adhesive membranes. One section goes over metal to act as ground plane, the rest extends along the glass. Mine plugged in and worked perfectly, so I didn’t unpack and broach theirs. Good to see though, even if, like nearly all the others, Kenwood don’t provide a case for the removable face.

The cosmetics make you feel that you have a slice of retro-tech become modern. Yep, it’s CD but the control and whizzy features are bang up to date. The crossovers can be set from the display but if you get the Kenwood Remote App, there’s full GUI control. The app does have some rugged reviews and I have had problems with apps myself. Not minor ones, but huge ones, like Spotify. Everyone dislikes struggling with apps!

RRP: £189.99. Buy it here. (Not available in the US, try the KDC-X705 instead, RRP: $189.99)

Setup and operation

Even when grooving, the KDC-BT960DAB didn’t get any warmer than any of the others tested, at around 50ºC maximum. There’s a nice fat heatsink on the back. The ISO plugs are on the end of a wire loom, as seen on the more full-up units. They leave more room inside the chassis, as the Japanese style multi-wire plug socket is smaller.

The USB and Aux sockets are behind the same smoked transparent plastic door that opens. Unlike, say, the Caliber with covers that pop off then dangle, or opening-up doors on others. The SONY USB cover slides and is kind of smart but this is so pretty with the USB getting its own super bright surround illumination. The smoke-tint matches the rest of the front panel with its thick see-through layer.

I plugged all the holes full. Both aerials, the USB and the AUX. I went and fetched my test CDs that had been laying around and I had to take a flannel to them. The Stanton Warriors disc was labelled with a sticker that was going nasty. Track one is the sounds of a bloke getting in his car and turning on his car radio. We hear the presenter referring to the Stanton Warriors being back and he urges us to turn it up. If you have that loud enough to hear it clearly, you are in for a treat. At the instant the contents list shows track 2, it goes from ‘background’ to feature at 12dB louder. That’s sixteen times louder and is clear and huge and cool (and deeply profane!) and I loved it.

The best possible thing that can happen to a reviewer when reviewing, happened. I lost all sense of purpose and absolutely indulged myself, playing my own DJ. I spun that disc and repeated…

How well does it work?

After all the digital cleverness and features, the real deal about KDC-BT960DAB, is the quality of the RCA’s output amps. They are stonkers and offer up to 5V RMS of signal. This is immense. The power of processors has become stronger over the years and prices get cheaper. The inner processing in many head units today would once have been the domain of two separate boxes of electronics. The active crossover barely exists any more in car audio as most are digital domain.

The EQ in KDC-BT960DAB doesn’t just have the frequency band adjust, you can also change the Q-factor or “Quality Factor”. It means how spiky or soft and rounded your frequency curve is as you tweak it. Lift the 60Hz a bit and the frequencies above and below it are affected. A wider Q-factor makes the curve smoother. You need to be careful, as it adds more music energy requirement to your amps. I ran two £350-each 31-band analogue AudioControl EQT equalisers.

The Digital Signal Processing in these decks has been impressive. But the 960 shows efforts made to get full use of it. Those three sets RCA outputs – Front, Rear and Subwoofer are Brobdignaggian. The subwoofer gets special controls of its own. And they can also be set up as HPF/Bandpass/LPF three-ways.

How about a three-way set of Morel Elate Carbon 93 for £2600? You can feed a Zapco Z-150.6AP amp. Six channels, £1,600 and nothing but a gain control for each channel. Feed it with FLAC 32 in full phatness. You will need an A-pillar install at a place like Oxford Car Audio, with gifted artisans, too.

If you want to make a really big system, this is an awesome deck to start it with.

Tech Specs:

• 1-DIN CD Tuner with DAB+, FM, AM, 1.5A USB (2.0 high speed), Aux, Bluetooth (V4.2) streaming and calls
• 0V Front, Rear, Subwoofer high power RCA outputs, configurable as three-way active crossover
• DSP with Time Alignment & 13-Band, 8-presets EQ, works with Kenwood Remote App
• Plays CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV and FLAC files from USB and CD
• Customisable RGB backlight to match car display or leave rainbow-scrolling
• DAB antenna and microphone included, made for iPod/iPhone

For alternate options, check out our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post Kenwood KDC-BT960DAB Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £150.00. Buy it here.

Setup and operation

I have a selection of USB sticks made for these reviews and so I tried them all in the front. They have mp3, WAV, m4a and FLAC files in both 16 and 32. I connected the analogue aerial, the DAB+ antenna and the Aux socket got the Panasonic voice recorder up it. This has ancient recordings of my son as a toddler. He is 27 now. I played with the controls and listened to FM radio, AM and tunes from a USB stick. Everything was so easy to navigate because of the TV screen graphics and looked so cool.

I love the ‘RADIO’ icon. It depicts a huge 1950s valve ‘wireless’ set, with a wooden cabinet. One fun thing was an old credit card style USB. It has a TV pilot show file on it. Called ‘The Tackle Room’. It was a pilot I made with Greenlight TV, who gave me permission to use it on screen for YouTube.

The DAB+ radio scanned really fast. Way quicker than the Blaupunkt did. The FM radio was easy to set scrolling and was good at grabbing stations. No fancy sensitivity settings but oh wow is it a world-wide unit! You can choose between all the territories of the planet. Oceania, Europe, Latin and N. America, Middle East and Asia all have their own FM radio bands. Japanese cars with domestic radios still in them can not tune to all UK radio stations. This whole-planet radio thing is getting very common as the chips have the space to hold all the data needed.

Bluetooth connection was rapid and simple and what it lifts from say, YouTube, for titles on the screen is excellent. The system has a DSP of HiRes capability, it happily eats and plays FLAC files from the front USB socket. Compared to the ROOT/FILE scrolling displays of units I have tried so far, this was a doddle to navigate. You get pretty pictorial album lists and then track lists. If there are album art images, it will play you a slideshow of them. If you pile heaps of stills onto a USB, I am sure it would simply slideshow those, too.

How well does it work?

The Grundig GX-4308 rose in popularity during the pandemic when supplies of other brands dried up. It was a keen seller but now is getting more rare as the JVC KD-X561DBT gets more famous. The GX-4308 does everything it says and a slice more.

The control of the RCA outputs is vast. You can highpass or lowpass them and the crossover slopes have four levels of adjustment. This is epic. ‘Slope’ refers to how steeply frequencies are filtered. At a 6dB slope, a crossover will make frequencies an octave away from the one you pick, half as loud. So a high pass filter set at 120Hz means that by an octave higher in tone, it is half volume. But where others I have seen on head units so far, offer 6dB or 12dB, this goes two further. You can set them to 18dB or even a ‘brick wall’ 24dB per octave. That’s awesome. Especially as you can apply these crossovers (up or down filters) in all corners, as well the subwoofer output.

You can thus spank a set of 4in speakers via an amp that has no crossovers of its own, safely. You keep the stuff below 160Hz out, at 24dB per octave. And even if you haven’t made that step to amplification, the GX-4308 can help.

The Grundig ‘Virtual Subwoofer’ feature means your rear speakers can be set to play only bass, via the MOSFET amp. The most out-there feature used to be a huge and expensive thing. Time Alignment or microscopic speaker time delays. This is just tucked into the processor that can do ‘HiRes’ audio too. There’s very little explanation in the manual, which is heavily pictorial (brilliant) but it works. You virtually ‘move’ speakers away from your ears.

Pocket rocket

It really is hard to grasp how this thing is so powerful for so little cost. But it has always been a Grundig thing to sell their electronics at a keen price. Time Alignment is a high-end feature. It convinces your ear-brain system that the stereo sound is in front of you rather than skewed to one side. Because you are not in a McLaren F1, you don’t sit in the middle. The speaker nearest to you has its sound delayed. It is done just enough so it arrives at your ears simultaneously to the sound from the furthest one. And that’s psycho-acoustics! It’s all about perception and you really can hear the sound as if it came from beyond the car.

It takes very fancy and technical application to get it perfect. But to see it on a cheap head unit to make the stereo sound more like it is in front of you, in-car, is incredible.

I absolutely was blown away by this unit.

For all the features, power, ease of use, looks and fun, it’s my EDITOR’S CHOICE. Though if you want to check out its competition, do have a read of our Single-DIN car stereo group test.

Tech specs:

• 1-DIN mech-free DAB+/FM/AM radio with USB/Aux/Bluetooth (V4.1) streaming and calls
• Classic anti-theft removable front panel with hard case
• Onboard Power: 4x50W MOSFET, FM settable to Europe, Asia, M. East, Oceania, Latin & N. American frequency bands/steps
• 2V Front, Rear and Sub RCA out, front USB and Aux, rear camera input, panel case, DAB antenna and wired microphone included
• 0in 1080p TFT TV screen, 24 bit ‘HiRes’ DSP audio processor with time alignment! DAB Antenna inc.
• Plays MP3, FLAC, WMA and video files via USB, has ‘virtual subwoofer’ setting for rear speakers

The post Grundig GX-4308 Review appeared first on Fast Car.

This is a simple device – an analogue radio with a USB reader and a front aux socket on the panel. The panel is removable and as seems normal these days, there’s no case to tuck it in.

RRP: £64.99. Buy it here. (Not available in the US, try the DSX-A415BT instead, RRP: $99.99.)

Setup and operation

It was a quick job to plug in the FM aerial, the Aux and my chewy USB stick of tunes. The KENWOOD marked one, it has FLAC16 and 32 files, as well as m4a and mp3. Not having a DAB tuner means that you must set the clock yourself. It doesn’t have any little volatile memory like things like the Blaupunkt. So if you disconnect the battery, you will lose any presets. You get three banks of FM presets and one each for MW and LW. You can hit the little “mode” button under the volume knob and pick your chosen band. Then, you auto store the stations with a shove and twist of said knob, which is a digital control.

I admit that I quite liked the big EXTRA BASS button in the middle. Compressed digital files are often lacking in phatness and tinkle. While the DSX-A212Ui doesn’t have the clever high-frequency interpolation to add highs back in, (like JVC’s KD-DB922BT) this really helps.

Another cute feature is the display button. Hold it to scroll through titles. But if you keep bopping it, you will get to your battery voltage displayed. There was one unit in this group that shows you the battery level of your Bluetooth connected devices. That one even has a low battery alarm for your phone, but this shows the car battery voltage. Dead clever and something that the lunatic big systems guys usually have to fit aftermarket.

How well does it work?

The radio was a bit weedy at pulling in stations but the aerial was indoors. An old story about the Queen Mother about car hifi – she once asked the car radio fitter to the royal cars, why her radio cut out under bridges? He explained about the radio shadow of a bridge. For me, it’s a useful test for the tuners. I am on a hill and the abilities of FM tuners to grab the aether really does vary. This one was OK but not terribly sensitive, I thought.

The USB stick was read rapidly and delivered music good and clearly, with titles scrolling. The EQ section was fun and the Karaoke EQ hilarious. It literally lowers the vocal range so you can sing along with the rest as your backing. I always say that singing badly at the top of your lungs is one of the greatest car audio pleasures. After all, the neighbors can’t hear you. This head unit is lots of fun but again, like them all, could do with a case for the face. And it is a pity about Bluetooth. Would you pay a tenner more if it had that? Or are you an owner of a Parrot/Pure/Alpine/NextBase (all the same product) DAB/handsfree system? This is one cheap way to replace the underlying audio system it needs to be audible.

All in all, SONY’s DSX-A212Ui is ridiculous value for money and easy to just get on a whim. And all for less than the price of a tank of fuel.

Tech Specs:

• 1-DIN mech-free face-off FM/AM/LW radio with USB & Aux
• One pair of RCA output sockets, steering wheel remote output socket
• Reads MP3, WMA, FLAC via the 1.0A front mounted USB
• Extra Bass, dynamic low end boost
• Configurable remote steering wheel input
• Vertical alignment LCD screen for 5x better contrast in bright light conditions
• EQ10 equaliser with R&B, ROCK, POP, Hip-Hop, EDM, Jazz, Soul, Country, Karaoke presets and 1 custom
• Karaoke setting reduces vocal levels for singing along!

Looking for something different? Try our single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post SONY DSX-A212Ui Review appeared first on Fast Car.

It is refreshing to see the Japanese brand set free from Euro crime pressure. My first culture shock when I got taken to Japan was at the airport. The limo-bus announcer put his microphone in a plastic cup taped to a lamp post near where he was working after use. It would have got nicked at Heathrow in minutes! My host said when I asked, marvelling, “Nobody would steal it… how would they do the announcements?”

Anyway, back to the subject of focus – a premium Japanese single-DIN car stereo which I placed at the top of the tree in a recent round-up of similar products. In this Alpine iLX-F905D review, I’ve comprehensively put it through its paces, and with decades of experience in the car audio scene, I’m well-placed to assess its strengths and weaknesses. So, if you want to know exactly why I think it’s worth the lofty asking price, check out what I’ve written below!

RRP: £899.99. Buy it here.

Setup and operation

I have been doing simple little video clips of each stereo unit as I go. This one had to start with all the cables plugged in the back. They all have labels on them where they need them. My clip reveals that had I plugged in two Alpine cams, you could have seen me in two angles on the screen! The plugs are on a multi-pin cable set. The vehicle data bus connection is also on another of these multi-pins. Steering wheel remote control integration and the vehicle display interface connect here. I need to learn more about what can show in your own car’s display by this route.

The GPS antenna plugs in, which is to back up the accuracy to your handset’s GPS. The DAB and FM aerials and the microphone get their own sockets. It’s a mass of wires back there but the fan keeps it all cool. The screen doesn’t feel warm and the thermocouple showed just 37ºC max

The operation is all by touch screen and it’s a fine example. A pretty slice of industrial design, Halo9 looks really up market on its mount. I found out about the Aux being full A/V when I called up Mr. Alpine to tell him I thought I had found screen missing in the GUI. He explained how it was full A/V – video too! Then, I whinged about the two USBs only allowing data to be used with one of them. The second was a charging facility only. Happily, the next software update will change that, so both will read data as well as charge devices.

I plugged in my USB TV show (my ill-fated pilot episode of a show called The Tackle Room), the music USB, and of course played my toddler singing through that. He’s 28 now, and that recorder and its internal immovable files are digital heirlooms.

How well does it work?

Confession time. I wasn’t going to admit it, but I messed up. Getting hold of the kit to test was just stage one. Having been to collect the unit at a dealer’s, I didn’t immediately check the contents. It wasn’t until Test Day that I found all the looms were left at Alpine’s service centre. I had literally ‘borrowed’ this iLX-F905D from the back of the famous Alpine VW demo van. I had to ask the same guys who advised me about DAB plug holes and sockets, if they could break open the their stock and lend me the wires. Big up to Team Impulse in Watford. You can get stuff of this quality in there, with nil ‘we-will-get-it-in’ delays. They rock. (Beautiful showroom, by the way.)

At last, the fun bit…

Music, radio on DAB and FM. My kid singing. The joys of showing the world where I live (sigh….) by GPS, and the Spotify and YouTube thing. I admit I didn’t try Tidal. I was at the launch of MQA, (Tidal’s favoured data codec) at the top of the Shard. Sadly MQA has become less relevant as nowadays, we can simply use huge data, rapidly. The iLX-F905D does just that, reading the FLAC goodness from the USB in nothing flat. Being able to see it all laid out on the supersize screen is deliciously cool, too. I was fretty that one taste of Tidal’s awesome multi-format high resolution library and I was going to be aching for their best £19.99 a month service. Heck, maybe I aughta!

High-end audio

Alpine are legends at high end. Their F#1 Status product has been updated, so you can spend £25,000 for the full system and then get it installed. It comprises the entire system, from source to speaker. Then, they have the tech from that line, available in speakers and amplifiers, called “Alpine Status”. The 14-channel HDP-D90 has major DSP but Halo9 can use the other amps and speakers. Set that up, and it will be world-class.

True HiRes is all about the detail and crisp edges to sounds. Tidal offers a bazillion tunes as does Spotify but if you have a collection of your own stuff, you will want it to sound its best. In the same way that Pioneer has Automatic Sound Retriever, Alpine have a system to add back high and edges to lesser-res music. Having listened to it, the three-levels choice Alpine MediaXpander system, is audibly the best. Tracks sound truly improved. I enjoyed the speed of the graphics and didn’t struggle working out what to do to get the result I wanted.

That Class D amp is no bigger in wattage than the MOSFET ones but it is significantly more efficient. The first head unit to brag about doing this, Halo9 is annoy-the-car-next-to-you loud, just on inbuilt power.

I played for ages and didn’t get to the bottom of everything it can do, especially the six channel time alignment and 56-band parametric equaliser. Even the EQ presets are awesome.

A total technical monster of automative electronic goodness that will delight you for years to come. An easy Best for High End with the HiRes and 6V configurable pre-outs. And for being The Kraken of Car Audio, it gets Best Overall as well.

As Will Smith said. “Turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast…”

Verdict

Halo9 is beautiful and truly is a cruel competitor for BEST OVERALL in the 1-DIN group test. It can bring all the two-DIN screen real estate and more, with its new era of secure housing in a car.

It has everything and it has it at the top end of quality. The processor is a beast and can put video picture-in-picture at a Graphical User Interface whim. There’s a cluster of multi-pin connectors on the back as there simply isn’t enough space for all the normal sockets. Even the Aux is on an in-line socket. That latter can do video as well as audio. The only one in ten that can, despite three having both Aux and screen, albeit 3in!

Tech specs:

• 1-DIN body GPS-equipped car radio with ‘floating’ 9in HD capacitative HALO screen, twin cam connection
• 4x50W MOSFET CLASS D internal power amplifier, 24-BIT DAC, Fr, Rr, Sub pre-outs at 6V
• Unaffected by stop/start, Wireless remote control ready, HDMI in/out, 2x corded USB (1 data, 1 charging)
• FM, AM, DAB+, AUX, plays FLAC, AAC, WAV, APE, MP3, MP4, MOV, FLV, MKV
• HiRes, with integrated TIDAL app, optional RUE-BK01 remote control, vehicle data-bus connection
• Works wirelessly with Apple Car play, Android Auto (USB wired), Bluetooth (V4.2), Made for iPhone

The post Alpine iLX-F905D Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested Autoglym Hi-Tech Microfibre Drying Towel

The Autoglym Hi-Tech Microfibre Drying Towel was put through its paces at the end of one my recent car detailing sessions. While assessing its qualities, I took note of attributes such as how much water it could pick up after one pass, as well as all the ergonomic factors that are important when washing a car by hand. And of course, the end result was an important element to judge too. Size is important when it comes to drying towel, so I factored this into my review.

Editor’s Note:

With many years of experience in the automotive writing game, as well as a genuine interest in car detailing, we couldn’t think of anyone better to handle Fast Car’s detailing product reviews than Elizabeth. So, her opinion is one you can trust.

RRP: $27.06, buy now.  £20.99, buy now.

First Impressions & Features

It’s a mixed bag. You can’t help but be impressed with Autoglym’s fancy packaging, and it immediately makes this drying towel feel like a premium product. This is confirmed when you take it out of the packaging because no corners have been cut in terms of construction. Autoglym definitely knows how to make a seriously upmarket detailing product. However, this drying towel is also disappointing. There’s no hiding just how incredibly thin it feels. And it’s also not very big, either, which immediately makes you wonder just how good it is going to be at its job. It measures 24×24”, while the best car drying towel I’ve tested, Liquid8r by The Rag Company, measures a whopping 36×25”.

What’s It Like To Use Autoglym Hi-Tech Microfibre Drying Towel

Sadly, this drying towel performs exactly as I was expecting it would. It becomes instantly waterlogged after pretty much every wipe, requiring you to constantly wring it out. It feels like it spends more time pushing water around your paintwork than actually doing any drying. The only real saving grace here is that because it’s small and thin, it’s always easy to fold and squeeze into tight spots. Also, the very short fibers make it good for drying glass, so that’s a plus.

The Verdict

I really don’t like the Autoglym Hi-Tech Microfibre Drying Towel at all. It falls incredibly short of the mark compared to its rivals and is disappointing across the board. It’s just not very good, honestly. Sorry, Autoglym, you make a lot of very good detailing products, but this isn’t one of them.

Want to know which drying towel is best? Head over to our best car drying towel guide.

The post Autoglym Hi-Tech Microfibre Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Before we dive into this Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM82 review, it’s worth considering where it sits in the grand scheme of the car audio world. See, design culture varies around the globe. And that applies to electronics, too. Big companies will supply different products to different territories. There are also differences between markets’ appreciation of audio. In the UK, we love it to be ‘HiFi’. Rich and detailed but not too aggressive. In Germany, fancy speakers sound a lot more clinical and less warm. For car audio to send to Africa, they prefer multiple piezo-electric tweeters that can raise Cain. For the USA, the Japanese provided bigger, badder, more costly versions than would easily sell in Europe. They even had names for their top end JDM stuff that we never had in Blighty. How about Carrozzeria for Pioneer and Addzest for Clarion?

And the love of Retro products, design and toys has never been stronger. You can get an old car converted into an EV. You can get an ancient original radio fitted with a Bluetooth chip! And now, there are car radios made just for use in ‘retro’ cars. The RetroSound brand springs to mind here (they make a modular system that has wide applicability), and now there’s this from Blaupunkt too.

Old on the outside, new on the inside

From the look of the box onwards, the new Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM82 is entirely designed to be retro. Well, at least in terms of its appearance. While it is retro in looks, it is bang up to date with technology. The Frankfurt RCM82 has astonishing quality and processing power, but looks like a cassette deck from the 90’s. However, the flap opens up to reveal a MicroSD slot, a USB slot and an AUX socket. There’s another USB socket on a wire hanging out the back, too. It has a DAB/DAB+ radio as well as Blaupunkt’s legendary CODEM IV FM tuner. That can be set for broadcast bands/frequencies in the EU, USA, South America and Thailand.

On paper, that all sounds great. So let’s see what it’s like in practice…

Setup and operation

The LCD display’s lighting has ‘Variocolour’ RGB backlighting that can be adjusted by sixteen steps for each LED. This gives 4,096 colors to match your dash lighting in say, your BMW. I love to leave these systems scrolling for variation in the photography.

There were some issues getting the testing under way. I wanted to check out every input of course. I have a selection of flash drives on USB but only one old 32GB MicroSD with full size adapter. It was used for my Samsung Galaxy phone. I popped it in the adapter and plugged it into the card reader connected to my computer. I highlighted all the files on it (after backing them to my 8TB drive-in-a-bucket) and then binned them. Then, I slapped a heap of tunes onto the MicroSD, intentionally in a higgledy-piggledy fashion. I then plugged in everything including the new thermocouple, and tried it all.

The MicroSD card behaved strangely. The processors in car radios, that read root and files of directories of tunes on storage, all vary in capability. Every unit, including this one, has disclaimers and say if yours doesn’t work try a different medium/version. But as I had failed to format the MicroSD, all the ‘deleted’ files were still on there! The machine wanted to play them all! That included scrolling the titles of image folders before being shown the .jpg file numbers. It played the sound track to video files. The device doesn’t even have a video output!

I played WMA, M4A, mp3, FLAC16 & FLAC32 files. And they all sounded crisp and clean. I reckon the Peter Gabriel Live In Athens recording is the best-sounding in FLAC32. But I had problems with the Auxiliary input.

Aux troubles

I know a bit about the 3.5mm jack plug. Tip-sleeve configuration is earpieces, mono. Tip-ring-sleeve is stereo and tip-ring-ring-sleeve is stereo with a control circuit like volume and connect/disconnect. There are ones with yet another ring that are usually moulded to red/white/yellow RCA plugs for audio-visual use. But this socket is stereo. It transpired that the expensive cable from the £300 Parrot headphones I was using, was too short of plug. It could not reach inside to the magic switching spot that turned on the Aux input!

I tried another jack to jack and it worked, playing twenty-five year old recordings of my son as a toddler, singing nursery rhymes. They too, were clean and crisp. Just old digitally low resolution recordings, faithfully rendered. Two more 3.5mm jack sockets hang out the back on cables. One is for a steering wheel remote control function, the other for the included microphone. Even though a long-cable mic’s provided for this socket, there’s also another microphone built into the face of the unit.

On the subject of old tech, the Frankfurt also sports a standby flashing LED that looks like an ‘alarm’ function. Scary red flashy light!

Remote control

There is a full IR remote control system on board and the 18-button remote control is shown in the manual. The Frankfurt RCM82 is in fact compatible with the last five models of Blaupunkt car remotes, being the RC-08/09/10/10H and 12H. But it is not included, which is a shame, when they include one in the ten-dollar car radio I tried!

How well does it work?

The Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM82 is a bit of a black swan swimming on the river. Seemingly serene but paddling with power underneath. The functions and capabilities of the Frankfurt are astonishing. You do get a good few buttons but the MENU button is the thing. Once you have got a grip of how to bop it and use the adjustment keys, you are away.

The FM RDS functions are top end, with regional setting as well as the usual programme type and information settings. You get an FM ‘high cut’ filter in three levels. This helps weak or distorted FM signals. Great for pirate radio stations! You can also set it for weak or high sensitivity.

The usual bass/treble/balance/fader controls are backed up with powerful equalizers. They are 14-band from 32Hz to 16kHz and you can adjust their Q factor. This is a measure of how wide the frequencies above and below their headline one, are affected. Is it spiky or a wide dome of lift? (1, 1.41 & 2) You get two – front and ear equalizers. The Rock/Pop/Classic EQ pre-settings are disabled if you use the pukka equalizers. There are digital crossovers, too. Their choice of seven frequencies are; 50Hz, 63Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 125Hz, 160Hz and 200Hz. With a six or twelve decibel slope, they are settable as HPF or LPF on front and rear. That’s Low Pass and High Pass, meaning they allow those frequencies through, but ‘traffic cop’ those above (or below) that frequency.

The deep cunning extends to a settable switch-on delay for the amp trigger voltage wire to avoid turn-on thumps. Up to 2.5 seconds. You pick day and night brightness levels for your display then choose auto or manual setting. The included remote microphone sounds great, too.

Absolutely ‘Spitzenclasse!” JA!

Tech specs:

• Single DIN short body mech-free DAB+/FM/AM radio with world-wide settable band reception
• 2xUSB/Aux/MicroSD/twin-connect Bluetooth, with iPod/iPhone control on both USBs.
• Onboard Power: 4x50W @4ohms; Front, Rear, Subwoofer RCA outputs, wired steering wheel control port
• Fr & Rr 14-Band EQ, plus ‘Rock’, Pop’ & ‘Classic”; Subwoofer output adjustable for Gain, Hz and slope
• Internal electronic crossovers: 50, 63, 80, 100, 125, 160 or 200Hz, front and rear HPF/LPF @ 6/12dB
• Remote-ready (not included), security LED, and auto antenna switching output

Looking for something a bit different? Have a read of our Single-DIN car stereo group test.

The post Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM82 Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: £199.99. Buy it here.

Initial impressions

The RCD 120DAB-BT-b’s model number means it has DAB and bluetooth and is the black chrome one. There’s also a shiny chrome version, if you’d rather. The printed manual covers eight languages and starts with installation of the included phantom-powered DAB+ antenna. It requires part to be over metalwork, rather than glass. I had left the sticky-back covers on and just added BluTack to ‘install’ it to my office window. Of course, I had fitted it wrongly and DAB didn’t work. Then, after Reading The Flipping Manual, I re-fitted it, with the black bit over the aluminium window frame. Then it was fine. There is an FM tuner but Caliber didn’t bother with AM.

The carton has the legend “RETRO LOOK Chrome Finish” on its flanks, so it’s clearly aimed at that retro market. Known for their good value for money stuff, Caliber are a Dutch company. They are great at offering more for the money than other brands. Indeed, if you are looking to get a chrome-era radio, then there’s these or the RetroSound products to choose from. The latter gives you a gazillion permutations and combinations of front panels and knobs and noses, whereas Caliber offers just a few. But then, you don’t have to pay for ‘modular’ engineering and this is half their price.

The right hand knobber is a twist-and-push control. One wiggle each way for up and down and shove it to confirm. The left is your volume knob. Between, on a classic sticky-out snout, are six push buttons. Instead of hinged doors, you get dangly plug-covers over the USB and AUX sockets. The unit is a classic soft-open face-off. Press a button and it opens slowly. The CD eject button is internally lit, while the SD slot is to its left. A red flashing ‘security’ LED shows when the panel is off.

Setup and operation

I made another blue… I haven’t played with a box-fresh in-car CD deck in a while. Delivered new, they have transport-securing bolts fitted. I offered the slot a CD, and it snatched it up, only to then spit it back out! I hadn’t undone and removed the restraining bolts. Then it loaded the disc really fast and read it in a trice, playing it with very little wait at all. That was after closing the face back up. It feels solid and reassuringly chunky although the buttons are not crisp like on a £400 Blaupunkt.

It says that the unit can read MP3 and WMA files. Sure enough, it ignored the legion of M4A files and then startled me. I saw and heard the Peter Gabriel Live In Athens title and it was playing happily. This is a FLAC32 file. It could see and read all my FLAC albums. But here’s the thing. As well as being able to read files it doesn’t say it can, it also ate my 32GB MicroSD. It was in the SD adaptor. But the system is only rated up to 16GB. Maybe that’s the ‘reliable’ limit? I have way less data than that on there, but the SanDisk is still a 32GB.

The 1.2V pre-outs are not huge by modern standards but are plenty for driving amplifiers well enough. Great fun to play with and looks like it belongs in an old chromey-knobbed car with chrome body trim. The look is pure cat’s-eye Ray-Ban era, the sound is updated old school!

As the Propellorheads say, “Bang On!”

How well does it work?

The Aux was quieter than others. I turned up both the volume of the device output and the unit to hear it better. The priceless recordings from the Panasonic voice recorder of my lad as a toddler. I was a bit sad that the unit couldn’t play M4A stuff. While this is true retro in flavour and up to date in format technologies, it is trailing slightly in this. The stupid cheap ten dollar radio read everything. The posh Blau read stuff it wasn’t even supposed to. The JVC/Grundigs read MP3, FLAC, WMA, OGG, MPEG1, 2, 4, H264, JPEG, MKV, BMP, and PNG files! So not having M4A is a pity. But it’s a moot point, as both sound great. The display shows a cute LCD indicator dedicated to source and file type. The USB logo will flash as will the MP3 one. Then, the display scrolls the ID tag information. All one white light shade but still groovy.

Although intuitive to play with, you do need the manual for some stuff. Like knowing about a LONG press, as again its a quick bop of a button to do stuff. The ‘how to’ is itself a task. You get teeny weeny print and a diagram with labels 1 to 22. You have to pick a button and then look it up on a table to work out stuff. The table’s lines are exactly 1mm apart. The print fits within this at 0.3mm high. It is the most user-confuser manual I ever saw. Caliber need to look at the full colour comic approach that Grundig use.

It’s generous to include an antenna but a bit parsimonious not offering even a baggie for the gorgeous nose panel. Beautiful, shiny, great sounding, even if the 4x75W claim is a bit ‘enthusiastic”.

Tech specs:

• 1-DIN CD-Tuner with DAB+/FM & USB/SD/Aux/Bluetooth streaming and calls
• Onboard Power: 4x75W MAX, this is what others call ‘4X50W’ and likely to be 4x22W RMS
• 2V Front and Rear RCA out, front USB and Aux, SD & CD slots under faceplate
• DAB+ antenna and wired microphone included, but no case for faceplate
• Plays CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA and plays FLAC32, despite not being rated for it
• Red security LED flashes when front panel is removed – looks like an alarm

For more single-DIN car stereo options, have a read of our group test!

The post Caliber RCD 120DAB-BT-b Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested Liquid Elements Silverback XL

I used the Liquid Elements Silverback XL towel to dry my car after washing it. The first thing I checked for was how much water it absorbed on the first pass, then I inspected how much moisture was left on the panel. From there, I dried my car fully, making sure to take note of key factors like the quality of the end result and how heavy the towel felt to use along the way. I also took into account the feel of the towel, how plush it felt, as well as its size. It’s important to have a larger drying towel to ensure you can dry your car without needing multiple towels.

Editor’s Note:

You’ve probably come across Elizabeth’s work before on Fast Car, and that’s because she’s one of our most experienced contributors. She also loves car detailing, making her the perfect person to conduct these reviews!

RRP: £14.49. Not available in the US. Buy Liquid Elements Silverback XL here.

First Impressions

The Liquid Elements Silverback XL is the sort of drying towel most people will think of when someone says drying towel. It’s big, soft and fluffy, and feels incredibly plush. It certainly feels like the kind of towel that will dry like an absolute beast, and just keep on drying. The Liquid Elements Silverback XL measures 31.5×20”, and uses 1200 GSM chenille fibres.

What’s It Like To Use Liquid Elements Silverback XL

Everything about this towel is good, but it feels like it could be a bit better across the board. And I say that as someone who bought this towel to use based on the reviews I had read. I have zero complaints about its weight, as at 1200 GSM it equals the best drying towels I’ve tried.

And it’s certainly very soft and plush. But some of its rivals are bigger, and size matters when it comes to ultimate drying performance. Which is decent, but it just doesn’t dry quite as well as you’d hope. It doesn’t absorb water with the eagerness you’d like, and there’s always some smearing after wiping. It does also get quite heavy when wet, and it’s thick, which makes it less maneuverable.

Verdict

The Liquid Elements Silverback XL is a little bit disappointing. Perhaps not because it’s bad, but because it’s not quite as good as you’d expect it to be. It just falls short of being really great across the board, meaning that while it’s not a bad towel, it’s a little hard to recommend when rivals do everything better.

To find out who won our drying towel group test, be sure to check out our Best Car Drying Towel guide.

The post Liquid Elements Silverback XL Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

If you’re in the market for a dash cam, it’s quite likely that you’ll have come across the Thinkware brand. Within this market niche, Thinkware is a pretty big name, so we figured they’d give us a great benchmark to get an understanding of what the industry standard for dash cams is like. Kindly, they sent us one of their latest cameras – the U3000, complete with optional rear-facing camera – for us to put through its paces. So, is the Thinkware U3000 worth your hard-earned money? Let’s find out…

How I tested the Thinkware U3000

How do you comprehensively test a dash cam in a limited space of time? With a weekend road trip of course!

There were two main criteria I wanted to test during my time with the Thinkware U3000; namely, ease of installation, and quality of results. So, this review is split into two major segments. In the opening segment, we’ll discuss what sort of skill level you’ll need to install it into your car. Then, we’ll hit the road and see how the camera performs.

Sound good? Cool. Let’s get into it!

Installing the Thinkware U3000

What’s in the box?

Before we begin properly, let’s first see what the package actually includes. In the box, you’ll find a front-facing dash cam (obviously), a mount for it, heat-blocking film, and a car charger power lead. There is also a small plastic box containing a MicroSD memory card and an adapter to plug it into older/less fancy laptops. On top of that, you’ll find a hardwiring cable, CPL filter for the camera lens, plastic trim lever tool, and an adhesive cable holder.

There is no physical user’s manual supplied. Instead, you’ll need to scan a QR code on the warranty leaflet, and use the associated link to download the manual online.

Naturally, if you’ve opted for the dual cam setup, you’ll also get a small rear-facing camera provided too, and a cable to connect it to the one at the front. The hardwiring cable is an optional add-on ($34.99), and if you’d rather power your camera via Thinkware’s OBD2 power lead, you can do so for an additional $54.99 / £29.99. As you can see, this is no entry level product, so hopefully when we test it later, the quality will stack up to the price tag.

Check out price comparisons for your region below:

Setting up the front mount

First things first, you’ll need to identify where you’re going to place the front camera. There are a few ground rules to consider here. Obviously, you don’t want to put it anywhere that’ll obstruct your view, and perhaps less obviously, Thinkware also recommends that if you’re running a separate aftermarket GPS then the camera should be at least 8 inches/20cm away. Otherwise, you might find that the camera obstructs your sat-nav’s reception. You’ll want to position the camera centrally in line with your rearview mirror for the best view of the road ahead, so if this is problematic, the easiest solution would be to reposition your standalone sat nav rather than compromise your footage.

Once you’ve decided where you’re going to place the camera, the next step is to secure the mounts. To begin, attach the heat blocking film to the installation location. Then, remove the protective tape from the adhesive mount and stick the two surfaces together. Next, remove the protective film off of the camera mount and mate it up with the adhesive surface you’ve just added to the heat blocking pad. When you do this, apply a reasonable amount of pressure to ensure a firm hold.

Top tip – removing the protective film is much easier if you haven’t bitten your nails down to nothing…

Mounting the camera

Now, attach the camera to its mount. It’ll only go on a certain way, so it’s just a case of matching up the correct pegs to the correct holes. You’ll hear a click when it locks into position.

At this point, it’s likely that the camera lens will be pointing downwards. Fortunately, it’s designed to swivel upwards for a better view. The lens housing might seem reluctant to move at first, but gently apply gradually increasing pressure, and it’ll soon point in a more useful direction.

Connecting to a power source

With the camera mounted, you now need to connect it to a power source. The easiest way to do this is by using the charger adapter provided. Simply plug it into the camera’s DC-in input and connect the other end to the car’s 12V DC power socket.

To prevent the wires from being an ergonomic nuisance (or safety hazard, even), it’s best to tuck them away behind headliner and interior trim. Depending on your car, this might be easy or difficult. For example, the Celica we’re using in this test has fabric headliner which is easy enough to peel back, but the actual dash and surrounding panels offer little in the way of obvious channels to run wire through (without unbolting bits, that is). In this instance, we didn’t worry too much about presentation, but if you were to permanently install this camera into your car, we’d highly recommend using the supplied trim tool and adhesive cable holder to tuck it away more neatly. Overall though, hopefully you get the idea.

Once that’s sorted, the camera should automatically boot up when you switch the car’s ignition on, and then it’ll switch off again when you park up and turn the engine off.

There is another way to connect the camera to a power source though…

Hardwiring for parking mode

The alternative to using the 12V power socket is to hardwire the dash cam into your car’s onboard fuse box. Thinkware provides a separate set of hardwiring cables for you to do this, as pictured above.

In my Celica, it’s easy to locate the fuse box. You simply pop open a little plastic cover on the right side of the center console, et voila, there it is. Every vehicle differs in terms of the exact location of its fuses, however the vast majority will be behind some sort of plastic trim or cover on the driver’s side of the car. If you’re stumped, consult a forum, or check the owner’s manual.

What’s the point?

The next question we need to answer is: why would you want to hardwire the dash cam into your car’s core wiring setup anyway? Well, to put it simply, doing this unlocks another feature: parking mode. Parking mode allows your camera to run on standby (thanks to a supply of energy from the car’s battery) when you’re parked up, ready and waiting to record once it detects a collision. Essentially, this covers you against any damage gained from a hit and run while you’re away from the car.

You’ll have to forgive me for not being too keen on putting that theory to the test with my own vehicle, so as we aren’t missing out on anything else (besides the ability to timelapse) by not doing it, I decided to bypass this bit of the install and instead stick with the 12V power socket option.

However, I’m sure there are plenty of you that will want to use parking mode if you buy one of these, so fear not. Thinkware provides a handy tutorial on its YouTube page which discusses how to hardwire your dash cam into the fuse box and what sort of specialist tools you’ll need to do it. Watch the video here.

Will it drain my battery?

If you’re anxious about the dash cam draining your battery when parked, don’t worry too much. Thinkware’s top products (like this U3000 model) will shut off once they detect that the battery has reached a certain minimal threshold of charge. However, to verge on the side of caution, we’d avoid leaving the car sat for extended periods of time, just to be safe.

Installing the rear camera

Right, let’s shift our focus to the rear camera. Happily, this little dude is even easier to install than its buddy up front. All you need to do is remove the protective film, and stick it to your rear windshield.

Again, pick somewhere central, and clean that area of the screen before attaching the camera. Apply a reasonable amount of pressure to ensure a firm hold, and in hindsight try to do a better job of lining it up straight than I did. Apologies to anyone reading this with OCD…

Running the cable

The rear camera essentially piggy-backs off of the front camera’s power and memory card. So, to get it working properly, you need to connect the two with a supplied cable. Again, you’ll need to find channels within the interior trim to tuck the cable away nicely, and in fact, you might even want to temporarily remove the weather strip around the doors to place the cable up there.

With this done, you’re all good to go. Now, remember to insert the MicroSD card before you set off, otherwise you’ll record a grand total of nowt.

Thinkware U3000 Features & Image Quality

Right then, with everything set up, there’s only one thing for it – grab a few mates and head to the beach! Along the way, we’ll pick up a load of footage which we can then analyze later.

However, before we do so, there’s one quick caveat that I want to mention before dissecting the Thinkware U3000’s performance. Throughout this test, I wanted to get an idea of the U3000’s baseline quality, and as such, we ran it in bone ‘stock’ conditions. There are some (supplied) mods you can make to improve certain elements of the camera’s performance, but we’ll touch on those when we get to them.

Daytime recording

Now, if the whole background to this test was a day trip to one of England’s popular coasts, you might be wondering why I’m showing you footage of a dull residential area, and not some cool sweeping country lanes or sandy shores. Well, there’s a good reason for that. It turns out that, due to storage limits, the continuous recording will eventually overwrite itself. And, as this was a particularly long journey (around 300-mile round trip), by the time I’d loaded up the footage – more on how you do that later – the sunny first half of our route had already been replaced by the dark drive home. Cue an expletive-laden utterance from my desk…

So, to give you an idea of what the picture quality is like during the day, I took the car for a quick spin around the local area. As you can see, the standard image resolution is pretty good! Thinkware lists the camera specs as 4k UHD at the front and 2k QHD at the rear, which in practice translates to a crystal clear picture. Even finer details like license plates or road signs (which could be very important if you intend to use your dash cam as evidence in the event of an accident) are simple to make sense of when you hit the pause button. The color palette is vibrant and true to life as well, so overall, it gets a thumbs-up from me. Check out the video above to see for yourself.

Driver assist features

As well as recording your journey, the Thinkware U3000 also has a few driver assists up its sleeve designed to help you stay out of trouble. Using its radar and GPS, the system offers lane departure warnings, as well as front and rear proximity warnings – you can even tailor these by choosing at which speed they begin to activate. For the most part, I found these relatively non-invasive, so I’m fairly confident that if you set these features up right, you’ll only hear them when necessary.

All in all, these features are designed to prevent collisions. However, if the worst happens and you do have a bit of an accident, the Thinkware camera is prepared for that as well. It can detect when the car receives an impact, and when that happens it’ll make sure to prioritize that recording. Unfortunately, while this feature makes sense on paper, in practice it was one that I wasn’t hugely keen on.

Even when set to low sensitivity, any pothole or particularly high speed bump would set off the impact trigger. Admittedly, it probably wasn’t helped by my Celica’s slightly crashy ride (time to put some new coilovers on the wish list), but after a while the high-pitched beep does get rather annoying. Luckily, we drowned it out with music and/or chatter on this trip, but I can imagine it’d become rather tiresome on a solo journey.

Night time recording

In its stock configuration, night time is when the Thinkware U3000 begins to fall a little bit out of its comfort zone. Bright lights, such as the traffic signals I encountered in the video above cause quite considerable dazzling and you get a lot of reflection from inside the cabin. As I pass by different light sources, you can see the Celica’s dashboard, head unit, and even a crochet dinosaur come into view as reflections against the windshield.

However, it’s not fair to judge the Thinkware U3000 on this alone. Within the package, there are a few supplied modifications that make a big difference. The CPL Filter is a big one. By attaching this polarizing filter to the front camera’s lens, those distracting reflections are greatly minimized and you get a better color contrast too. Plus, if you go into the camera’s settings (either via the accompanying app or PC viewer), you can engage Super Night Vision, which brightens up the whole scene for a clearer view.

Wait until the end of the clip above to see what I mean about that impact detection sensitivity. You can hear the car go over a bump in the road, followed by a sharp beep from the camera.

Detail at night

As we saw in the daytime recording, the Thinkware U3000 offers quite impressive levels of detail in daytime conditions. However, understandably, finer details are a lot harder to catch at night.

Watch the clip above. There’s plenty going on, but when you’re watching, see if you can make out features such as license plates, people’s faces, or even shop signs. For the most part, I find them pretty difficult to make out when watching that clip back. Again though, had that footage been recorded with the CPL Filter attached and Super Night Vision switched on, it’s fair to say it would be a different story.

Oh, and I know what you’re thinking – no, that busted up FN2 Civic wasn’t Jules and Midge on their way back from another Big Build episode…

So, in summary. You can pretty much leave the camera in its stock configuration when using it during the day. But if you travel at night, it’s well worth adding the CPL filter into the mix and switching on Super Night Vision too.

How can I access my recordings?

Once the journey’s over and you want to check out the video files that your camera has recorded, you can access them through two different avenues.

First, there’s the Thinkware Dash Cam Link app which you can download to your smartphone. This relies on a Bluetooth connection between the camera and your phone, allowing you to access recording files and adjust camera settings. You can even watch a live feed of the camera on the app, assuming that the camera is powered up. In our case, that meant when the ignition was on, but if you hardwire your setup, you should also be able to access the live feed at any point even when the car is switched off.

The second option is by downloading the PC Viewer onto your desktop. From there you can insert the MicroSD into your computer (using the adapter if needed) and the PC Viewer will pick up your files effortlessly. It’ll also give you cool data readouts, such as your location on a map at the time of recording, as well as speed.

Initially you may find that the videos look choppy on the PC viewer, and when you download them they may struggle to load. If that happens, you’ll likely be prompted to download another bit of software (which costs less than a single dollar/pound sterling). After employing that new software, all your playback woes will be over. Furthermore, if the videos above appear choppy on this web page, do bear in mind that it’ll either be due to internet connection or upload compression. I can confirm that the original files play nice and smooth.

Verdict

So, is the Thinkware U3000 worth getting? Well, yes – if you’re in the market for a comprehensive dash cam set-up. We purposely tested it as cruelly as possible, and even in that context, it performed admirably. I have no complaints about its daytime recording capabilities, and we’ve established that you can easily improve its night time performance by adding on a couple of mods that Thinkware supplies in the box at no extra cost. If I was to pick out one gripe, it would be that impact detection, but hey – if your car rides smoother than mine, perhaps that wouldn’t be too much of an issue either. Besides, in the event of a real accident that’s not your fault, you’ll be glad that it picked up absolutely everything on film…

The post Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Viofo is a brand that’s been jostling with the big boys in the dash cam industry for a while now, so I decided to take one of its products for a test drive. In this Viofo A229 Pro dash cam review, I’ll be putting one of the company’s most popular models through its paces to see how it stacks up against the established guard of Garmin, Nextbase, and Thinkware.

How I tested this product

Whenever I conduct one of these reviews, I always aim to cover as many aspects of ownership as I can within a short space of time. That involves installation, assessing the main technical features, and reporting on the camera’s performance at both day and night. I’ll be setting the device up in my own car, but will only use the equipment provided in the box to do so. Hopefully, this will give you a fair and comprehensive overview of what it’s like to own the Viofo A229 Pro dash cam.

What’s in the box?

It’s worth noting straight out the gate that there are various different bundle packages you can opt for when buying any of Viofo’s cameras. In this case, I’ve been supplied with not only the A229 Pro, but also an additional rear camera and cabin camera. It’s the most costly of the A229 Pro bundles, retailing for $359, though you can buy the A229 Pro alone without any add-ons for $100 less.

In addition to the actual camera hardware, the box contains a 64GB microSD memory card (with adapter), a wireless bluetooth remote control, and plenty of wires. These include the regular power cable which you can use in conjunction with the 12V plug and a full-on hardwiring kit. There is also a polarizing lens filter to aid the camera’s performance, and a plastic trim tool to help with wire tucking during the installation phase.

Importantly, when you come to buy your own kit, you should take into account that the bluetooth remote and hardwiring kit are optional extras that come at an extra cost. If you want both, it’ll add $46 or thereabouts to your total bill.

Tech Specs:

Resolution: Front – 4K @ 30fps; Rear – 2K @ 30fps; Cabin – 1080p @ 30fps.

Field of View: Front – 140 degrees; Rear – 160 degrees; Cabin – 150 degrees.

Extra Features: Built-in WiFi, GPS, G-sensor with parking mode, voice controls.

Installation

Installing the main dash cam

To get started, the first thing you’ll want to do is find a location for the main forward-facing dash cam. I always like to go for a central position, high up the windshield. This not only gives the camera lens the best vantage point, but also ensures that the camera is out of my own field of view while driving. In the Viofo’s case, the main body of the camera is quite chunky, so depending on the design of your car’s cabin space, you may need to be careful that it doesn’t get in the way of the rearview mirror et cetera.

Once you’ve found the perfect place for the camera to sit, remove the 3M protective wrap from the adhesive mounting plate and simply press it onto the windshield. It may be worth pressing down on it for a few seconds to ensure a tight grip to the glass. You can then rotate the lens’ pivot so that it’s facing straight out of the window.

Connecting to power

As mentioned earlier, Viofo does provide an optional hardwiring kit. However, for the purpose of this test, I’ll be using the standard 12V plug to power the camera instead. This solution is nice and simple, but will only draw power form the battery when the car’s ignition is on (I’ll talk more about the importance of that later).

One thing to be aware of when hooking your Viofo up to a power source is the location of its power socket. The socket is located at the top of the device within its adhesive mounting plate. That’s not a design choice I’ve come across before, and can make the simple task of plugging the power lead into the camera more difficult than necessary. Keep this in mind if there’s a lack of space available at the top of the camera. I had to reposition it during installation after realizing that I hadn’t allowed for enough room between the power socket and the mount for my car’s rearview mirror.

Installing the rear camera

As for the rear camera, again, you’ll want to choose a location on the rear screen that’s high up and central. It’s easier to find the rough center if you’ve got something visual to guide you. In my case, I attempted to line the camera up with the central mount of my car’s rear wing. Another thing you’ll need to be aware of is any sun strips that your car might have. As you can see, I’ve positioned the camera just below the ones on my car. This is important to do, otherwise the strips will obstruct the camera’s lens.

The rear camera piggybacks off of the front camera’s power supply and memory storage, so you’ll need to connect the two with a cable that runs down the length of the car. It plugs into the main camera on the left-hand side.

If, unlike me, you were doing a permanent install in your car, you’d need to do some comprehensive cable management at this point. Otherwise, all the loose wires will not only be an eyesore and inconvenient for passengers, but they could also pose a safety risk if they end up obstructing controls within the cabin.

Installing the interior camera

That just leaves the interior camera. Disappointingly, the Viofo interior camera is a separate unit entirely, rather than offered as part of the main camera, as is the case with the admittedly high-end Nextbase iQ. The downside of the interior camera being a separate unit is that, firstly, it takes up more space on the windshield, and secondly, it means you have to do even more cable management.

Nevertheless, when positioning the interior camera, make sure that it isn’t obstructed by the rearview mirror. You’ll want to place it somewhere vaguely central though so that you can get a good view of all interior extremities.

Aside from the windshield, one other possible location for the interior camera is any relatively high flat surfaces on the dashboard or center console, as demonstrated in the picture above. In the end, I chose to keep the camera here so that I had less clutter on the windshield.

Again, it’s worth stating that for the sake of speed, I’ve skipped the wire management job, but you would have to keep this in mind when choosing an alternate location in your own car. If it’s going to be there for the long-term, it needs a channel to have its power lead tuck into out of sight.

Setup

Setup is nice and straight forward. Upon its first use, the camera will prompt you to do the usual things like pick a language, set your preferred measuring system for speed, and so on. Remember to insert the memory card before use as well. You’ll need to format it before the camera can start recording, but this is all very simple to do – the camera guides you through the process with only a push of a button required.

Functions & Features

In addition to simple video recording, there are a few other functions and features that the Viofo A229 Pro has up its sleeve.

Voice control is a big plus, as it means you don’t have to reach for buttons and look at the camera’s screen while driving. There’s also a Bluetooth remote control which comes as an optional extra at added cost. I had it on hand to try in this test, and can confirm that it works as described – when you press the button (which you can locate anywhere within easy reach), it sends a signal to the camera to protect and save the footage immediately surrounding the moment you pressed the button. Handy if you suddenly see something noteworthy taking place ahead.

Another really important feature for a dash cam to have is in-built GPS. This means you can track important information such as location and speed, which could be vital when trying to locate a stolen vehicle or forming a legal defense.

Parking mode

Finally, as this is the ‘Pro’ specification, it has the capacity for a parking mode if you hardwire it into your car. As mentioned earlier, I relied on the simpler 12V socket during this review instead, so I haven’t been able to test this aspect of the A229 Pro directly. However, I’ve experienced these systems before, and they’re largely the same across all manufacturers. To make best use of parking mode, you’ll need to download the Viofo app. With the camera hardwired into your car’s electronic circuits, it’ll receive a constant power source, allowing you to livestream whatever it sees, through the app.

Furthermore, Viofo’s parking mode is enhanced by a G sensor. Essentially, this sensor is able to detect impacts and movements, and as such will trigger a saved recording when it does so. That way, if your car is hit or vandalized while you’re away, you’ll have the culprits caught red-handed.

Performance

The single most important factor when considering which dash cam to buy is undoubtedly the quality of the images it produces. Happily, the Viofo A229 Pro is well-equipped in this department. As outlined in the tech specifications at the top of this page, it comes with some pretty impressive hardware. Performance is enhanced by Sony Starvis 2 image sensors, which provide better image quality across a wider dynamic range, and more sensitivity to light than older Starvis and Viofo models.

Viofo also throws in a circular polarizing lens (CPL) free of charge, which is quite rare for manufacturers to do. Usually, you have to pay extra. The idea behind having a CPL fitted is that it’ll reduce the amount of reflection you get back off the dash and center console.

Anyway, here’s a brief snapshot of how each camera performs. Do bear in mind though that, due to compression issues, the footage you see below may not come across as high definition as reported in the tech specs above. However, having studied the raw footage prior to upload, I can confirm the validity of Viofo’s image resolution claims.

Front camera

Here is how the A229 Pro performs in regular daytime conditions. Colors are vivid (even when the environment doesn’t offer much in that regard) and detail is sharp. A good test of this is to pause the video and try to read as many pieces of text (bus signs, shop signs, registration plates etc.) as you can, or look to see how identifiable the people are. In my opinion, the Viofo does a great job of picking out these finer details, even at a relatively far distance.

A note on the reflections you’ll see in these shots – this footage was recorded without the extra CPL filter in order to get a good baseline understanding of the camera’s performance. However, with the CPL fitted, those reflections are indeed reduced.

All cameras struggle at night. It’s an unavoidable weakness caused by a lack of natural light. However, to my eye, the Viofo’s color palette becomes a little more washed out at night compared to rivals. That said, there’s still a reasonable amount of definition in the image and it does well to minimize glare from headlights or street lights et cetera.

Rear camera

By industry standards, the A229 Pro’s rear camera is of unusually high quality, its resolution being rated as 2K. That comes across in the crisp video captured here. Again, small details and identifiers are picked up well.

Just like the front camera, the rear camera struggles to pick up those finer aspects at night, but as I explained, you can’t really critique it too much for that. It does still pick up some text on the signs I pass by, which is more than I can say for some dash cams I’ve tested in the past. Overall, the rear camera gets a thumbs-up from me.

Interior camera

After running this test, I concluded that the ideal location for the interior camera depends heavily on what you intend to use it for. If you intend to use it for content creation such as vlogging, then a mid-height central location like the one I’ve opted for here is best. However, if you want to use it for legal protection, a higher vantage point is best for a clearer view out of the rear and side windows.

As for the image quality, the interior camera has the lowest potential (1080p) but that’s still enough for a clear image. Oh, and don’t mind all the wires – a proper install would tuck all those away tidily, but this does at least give you an idea of the sort of cable management that’ll you need to do.

As is the case with many interior cabin cameras available for dash cams, this Viofo unit switches to a black and white recording at night. It has four infrared LEDs built into it which allow the camera to record in high-definition black and white once the camera detects low light levels. The results are impressive. Although the light available at the time of recording was indeed minimal, the Viofo manages to pick out a good level of detail; not just inside the car, but outside too.

How can I access my footage?

There are a couple of ways in which you can access the videos that your Viofo records. The simplest way to do so is by inserting the memory card into your laptop and downloading them. However, you can also look back at recordings via the Viofo smartphone app, or indeed livestream the camera’s viewpoint so long as there’s a constant power supply.

Verdict

The Viofo A229 Pro can certainly go toe to toe with some of the slightly bigger brand names in the dash cam sector. It masters the art of providing the core basics of a dash cam, but at a high standard. It doesn’t fall into the trap of adding extra rarely-used functions at extra cost, so for that I applaud it. I’m also a big fan of the lack of subscription service required to make full use of it.

There are some shortfalls though. Its design could be sleeker, and the sheer volume of cables required for this three-channel setup makes installation marginally more difficult than most. I also would’ve liked the option to power the camera from the OBD2 port as other manufacturers do. Plus, while its image quality was admirable, I wouldn’t quite describe it as class-leading.

Nonetheless, I still really liked the Viofo A229 Pro. It’s quite clearly a premium product which offers a high standard of video capture all around the car. The accompanying app is fairly basic compared to those of rival manufacturers, but I quite like that about it. Ultimately, the Viofo A229 Pro is a highly competent, no-nonsense dash cam, and I have no doubt that it would serve you well if you bought one.

The post Viofo A229 Pro Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Handling Alterations

Hot on the heels of the ST’s midlife update, and building on the success of the limited-edition Focus ST Edition (which came equipped with KW coilovers, lightweight flow-formed wheels and an e-LSD), the Track Pack bundle is a £3,000 package which amps up both the fleet-footedness and the styling of the ST. It comprises a set of two-way adjustable coilovers, manually tweakable for compression and rebound; the ride height is also adjustable, and comes from the showroom set at 10mm lower than stock.

The brakes are four-pot Brembos at the front with larger 363mm discs, and these sit behind flow-formed alloys – you can see that many lessons were learned from the Edition. The rims are 19” in diameter, saving a full 10% in weight over the regular ST’s wheels, and shod in Pirelli P Zero Corsas rather than the standard-issue Michelins.

Visual Alterations

To match the gloss black wheels, you’ll also find Agate Black paint on the roof, rear spoiler, diffuser and mirrors. So it all adds up to a package that performs more aggressively, and looks like it does too. Plus – three grand for all of that extra high-end kit? That sounds like bloody good value, doesn’t it? And it’s worth noting that Ford had a keen hot hatch ethos in mind when developing this desirable recipe – the Track Pack can only be optioned on manual hatchback versions of the Focus, you won’t be able to add it to an estate or an auto.

Powertrain

In terms of the powertrain, it’s all business as usual (as you’d expect, as the Track Pack is essentially an add-on), although that’s no bad thing as it’s a formidable package already. The 2.3-litre turbo four-pot serves up 276bhp, an iconic set of digits for anybody who grew up playing Gran Turismo in the nineties, with a decent diff ensuring that it doesn’t all get spun away. We’re talking 0-62mph in 5.7s and a top whack of 155mph; impressively, it also boasts mpg in the mid-thirties, although that’s only if you’re not driving it like your hair’s on fire. Call the economy a sweetener, a representative of possibilities – this car can be sensible if you want it to. But realistically, you’re not going to buy a car with ‘Track Pack’ in the name if sensibleness is high up your list of priorities.

What is it like to drive?

So, with all of these improvements through the chassis, how does it stack up against a regular ST? You’ll no doubt be intrigued to learn that it’s remarkably different. The familiarity of the cabin is extremely welcoming, and the Performance seats are outstanding, but it’s instantly obvious that the way this car handles is sharper, more intense; the ride is noticeably stiffer, but not in that crashy way you’d find on a set of cheapo budget coilovers – the quality Ford Performance units fitted to the Track Pack absorb bumps and potholes instead of ricocheting off them, so the stiffness becomes a characteristic of faster driving rather than an impediment to it. Equally pleasing to note is that the faster you go, the better the ride feels…

The brakes are biblically good too – there was nothing really wrong with the standard ST stoppers, but the Brembos here are markedly more insistent, the pedal firmer, and that extra confidence in stopping power builds more confidence in the car as a whole. Give the Focus an instruction and it reacts, scalpel-sharp and instinctive. And that’s where we reach the real crux of the matter: this car feels like an old-school analogue hot hatch. Sure, it’s got the big dash screens and the clever diff and whatnot, but it doesn’t feel sanitised and over-assisted like you might find in an Audi RS or a hot Golf. When you make good progress down a fun road, the Focus makes you feel like it was all your own work. It flatters you, it doesn’t feel like you’ve cheated.

Verdict

The significance of this car stretches way beyond its improved specification or heightened capabilities. It’s about marking the closing chapter of something that’s close to all of our hearts, and doing so with style and flair. When people talk about Ford hot hatches, it’s natural to conjure up images of the Escort RS Turbo, the Fiesta XR2, the Focus RS… and has the Focus ST Track Pack earned the right to be considered among such a list of legends? Well, pathos alone dictates that it must; the swansong nature of this car means it’ll always be fondly remembered. Fortunately, it just so happens that it’s also an extraordinarily good hot hatch.

The post Ford Focus ST Track Pack Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Gtechniq has been one of the leading brands in car detailing for quite some time now. While famous for its ceramic coatings, I decided to put the impressively large drying towel to the test to see how it fares. Having a decent drying towel for your car is a necessity, without something that’s super absorbent, you risk leaving the car still damp in places, leading to water marks and other potential blemishes.

How We Tested The Gtechniq MF2 Zero Scratch Drying Towel

After my latest car detailing session, I tasked the Gtechniq MF2 Zero Scratch Drying Towel with the drying duties. I checked to see how much water it absorbed on the first pass. After this, I inspected how much moisture was left on the panel. Throughout the process I also factored in how heavy the towel was, and just generally how nice it was to use. Naturally, my biggest concern though was the end result.

Editor’s Note:

With many years of car detailing and automotive writing experience under her belt, Elizabeth was the natural choice when picking someone to review cleaning products for Fast Car. For that reason, you can put trust in her expert opinion.

First Impressions

Honestly, a little disappointing. It’s big, comparable in size to the largest towels I’ve used. However, it feels very thin and light. It just doesn’t feel like it’s going to do much drying at all. But, it’s well-made, at least, as you’d expect from Gtechniq.

Features

This towel measures a sizeable 35×23”. It also features a 450 GSM construction and promises to be a non-scratch towel, giving you piece of mind when drying.

What’s It Like To Use The Gtechniq MF2 Zero Scratch Drying Towel

I had very low expectations for this drying towel. Sure, it’s big, but I just didn’t expect something this thin and with such a low GSM to be any good. But, clearly, there’s some sort of black magic going on at Gtechniq, because this towel is incredibly good.

From the first wipe to the last, it eagerly sucked up the water off every panel. It left minimal moisture behind with minimal smearing and just kept on drying. I would never have expected such a thin towel to perform so well. Also, because it’s thinner, it remains lighter, even when wet. That means it’s more manoeuvrable and doesn’t feel overly cumbersome to dry with as you start getting to the end of your session.

The Verdict

The Gtechniq MF2 Zero Scratch Drying Towel is unreasonably good considering how thin it feels. It dries so well and keeps drying even when it’s wet. It’s never heavy to use, and is very soft and lovely to dry with. It’s also incredible value for money, too. All in all, an excellent offering from Gtechniq and a superb drying towel.

To which product came out on top in our drying towel test, head over to the Best Car Drying Towel guide.

The post Gtechniq MF2 Zero Scratch Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested The Auto Finesse Plush Mitt

For my Auto Finesse Plush Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

The Auto Finesse Plush Mitt certainly looks and feels like a nice wash mitt. As it should, because it’s very similar to the Gtechniq WM2 wash mitt that I really liked, and it’s impossible not to draw comparisons between the two. It feels nice and soft and is well-finished. I prefer the edges on the Auto Finesse mitt, but overall its Gtechniq rival feels a little better put together in terms of finish.

Features

You get plenty of microfiber strands of varying lengths with the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt. I like that even the shorter ones are nice and long, and it makes the mitt feel like it will be great at trapping dirt away from the bodywork. But run your fingers through them and you can see the mitt material underneath, so they’re not that dense. The foam also feels a little thin. I like the design of the cuff, it’s soft and feels like something you’d get on a winter coat.

Put your hand inside the mitt, and you’ll find it has a split sewn down the middle. This is designed to give you improved control over the mitt while washing. It feels a bit weird, but the idea is sound. And at 11.4×7”, the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt is a good size that will accommodate a wide range of hands. But not all at the same time…

What’s It Like To Use The Auto Finesse Plush Mitt

I have no complaints about how the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt actually performs when washing. It’s comfy, and that split for your fingers really does give you more control of the mitt, and it means your hand doesn’t flap around inside. It’s a good size, so you can clean panels quickly and easily. The thinner-feeling foam core means it doesn’t hold quite as much shampoo as some other mitts I’ve used. But it will still hold more than enough to wash any panel on the car, so it’s not a big deal.

The Verdict

In isolation, the Auto Finesse Plush Mitt will impress you. It is a very nice wash mitt that’s lovely to clean your car with. But after having handled some other mitts, you notice where it doesn’t quite manage to match up to its rivals. There are the less dense fibers, the thinner core, and the slightly cheaper-feeling overall construction. These all count against it. However, It’s still a very good mitt, and it has a lot of features I like. It’s one I’d happily wash my car with any day.

The post Auto Finesse Plush Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested The Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt

For my Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested the Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

The Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt is exactly the sort of quality product you’d expect from Gtechniq. It feels very nicely made, and everything about it says quality. From the feel of the fibers to the cuff, and the quality of the stitching inside.

Features

The Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt features a mixture of longer microfiber strands, and shorter, more densely-packed fibers. These different lengths of strands make this wash mitt better at capturing dirt and keeping it away from your paintwork. There’s an inner foam core, which has been designed to absorb a large amount of shampoo for easier washing. That also allows you to wash larger areas of the bodywork in one go. On top of that, Gtechniq says that it’s got ultra-low-friction glide characteristics, which help minimize swirl marks.

What’s It Like To Use The Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt

Everything about this wash mitt is very good and it’s really nice to use. It’s a good size that fits a wide variety of hands, but isn’t too big and doesn’t feel too loose. It’s the perfect size for efficient washing, as well as being easy to squeeze into tighter spaces. The foam core really does suck up loads of shampoo, which means you can easily clean large areas of the bodywork in one go.

The elasticated cuff is a little loose, but that makes it easy to spin the mitt around when you want a clean side. It’s also got a little grab strap inside, handy for when you need more grip on your mitt. I would have liked to see some sort of scrubbing surface, but it’s a very minor gripe.

The Verdict

The Gtechniq WM2 is a superb wash mitt. It’s plush, super-soft, and is lovely to use. It honestly does everything so well. It’s good value, too. A scrubbing mesh would have helped it get a perfect score, but it’s a very minor gripe. You honestly can’t go wrong with this wash mitt.

The post Gtechniq WM2 Microfiber Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested The Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt

For my Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested it by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

On paper and in photos, the Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt looks like it’s going to impress. And then you get your hands on it, and you realize that it’s tiny. It’s so much shorter and narrower than any other wash mitt I’ve tried. It’s under 7” wide and barely 8” long. It feels thin, too, but the actual materials and construction feel surprisingly good, especially considering the price. 

Features

The Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt features one washing surface covered in microfiber noodles. On the other side, there’s a mesh surface for scrubbing away stubborn dirt. It also features a finger split, for more control of the mitt when washing.

What’s It Like To Use The Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt

In terms of features and performance, this is an excellent wash mitt. Because there’s only one soft washing surface, the noodles are very tightly packed, and there are a lot of them. The scrubbing mesh surface is fantastic for shifting those stubborn marks and stuck-on dirt. The finger split means the mitt is very easy to steer across your car’s bodywork.

However, its size is its undoing. Being so short and narrow, your hand barely fits inside, and it always feels like it’s sticking out. The cuff is really tight, too, and makes it even less comfortable to use. All of this is really annoying because the wash mitt itself is so good. If only Armor All had made it suitable for adult human hands.

The Verdict

The Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt has all the makings of a top-tier wash mitt. Apart from being big enough for most people to be able to actually use. Being smaller means it also holds less shampoo and requires more effort to clean your car. This could have been a contender for one of my favorite wash mitts, but, sadly, it’s not one I’ll ever be using because it’s just too small and uncomfortable. 

The post Armor All Microfibre Wash Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested The Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt

For my Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested the Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

The Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt is without a doubt one of the best wash mitts I’ve ever handled. From the moment you pick it up, it feels like an incredibly high-quality product. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into (most of) the design of this mitt, and it’s paid off.

Features

The two main washing surfaces are covered in a densely packed field of microfiber noodles. This means you get a lot of cleaning surface area for better washing performance. The noodles also feel incredibly soft and silky to the touch, which means they’re great for keeping your paint safe. The Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt also comes with two mesh scrubbing strips on the sides to help with removing stubborn dirt and marks on the bodywork. This is a very clever way of offering a scrubbing surface, while also giving you two full cleaning sides to use. I love that design.

What’s It Like To Use Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt

In terms of actual cleaning performance, this wash mitt is flawless. It’s a good size, so covers large areas of the bodywork with ease. The noodles help you get into all sorts of nooks and crannies. They help the wash mitt hold loads of shampoo, which makes washing quicker and easier. The scrubbing mesh sections are nothing sort of genius, as they don’t rob you of one whole washing surface, as most of the mitts that incorporate a scrubbing mesh surface do.

But, there is a but… I find it unfathomable and unforgivable that Autoglym put so much effort into designing this wash mitt, and made it feel so incredibly nice and expensive… And then ruined it with quite possibly the worst cuff of any wash mitt I’ve ever used. It’s hard, stiff, horribly uncomfortable, and will rub your skin raw while you wash your car. It ruins the whole mitt for me, and I’m honestly so annoyed. It’s so nice to use and wash with, but then you’ve got this horrible rough cuff that spoils the whole experience.

The Verdict

The Autoglym Microfibre car Wash Mitt is a superb wash mitt, let down massively by one cheap bit of design. It’s frustrating because with a softer, more comfortable cuff, this wash mitt could have picked up perfect scores all-round. If its rivals can offer much better cuffs, Autoglym has no excuses. It’s still a very good wash mitt, and if you’ve got wrists made of Kevlar, you might enjoy using it more than I did. If you can get on with the cuff, you’ll love it, but if not, it will spoil the experience for you.

The post Autoglym Microfibre Car Wash Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

UK car care expert Dodo Juice offers some seriously good detailing products. Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild car shampoo sounds impressive on paper, but how does it perform in reality? Check out our review to find out.

How I Tested Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild

First, I diluted Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild shampoo according to the individual instructions. Then I observed the amount of foam it produced and assessed how slick it felt on the panel. Finally, I carried out a visual and physical inspection to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

First Impressions

Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild has been part of the Dodo Juice lineup since the company’s launch. It must clearly be doing something right. The bottle is home to purple shampoo, dispensed via a handy flip-top lid, which I am always a fan of. As for the smell, it’s a sweet and delicious scent, albeit a mysterious one. I couldn’t place it, but it definitely made me keen to get stuck into the testing.

Features

As you’d expect, Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild is a pH-neutral shampoo, so it’s coating-safe. As it’s also free from wax and silicone/glaze oils, you can use it on glass and matt finishes without any problem. What makes it stand out is the fact that it contains limescale inhibitors to help soften wash water.

As I’ve said before, hard water and spotting after washing are an absolute nightmare for keen detailers. What I also really like is Dodo Juice’s honesty about Born To Be Mild. The company doesn’t try and give it the big sell and claim you’ll get a perfect spot-free finish.

The website says: “This doesn’t mean a completely spotless wash, but it does improve the situation and is a real bonus in hard-water areas.” And that makes this shampoo’s credentials that much more believable.

What’s It Like To Use Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild?

The dilution instructions for Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild are quite complicated. If you’re using a small bucket, it’s two capfuls. For a big bucket, which I assume is what most of us would be using, it’s four capfuls. If you’re in a hard-water area, add another capful, and if your car is very dirty, add another one on top of that.

A capful is around 0.42 fl. oz, so that means you’re going to be realistically using between 1.7-2.5 fl. oz per wash. That’s quite a lot compared to other shampoos, where 1 fl. oz is usually the smallest amount you need.

Luckily, I have no complaints about how Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild performed. It delivered loads of foam and was really slick on the paint. The cleaning power was impressive, too. It’s just a lovely shampoo to wash with.

The Verdict

I really like Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild a lot. It’s really nice to use, and the limescale inhibitors are a huge bonus. The only downside is that you end up having to use more of it than you would with some other shampoos. But I can’t be mad at Dodo Juice for being honest about how much you need to get the best out of it. Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild is going straight into my detailing collection.

If you’d like to add it to yours, check out price comparisons for the 500ml bottle (as reviewed) for your region below:

The post Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt

For my Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt review, I took into account the size, the softness, and the length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

There’s a real feeling of quality with the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt. It’s very well made and immediately impresses you. The cuff is nice and soft, there’s plenty of foam padding, and it’s a good size, too.

Features

The 10×8” Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt has a tightly packed microfiber surface. There are some longer strands, but mostly it’s a sea of soft, short fibers. This makes it very different to most wash mitts, which either use much longer fibers or have noodles. The elasticated cuff is soft and stretchy but still holds the mitt over your hand nicely.

What’s It Like To Use the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfibre Wash Mitt

This is a very nice wash mitt to use. It holds a lot of shampoo, so you can comfortably clean large sections of bodywork in one go. The cuff is strong enough to keep it sitting nicely on your hand, even when it’s fully loaded. And while I wasn’t sure about the shorter fibers, they actually give you a more direct washing experience, which I like. As there’s no scrubbing surface on the wash mitt, it’s nice to be able to apply pressure to wash off any stubborn dirt.

The Verdict

While I went in with slightly lower expectations, the Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfibre Wash Mitt ended up impressing me. It’s lovely to use, soft, absorbent, and just really impressive. I still prefer longer fibers and a scrubbing surface for added versatility on my wash mitts. However, in terms of value for money and overall performance, plus how nice it is to use, I can’t complain. The Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfibre Wash Mitt is an excellent choice of wash mitt.

The post Meguiar’s Super Thick Microfiber Wash Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $19.99, buy now. £30.00, buy now.

How I Tested the Meguiar’s Microfibre Duo Twist Drying Towel

After washing and rinsing my car, I decided to use Meguiar’s Microfibre Duo Twist Drying Towel to finish up the job. When using the towel, I observed how much water it absorbed on the first pass, along with how much moisture it failed to pick up. Then, I finished drying the car to see how effective the towel was overall. The towel’s weight and ergonomic value were two other aspects I had in mind when assessing its performance.

Editor’s Note:

In addition to being a highly experienced automotive writer, Elizabeth takes pride in detailing her cars well at home. As such, she’s the perfect contributor to assess products like this for Fast Car.

First Impressions

This is another drying towel that foregoes plushness. But just because it’s not as fluffy as others, that doesn’t mean it’s no good. It’s got loads of duo-twist microfibers, and it’s big, too. In a world of brightly-colored drying towels, it’s a little dull, but if that’s all I’ve got to moan about, it’s not exactly a big deal.

Features

This drying towel measures 35×20”. That means it’s big, but not quite as big as some of its rivals. But it’s still an exceedingly large towel. While it might look thin, it boasts a 1200 GSM construction, which is very impressive, and means it’s nice and soft. Its duo-twist construction means that each drying fiber is two strands twisted together. Rather than the soft, fluffy, plush structure, it feels a bit more like a bath towel.

What’s It Like To Use the Meguiar’s Microfibre Duo Twist Drying Towel

This towel dries really well. I honestly didn’t expect too much from it, but it really impressed me. It absorbed way more water than I expected it to, and I was very impressed with how little moisture was left behind after just the first wipe. It proceeded to happily soak up all the water and did a very impressive job.

The Verdict

The Meguiar’s Microfibre Duo Twist drying towel is very impressive. It’s very nice to use and dries very well. There’s really nothing to complain about here. Other towels are a little softer and bigger, but this towel is still an excellent choice.

Be sure to check out our best drying towel guide where we put 10 of the top products together in a group test to find out who the true winner is. 

The post Meguiar’s Microfibre Duo Twist Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL

For my Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL washpad review, I took into account its size, the softness, and the length and density of the cleaning fibers. Fit, comfort, and features, like different washing surfaces, as well as price, were also taken into account. I then tested the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

First Impressions

Well, it’s clearly not a wash mitt, which makes the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL stand out in a sea of wash mitts. The company does make wash mitts, but this wash pad caught my attention a long time ago. And that’s no surprise because it’s a very different car cleaning product. It’s a big, square microfiber pad with a distinctive blue and white color scheme, and it feels lovely and plush. It’s very well made, and immediately feels impressive, which it wants to at this price point.

Features

As its name implies, the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL is seriously hefty, measuring 9.5×9.5”, and 2” deep. It features long, thin strands, and shorter, more densely packed fibers. This combo delivers superior cleaning, and better dirt retention, to help keep your paint safe from swirls and scratches.

What’s It Like To Use Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL

It’s a workout, that’s for sure. Once it’s loaded with shampoo, this washpad gets seriously heavy. It’s bigger than your hand, so you can’t grip the edges while washing. This means that in some places, especially on vertical surfaces, you might even need two hands to stop it from slipping out of your fingers. The flip side of it being so big is that it makes washing your car – pretty much any car – so much easier. It covers such a large surface area, that all it takes to clean a panel is a few swipes.

It also soaks up a huge amount of shampoo, so you can easily clean large areas in one go, just flipping the pad halfway through, without the need to refuel with shampoo. The Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL cleans really well, too, capturing dirt and safely locking it away in those mixed-length fibers. And despite its size, it’s surprisingly easy to squeeze it into tighter spots, so no area will go unwashed.

The Verdict

I love the Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL. Yes, it can be a little cumbersome when fully loaded with shampoo. And its weight when it’s wet makes every wash feel like an upper-body workout. But when it comes to cleaning it’s awesome. It just makes washing fast and easy, and it’s very satisfying to use. This is my personal favorite car washing implement.

The post Microfiber Madness Incredipad XL Washpad Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $32.95, buy now. £21.95, buy now.

How I Tested Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL

I detail my car regularly, so after one session I used the Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL to dry it. When evaluating its performance, I checked to see how much water it absorbed on the first pass. After this, I noted how much moisture remained on the panel. Then, I finished drying the car to see what sort of end result you could expect from the Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL. Weight and ease of use were other factors worthy of assessment too.

Editor’s Note:

Having been an editor of various BMW magazines for many years, Elizabeth is a trusted voice within the car community. She’s also well-versed in car detailing, so these are the opinions of somebody you can trust.

First Impressions

The Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL is a lovely towel. It’s big, it’s very soft and very plush. This is what you like to see in a drying towel, and it immediately fills you with confidence that this will be a good drying towel. And while the pile is short compared to some other drying towels, it’s very dense. Also, It feels lovely to the touch, the quality is good, and it looks nice, too.

Features

The Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL measures a hefty 37×22”. That definitely puts it up there with the biggest drying towels I’ve tried. It features a super-soft and super-plush 1200gsm microfiber pile. Auto Finesse doesn’t mention the blend construction, but I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t 70/30.

What’s It Like To Use Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL

The Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL is a superb drying towel. It has everything you want to make drying quick, easy and efficient. Its sheer size means it will effortlessly tackle the largest of cars with ease. It’s so soft and plush that you know your paintwork will be safe under its delicate microfiber caress. Also, the Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL is super-absorbent and sucks up water like a champ. Above all, this towel pleasure to dry with and just keeps on going, even once it starts getting very wet.

The Verdict

The Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL is such a nice towel. Big, super-soft, ultra-plush, all the things you want from a towel. It dries really well and feels great to use. This is a very easy drying towel to recommend, and one that deserves to be in your car-cleaning collection.

Be sure to check out which product one our best car drying towel test. 

The post Auto Finesse Aqua Deluxe XL Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Believe it or not, there’s more to car detailing that just the products you use to wash your car. Drying the car can be just as important as the wash process. As the water from the tap isn’t pH neutral, water can remain on the bodywork and will dry and form dirty marks. It’s important to use a soft, absorbent drying towel so that you can thoroughly dry the car, while also not damaging your paintwork in the process. Although hopefully you’ll have removed any dirt from the car during your wash process.

The Rag Company Liquid8r promises to be a great product. So it’s time to put the drying towel to the test.

How I Tested The Rag Company Liquid8r

After washing and rinsing my car, I used the Rag Company Liquid8r to dry it. I checked to see how much water it absorbed on the first pass. After this, I inspected how much moisture was left on the panel. Finally, I finished drying the car to see how effective the Rag Company Liquid8r was. While using the drying towel, I also noted how heavy it felt, and how easy it was to use.

Editor’s Note:

As well as being a highly experienced automotive writer, Elizabeth has been an avid car detailer for many years. To us, that makes her the perfect person to test car cleaning products for Fast Car.

First Impressions

A lot of drying towels opt for the ultra-plush design, which makes them feel like big blankets you want to snuggle under. The Rag Company Liquid8r is different. The twist loop construction feels less soft to the touch, but it has a huge surface area. This towel also feels thinner in your hands. But it’s huge, and the quality of the construction is really excellent.

Features

The Rag Company Liquid8r measures a massive 36×25” in size, which makes it clear that it’s up for some serious drying. The 1100 GSM construction also means it’s thicker than it looks. The 70/30 blend construction means no corners have been cut, either. And finally, there’s a hemmed ‘hidden’ edge that means this towel has soft rounded edges all around.

What’s It Like To Use The Rag Company Liquid8r

This really is a superb drying towel. The twist loop construction means it sucks up water incredibly well, and that makes drying so much quicker and easier. It absorbs water effortlessly and leaves panels bone dry with minimal effort. Even after one pass, there’s very little water left to go back for.

And because it’s so big and has such a high GSM construction, that means it keeps drying without being waterlogged. Even when you’re getting to the end of your drying session, it’s still eagerly sucking up water. And because it’s a little thinner, it’s always easy to fold up and maneuver around the bodywork, even when it’s really wet.

The Verdict

Simply put, the Rag Company Liquid8r has become my new personal drying towel of choice. It’s so nice to use, dries so well, feels really high quality, and really impresses. It also came out on top in our drying towel group test. The results of which you can see in our best drying towels guide.

The post The Rag Company Liquid8r Drying Towel Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Auto Finesse Avalanche is this very popular British detailing brand’s snow foam offering. We see if it deserves to be in your detailing lineup.

How I Tested Auto Finesse Avalanche

First of all, I performed a swipe test on my car with a simple cotton pad, with the intention of seeing how dirty it was as a baseline. I then applied Auto Finesse Avalanche via a snow foam lance. I also ensured to stick to the manufacturer’s recommended dilution and dwell times. Finally, I rinsed the foam off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.

First Impressions

Auto Finesse does presentation well, with its black bottles and stylish labels. Any detailing fan will instantly be able to recognise an Auto Finesse product. Remove the screw top and Avalanche delivers a lovely citrus scent, which gets a thumbs-up from me.

Features

Specifics for Auto Finesse Avalanche are a little thin on the ground. Auto Finesse says it’s citrus-infused, but it’s not clear if that means it uses some sort of additional citrus cleaner, or if it’s just for the smell. The website says that Avalance uses “a specially-developed combination of cleaning agents and advanced surfactants to pull contamination off of surfaces on a molecular level. These surfactants are classed as “polar’ molecules that are both hydrophobic and hydrophilic.”

This all sounds very impressive, so I was interested to see how it would actually perform. And, while there’s no mention of pH, Auto Finesse states that Avalanche is safe for all exterior surfaces, including wraps, and is coating-friendly.

What’s It Like To Use Auto Finesse Avalanche

I’ve certainly got no complaint about the amount of foam that Avalanche produced. It definitely puts the ‘snow’ in snow foam, and it remained on the panel for an impressive amount of time. And while I perhaps didn’t expect too much from it, it performed surprisingly well. It doesn’t deliver the cleaning power of much stronger snow foams, but it definitely took some dirt off the car.

However, I really don’t like the incredibly vague dilution instructions. Auto Finesse says you should use 1-2” of product in a 1-liter bottle, but how much is that, actually? I measured this on the six different snow foam lances, and it was a different amount in each one. This ranged from around 3.38 fl. oz (100ml) to over 17 fl. oz (500ml). No one is going to be using 17fl. oz for one wash, that’s the whole of the smallest bottle you can buy. I’d much prefer a clearer indication of how much cleaning product I should be using.

The Verdict

Auto Finesse Avalanche certainly isn’t a bad snow foam. It cleans well for something gentle, plus it smells very nice. However, the vagueness of the instructions is annoying. Depending on your snow foam lance, you might end up using more product than you really need. It’s well priced, though, and if you’re looking for gentler pre-wash, Auto Finesse Avalanche might be for you.

Be sure to check out our guide to the best snow foam for your car. 

The post Auto Finesse Avalanche Snow Foam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

On paper, the Hydro 360 is a feature-packed snow foam lance, but how does this detailing tool perform in reality? Here’s our hands-on review.

How I Tested The Hydro 360 Snow Foam Lance

I used the Hydro 360 snow foam lance during one of my frequent detailing sessions. As ever, using my favorite snow foam, I observed how easy the lance was to use and how well it performed. It’s always good to see lots of foam from a lance, and plenty of nice additional features that make detailing easier. So, that’s what I looked out for when deciding whether this was a snow foam cannon that I personally would want to use again. 

Editor’s Note:

Elizabeth has long been into car detailing, and has plenty of automotive writing experience. That makes her the perfect person to conduct tests like this for Fast Car.

First Impressions

The Hydro 360 snow foam lance impressed me the minute I took it out of the box. It looks good, feels solid, and immediately seemed like a snow foam lance I was going to enjoy using.

Features

The Hydro 360 snow foam lance ticks just about every box you could want from a snow foam lance, and there’s a lot to like here. The bottle has a nice wide base, which means it’s stable and won’t fall over when not in use. The bottle also has a good-sized opening, which makes filling easier and less messy. I also love the bottleneck indent, which makes it easier to pick up and hold, even with wet hands. And this is even textured for extra grip, which is a nice touch.

The pick-up hose features a filter, which is always nice to have, but the hose itself is a little stiff. Finally, you get both horizontal and vertical spray adjustment via the chunky nozzle, which rounds off a seriously impressive list of features.

What’s It Like To Use The Hydro 360 Snow Foam Lance?

I had very high hopes for the Hydro 360 snow foam lance, but it just falls short in terms of actual performance, which was disappointing. Foam levels are impressive, and it also has the biggest spray angle adjustment range of any snow foam lance I’ve tried. So far, so good. However, the multiple nozzle adjustment is incredibly stiff. This makes it very hard to adjust the spray pattern without also moving the horizontal/vertical adjustment portion.

This makes it frustrating to use as the nozzle keeps rotating whenever you adjust the spray pattern. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s just irritating. It also makes it hard to make small adjustments to the spray angle. On top of that, the measuring markings on the bottle don’t start until 200ml, which is annoying. Even more so is the fact that the markings stop at 800ml when 1 liter is the norm. This makes filling it up frustrating because you have to use a measuring beaker to accurately dilute your snow foam beforehand. 

The Verdict

The Hydro 360 snow foam lance is an excellent piece of detailing kit. It’s absolutely loaded with features and is one of the most impressive snow foam lances I’ve used. However, that makes its shortcomings all the more frustrating. The stiff nozzle isn’t a deal-breaker, but the poorly thought-out measuring scale combines to hold this snow foam lance back. However, it’s still a really good snow foam lance and worth a closer look. 

The post Hydro 360 Snow Foam Lance Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested Masterson’s Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash

A swipe test is a useful method to assess how dirty a car is before cleaning it, so I began by doing that so I could get a genuine idea of how the foam performs. I then applied Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash via a snow foam lance and followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time. Finally, I rinsed the car off and conducted another swipe test for comparison.

First Impressions

There’s a lot going on with the name of Masterson’s snow foam. I was immediately intrigued if it would be able to live up to its own hype. The flip lid is handy and makes pouring easier, so I like that. The snow foam liquid is blue, but whatever you might guess the scent to be, you’re wrong. Unless you guessed marzipan, because it’s marzipan. That almond scent is gorgeous and had me excited to give this snow foam a go.

Features

As its (rather long) name implies, Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash is another dual-purpose product. You can use this as a regular shampoo, or put it through your foam lance as a snow foam. Strong snow foam is not stuff you want to get on your hands, so this immediately suggests the cleaning power has been turned down. As if to confirm my suspicions, it’s pH-neutral.

That’s good for coatings, but it just can’t shift dirt like an alkaline pre-wash will. However, you can use Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash in direct sunlight, which is a big plus, and it promises to leave behind no streaks or spots.

What’s It Like To Use Masterson’s Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash?

You need 1-2 fl oz in your snow foam lance. I opted for the lower dilution ratio to see how it compares to other snow foams that ask for a similar amount. The foam it produced was decent, perhaps a little watery, but it clung onto the panel well. Its cleaning performance was only okay, as I expected.

It did remove some dirt, but this would not be my snow foam of choice for cleaning a very dirty car. It rinsed off cleanly, though, as promised, leaving no streaks behind on the sunny day I tested it on. At the higher concentration, I expect it would clean better, but then you’d be using a lot of product. At that point, I’d rather just use a better snow foam.

The Verdict

Masterson’s Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash delivers average performance. It’s not bad, but there are much better snow foams out there. Using 1 fl. oz per wash, it’s very good value considering how cheap it is to buy, so that’s a bonus. I also like the fact that it doubles as a shampoo. And being able to use any product in direct sun is always good.

For cleaning cars in hot climates, it’s worth considering. But it’s not going to be part of my personal detailing lineup.

The post Masterson’s Car Care Mystic Snow Foam Auto Wash Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested The Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt

For my Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. A good wash mitt has to feel nice on your hand, too, so I’ve taken into account fit, comfort and features,  like different washing surfaces. I’ve also considered price point, too, as I’ve found that price does not always equal quality when it comes to the best car wash mitts. I then tested it by cleaning my car, where I observed how it felt in use. I also took into account how heavy it felt and how much shampoo it could hold. Finally, I also considered how the Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt felt in use and how easy it was to wash with.

RRP: $9.99, buy now. £11.95, buy now.

Mothers Microfiber Wash Mitt First Impressions

The Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt is virtually identical to the the Chemical Guys wash mitt. The noodle arrangement and spacing are the same, but the cuff design is different. The quality of the finishing also seems to be a little bit better on the Mothers mitt.

Features

You get an 8×10” wash mitt covered in super-soft microfiber noodles on both sides. And to keep your hand from slipping out, there’s an elasticated cuff, as you’d expect. And that’s about it as features go.

What’s It Like To Use The Mothers Wash Mitt

Now, I was expecting this wash mitt to feel identical to the Chemical Guys one as the two are so similar. However, there is a noticeable difference. While the on-paper measurements of the two are the same, comparing them side-by-side, the Mothers was mitt is longer and wider. On the one hand (literally) that’s a good thing because it means you can clean the car faster as you’re covering a bigger area with every swipe.

However, unless you’ve got massive bear-like paws for hands, it’s almost too big. Your hand will flap around inside, making the mitt harder to steer, especially when it’s wet and heavy and loaded with shampoo. This is a wash mitt that would really benefit from a sewn-in finger compartment for added control.

Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt Verdict

Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt has all the makings of a good wash mitt. It’s got the soft noodles, it’s a good size, and it cleans well, but it’s just a bit too big for most hands. It’s slightly better value than its noodly rival from Chemical Guys, and is better quality, too. But its size counts against it and it doesn’t perform as well, as a result. It’s not a bad noodle mitt, but it’s flawed.

The post Mothers Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Size Tested: 64oz/1.89 liters.
RRP: $10.99, buy now. £16.79, buy now.

Testing the Meguiar’s Gold Class car wash shampoo

Using two buckets, I diluted roughly 2 ounces of car shampoo with around 2-3 gallons of water in one bucket, and kept a spare bucket filled with clean water. I used a hosepipe to fill up the buckets, and used the pressure washer to create some foam in the bucket filled with the Meguiar’s product. Initial foaming was good, it’s not the foamiest product on the market, but foam doesn’t always equal cleaning power.

There’s no real scent with Meguiar’s Gold Class car shampoo, it just smells of, well, car shampoo, if that makes sense. Some manufacturer’s offer to spruce up the smell of their product with blueberry, cherry, etc, but here it’s kept simple. I’m not overly fussed about the scent so I won’t be taking it into account when reviewing.

Applying the shampoo to the car with a microfiber wash mitt, I started with the roof, and made my way down the car. Before using the shampoo, I did first use a snow foam to help lift off dirt, as well as an alloy wheel cleaner. That being said, due to the length of time between washes, the car was in a bit of a sorry state, so it had built up a good chunk of dirt over time. That meant I had to spend a bit longer on each panel ensuring I’d removed all remaining dirt from the vehicle.

The results

Despite built-up dirt, the Gold Class shampoo was able to bite through most of the grime without issue, and only the worst areas needing a revisit. With it being a shampoo and conditioner in one, you can visibly see it going to work, removing dirt as well as chasing water away from the bodywork. No, it won’t leave your car beading like a wax will, but it sure does offer some resistance. It also leaves the paintwork feeling soft to touch.

I’ve always been impressed with the way in which the Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo goes about its business, especially for its price point. However, when it comes to cleaning power, Meguiar’s own NXT generation shampoo delivers better performance for a fraction more cost. Be sure to check out our full review on the NXT Generation shampoo.

The post Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested Autoglym Foaming Car Wash Shampoo

The first task with reviewing any detailing product is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. First up, then, is diluting the Foaming Car Wash Shampoo, which Autoglym says is two capfuls per 2.6 gallons.  Given it’s a foaming car wash soap, I observed quite how much foam was produced, and then how slick the product felt against the car’s bodywork. This was followed by a visual and physical inspection of the car to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

RRP: from £9.99. Not available in the US.

Autoglym Foaming Car Wash Shampoo First Impressions

The classy white bottle, the classic label, the Royal Warrants – picking up an Autoglym product makes you feel like you’re in a good place. It also makes you feel reassured that you’re about to be detailing your car with a quality product. Autoglym Foaming Car Wash certainly makes you feel that way, while the sensational marzipan scent is just unreal. A strong start for this shampoo.

Features

Autoglym Foaming Car Wash is another shampoo that doesn’t offer any special features. It’s just about good cleaning performance. It is pH-neutral, as you would expect, and, as you would also expect from its name, has been designed to deliver lots of lovely foam.

What’s It Like To Use Autoglym Foaming Car Wash

Autoglym says to use two capfuls per 2.6 gallons. Having done some measuring, that means you’ll be getting through around 0.7 fl. oz per wash. This makes Autoglym Foaming Car Wash shampoo good value for money as you’ll get approximately 50 washes from even the smallest bottle.

As I was hoping, it produced lots of foam, and I certainly had no complaints about its performance. It felt lovely and slick beneath my wash mitt, which is absolutely what you want, and left the paintwork lovely and clean.

Verdict

Autoglym Foaming Car Wash is very easy to recommend if you’re looking for a solid shampoo offering. It’s not a shampoo that will impress you with fancy features, it just cleans well and is very nice to use.

The post Autoglym Foaming Car Wash Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Chemical guys are a big player in the car detailing world, and while I’ve tried most of the products in their lineup, the premium microfiber wash mitt, that promises to be scratch free, isn’t one I’ve used before. As a result, during my testing to find the best car wash mitt on sale today, I added the Chemical Guys Chenille wash mitt to the contenders.

How We Tested The Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt

For my Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt review, I took into account the size, softness, length and density of the cleaning fibers. A wash mitt has to fit nicely, feel comfy and have features that allow for different washing styles. It’s price point is also a big factor. For the physical testing phase, I cleaned my car using my favorite car shampoo and observed how it felt to use on the paintwork. I also took into account how heavy it felt once the shampoo mixture was absorbed, and quite how much was absorbed during each plunge into the bucket.  Finally, I also considered how it felt in use and how easy it was to wash with before judging the results. 

RRP: $10.79, buy now. / £12.49, buy now.

Chemical Guys Microfiber Wash Mitt First Impressions

This wash mitt certainly grabs your attention, with its luminous green color scheme. But it’s not that impressive when you handle it. It just feels a little cheap overall. Yes, it has plenty of noodles, but they’re not very densely packed at all. Also, it doesn’t feel very well made. The stitching around the cuff is slapdash, and the cuff itself feels a bit stiff. It just doesn’t feel very impressive.

Features

The Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt measures 10×8”. It features 70/30 blend microfiber noodles, for safer, softer washing. And there’s a double-stitched elasticated cuff as well.

What’s It Like To Use The Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt

Ultimately, this is not a bad wash mitt when you’re using it. It picks up enough shampoo, the size is good, and the noodles wash well. Even the cuff, which looks and feels a bit cheap, is actually pretty comfortable once you’re wearing the mitt. I can’t criticize it for being bad at washing, because it’s not, and it’s decent the use.

Chemical Guys Microfiber Wash Mitt Verdict

The Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt is not bad. It performs the function of a wash mitt well enough. My criticisms all arise when I compare it to other mitts that are better. The widely spaced noodles, the cheap feel of it, these things really let it down. This is another mitt that is fine in isolation, but you can do much better, and its shortcomings become more apparent when you compare it to better rivals.

The post Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: From $9.99 / £9, buy now.

How I Tested Griot’s Car Wash Shampoo

To test Griot’s car wash shampoo as accurately as possible, I made sure to adhere to all of the manufacturer’s instructions. This meant diluting 1fl. oz of Griot’s Car Wash for every two gallons of water. After applying the product to the car, I then observed the amount of foam it produced and assessed how slick it felt on the panel. Next, I carried out a visual and physical inspection to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing.

When choosing the best car shampoo, the price point of the product as well as the dilution rate should also be taken into account. As a result, I’ve added that as an extra testing element in this review.

Griot’s Car Wash Shampoo First Impressions

Griot’s products have a unique look that really sets them apart, and I’m a fan. The liquid lids feature a funky pull-up design that makes pouring easy, which is always nice. Not only does Griot’s Car Wash shampoo look orange, but it smells orange too. Well, at least it has a lovely tangy citrus scent, so close enough.

Features

It’s pH-neutral, and Griot’s says it delivers loads of subs and high lubricity, so it certainly sounds good.

What’s It Like To Use Griot’s Car Wash Shampoo

You need to use 1fl. oz of Griot’s Car Wash for every two gallons of water, so that means around 1.5 fl. oz per wash. That’s perhaps a little more than some others, but it’s certainly not bad. While there was plenty of foam as promised, it didn’t really make it onto the panel, but that’s no big deal as it was very nice to wash with. My wash mitt slid across the surface gracefully with the aid of Griot’s Car Wash shampoo, so it was certainly slick, and it cleaned well too.

Griot’s Car Wash Shampoo Verdict

Griot’s Car Wash is a solid choice. It smells lovely and cleans well. It doesn’t have any special features that make it stand out, but it’s good at being a shampoo. If you want to try something you might not have used before, give it a go.

The post Griot’s Car Wash Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash

First, I diluted Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash shampoo according to the individual instructions. Then I observed the amount of foam it produced and assessed how slick it felt on the panel. Finally, I carried out a visual and physical inspection to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

RRP: from £8.45. Not available in the US, but there are plenty of other Meguiar’s products to choose from.

First Impressions

Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash looks suitably advanced and futuristic thanks to its labelling. The purple shampoo looks somewhat alien in origin. Open the bottle and you’re greeted by a pleasant citrussy smell. I can’t tell you what fruit Meguiar’s was aiming for, but it’s tangy and fresh.

Features

Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash does not scrimp on features. First off, it’s pH-neutral, definitely what I want to see in a shampoo. Next, synthetic lubricating oils deliver exceptional slickness. Meguiar’s says that this shampoo will loosen and emulsify even the toughest dirt and road grime, and I certainly hope so.

Finally, engineered water softeners help reduce deposits in hard-water areas. Water spots in hard-water areas are a keen detailer’s worst nightmare. Knowing you’ve got a shampoo that will help you achieve a spot-free finish is a massive bonus.

What’s It Like To Use Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash

The dilution instructions are a little odd. The bottle says you need 2 capfuls (0.7 fl. oz) per gallon, which is an odd measurement as that’s not a lot of water. Realistically you’ll be using 3 gallons or so, which means 2 fl. oz per wash. That’s quite a lot compared to other shampoos. But it’s worth it because Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash is very good indeed.

It feels exceptionally slick on the paintwork and delivers superb cleaning. The water softeners are the icing on the cake, and they give this shampoo an edge over its many rivals.

The Verdict

I like Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash a lot. Yes, you need to use a little more than with other shampoos, but it’s worth it. It washes so well, and I love the addition of water softeners to help you out. This shampoo has gone straight into my personal detailing lineup. If you want to add it to yours, check out price comparisons for the larger bottle (as tested) below:

The post Meguiar’s NXT Generation Car Wash Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I ordered one and it arrived from Liverpool in 48 hours. It came from a trading company that when you look it up, is a Chinese accountancy firm. They certainly sent out my order rapidly.

The box has no product image and has inaccurate labelling. The eBay listing says is it a “CAR MP3 PALYER” (sic). So what do you get get for under £10?

PODOFO SH4AMPOD or JSD-520?

The box has a sticker on it. The top says “NO battery No Hassel Eco-friendly” (sic) Then, it has the manufacturer cited as Shenzen ShunXinDa Trading Co. Ltd. Next is, ‘Brand: Podofo and then, Model: SH4AMPOD. Below that, the EC Ref company, Like Sun GmbH in Essen, is cited. In the UK, TSR Commercial Limited, that accountancy firm I looked up. If you go to the website called Made in China, ‘Connecting buyers with Chinese suppliers’ they have this listing:

“Shenzhen ShunXinDa Trading Co., Ltd. is a manufacturing and trading company located in Shenzhen, Guandong, China. We specialize in car electronics for 10 years, such as car radio, rear view camera monitor kits and dash cam. We have universal 1 DIN car MP3 Player, 2 DIN car MP5 player, Android car radio, and auto radio for different brands of cars. Podofo brand was created in 2016, and is recognized and praised by customers. Our aim is to provide excellent services to customers, create value for society, and work hard for Chinese brands to go global.”

They look to be supplying direct to individuals, from the factory, via eBay and their Euro and UK delivery hubs. This cuts out the importer/distributor and any B&M retailer with overheads. Still, the price does stagger me; is this the world’s cheapest car stereo?

Unboxing the world’s cheapest car stereo

It has a short body, and the front has a different model number. It says JSD-520, after the ‘60W x4’. Oddly, the panel looks to have once been for a CD player, with the slot shape filled-in. It looks like a CD deck but is of course mech-free. The paired RCA outputs and DIN sockets on the back are joined only by a regular FM aerial socket. It also bears a meaty 10A fuse and a tiny cast alloy heatsink with small ridges.

On the front, a USB socket is covered by a little movable door. It’s above the 3.5mm stereo AUX input and next to the SD card slot. It comes with a chunky 21-button remote that takes two AAA batteries (not included) but no manual of any kind. The unit’s body itself bears a stuck-on wiring-install diagram in English.

The eBay information is archaic. They call an SD card a TF card, the oldest and now all but unused term. They refer only to LOSSLESS and yet the front bears the legend BT/APE/WAV/WMA/MP3/FM. The unit reads FLAC files! APE Refers to Monkeys Audio. A proprietary lossless system a lot like FLAC, (which is open-source). I put a whole slew of music together. An SD card with MP3, M4A and YouTube tunes in MP3. A USB with Peter Gabriel in FLAC as well as more M4A files. Another flash drive had WAV bass tunes popped on it.

In my experience, every car unit that can read and decode different file formats, tends to have foibles. Some files will play on your computer that might not on the car unit. I fired up the (let’s call it a) JSD-520 and in moments I was listening to Peter Gabriel. It was ‘Live in Athens’ in offensively high quality FLAC.

How is the sound from the world’s cheapest car stereo?

It wouldn’t recognize and play the .m4a files and the relative output levels varied a good bit. Yet the FLACs and MP3 played a treat. I plugged in an aerial and found the FM tuner was OK if not that sensitive. It played radio.

I used an RCA output via the Genesis SM60 reference test amplifier and the B&W test speakers. It was astonishingly good for a tenner. I was boggled. I had thought the carton would be the thing that had the information on it. It didn’t really. It just said, MOSFET 60WX4 and had some stuff like “electronic system” printed there. Going back to the eBay listing, I find most of the formats named, except it was also labelled ‘Lossless’. It only says APE on the unit and FLAC ability was a real surprise. It didn’t like the FLAC 16 files, was all.

Next, I connected the Bluetooth which was a bit temperamental. But after initial connection, it would fire up and yes, it plays music from Spotify. I made a call to Jules, the Guv’nor, to test the phone. He said it was clear on the built-in microphone. I also fired up an old DAB pocket radio and used the headphone output to feed the Aux socket. That worked, too.

I admit a part of me was sad, as even without warranty, this is cheaper than a KFC chicken dinner. It made me fear for the whole rest of the trade.

Yes, the controls and buttons feel flimsy, but the thing works and sounds reasonably clean and clear. I decided to see what the 60W x4 was all about. Disconnecting the RCAs, I plugged in the speaker wires directly.

The truth about the world’s cheapest car stereo

At first, it was huge on the head unit power. But soon it started to sound a bit weaker and crackled a bit if I turned it up. I checked all sources; AUX, FM, AUX, SD, USB, and Bluetooth .Then, I left it playing DAB via the analogue 3.5mm socket while I started work.

And that was when I decided to order the special K-type thermocouple for my multimeter. The unit got hot. Like scary hot, and once it got that hot, it sounded awful and seemed to stay baked afterwards.

I fired it up after the weekend and this time it didn’t break up or crackle. The thermocouple was Blu-Tacked to the heatsink and I gave it beans. I took pics at the start but I can tell you that by thirty minutes later, it was running around 177 Fahrenheit, or 81C! It did cool down a bit if played at background levels.

I was worried that if you use this in your car, it will bake the dash. It could even melt insulation around other wires! I also doubt the veracity of the safety markings on the printed box. The point is that while it can get hot enough to burn your fingers, I could also soften and melt the wires behind the radio. And that is short-circuit city and auto fires. These temperatures were with the unit in an open shelf. Were it snuggled in a dashboard, I would fear for my safety, frankly.

A pity because the Podofo JSD-150 sounds way too good for the money.

I called an electronics expert…

Tony at Videotec, near Oxford in the UK, is the man who fixes Pioneer DJ decks for famous DJs. He is a genius electronics expert and told me that every extra degree of heat is an extra degree closer to a fault condition.

I called the Health & Safety Executive. They said to call the Office For Product Safety & Standards. Helen there, said to call Trading Standards in my area. And they said, “Ooh, that’s a bit technical, you better mail that and I will make sure the right person gets to see it.”

So, is it legal and safe? I don’t yet know, but I can tell you is that it really does work and sounds annoyingly good! Truly though, I will have to follow through on this, to see if the listing is even legal on UK eBay as a dangerous item of electronics.

• Single DIN mech-free FM radio with USB/SD/Aux and Bluetooth streaming and phone calls
• Onboard Power: 4x60W MOSFET
• Front & Rear RCA output, short body
• Plays MP3, WAV, APE, FLAC (NOT FLAC 16)
• £9.59 delivered UK, £9.11 each for two, or £8.82 each for three. Or don’t bother buying any at all, that would be my advice!

The post Reviewing The World’s Cheapest Car Stereo appeared first on Fast Car.

I tested this shampoo as part of a group test to find out what was the best car shampoo of 2023. To do so, I diluted Mothers California Gold Car Wash shampoo according to the instructions printed on the bottle. Then, I assessed how much foam was produced, and how effective that foam was at cleaning body panels. As such, I took note of how dirty the surface was both before and after using the shampoo. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

Size: 16 fl. oz (437ml), 32 fl. oz (946ml), 64 fl. oz (1892ml). RRP: $12.99-$23.99 / £8.49-£21.99. Buy Mothers California Gold Car Wash here.

First Impressions

California Gold by name, California gold by nature with this suitably colored shampoo. Mothers Car Wash has more of an old-school vibe about it, I’d say, and I have no problems with that. There’s that flip-up spout for added convenience, which I always like to see. And, finally, there’s the smell. Man, does this shampoo smell good. I can’t put my finger on it – bubblegum, maybe? – but it’s sweet, sugary, and delicious.

Features

Nothing to see here beyond being pH-neutral, but that’s fine. Mothers says that the shampoo also resists water-spotting and delivers loads of foam, but we’ll see about that.

What’s It Like To Use?

Very, very nice indeed. It felt incredibly slick beneath my wash mitt, and it really glided over the paintwork effortlessly. Cleaning power was very good, too, and it’s a really nice shampoo to wash with. However… the dilution ratio brought me back down to earth with a bump.

You need 1 fl oz. per gallon, which means around 3 fl. oz in the average bucket, and that’s a lot of shampoo. That means you’ll get through your bottle of Mothers California Gold Car Wash shampoo at a serious rate, which is no good. It’s pretty cheap, but that isn’t enough to outweigh how much you have to use in each wash.

Mothers California Gold Car Wash Car Shampoo Verdict

Mothers shampoo is lovely to wash with. It’s slick, cleans well, and smells gorgeous. But you have to use a lot of it for each wash, and that really stings.

The post Mothers California Gold Car Wash Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I tested this shampoo the same way as I have done very other shampoo that you’ll find reviewed her eon the Fast Car website. That means I’ve taken note of how much product you need to use in the dilution, analyzed its cleaning performance, and also considered cost and ease of use factors. I’ll get into detail about how this Auto Finesse product stacks up shortly, but if you want to know what I crowned as our shampoo champion, be sure to check out our guide to the best car shampoo. 

Size: 16.9 fl. oz (500ml), 33.8 fl. oz (1 liter), 84.5 fl. oz (2.5 liters), 1.3 gallons (5 liters). RRP: From $18.95/£11.95. Buy Auto Finesse Shampoo here.

First Impressions

You know where you are with Auto Finesse. Classy black bottles, flip-up lids, solid detailing products. Auto Finesse Lather is no different and ticks all those boxes. I wasn’t keen on the smell, though. It’s citrussy but has a weird sort of chemical tinge to it. Not my favourite-smelling shampoo.

Features

Auto Finesse Lather is a pH-neutral car shampoo, as you would expect. Auto Finesse says it serves up a combo of advanced surfactants with highly concentrated lubricants, and that makes for easy and safe washing.

What’s It Like To Use Auto Finesse Lather Car Shampoo

Auto Finesse says you need 2-4 capfuls in your bucket. According to my measurements, one of those is about 0.5 fl. oz, so that means 1-2 fl. oz per wash. That’s about average, so I’m happy with that. You get a lot of rich foam with Lather, as its name suggests you might, and it doesn’t disappoint in terms of the washing experience. It’s lovely and slick to work with and delivered good cleaning performance. No complaints here.

The Verdict

Auto Finesse Lather is a really solid shampoo. While it perhaps doesn’t have anything that really makes it stand out in a very crowded marketplace, you can’t go wrong. It’s a really good all-rounder that you’ll be very happy with.

The post Auto Finesse Lather Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

For various reasons, it has taken me a while to get my hands on the new BMW M2 G87 in its finished format. Despite the long wait, it’s quite a moment to see it in person for the first time. It certainly does not disappoint.

Muscular stance

The stance and proportions don’t fully translate to flat photographs, but the fact that the BMW M2 G87 has the same track widths as the M4 on a wheelbase that’s 110mm shorter says it all. The word ‘squat’ has been waiting for this moment. BMW M’s designers have made the most of the dimensions to give the M2 a suitably muscular body to distance it from the rest of the – not-exactly-effeminate – 2 Series Coupé lineup. The beefy bodywork around the front and rear wings works with the new side sills and more prominent boot spoiler to give the M2 a suitably M profile, but the detailing front and rear isn’t to all tastes.

A completely new nose was added, supposedly in the name of engine cooling, though the frameless take on the kidney grille – and oversized rectangular air intakes below – appears to have been drawn with thick crayons. A similar approach was employed at the rear, and though it’s a little busy back there, I’d suggest that it’s more successful, giving the G87 M2 real brawniness, emphasized by the traditional quad-exhaust setup. Complementing that is an exquisite carbon-fiber roof (standard-fit in the UK), special mirror caps and moody dark alloy wheels measuring 19” up front and 20” at the back. In short, all the design hallmarks of a proper M car are present and correct.

What’s the new BMW M2 G87 like inside?

Swing open the frameless doors, and it’s clear this theme continues into the four-seat cabin. In terms of seating, the standard black M Sport seats in Merino leather with M stripes are lovely looking, comfortable, heated and adjustable every which way. However… the optional M Carbon Bucket seats – as offered in the M3 and M4 – are utterly glorious to behold, lighter and far more comfortable on a long journey than you’d expect them to be. Shame they’re only available as part of the £9095 M Race Track package.

In front of the driver, thankfully – and not to be taken for granted – is a perfectly round steering wheel. As is BMW M’s way, it’s a fraction too thick of a rim for our liking, but it’s still lovely to hold thanks to sculpting in the right places, and it looks good with its M stitching and carbon fiber detailing. The bright red M1 and M2 buttons are a mere thumb-flex away, and there’s a pair of slender carbon-fiber gear change paddles behind as well. We’d rather actual metal for these from a tactility point of view, but that’s nitpicking.

Curved display

Dominating the dashboard is the Curved Display we’re used to seeing in every new BMW now, featuring 12.3” instrumentation and a 14.9” touchscreen for the infotainment. It’s all loaded to the gunwales with features and connectivity that an owner can take their time to get used to, and, for the most part, it works very well. We do wish that separate air conditioning and heater controls were retained as physical switchgear, but most car makers have succumbed to the trend of moving them into the touchscreen menu. Thankfully, the basic functions for the climate control always appear at the base of the central display. The BMW M2 G87 gets M-specific graphics and menu items, of course, some of which we’ll get to in a moment.

Centre console upgrade

The G87 M2 also gets a suitably upgraded center console based on that of the 2 Series Coupé, though it retains the rotary controller for the iDrive system, which we’re glad to see. Next to that is a tactile gear lever (this test car featured the more popular automatic gearbox, though a six-speed manual is also available) with the Drivelogic toggle switch built into it. Clustered around that are a few key buttons allowing the driver to alter the car’s characteristics and the impossible-to-ignore, fire-engine-red engine-start button.

Press that, and the engine sparks into life with a suitable bark before settling down into a restrained idle. Some might find it too restrained in its default settings. It undoubtedly has a more rousing note if you have the sports exhaust button pressed and the engine at its Sport Plus level. These days, the myriad BMW M driving settings are altered via the touchscreen, though it’s a cinch to do on the move thanks to the simple Setup button to the right of the gear lever. Press that, and all the options are presented on the display for you to pick and choose from – and you can program your favorite groups of settings into two separate modes for quick use via those M1/M2 buttons on the steering wheel.

Engine modes

The engine can be altered through Efficient, Sport and Sport Plus options, which is self-explanatory. The BMW M2 G87 feels – and sounds – notably friskier in the Sport settings, though the Sport Plus mode comes with a razor-sharp response to accelerator inputs that makes stop-start driving in traffic tiresome. We’d use it everywhere else, though. Under the bonnet is an S58 straight-six, differing only a little from that in the M3 and M4. Like in those, the M2’s unit gets twin mono-scroll turbochargers, high-pressure direct fuel injection, Valvetronic, Double-Vanos variable camshaft timing, and forged big-end components to withstand all the stress.

BMW M2 G87 performance figures

BMW quotes maximum outputs of 460hp at 6250rpm and 405lb ft of torque at 2650-5870rpm. The engine speeds those peaks are produced at is important to understand the delivery of this unit’s performance. It’s breathtakingly rapid if you rev it out to the redline, something you’ll want to do to hear the straight-six in all its glory. And yet, keep it in that torque sweet spot in the midrange, and it’s devastatingly effective at gathering pace at any opportunity you give it. The raw data may suggest that the M3 and M4 are a little faster, but, on the road, there’s nothing between them in reality.

Driving impressions

For the chassis, you choose from the default Comfort level, Sport and Sport Plus. Though the electromagnetically controlled valves in the dampers (Adaptive M suspension is fitted as standard) allow fully variable damping forces on a per-wheel basis on the move, their characteristics are mapped to the selected mode – and there’s a notable difference between the three levels.

Saying that, this is an M car, so the most comfortable end of the spectrum doesn’t really live up to its billing when the road surface is poor, despite the noticeable reduction in body control. In Sport and Sport Plus modes, the body control is astounding, though you’ll want a glass-smooth road or track to make the most of the firmest setting. A huge amount of structural work has gone on under the body to allow the suspension to work as designed, and the end result is a car that moves all apiece and never rattles or feels ‘floppy’ even over particularly pockmarked pavement.

Aiding and abetting the excellent damping is M Servotronic steering. This mixes speed-sensitive assistance with a variable-ratio steering rack. The latter helps prevent the M2 from feeling twitchy around the straight-ahead while eagerly turning into sharp bends the more you turn the steering wheel.

There are Comfort and Sport settings for the assistance, and we actually prefer the lighter touch of the default Comfort mode. Either way, there’s impressive communication with what’s going on at road level through the steering wheel rim, as your fingertips receive a textured map of the surface underneath the tires. The flip side is that the steering can be corrupted by camber changes, but at least you’re always informed what’s going on.

Integrated braking system

BMW’s so-called integrated braking system may be a technical marvel allowing the driver to choose from two different brake-feel settings, but it doesn’t offer up quite as much feedback through the pedal as fully hydraulic systems of old in my opinion, and there’s little difference between the Comfort and Sport settings. Nonetheless, there’s always huge stopping power on tap from the six-piston, fixed-caliper, 380mm front and single-piston, floating-caliper, 370mm rear setup using M Compound discs. Carbon ceramics are not offered, though buyers can choose from blue or red calipers.

Under all the above settings on the screen is a slider for the M Traction Control. That’s only accessible if you turn the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) off fully. Press the DSC button, and another menu pops up on the screen, allowing the option to use the mid-setting called M Dynamic Mode instead of turning it off completely. This setting is excellent on the road, allowing a little more slip at the rear before the electronics step in. Actually, in the dry, you need to be trying very hard indeed for that to happen, such is the traction from the combination of wide tires, wide track and the car’s inherent 50:50 weight distribution.

Comparisons with the previous BMW M2

The new M2’s rock-solid stability and composure separates it from its predecessor, a car that was always a little nervy – and probably all the more exciting at road-legal speeds because of that. Is the new one too grown up? That’s one point of view certainly, but it has resulted in a far more capable chassis overall, allowing experienced drivers to exploit it to the full at higher speeds without alienating us mere mortals behind the wheel. Some will lament the loss of the lower-speed playfulness of the old car, but there’s more to the new one for sure. On the subject of playing, the M2 carries over the M3/M4’s silly M Drift Analyzer, and yes, I’m only calling it silly because I couldn’t manage a five-star rating…

Transmission choices

As mentioned earlier, most BMW M buyers opt for the automatic option these days, though the BMW M2 G87 can be had with a six-speed manual gearbox, too. It’s the more expensive model, commanding a £1200 premium over the standard £64,890 auto, while the manual is also marginally less economical according to the official numbers. Not that I’d put too much belief in them if you’re driving the car as intended. I averaged about 19mpg.

The manual version takes two-tenths of a second longer (at 4.3 seconds) to get to 62mph from rest and a good deal more skill to manage that of course, which is the reason you’d opt for the manual gearbox in the first place. It has something called Gear Shift Assistant, too, to help with rev-matching on down-shifts, which works well enough, but those who want to further their own ability in that regard can switch the feature off.

The eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox is a torque converter item, as used throughout most of the M lineup now, replacing the double-clutch item of old. It’s much smoother in operation, perhaps with a smidgen less interaction. The Drivelogic system allows three different levels of operation, affecting shift speed and timing of the gear changes, and this applies whether the system is in the default automatic setting, or you’ve gone for manual control. Commendably, when the transmission is in its manual mode, it won’t ever change up for you, meaning you can bounce the engine off (a quite smooth) rev limiter if you so wish. Regular track drivers will like that, as it means no unexpected gear changes halfway through a corner.

BMW M2 G87 Verdict

While I didn’t have the opportunity to bring this particular test vehicle to a race circuit, our experience last year in the prototype revealed that is where the M2’s extended capability can truly be felt. The on-road stability translates into rock-solid dependability on the track, meaning you can really trust the traction and body control, not to mention composure during heavy braking, lap after lap. Through all this, you can feel the excellent Active M Differential dividing up the engine output between the rear wheels to enhance traction on the exit of tighter corners and help with getting turned into the apex elsewhere.

In short, the BMW M2 G87 lives up to the hype and the long wait.

Words: Shane O’ Donoghue. 

The post BMW M2 G87 Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How We Tested Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo

First, I diluted Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo according to the individual instructions, opting for a medium dilution ratio where a range was suggested. Next, I observed the amount of foam it produced and assessed how slick it felt on the panel. I’m looking for a product that produces a good amount of foam in the bucket, and one that performs well on the paintwork. Finally, and most crucial, I carried out a visual and physical inspection to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing. It’s worth noting that I also took the price point of the shampoo as well as how much shampoo is needed per wash into consideration in my verdict.

Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo RRP: from $12.74, buy now. £9.99, buy now.

First Impressions

Adam’s eye-catching label immediately gets your attention. I love the pull-up dispenser, which makes pouring and measuring Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo that much easier. The bright blue liquid has a wonderful Wildberry scent that makes it smell good enough to drink. But refrain from doing that, please.

Features

Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that really make it worth your attention. First of all, you can use it in direct sunlight, which is something most shampoos warn against. This means that even if you don’t have any shade, you can happily wash your car, even in the middle of summer. Secondly, Adam’s says its New Car Wash Shampoo will not water spot, even when washing with hard water. And of course, it’s pH-neutral, as you would expect, making it coating-safe.

What’s It Like To Use Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo

You can use this shampoo as a pre-wash snow foam, but I’ve tried it’s not got enough muscle for that. Just stick to using it purely as a shampoo and you will not be disappointed. The preparation process is a little different.

Rather than just pouring Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo straight into a bucket, you pour it straight onto your wash mitt. Then you put this in your bucket and pour the water directly onto the mitt. I’m not sure what the point of that is, but who am I to go against the instructions? It does mean that the first time you apply your wash mitt to the paint, it’s absolutely loaded with shampoo, which can only be a good thing.

You need 1-2 fl. oz per wash, which is about average, and you can easily stick to just 1 fl. oz if your car isn’t especially dirty. As promised, there’s loads of foam, and it hangs about for ages. On the panel, it feels lovely and slick, and it’s a pleasure to wash with.

On very hot days and in direct sun, it will dry on the bodywork, but there’s no residue left after rinsing and drying the car. You don’t have to fight against stubborn spots, everything just wipes away, so it really does do what it promises to do.

Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo Verdict

Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo really is excellent. Full disclosure, I’ve been using this shampoo myself for years now. It’s been my personal summertime go-to shampoo and it’s never let me down or left me disappointed. There’s honestly nothing I don’t like about it. I highly recommend this shampoo. Check out price comparisons below and pick up a bottle for yourself!

RRP: from $12.74, buy now. £9.99, buy now.

The post Adam’s New Car Wash Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

British car care expert Gtechniq knows a thing or two about detailing. We take its W1 GWash shampoo for a test wash to see how it performs.

How We Tested Gtechniq W1 GWash

First, I followed the instructions and diluted Gtechniq W1 GWash shampoo to the degree specified. Then, I tested it on one of the panels of my car, noting how much foam it produced and how it felt across the metalwork. Finally, after the wash, I inspected the panel to see how much (if any) dirt remained. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

First Impressions

I’m a fan of Gtechniq’s products and presentation. Its bottles are smart, and I like its logo, which makes you feel like you’ve got a cleaning product that’s backed by science. Gtechniq W1 GWash smells gorgeous, serving up a lovely grapefruit scent when you open the bottle. It’s a good start for this shampoo, for sure.

Features

It’s a shampoo, that’s about it as far as features go. It is pH-neutral, though, so that’s always good. But apart from that, there’s nothing here apart from a shampoo that’s focused on cleaning performance.

What’s It Like To Use Gtechniq W1 GWash

I have no idea how big the buckets are at Gtechniq’s HQ because the dilution instructions appear to be for people who mix their shampoo in a bathtub. Gtechniq says to use two to four capfuls (06.-1.2 fl. oz), depending on how dirty your car is, in a 5.3-gallon bucket. That’s massive. You’re more likely to be using a bucket around 3.2 gallons in size. That’s still more than enough water for a thorough wash on just about any car.

With that amount of water, you’ll be using around 0.4-0.7 fl. oz per wash. That’s not bad at all, and it makes Gtechniq W1 GWash a frugal shampoo. While there was lots of foam in my container, hardly any of that transferred to the bodywork during washing. Gtechniq W1 GWash was very slick, though, and it felt lovely under my wash mitt and cleaned very well too.

The Verdict

Gtechniq W1 GWash is an excellent shampoo and another excellent offering from Gtechniq. It smells lovely, cleans well, and it’s very economical too. While it’s light on features, and you can’t use it in direct sun, it’s still a very good shampoo and a solid choice.

Have a look at the price comparisons below if you want to pick up a bottle for yourself:

The post Gtechniq W1 GWash Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Master of no-nonsense detailing products, Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash is designed to wash your car as best as any shampoo can. Read our review here.

How I Tested Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash

First, I diluted the Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash shampoo and observed the amount of foam it produced from the quantity instructions on the bottle. Then, I assessed how easily it ran across the panel. Finally, I inspected the amount of dirt, if any, that was left after washing. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were two other factors I made sure to keep in mind when writing this review.

First Impressions

Bilt Hamber’s bottles are very clean and simple, and give you a good idea of what to expect from its products. There are no frills or thrills here, just solid cleaning power. There’s no smell, either. It’s not a glamorous shampoo, but it’s performance that counts. You do get a little flip-up spout, which I really like, and it makes pouring the shampoo much easier.

Features

Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash is salt, wax and additive-free. It’s also free from colorants, perfumes or thickeners. This is about as pure as a pure shampoo gets. What Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash offers is anti-corrosive properties. That makes it especially good for washing older cars that might have stone chips and exposed bare metal. Bilt Hamber says that Auto-Wash offers class-leading long-term anti-corrosive protection on steel, which is impressive.

What’s It Like To Use Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash

Plenty of shampoos claim to be concentrated, but there are other shampoos, and then there’s Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash. You only need 0.17 fl. Oz in a 2.6-gallon bucket – that’s one teaspoon. That’s simply incredible. When other shampoos are telling you to pour 1-2 fl. oz or even more into your bucket, it’s mind-blowing to find a shampoo like Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash. There wasn’t loads of foam, but that’s not really a big deal. As you’d expect from Bilt Hamber, its shampoo delivers very impressive cleaning, and you won’t be disappointed with its performance.

The Verdict

I tried Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash in the past and wasn’t that impressed. Perhaps it’s been revised slightly because I really like how it performed. It’s not my favorite shampoo, there are others I’ve used that make cleaning a little easier thanks to a few tricks they have up their sleeves. But if you’re looking for the purest of pure shampoos, Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash is the perfect choice. Add in those anti-corrosive properties, plus how incredibly good value it is, and you’ve got a top car shampoo.

If you want to pick up a bottle, check out price comparisons below:

The post Bilt Hamber Auto-Wash Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested Gyeon Q²M Bathe

First, I diluted Gyeon Q²M Bathe shampoo according to the individual instructions. To gauge how well this product works, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The next step was to observe the performance. Here, I’m looking for a good amount of foam and how it feels against the car’s paintwork. Finally, I carried out a visual and physical inspection to see how much dirt, if any, was left after washing. The price and how much shampoo is needed per wash were also taken into consideration.

Gyeon Q²M Bathe (1 liter) RRP: $27.99, buy now. £15.84, buy now. 

Gyeon Q²M Bathe First Impressions

I love Gyeon’s funky angular bottles. The company is known for its quartz-based paint coatings, and the bottles are suitable crystalline in their design. It certainly makes this shampoo stand out, and it makes it feel like a high-end product. It also comes with a pump dispenser, which is a really nice touch. The shampoo itself is very pale blue gel, and very runny compared to other shampoos. The scent, however, is not so impressive. It’s a weird, sickly sort of citrussy smell. It just reminded me of cough and cold syrup from when I was little, and I really didn’t like it.

Features

Gyeom Q²M Bathe is a very straightforward shampoo with no gimmicks or extra features. It’s been designed to be very slick because the slicker the shampoo the less risk of marring occurring during washing. And it’s pH-neutral, specifically having a pH level of 6. And that’s all there is to it.

What’s It Like To Use Gyeon Q²M Bathe

This is another excellent shampoo that’s lovely to wash with. You only need between 0.5-0.7 fl. oz in your bucket, which makes it very economical. It produced a nice amount of foam that stayed around for a long time. It felt very slick under my wash mitt, which just glided over the paintwork. And it cleaned really well, too. No complaints here.

Gyeon Q²M Bathe Verdict

Gyeon Q²M Bathe is a very good shampoo. It’s really lovely to wash with and will last you a good while thanks to how little you need per wash. There are no special features and I certainly didn’t like the smell, but it’s a solid pure shampoo choice. Gyeon Q²M Bathe is a shampoo I will happily be using again. Pick up a bottle for yourself by checking out the price comparisons below:

Gyeon Q²M Bathe (1 liter) RRP: $27.99, buy now. £15.84, buy now. 

The post Gyeon Q²M Bathe Car Shampoo Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I Tested The MTM Hydro PF22.2

Just as with the other snow foam cannons I’ve tested, I used the MTM Hydro PF22.2 during one of my regular car detailing sessions at home. I filled it up with my favorite snow foam and observed how well it performed, on top of how easy it was to use. I’m looking for lots of foam to be produced, as well as any nice features that make detailing easier. I’ll also be judging the quality of the lance too, as well as its design and how easy it is to fill the bottle with snow foam.

MTM Hydro PF22.2 RRP: $84.99, buy now. £85.91, buy now.

First Impressions

I had incredibly high hopes for the MTM Hydro PF22.2 snow foam lance. Its on-paper first impressions are very impressive and it packs a load of features. It should tick all the boxes. But getting it out of the box I was immediately disappointed with how incredibly cheap the bottle felt.

The actual spray assembly feels very solid, though, and everything is very well designed. The action of all the parts is very satisfying, especially the adjuster knob, which has lovely soft clicks when you turn it. I had very high hopes that this would be my new favourite snow foam cannon.

MTM Hydro PF22.2 Features

The MTM Hydro PF22.2 features both horizontal and vertical adjustment, which is what I would expect to see at this price point. The design of the bottle is, for the most part, really good. It has a nice wide base for stability and a narrower, textured section that makes it easy to grip.

It also has the best measuring scale of any snow foam cannon I’ve tried, with 50ml increments. This allows for very accurate measuring without the need for separate beakers.

What’s It Like To Use The MTM Hydro PF22.2

Unfortunately, the MTM Hydro PF22.2 is disappointing and frustrating to use. First of all, you’ve got that narrow neck. This makes filling the bottle difficult and often messy. There’s no pick-up hose filter, which is disappointing at this price point. One plus, though, is the nozzle.

It has the best action of any snow foam cannon I’ve used. The switch from horizontal to vertical is lovely and smooth and the nozzle clicks into place. And the spray pattern adjustment features a little indicator to show you which way to turn it for a narrower or wider spray, as well as horizontal or vertical. This is a really clever little touch that makes it easier to use.

The biggest problem, though, is the actual spray pattern. It’s incredibly narrow, and even on its widest setting gives far too little coverage. This means you need a lot more effort to coat your car in snow foam than with any other snow foam cannon.

MTM Hydro PF22.2 Verdict

The MTM Hydro PF22.2 is a very frustrating snow foam cannon. Some things about it are great. I love the nozzle action, the measuring scale and the bottle shape.

But I hate the narrow neck and the narrow spray pattern range. Meanwhile, the lack of a pick-up hose filter and the cheap-feeling bottle really let it down compared to its rivals. The final nail in the coffin is the price. I could forgive some of these flaws if it was a bargain, but it’s very expensive, and just plain overpriced for what you get. A very disappointing snow foam cannon overall.

RRP: $84.99, buy now. £85.91, buy now.

Looking to know which foam cannon we think is best in 2023? Check out our guide to the best snow foam lances.

The post MTM Hydro PF22.2 Snow Foam Cannon Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Does the Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball snow foam do enough to impress Fast Car’s resident detailing enthusiast? Here’s Buffy’s in-depth review…

How I tested Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball Ultra Snow Foam Car Wash

First of all, I used a cotton pad to perform a swipe test to get an idea of how dirty my car was before. Then I applied Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball via a snow foam lance. I followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time, using the smallest amount of product the instructions recommended. Finally, I rinsed it off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.

First Impressions

You can’t deny that Chemical Guys certainly knows how to present its products well. From the smart-looking label to the shimmery, iridescent liquid in the bottle, it all makes a very good first impression. Then there’s the flip-lid bottle, which is good for easier pouring. And finally, there’s the lovely marzipan scent. It all makes you keen to give the product a go.

Features

Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball is advertised as being both a shampoo and a snow foam. I like the versatility because it means you don’t necessarily need to buy a separate shampoo. This immediately makes the product good value for money. Chemical Guys says Sticky Snowball is pH-balanced, which I assume means it has a pH of 7. This means it going to be coating-safe.

Sticky Snowball also features gloss enhancers designed to leave a just-waxed shine. The marketing information also says that it has paint conditioners that help it resist water spots and streaking while drying. I have to admit that it certainly sounds impressive, and I was eager to see how it would perform.

What’s It Like To Use Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball Ultra Snow Foam Car Wash

I tested Sticky Snowball as its lowest recommended concentration and it was disappointing. Perhaps it would fare better used as a shampoo, but as a pre-wash, it just doesn’t cut it. While the foam it produced was certainly very clingy, it didn’t seem to do much cleaning. The point of a snow foam is to make washing easier, and Sticky Snowball did not impress me here.

It’s well-priced, at least, and good value. But only if you use it in its lowest concentration. At 1 fl oz per wash, you’ll get just over 15 washes from 16.9 fl. oz, which means 30 per liter. Even the higher concentration of 2 fl. oz will give you 15 washes per liter of product.

However, based on its performance, you’d need to use it at its highest concentration to get any sort of meaningful results. As a shampoo, Chemical Guys recommends 1-2 fl. oz per 5 gallons, so you could use 0.5-1 fl. oz in half that amount of water. That’s very good, so you’ll certainly get your money’s worth with Sticky Snowball.

The Verdict

Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball Ultra Snow Foam Car Wash is not a good pre-wash. It just doesn’t have the cleaning power you need, and it’s disappointing. A little goes a long way, though, and I’m confident it would perform well when used as a shampoo. So, if you want it for that purpose, be sure to check out price comparisons for your region below. However, as a pre-wash, it is simply outmatched by its many more powerful rivals.

The post Chemical Guys Sticky Snowball Snow Foam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I took Angelwax Fastfoam Snow Foam for a thorough test to see if its performance is heavenly, or whether it needs to be banished to detailing Hell.

How I tested Angelwax Fastfoam Snow Foam

After performing a swipe test to see how dirty my car was to start with, I used a snow foam lance to apply Angelwax Fastfoam. I followed the dilution and dwell instructions to make sure I mixed everything together correctly, and then used the smallest amount of product the instructions recommended. Finally, after rinsing the car down again, a second swipe test would see how much dirt was left.

First Impressions

Angelwax Fast Foam comes in a big, industrial-looking bottle, filled with green liquid. It’s not sexy, but certainly looks like it means business. It looks like something a comic book villain would have in their secret factory. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up to you to decide. And is Angelwax Fastfoam heaven-scent? No. A quick sniff reveals it has a very chemical smell. That’s fine, Bilt Hamber’s snow foam offerings are also no-frills products, and they are my favourite pre-washes. All Angelwax has to do is impress me with its cleaning power, the fancy bottles and pleasant smells don’t count for anything here.

Features

Honestly, I have no idea. The Angelwax website is very light on information about Fastfoam. There’s no mention of pH, so I’m not going to hazard a guess here. All I can tell you is that Fastfoam is super-concentrated, according to the website. Also, it has been designed to deliver a thick blanket of foam that sticks to the bodywork.

What’s It Like To Use Angelwax Fastfoam Snow Foam?

Angelwax Fastfoam is billed as ‘Professional, Detailing Foam’, so I had high hopes. Despite its claims, I didn’t get the thickest of foam. It did cling to the panel well, though, and lasted for quite some time. After rinsing, the swipe test revealed that it had managed to shift some dirt. In terms of value, used at a ratio of 1:9, you’ll get 10 washes from the 1-liter bottle, which is not bad.

The Verdict

Angelwax Fastfoam snow foam was fine. That’s all I can say, really. Its cleaning performance was pretty average. Its value for money is okay. There are certainly worse snow foams out there. But there are also much better ones. It’s not bad, but there are some products that clean better and others that are better value. So it’s hard to recommend this, to be completely honest.

That said, if you do fancy picking it up, you can check out price comparisons for your region below:

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How We Tested The Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer

I took this snow foam lance for a test drive during one of my regular car detailing sessions. The first job was to fill the bottle up with my preferred choice of snow foam, Bilt-Hamber, which won our best snow foam test. When applying it to the car, I observed how easy it was to use, how much adjustability the nozzle has, the overall quality of the product and how it performed. When conducting these tests, I’m always on the lookout for lots of foam and nice features that make detailing easier.

Editor’s Note

Having served as the editor of Performance BMW and now Total BMW, Elizabeth certainly knows her cars. She also loves detailing them too, which makes one of us on the team… This makes her the perfect person to test detailing products like this one.

Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer RRP: $50.77, buy now. £45.99, buy now.

First Impressions

The Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer has a very distinctive look. There’s the dark purple color scheme, which I’m a big fan of. Then there’s the nozzle, with its angular ridges for grip. Above all else, it feels very solid and expensive, as it should at this price point. Handle this snow foam cannon, and you feel like it justifies its asking price.

Features

Unfortunately, this is where the Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer falls short. There are definitely a lot of things I like about it. I really like the neck grip, which makes the wide bottle easy to grab and hold with wet hands when it’s full. Also, the bottle opening is huge, which makes it very easy to fill. In addition to that, the adjuster knob makes it clear to understand which way you need to turn for more foam. And the nozzle has a lovely, slick action, and is smooth and easy to use.

The pick-up hose is softer than others, but it lacks a filter. There’s no horizontal or vertical adjustment, either. And, worst of all, there’s no measuring scale on the bottle whatsoever. I appreciate that Autoglym intends the Polar Blaster Snow Foamer to be used with its Polar range of products. However, people are going to want to use it with other snow foams.

This means you have to use a measuring beaker when filling it. Or you can draw a scale on the side like I did. At this price point, that’s a massive oversight.

What’s It Like To Use The Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer?

The lack of features is even more frustrating when you realize how nice this snow foam cannon is to use. It produces loads of foam, and everything about it is so satisfying. The bottle design is great, the nozzle feels so nice to adjust, and it’s virtually impossible to fault in that respect.

I also get the feeling that it won’t suffer from damage overtime if looked after, although only time will tell on that aspect.

Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer Verdict

The Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer feels expensive and is lovely to use. However, it lacks the sort of features you expect to see at this price point. And the lack of a measuring scale is just baffling. It’s a very nice snow foam lance in principle, but it’s also very hard to recommend for this price.

However, if you’ve seen enough to convince you it’s the right snow foam lance for your particular detailing setup, you can buy below:

RRP: $50.77, buy now. £45.99, buy now.

The post Autoglym Polar Blaster Snow Foamer Review appeared first on Fast Car.

When it comes to car detailing, having a good performing snow foam makes the job a whole lot easier. Let’s take a moment to think about this. Despite using a pressure washer, you won’t be able to tackle the dirtiest areas until you begin your contact wash with shampoo. The issue here is that no matter what wash mitt you use, you’re still making contact with dirt on the car’s paintwork, leaving it vulnerable to paint damage and light scratch marks. The job of the snow foam is to start to lift the dirt from the body so that when you come to use the pressure washer to remove the mixture, the dirt lifts off with it. As a result, there is a lower chance of you damaging the paintwork during the contact wash.

How I Tested Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam

Initially, I wanted to see how much dirt was on the vehicle before I used any product. To do this, I used a clean cotton pad and performed a swipe test to gauge the cleanliness. I used the manufacturer’s recommendations when it came to both dilution and dwell time and used a snow foam lance to apply the snow foam. Finally, I rinsed it off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.

Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam (1-liter) RRP: $30.99, buy now! £17.65, buy now!

First Impressions

Koch Chemie’s no-frills yellow and grey bottles have a sense of Germanic seriousness about them. The smallest size of Gentle Snow Foam you can get your hands on is a hefty 1-liter. Open the bottle, and you’re greeted by a delicious cherry scent that caught me off guard. I was expecting someone far more business-like in scent, like Bilt Hamber’s Touch-Less, so the tasty cherry scent was a welcome surprise.

Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam Features

Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam is a dual-purpose product that doubles up as a snow foam and shampoo. That’s great if you’re on a budget, as you can potentially just buy one product that does two jobs for you. However, from personal experience, I have found that detailing products that can be used as both pre-wash and shampoo are never that great at both those functions.

Snow foam that cleans properly is pretty aggressive stuff, and you certainly wouldn’t want to be sticking your hands in it while washing your car, so there has to be a compromise somewhere. The fact that this is called Gentle Snow Foam and is a coating-friendly pH-neutral pre-wash meant I immediately wasn’t expecting stellar cleaning performance.

What’s It Like To Use Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam?

Koch’s snow foam impressed me with its good levels of foam, and it had an impressively long dwell time. It looked like it would have happily stuck around on the bodywork for a lot longer. However, as I expected, the cleaning performance just wasn’t there. It did remove a bit of dirt from the paint. But this would not be a snow foam I would ever reach for if heavy-duty cleaning was required.

Where it really impressed me, though, was in terms of value for money. You only need 0.7 fl. oz of the snow foam in a 1-liter snow foam lance. At that dilution ratio, you’ll get 50 washes from your 1-liter bottle, and that makes it exceptional value for money.

Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam Verdict

While its cleaning performance is only average, you can’t ignore Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam’s value for money. Its dual-purpose design is also worthy of note. It’s not a snow foam I’m going to be using personally. However, if you’re on a budget and your car is never that dirty, it’s worth a look.

Koch Chemie Gentle Snow Foam (1-liter) RRP: $30.99, buy now! £17.65, buy now!

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How I Tested The MJJC Pro V2 Snow Foam Cannon

Simple – I used this snow foam cannon during one of my frequent detailing sessions. I used it to apply my favorite snow foam and observed how well it performed, and how easy it was to use. I want to see lots of foam, nice features that make detailing easier, and a snow foam cannon that I want to use. As this cannon is on the more expensive side, I wanted to see extra features and plenty of adjustability. Remember, a snow foam cannon is only as good as the snow foam you’re using. So for advice on those, be sure to check out our guide to the best snow foam.

RRP: $89/£46.95.Buy Now

Editor’s Note:

Elizabeth is the perfect person to test detailing products for Fast Car. She takes pride in detailing her own cars to a high standard, and has been an automotive writer for more than a decade.

First Impressions of the MJJC Pro V2 Snow Foam Cannon

From the moment you handle this snow foam cannon, it impresses. Everything about it feels solid and well-made. This is a snow foam cannon that feels like it’s going to last. As you can see, it’s got a bottle with a wide base, which I consider an essential foam cannon feature.

There’s nothing worse than a cheap foam cannon with a narrow bottle that topples over all the time. A wide base makes it nice and stable, so you can happily pop it down while you’re detailing. It does mean your foam cannon takes up a little more space when you’re storing it. But that’s barely even a gripe.

I like that the foam adjuster makes it clear which way you need to turn it to get more foam. It might seem like a simple thing, but it takes the guesswork out of using this snow foam cannon. The adjuster has ridges that are easy to grip with wet hands, too. The bottle has a nice wide neck, too, which makes filling it easier and less messy.

Features

A top-level snow foam cannon needs some fancy features, and the MJJC Pro V2 delivers. First of all, you get horizontal and vertical adjustments. This might seem like a gimmick, but detailing is about working smarter, not harder. Anything that makes your life easier and makes washing your car quicker, is always welcome.

I absolutely love the action of the adjusters. The spray pattern adjuster is a little looser, so it’s easier to turn mid-wash. The horizontal/vertical adjuster, meanwhile, is tighter. This means that you won’t accidentally change the spray orientation while adjusting the pattern. That’s the sort of attention to detail I appreciate.

The pick-up hose is also excellent. It’s soft and flexible and also has a weighted filter at the end. First of all, this helps to keep any dirt and debris out of the lance. Secondly, the combo of soft hose and weighted filter means this snow foam cannon will always be able to pick up your foam solution.

Whichever way you tilt it, the pick-up hose will always fall towards where the snow foam solution is pooling. This makes it incredibly satisfying to use and makes your life that little bit easier.

What’s It Like to Use The MJJC Pro V2 Snow Foam Cannon

In terms of performance, the MJJC Pro V2 snow foam cannon does not disappoint. It delivers plenty of foam and has a wide range of spray pattern adjustments. It’s conveniently sized and doesn’t topple over under it’s own weight. That sounds silly, but when you’re pouring solution into the container and it starts to topple over, you end up wasting the solution and getting it all on the outside of the bottle. Which over time dries up and leaves a smell… That being said, it’s not all plain sailing for the MJJC Pro V2.

Downsides to the MJJC Snow Foam Cannon

The only downsides I can think of are the lack of a neck grip on the bottle. As it’s quite wide, it can be a bit slippery to hold with wet hands.

The measuring scale on the bottle only goes up in 100ml increments and only has numbering at 500 and 1000ml. This means it’s a little fiddly to work out smaller dilutions and to see exactly how much you’ve poured in. But these are incredibly minor moans.

MJJC Pro V2 Snow Foam Cannon Verdict

The MJJC Pro V2 Snow Foam Cannon is absolutely superb. It’s packed with impressive features, and it’s great to wash with. It’s easily the best snow foam cannon I’ve ever used, and worth every penny. I voted it the best overall product in our snow foam lance test for the fact that it genuinely is the best on the market.

Check out regional price comparisons below:

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How We Tested Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash

First of all, I used a cotton pad to perform a swipe test to get an idea of how dirty my car was before. I then applied Foaming Surface Wash snow foam via a snow foam lance. I followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time. I then rinsed it off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.

RRP: $21.99, buy now! £24.99, buy now! 

Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash First Impressions

Griot’s Garage uses distinctive bottles that look like no one else’s, and I like that individuality. The design makes them a little unwieldy, but I admire the commitment to brand identity. There’s no two ways about it – Foaming Surface Wash looks weird. It’s milky and watery, and, much like the packaging, it’s unlike any snow foam I’ve tried before. It smells glorious, though, and its scent matches its color, serving up a rich coconut aroma. I love it.

Features

So what we have here is a pH-neutral snow foam, which immediately makes me concerned. PH-neutral products never have the punch of their more alkaline counterparts. That means pH-neutral pre-washes are at something of a disadvantage from the get-go. However, Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash does have a trick up its sleeve. According to the website, it features a dual-layer foam composition. Honestly, while I understand the principle, I’m not quite sure how that actually works.

Griot’s says that this delivers a longer dwell time and better cleaning action. The primary foam softens the road film and traps dirt, allowing the secondary foam to carry it away. I must admit, I was somewhat skeptical, but there was nothing to do but test it out.

What’s It Like To Use Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash?

There are lots of different instructions on the bottle for applying Foaming Surface Wash using different methods. I opted to follow the instructions for the Griot’s The Boss Foam Cannon as it looks like a normal snow foam lance. That required me to use 1.6 fl. oz in my snow foam cannon. Despite looking so watery in the bottle, the foam had a nice consistency. And while I may have been skeptical of that dual foam business, it seemed to work.

Foaming Surface Wash stayed on the panel for a long time, and despite its pH-neutral formula, it delivered impressive cleaning performance. I was honestly surprised at how good it was, and it gave really good results. And at this dilution, you’ll get 20 washes per liter, which is not bad at all.

Griot’s Garage Snow Foam Verdict

I started out skeptical, but after using Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash I came away impressed. It cleans far better than I expected, smells gorgeous, and offers good value for money, too. The ultimate accolade for any product I test is that it makes it into my detailing collection, and Griot’s Garage Foaming Surface Wash has done just that.

RRP: $21.99, buy now! £24.99, buy now! Check out regional price comparisons below:

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Auto Finesse have been a hugely popular brand over the last 5-10 years, and they make some cracking products. Today, I’m testing the Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance to see how well it stacks up against the competition.

How We Tested The Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance

I detail my cars quite regularly, so I used the Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance during one of those sessions. I filled it up with my favorite snow foam and observed how well it performed, and how easy it was to use. The things that make for a good snow foam lance include lots of foam being dispersed and nice features that make detailing easier. Having the option to widen the nozzle is useful, as is the option to thicken or loosen the mixture coming out. 

Editor’s Note: 

With a huge passion for car detailing and more than almost two decades of writing experience under her belt, Elizabeth is the ideal candidate to take care of Fast Car’s detailing product reviews.

Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance First Impressions

If you’re on board with Auto Finesse’s distinctive color scheme, then this is arguably one of the sexiest snow foam cannons around. It’s got a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design that other lances lack. It also looks big, and that’s because it is, much bigger than other snow foam cannons. It’s very solid and feels like a high-quality piece of detailing kit.

Features

Unlike most snow foam cannons, which usually have a 1-liter bottle, Auto Finesse’s Snow Foam Lance has a 1.5-liter bottle. While 1 liter has always been enough for me, having the extra capacity is useful.

If you want to clean more than one car or are cleaning something very large, then this is the perfect snow foam cannon for you. It also has a nice wide base for stability and a decent-sized filler neck. The pick-up hose also has a filter, which is a nice bonus.

What’s It Like To Use The Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance?

I have no complaints about how the Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance performs. It serves up plenty of nice thick foam, which is just what you want. I love the action of the spray pattern adjuster, and it’s nice and big and easy to grip and turn. The lack of a neck grip on the big bottle is a bit annoying, though. It’s big and heavy when full, which makes holding it with wet hands a little tricky. Matt, editor of Fast Car, uses the older style Auto Finesse snow foam lance, which is narrower and taller. It suffers a similar fate however as it’s top heavy it doesn’t always stand. The newer design is welcomed. 

There’s no horizontal and vertical adjustment here, and while it’s not essential, you’d expect to see it at this price point. Also, the measuring scale is vague, only starting at 250ml and only having markers at 250ml increments, which is annoying.

Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance Verdict

The Auto Finesse Snow Foam Lance is very nice, and I came away really liking it, despite the lack of features. It feels really nice to use, and I like the fact that you’ll (probably) never run out of snow foam. But the various minor gripes add up to stop it from being really excellent. It’s still good, but a few tweaks to the design would make it great.

You can get your hands on one directly from Auto Finesse’s website for $62.95 here. For UK customers, it retails at £35.99.

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How I Tested Gtechniq W4 Citrus Foam

First of all, I used a cotton pad to perform a swipe test to get an idea of how dirty my car was before. I then applied W4 Citrus Foam via a snow foam lance. I followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time. I then rinsed it off and performed another swipe test in the same area to see how much dirt was left.

RRP: $21.95, buy now! £13.99, buy now! 

First Impressions

Gtechniq’s packaging looks pretty science-y, which I’m sure is a technical term. Open the lid, and you are greeted by a gorgeous citrus scent. That might not help it clean any better, but let’s be honest, we love nice-smelling detailing products. And it immediately makes you want to get some W4 Citrus Foam in your foam lance.

Citrus Foam Features

Gtechniq’s W4 Citrus Foam snow foam is a coating-safe pH-neutral formula. Generally speaking, pH-neutral pre-wash products simply won’t be able to clean as well as more alkaline solutions. However, W4 Citrus Foam has a secret ingredient up its sleeve. It combines a citrus degreaser with a foaming agent, which gives it an extra kick. You can use a citrus pre-wash before applying snow foam for superior cleaning. By integrating it into the snow foam, Gtechniq has upped W4 Citrus Foam’s cleaning power significantly without making it more alkaline. And by keeping it pH-neutral, that means it won’t degrade any wax or coating you’ve got on your paintwork. 

What’s It Like To Use Gtechniq W4 Citrus Foam

W4 Citrus Foam comes out of the snow foam cannon looking a little watery, but that’s never a reliable indicator of cleaning power. Despite not being especially thick, it does a good job of clinging to the bodywork to break down dirt and grime. I didn’t expect much from a pH-neutral snow foam, but, honestly, W4 Citrus Foam impressed me. The combo of citrus degreaser and foaming agent really helps it to shift dirt. It performed really well and did a noticeable job of removing dirt on the car. Using Gtechniq’s recommended dilution ratio, you’ll get 10 washes out of a 1-liter bottle, so that’s not bad at all. 

Verdict

Gtechniq W4 Citrus Foam snow foam is a very strong offering. Its cleaning power is surprisingly good, much better than I expected. It’s reasonably priced, and you get a decent number of washes per bottle. And being pH-neutral, your coatings are safe. It smells great too. This is a snow foam that’s very easy to recommend. 

Check out regional price comparisons below:

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How I Tested The Amazon/unbranded Snow Foam Lance

I used this budget snow foam cannon during one of my frequent detailing sessions. I filled it up with my favorite snow foam as I would usually do and then made some judgements about its performance – namely, its effectiveness and usability. I want to see lots of foam, nice features that make detailing easier, and a snow foam cannon that I personally want to use.

RRP: $26.20, buy now. £18.99, buy now.

First impressions

At this price, you have to reduce your expectations. This is budget detailing, and while that doesn’t mean bad products, you have to be realistic about what you can expect for your money. I have to be honest, this snow foam cannon does not feel like a high-quality product. That’s not to say it’s bad, it’s just that you can tell it’s been put together on a budget.

The foam mix adjuster is basic. The bottle is basic. The pick-up hose is stiff and doesn’t feature a filter. There’s no horizontal or vertical adjustment. But at least the components are made of brass, as you’d find on more expensive snow foam cannons. And the nozzle has a nice action to it – not too firm, and not too loose.

Features on the snow foam lance 

Not many. Honestly, it does the bare minimum to function as a snow foam cannon. What I do like, and what a lot of other, more expensive snow foams would benefit from doing better, is the measuring scale on the bottle. It starts at 100ml and gives you numbered increments all the way to 1000ml, so you definitely get your money’s-worth as far as that goes. 

What’s It Like To Use The Amazon/unbranded Snow Foam Lance

It’s fine, is about the biggest compliment I can pay it. Since I started using snow foam, this has been my personal snow foam lance. That wasn’t necessarily through choice, but more down to not wanting to spend loads of money on one. So that’s on me. And honestly, I had no problems with it.

Downsides to the snow foam lance

Its shortcomings only come to light once I tried far more superior snow foam lances that proved they were worth the extra money. It actually produces decent foam, and as the bottle is narrow, it’s easier to hold. The stiff pick-up hose is a pain when you’re running low on snow foam solution, though. It means you have to hold the lance at a weird angle to suck up the last of the fluid. And it falls over the moment you try to put it down, which is a pain. 

Verdict

This might sound like the worst snow foam lance you can buy. But it’s honestly not that bad. I’ve used this one for years, and it’s still going strong. It just gets on with the job, and I don’t have to care about it falling over (all the time) or whatever, because it’s so cheap. Most other snow foam cannons are at least twice or even three times the price. And while all those fancy features are nice to have they’re far from essential.

If you’re on a budget but would like to get into snow foam, this is the perfect place to start. The best snow foam lances blow this one out of the water. But for the money, you just can’t go wrong.

Check out price comparisons for the Amazon Basics snow foam lance below:

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How I Tested Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Snow Foam

As someone who has been passionately detailing cars for a number of years now, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about what makes a good car cleaning product, and what ultimately doesn’t. Snow foams are one of the detailing greats, and its been a part of every detail I’ve done on any car. An effective snow foam can massively save time during the wash process by removing as much dirt as possible before any physical contact is made with the paintwork.

To carry out this review, I first of all used a cotton pad to perform a swipe test to get an idea of how dirty my car was before. I then applied Touch-Less snow foam via a snow foam lance. I followed the instructions for both dilution and dwell time before rinsing off the product. Finally, I performed another swipe test on the same area to see how much dirt was left in place.

RRP: $59.95, buy now. £29.85, buy now.

First impressions

Bilt Hamber products are not designed to wow you. The packaging is plain and simple, and it immediately lets you know these are no-nonsense products. There are no fancy graphics, no cool logos, and no pleasant scents here. What you get is a big 5-liter bottle of concentrated snow foam solution and that’s it.

Touch-Less Snow Foam Features

Bilt Hamber Touch-Less snow foam is bio-degradable and sugar-based. Don’t be tempted to give it a taste, though. It’s pH 12, meaning it’s very alkaline – the pH scale only goes to 14…

Alkaline pre-washes are very effective at removing oily road films, while also helping to neutralize any acid on the paintwork. Bilt Hamber Touch-Less also contains corrosion inhibitors to help keep rust at bay when washing.

What’s It Like To Use Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Snow Foam

Initially, very fiddly, and a complicated, long-winded approach which involves equations. Bilt Hamber doesn’t give you a simple dilution ratio to work with. Instead, Touch-Less has to be applied at a 4% panel-impact ratio. What on earth does that mean?

It means that the solution has to be at a 4% dilution when it hits your car’s bodywork, and that’s something you have to work out for yourself. You do this by filling up your snow foam lance with water and then spraying it into a container until it’s empty.

Measure how much water you’ve collected, then divide that by 0.04. That then gives you the amount of Touch-Less you need to use in that snow foam lance. Still with me? I hope so…

It’s worth it, though, because Touch-Less is a pre-wash beast. It doesn’t produce loads of thick foam, and in fact, the foam is quite watery. But as it runs down the bodywork you can see it pulling the dirt off the car as it goes. ts cleaning power is truly phenomenal. I’ve had instances where my car has looked almost good to go after just the snow foam session.

Downsides to Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Snow Foam

There are a couple of downsides, though. Firstly, because it’s not pH neutral, it will degrade any wax or coating you’ve applied. It won’t happen instantly, but it definitely will affect it. Secondly, you need a lot of product in your snow foam lance.

Bilt Hamber says you can get multiple washes out of one lance full, but I’ve never managed it. For my snow foam lance, I need 400ml of product, which means I get around 10 washes to 5 liters. That makes it quite expensive. This means I will tend to use Touch-Less when my car is very dirty, but go for something more cost-effective when I don’t need its mighty cleaning power.

The Verdict

If you’re looking for pure cleaning power, Bilt Hamber Touch-Less delivers. It is a phenomenal pre-wash but it comes with a few caveats. But these are minor gripes when you consider how well it cleans. This is my favorite snow foam by a long way.

Pick up a 5-liter bottle from Amazon for $99.95 in the US / in the UK, or check out regional price comparisons below:

The post Bilt Hamber Touch-Less Snow Foam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Dash cams are becoming increasingly relevant in global society. According to Nextbase’s research, about 1 in 200 vehicles have dash cams equipped in the US, while that figure is as high as 1 in 7 in the UK. But that’s nothing compared to Japan, where astoundingly 1 in 1.5 vehicles across the country reportedly use dash cams! At first, those figures seem absurdly high, but when you consider that 92% of drivers say that they’ve witnessed road rage in the past year, it perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise that more and more people are intent on protecting themselves and their car while out on the road.

As such, it was only a matter of time before a big company within the dash cam market attempted to reinvent the wheel and revolutionize the industry. And as it happens, that company is Nextbase. The Nextbase iQ bills itself as ‘the future of dash cams’, and the folks who developed it hope it’ll cause a market shift as big as the one created by Ring door bells in the home security industry. Lofty ambitions then, so how does it stack up in practice? Let’s find out…

How we tested this product

Having kindly been supplied with a sample product by Nextbase, I’ve been able to test every aspect of iQ ownership. That includes installation, how it performs as a camera, and the effectiveness of its added features. So, although this isn’t a long-term test, it’s intended to be quite a holistic one. That way, you’ll be able to get a fair snapshot of what it’s like to really live with one of these dash cams before you part with your money.

Plus, as I’ve conducted many dash cam reviews for Fast Car before, I’m well-placed to assess how the Nextbase iQ’s performance stacks up against its closest rivals.

What’s in the box?

The first place I always start when reviewing a dash cam is, naturally, the box. The Nextbase iQ is packaged very neatly, securely, and simply, as you would expect from a premium product. Though, as I’ve come to learn, not every brand will offer you the same experience in that regard. This is definitely one of the nicer ones. More important than that though, it’s worth outlining exactly what is in the box when you order it.

With the iQ, you get the camera itself (with microSD memory card pre-installed) and two different ways of powering it. There’s an OBD2 power lead – which is what I’ll be using in this test – or a hardwiring kit which allows you to directly link the camera to the onboard fuse box. There’s also a plastic fitting tool to help you tuck away wires, a spare adhesive plate for the camera mount, and a set of cleaning cloths to prepare your windscreen. An installation guide can be found in video form via a QR code, or you can run through the tutorial that appears when you first download the Nextbase iQ app.

Tech Specs:

Resolution: between 1080p-2160p (front) and 1080p-1440p (cabin) depending on spec. 4K/2160p top spec tested in this review.

Field of View: 140 degrees (front), 180 degrees (cabin)

Extra Features: Live View, Smart Sense parking, Witness Mode, SOS Alerts, iQ app, and more big additions to come in the near future.

Installation

Installing the Nextbase iQ is, fortunately, very straightforward. Here’s how I did it…

Connecting to power

The easiest way to get a constant power stream to the iQ is by using the OBD2 power lead. Simply connect the plug to your car’s socket (mine is in the driver’s side footwell) and then insert the other end of the cable into the socket on the camera mount. This constant delivery of power without needing to turn the engine on will ensure that you can use features such as parking mode, but thanks to clever sensing technology, the iQ will refrain from drawing energy if it detects that your car’s battery is running low on charge. So, you don’t have to worry about returning to your car after a few days, only to find that that battery is completely flat.

Mounting system

Once you’ve sorted the power source, the next thing to do is to think about where you’re going to position the camera on your windscreen. It’s quite a chunky device, so it’ll need to go somewhere which doesn’t obstruct your view of the road ahead. Nextbase recommends somewhere to the passenger side of the rearview mirror, so that’s exactly what I did. The mount itself isn’t as ergonomically-friendly as the Click&Go Pro magnetic system you get with the standard Nextbase range, but perhaps it needs a bit more sticking power.

Placement

As you can see, I’ve placed the camera behind and to the left of the rearview mirror. This will allow for a good view of the road ahead, while also not getting in the way. If you need to, you can also change the orientation of the antennas either side of the mount. In my case, the default positioning fit fine, so I kept them as they were. Like every dash cam, the most arduous part of the installation job is tucking away all the cables. The provided trim tool does help in this respect, allowing you to hide the cables behind plastics and headliner more easily. But it’ll always be a bit of a faff, that’s just the nature of it.

Camera performance

The Nextbase iQ has two lenses – one facing out at the road ahead, and one pointing back inside the cabin. This means that you get coverage of not just what happens on the road in front of you, but also details out of the rear and side windows. Plus, if you have an altercation with someone, or if your car is stolen/vandalized, identities and evidence will all be on tape.

If you want, you can purchase a third separate camera to adhere to the rear window for a better view out the back of the car. There’s a port in the Nextbase iQ’s mount to connect the two cameras, allowing the rear cam to piggyback off the iQ’s power and storage. We haven’t got access to a rear camera on this occasion though. Instead, I’ll show you clips of the front and cabin footage to give you an idea of the sort of coverage you can expect from the base iQ setup.

Daytime performance

*these videos are large 4K files, so they may take a few moments to load.

As you’ll hopefully be able to see in the video above, the Nextbase iQ’s 4K video footage is crystal clear. To really analyze its performance, when you watch the video above, keep an eye out for the small details. Can you read texts on signs, or registration plates? How about any identifying features of the people walking along the street? You may need to pause the video to see everything as clearly as possible, but once you do, I’m sure you’ll agree that the iQ’s camera quality is fantastic.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that the model tested here is the 4K 2160p version, which costs $699.99 / £449.00. However, at less expense, you can also get a 2K 1440p model variant, or a base 1080p model. Those won’t perform quite so well, but should still record adequately.

Daytime performance – cabin lens

On the back of the Nextbase iQ’s body, a second lens points into the cabin of the car. You can manually turn this function off in the settings, but if you want all-round protection, it’s a neat little feature. As you can see in this video, it’s possible to make out details in the side windows of the car, and (if the glass was less frosty) see quite well out of the back. So, if you get rear-ended or sideswiped, this angle will pick up evidence that the front-facing camera never could.

On top of that, The folks at Nextbase say that interpersonal events are also quite a key motivating point for adding this feature. Whether it be police brutality in the US, or unhinged road rage in the UK, the presence of a dash cam pointing at any potential aggressor should help to diffuse the situation. If the recording alone isn’t enough to diffuse any potential danger – inside, or outside the car – there are other options that iQ owners can take. We’ll get onto that later…

Night performance

Every camera struggles at night time, that’s just an unfortunate reality when recording footage when there is less light available. However, some cameras struggle more than others. I’m glad to say that the Nextbase iQ sits on the right end of that spectrum. You do still get a bit of glare, and finer details can get lost. However, I was reasonably impressed with how much remained legible. Towards the end of the video, if you pause the footage, you should be able to make out what the street signs say. In fact, if you capture the right frame, you might even get a registration plate as we pass by.

Once again though, it’s important to stress that this is the top of the range model. Lesser-equpped iQ variants won’t perform as well in the dark. In fact, to get an idea of what the 1080p version might be like, check out the performance of the Nextbase 222.

Night performance – cabin lens

When it comes to night time, there’s a big difference with how the cabin camera acts. Instead of recording normally, it switches to black and white footage. The good news is that this means it’s better at picking up finer details. The bad news is that it makes me look even scarier than usual…

Extra Features

The Nextbase iQ is so much more than just a camera though. In fact, it’s one of the most feature-packed dash cams ever built. From launch, it’s got enough kit to make it a class-leader, but what’s scheduled for post-launch updates is set to make it downright revolutionary.

Witness Mode

Earlier on I mentioned that iQ owners had a few options when it came to protecting themselves and their vehicle. Well, one of those options comes in the form of Witness Mode. This is activated by voice, and when triggered, will livestream and save the next 30 minutes of events. If you have emergency contacts saved, those contacts will receive notifications and a link to watch the stream of footage. So, if you find yourself in a distress situation, you’ll be able to broadcast your predicament to those closest to you so that they can send/offer help. If you need to look back at the footage at a later date, perhaps to show to the authorities, then you can download Witness Mode videos from the cloud.

Alternatively, you can manually upload clips to Nextbase’s safety portal once your journey is over. This is an online hub monitored by police, where people can post footage of dangerous drivers. Nextbase claims that of the 600,000 videos submitted thus far, roughly half have resulted in the offending driver receiving a warning or prosecution.

Emergency SOS

However, what if the worst happens and you aren’t physically able to trigger something like Witness Mode? Well, that’s where the Nextbase iQ’s SOS system comes into play. If iQ detects a big impact and then you don’t respond to its prompts after a reasonable amount of time, it’ll automatically contact the emergency services. Plus, as iQ is enhanced by What3Words, it’ll be able to report incredibly accurate location data. Though, you’ll have to forgive me for deciding against testing this function first-hand…

Making adjustments to the sensitivity of Nextbase’s parking radar is super easy.

Smart Sense Parking

Smart sense parking is my favorite iteration of ‘parking mode’ that I’ve come across so far, and that’s across all the main brands of dash cam. The way it works is through radar, and if iQ detects a person or vehicle getting quite close, it’ll wake up the dash cam to record footage of any impending event. You’ll also get a notification at this time, allowing you to livestream what the dash cam is seeing via the Nextbase iQ smartphone app.

Crucially, there’s a good level of adjustability to this feature too. Depending on where you park your car, it may have people or vehicles pass it by quite frequently, at close proximity. Naturally, it’d be extremely annoying if you were notified every time this happened, but fortunately you can tailor the radar’s sensitivity in the iQ app through a neat graphic tool. This allows you to adjust the sensitivity of each side of the car independently. This is ideal for me, as my car is street-parked. That means I only need the radar to pick up when something or someone is at extremely close proximity, and handily, I was able to modify it to do exactly that.

Another cool feature that you can activate from the smartphone app is an alarm. It isn’t particularly noticeable from outside the car, but it certainly gets your attention when you’re in it. So, if you get notified of an intruder, triggering that alarm could be a handy deterrent, especially in tandem with the intimidating red LED ring that circles the iQ when in parking mode.

Future Features

From a technological point of view, the future is exciting for Nextbase iQ owners. A flurry of additional functions are in the pipeline, and it should transform the iQ into a dash cam like no other. Here’s what’s going to be on offer:

Guardian Mode

Does your car often get driven by someone else? Perhaps a partner, your child, or even valets? Well, in Guardian Mode, the Nextbase iQ will allow you to set certain parameters relating to driving behavior, which if violated, will spark a notification on your phone. So, if somebody is driving too fast, braking too harshly, or travelling beyond a prescribed location, you can intervene on the spot and talk directly to whoever is behind the wheel.

Roadwatch AI

To me, the most exciting upcoming feature is Roadwatch AI. This is real sci-fi stuff. Essentially, the Nextbase iQ will map the speed and direction of travel of other vehicles that you encounter on the road. Then, if you end up having an accident, iQ will create an encrypted incident report, modelling what happened. The report will include video, graphical figures and a timeline. So, if you ever need to prove your innocence, this will act as the ultimate tool. In fact, Nextbase is already in discussions with insurance providers about lowered premiums for iQ users.

Driver/Vehicle Awareness Systems

Awareness systems are relatively commonplace in new cars, but if you drive something older like I do, Nextbase iQ will offer some of the guidance that many OEMs have now started providing.

Specifically, if the cabin camera detects that you’re getting drowsy behind the wheel, you’ll hear a tone designed to alert you. Plus, if the iQ’s radar system detects something in the road that you don’t seem to be reacting to, that’ll also trigger a warning tone. The key with features like this is to not be too overbearing. If the system is too sensitive and the tones trigger too frequently, that’ll quickly become an annoyance that people switch off. Instead, you want to make sure that those warnings only sound when they’re really needed, which is a fine balance to achieve. Time will tell if Nextbase has got it right.

Subscription Levels

If you’ve been waiting for a catch, this might be it. To experience the full capabilities of Nextbase iQ, you’ll need to pay a subscription fee. There are three different tiers to consider, each with varying levels of usefulness. I’ve put all the key points into a comparison below, which should help you to decipher which service is right for you.

Solo – FREE

• Nextbase iQ app
• Voice Control
• Real-Time Notifications

Protect – $9.99 / £6.99 (per month)

Conclusion

The Nextbase iQ is a fantastic product. It offers levels of security and evidence tracking that other traditional dash cams simply cannot match, not to mention picture quality that places it right at the top of the tree. Compared to everything else on the market, this dash cam really does feel like a new standard-setter in terms of its depth of functionality. It’s a good camera, but more than that, it’s a good security device.

The only hitch is that subscription service. Once the monthly payments start to add up, the expense becomes quite considerable on top of what was, in my opinion, quite a reasonable retail price. For example, if you pay for Protect Plus on a 4K iQ for a year, it’ll cost you almost a thousand dollars altogether. For most people though, the mid-tier Protect subscription fee will suffice. Even still, that initial 4K purchase plus a year of use will set you back $819.97 / £532.88 (discounting promotional offers). That’s strong money, but if you’re serious about protecting yourself, your car, and your passengers, it could be money well spent.

The post Nextbase iQ Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

While most name-brand tool companies offer some version of a ratcheting wrench set, GearWrench specializes in this mechanism and offers a number of different varieties. One of my favorite professional-level tool sets is the 14-wrench reversible 90-tooth (90T) set. This packaged set offers top-quality ratcheting wrenches from 1/4 to 1-inch, and offers the ability to reverse the direction of the ratcheting box end by flipping a switch, like a socket wrench. As an added benefit, this set of wrenches comes in a convenient tool roll suitable for mobile use, with labeled pockets for each wrench so you will know right away if you have misplaced a wrench.

RRP: $185, buy now. £120, buy now.

How I tested the GearWrench 90-point Reversible Wrench Set

Naturally, anyone who is testing wrenches should have automotive experience in doing so. As someone who grew up in a racing family, I’ve been in and around motor vehicles my whole life. I’ve been a motoring journalist since 2002, writing mainly in the Portland Tribune Newspaper, but also as an Editor of numerous other magazines. I tested this wrench set in my own workshop, where I’ve worked on a number of vehicles over the years with tools I’ve been using for some 20 or so years.

To test the GearWrench reversible wrench set, I first set used a set of feeler gauges to observe the fit on regular nut and bolt heads. I then set about tightening a series of standard SAE fasteners. Initially, this was to the recommended torque and then above.

Next up was a flex and slip test. To perform the slip test, I overtightened the fasteners by around 25% before leaning on the wrenches until the fasteners come loose. This tested the amount of force used before the wrench slipped. Repeating the test, I then looked for flex in the wrench.

Testing the wrench set

The 90-tooth part of the product is critical. This means that the ratcheting gear inside the box end has 90 teeth, allowing a swing of just 4 degrees to “click” and allow you to make progress with the fastener. Less expensive GearWrench sets have 72-tooth gears, and we don’t think those are suitable for professional or serious automotive use.

On the open end of these wrenches, there’s another difference compared to the less expensive 72-tooth models (read Jeff’s review here). There are ridges in the open end jaws that help the wrench latch on to the bolt, reducing the chance of slippage. The 90T reversible set is also made to a tighter tolerance, just 0.010 inches or 1/4 of a millimeter, and this gives the 90T reversible wrenches a more confident feeling on any fastener, but especially a fastener that is beat up, dirty, or rusty.

A set of GearWrenches is an essential additional set of tools, not a substitute for a good set of basic combination wrenches. If you really need to put extreme torque on a fastener to break it loose, common sense dictates not using a GearWrench because there is a limit to how strong that gear can be, and most of us want our tools to last. Use a high-quality box-end wrench or impact socket for those jobs.

GearWrench 90-point Reversible Wrench Set Verdict

Another point to make very clear is that all brands of ratcheting wrench are most certainly not the same. Whether you buy GearWrench or another quality brand, you want to avoid the lower-cost ratcheting wrench brands that cannot offer the same quality of manufacturing at a lower price. The consequences of having a ratcheting wrench break while you’re working can be injury. At $12.85 (£10.50) per wrench, it makes little sense to go cheap on your ratcheting wrenches, when you could be working with GearWrench, which I consider the best professional-grade ratcheting wrenches.

Tech Spec:

• Open-end fastener gap: 0.010 inches/0.25mm
• Reversible direction ratcheting box end and open end wrench set
• Extended length
• Lifetime warranty
• Polished finish, no color/highlight
• RRP: $185, buy now. £120, buy now.

The post GearWrench 90-point Reversible Wrench Set Review appeared first on Fast Car.

Key Engineering

RUPES has been in the car polishing game for many years now, so what’s new with this new piece? Well, quite a bit actually.

Starting at the head of the machine, there’s a new eccentric set which has been redesigned with ergonomics in mind. RUPES claim that the new set is more compact than the previous design, as well as more easily maneuverable. Comfort is a big deal too, and this promises to transmit less vibration through to your hand, ensuring a smoother working process. The anti-spinning ring is new too, and is intended to reduce the amount of friction and heat involved.

The final major new addition to the polisher setup is the gear technology. The RUPES BigFoot iBrid polisher has new PolyFiber gears which reduce noise and vibration, the latter of which will help you to keep a steady hand when polishing your car.

Power & Battery

The 18V battery system in this polisher has a 5 Ah capacity and should last for 40 minutes of continuous operation at full power. However, when the machine does eventually conk out, there’s no element of surprise. This is thanks to the LEDs that run down the side of the machine, which will blink slowly when you’re running low. Alternatively, rapid flashing means the polisher is experiencing an overload.

Backing Pads

There are two ‘trim levels’ of this new polisher, defined by the size of backing plate that would be compatible. The HLR21 model accepts pads up to 150mm, whereas the HLR15 can only handle 125mm pads. The orbit of those pads is also different – 21mm for the HLR21, and 15mm for the HLR15.

The backing pads themselves are new for the RUPES BigFoot iBrid too. The new designs have a lower center of gravity for better stability, as well as new rubber border protection to help keep your car’s body panels safe.

The post RUPES BigFoot iBrid Polisher Debuts At SEMA appeared first on Fast Car.

What was needed was a tool that combined the ratcheting action of a socket with the small-space accessibility and bolt pass-through nature of a box-end wrench. Various makers have offered versions of this functionality for decades, but GearWrench has advanced the state of the art in ratcheting wrenches, and they are a leading supplier today.

Price: $80 (£65) for a 10-piece wrench set in common SAE and Metric sizes, buy now.

How I tested the GearWrench 72-point ratcheting wrench set

Tested as part of a group test, the GearWrench 72-point ratcheting wrench set was subjected to a slip-test and a visual flex test. First, however, I tested their fit on standard nut and bolt heads by using a feeler gauge. I then tightened each standard SAE fastener to the recommended torque and slightly above to mirror real-world conditions when testing.

For the slip-test, I overtightened the fasteners to 25% above the recommended torque figure. I then leant on the wrench to loosen the fastener and checked for slip. I repeated the process and this time checked for flex.

Testing the GearWrench 72-point wrench set

The most affordable sets of GearWrenches are what’s called the 72-tooth design. As you might expect, this means the gears that allow the wrenches to ratchet and hold have 72 teeth. This allows the wrench to swing just 5 degrees before the gear clicks at least one tooth and you can make progress on your fastener in a tight space. On these basic GearWrenches, the ratcheting mechanism works in only one direction. This is not a problem – you can flip the wrench over to tighten or loosen a fastener as necessary. One nice feature is that the wrench set we tested comes with its own plastic storage tray, which will fit nicely in your toolchest’s wrench drawer.

The open-end wrench end of a GearWrench is just a wrench. There’s no mechanism there. On the basic 72-tooth models, the open-end offers smooth jaws, and a comparatively large clearance of 0.013 inches (1/3 of a millimeter – we’re not talking about a lot of space) when measured on a standard size nut or bolt head. The open-end is a decent wrench, but does not inspire great confidence, especially on worn or previously rounded fasteners. That’s where the extra gap will lead to slipping.

Similarly, the ratcheting box end of a 72-tooth GearWrench is useful for light duty but did not perform well on our torque test. If you really press hard on a 72-tooth GearWrench, the ratcheting mechanism will stick just a little. If you flip the wrench and apply pressure in the opposite direction, it quickly releases. It’s not clear how long the wrench will last if you routinely subject it to overtightened or rusty fasteners that don’t want to release easily. The ratcheting mechanism also feels a little loose on these, with more wobble than we’d like.

Verdict

At $8 or £6.50 per wrench, the GearWrench 72-tooth set is not a bad choice for light household use such as assembling or tightening furniture, but we wouldn’t use it in an automotive setting where wrenches are subject to harder use. Luckily, GearWrench also offers better models for just a little more money, and we have reviewed those as well.

Tech Spec:

• Open-end fastener gap: 0.013 inches/0.33mm
• Single direction ratcheting box end and open end wrench set
• Standard length
• Lifetime warranty
• Polished finish, no color/highlight
• RRP: $80 (£65), buy now.

The post GearWrench 72-point Ratcheting Wrench Set Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $120 (£99) for an 11-wrench set in SAE or Metric sizes, buy now.

How was the Milwaukee Wrench Set Tested

The Milwaukee Wrench Set was tested as part of a group test to determine the best wrench set on the market in 2023. As such, all of the tools were tested in exactly the same way.

First, I tightened a set of standard SAE fasteners to the recommended torque and above to test each wrench under real-world conditions. I used a set of feeler gauges to determine their fit on nut and bolt heads. Then, performed a slip-test to see if the wrenches are likely to slip off a used fastener.

For the slip test, it involved overtightening fasteners to around 25% above the recommended torque. Using the wrench on the fastener, I then leant on each wrench until it became loose. I repeated the process again to then watch for flex on the wrench.

Initial thoughts

From the moment I opened the package, the Milwaukee tool set stood out from the crowd. For starters, the wrenches have an I-beam shape forged into them, and they’re extended length for great leverage. The finish on the Milwaukee tools is smooth and feels good in your hand. Because of the I-shaped design to the handle, the Milwaukee tool is lighter weight than the Klein, for example.

The 11-piece kit offers sizes from 1/4 through 7/8-inch, and while we would have preferred a 12-piece kit with a 13/16 option, this is a good assortment. If you really want the full set, Milwaukee offers a 15-wrench set that includes 13/16, 15/16, and 1-inch at the big end, and 9/32 and 11/32 at the small end. If you shop around, that set can be found at the same $120 price point as the 11-piece.

There’s also an 11-piece and 15-piece metric option, and those retail at the same price. The 15-piece metric set includes sizes from 8mm up to 22mm, which is handy for big jobs on any car that uses metric fasteners. The 15-piece set also includes the sometimes hard-to-find 16mm and 18mm sizes.

Testing the Milwaukee Wrenches

One feature I particularly liked about the Milwaukee wrenches is the paint in the size designation stampings. This makes the size of the wrench easy to read, and the SAE sizes are painted in red while the metric sizes are inked in black. Then, the metric set comes with a black plastic sorting tray, and the SAE set comes in a red tray. But wait, the trays are not the same. The trays are made in opposite orientation so that they fit neatly together in a standard full-size toolchest drawer. You can put all your SAE and metric wrenches in an orderly professional drawer, and that shows attention to detail.

On the box end, the Milwaukee wrenches use a splined design, and that’s good for applying torque to fasteners without rounding the heads. On the open end, they have what Milwaukee calls “Max Bite” design, which puts some shape in the corners and ridges along the jaws to grab ahold of the nuts on the flats and the corners. The shape allows the Milwaukee wrenches to work with an easy-fit 0.013-in tolerance (0.33mm) and still avoid slipping or rounding.

Milwaukee Wrench Set Verdict

The 11-piece wrench set I tested works out to just under $11 (£9) per wrench, but the 15-piece sets at the same price are definitely the options you want at $8 (£6.50) per wrench. For all these reasons and their great value, the Milwaukee Tools wrench set got our top ranking in the Best Wrench Set test, and the sample set will remain in our toolbox.

Milwaukee 11-piece Wrench Set Tech Spec:

• Open-end fastener gap: 0.013 inches/0.33mm
• Enhanced combination open/box end wrench set
• Extended length
• Lifetime warranty
• Mirror bright finish, color-coded size designations

The post Milwaukee 11-Piece Wrench Set Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $299.00 / £269.00

How we tested the product

Whenever conducting these tests, I always aim to offer as much of a window into what it’s like to own one of these devices within the time I have available. That means going through the installation process as well as analyzing how the camera actually performs in different scenarios. So, hopefully by the end of this review you’ll feel as though you’ve got a well-rounded idea of all the key strengths and weaknesses to be aware of.

What qualifies me for that job? Well, while writing for Fast Car I’ve gained experience with most of the major dash cam brands on the market, which means I can reflect on how they stack up against each other. And that can only be a good thing.

What’s in the box?

It’s all as expected inside the X1000’s box. You get two cameras – the large one is the front camera, the smaller one is for the rear. Handily, a cable to connect the two is also supplied, as is a memory card (which is a welcome rarity compared to rival brands). You can choose from either a 12V car port cable or a hardwiring kit to power your X1000, and in this instance we’ve got the hardwiring kit. An OBD2 power cable is also available at extra cost, but due to the less invasive nature of that OBD2 lead, I’ll be using that for the purpose of this test.

Elsewhere, you’ll find an adhesive mounting package and a short booklet of quick-start instructions. You can find a more comprehensive version online though, if need be.

Tech Specs (front & rear):

• Resolution:1440p @ 30fps
• Field of View: 156 degrees
• Extra Features: Parking mode-ready, driver assistance.

Mounting the camera

The good news for me was that the Thinkware X1000 shares the same mounting system with the Thinkware F70. That meant that as I had already installed the F70 previously, I could simply take the X1000 and slide it into position. Lovely. It also meant that I didn’t have to endure the adhesive nightmare that comes with sticking the mount to the windscreen. If you want to hear more about that, be sure to check out my review of the F70.

However, in your case, you probably wouldn’t have a pre-existing Thinkware mount ready and waiting in your car. And if you do, I have many questions. So, if you were starting from scratch, what you’d need to do is first remove the stubborn protective film on the mount back plate, and then place it somewhere high up and central on your windscreen (such as behind your rearview mirror, as I have done). This will not only give your camera lens the best vantage point, but also ensure that the camera itself doesn’t inhibit your own field of view.

Rear camera positioning

Ok, so you’ve sorted the front-facing camera, now you need to turn your attention to the rear one. This little fella is a much simpler being – it’s tiny and there’s no slide-on mounting clip, it’s just a case of pressing its adhesive strip onto the glass until it sticks.

As for location, you’re going to want to adhere to the same rules as the front camera. Aim for somewhere high up and central for the best view. That said, make sure that the lens’ view isn’t distorted by any sun strips that your car has on its rear window, otherwise half your video recording will just be a murky smudge. And that’s no good, is it?

To get the ideal placement, it’s always easier to use reference points as a guide. For example, my car’s rear wing has a central mounting point, so all I needed to do was roughly line the camera up with that (though in hindsight, it isn’t fully straight, so apologies to any of you with OCD). You can also pivot the body of the camera to different angles to adjust the direction that the lens is pointing.

Power & wiring

Now here’s the potentially troublesome bit when it comes to installing a dual camera setup – the wiring. Actually linking the two cameras is easy – you simply plug the rear camera into a DC jack, which then inserts into the front camera. This way, the rear cam can piggyback off of the front device’s battery and storage reserves. What it does mean, however, is that your car becomes rather entangled in cables, especially once you connect the front camera to a power source. In this case, it’s wired up to the OBD2 port.

Therefore, if you were installing a dual cam setup into your car for an intended long-term period of use, you’d absolutely have to tidy these wires away. For one, they’re a safety hazard, but they’re also a total ergonomic nuisance and an eyesore. As such, you’ll need to find creative ways of securely tucking the front power cable behind dashboard and pillar trim, while the cable hooked up to the rear camera will most likely need to be fed through your car’s headliner. You can get professionals to do this for you if you’re not keen on tearing your car’s interior apart by yourself.

Front daytime image quality

Once I got the cameras set up, the natural next step was to take my car out for a drive and find out what the picture quality is like. So, here are a few clips which give you an idea about what to expect. Before we get into that though, it’s worth me pointing out that although the camera records in 1440p at 30fps, you might not quite get that resolution here due to file compression. But it should be close.

The first thing to tell you about is the field of view, which at 156 degrees is 16 degrees wider than average for a dash cam. That means you get a slightly better peripheral view. Overall, the X1000 performs well. Its original recordings are crisp and clear (slightly less grainy than what you might be seeing on this page) and the color palettes are reasonably accurate too. The day I took this footage was quite dreary, so it’s hard to give you a full representation of that. Crucially, when you go searching for the finer details like small signposts or vehicle registration plates, the text is easy to read.

One thing that did disappoint me, however, is the lack of GPS as standard. You can add it on at extra cost, but for a dash cam at this price point, it’s a real shame that it’s not included in the base package. After all, GPS data to do with location and speed can be vital in the court of law.

Rear daytime image quality

Despite being smaller in stature, the rear dash cam is technologically equal to the front device in regards to resolution and field of view. As such, it performs equally well, as you can see above.

Front night image quality

As usual when talking about picture quality in the dark, I have to caveat this with a simple fact about cameras. And that is that they won’t work quite as well at night as in day – there’s less light available to them, so it’s only natural. However, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Thinkware X1000’s night time performance. It has some in-built tech which Thinkware calls Super Night Vision, and honestly I can see the difference.

The biggest plus point is the relative lack of glare. There is still a little bit, but if you search through some of my other dash cam reviews, you’ll see that it’s nothing in comparison to some other devices. So that’s great. What’s not so great is the prominence of interior reflections and the lack of fine detail – even the large road signs in this clip aren’t legible. However, those two things are something which pretty much every dash cam struggles with at night, so I can’t criticize it for that too much.

Rear night image quality

Again, expect similar things from the rear camera, but as an example have a look at the clip above. Do bear in mind that the weather was rather frosty, so apologies for the excess condensation on the glass.

Extra Features

As well as simple video recording, the Thinkware X1000 has a few extra features up its sleeve. The G sensor is an important one, as this forms the foundation of the camera’s parking mode. Essentially, when the car is parked and switched off, the camera will lay dormant (if you power it via an OBD2 lead or hardwiring kit), waiting for an impact. If/when it senses that impact, it’ll spring into life to catch the culprit red-handed. On top of that, the G sensor also operates as you’re driving. This is to detect if you’ve had a crash and thus store the footage safely. However, as you’ll see from the clip above, it doesn’t take much to trigger the sensor…

The bump I drive over just before the bridge isn’t exactly massive. And sure, my car has a slightly harsh ride at the moment, but it’s not like I’m running a track-focused spring and damper setup – this is the stock suspension, it’s just a bit worn from age. As you can imagine, the frequent beeping does get a little tiresome, and it’s not ideal to be clogging up file storage this way. Fortunately, you can change the sensor’s sensitivity in the settings, which unless you drive a Rolls-Royce, I’d highly recommend doing.

The camera also comes with driver assist features like lane & vehicle departure warnings, which might be useful if you’re a new or nervous driver. But for 90% of people on the road, they’ll just feel a bit unnecessary.

Verdict

So, does the Thinkware X1000 package get my recommendation? Yeah, it absolutely does. I really like the fact that the camera quality is pretty much equal at both the front and rear – that’s not always a given with dual cam setups. Plus, its performance at night was a positive surprise. Match that with good daytime picture quality, and you’re on to a winner. Of course, there are downsides. I’m not the biggest fan of the mounting process, and it’s a shame that you have to spend extra to get GPS capabilities for a camera with a punchy retail price as it is. The G sensor can be annoying, but it’s better to have to turn it down a notch rather than be left with a sensor that isn’t responsive enough instead. The core ingredients of the X1000 are good, and as such, I can forgive it those setbacks.

The post Thinkware X1000 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $89.99 / £99.00

How we tested the product

It’s always important to get a holistic view of what it’s like to own each dash cam that I test. For that reason, I’ll be taking you through the whole ownership process – installation, operation, and showing you what sort of image quality you can expect at both day and night. Along the way, I’ll point out the good and bad that you only get to see when handling the dash cam first-hand.

I’ve done quite a number of these dash cam tests for Fast Car now, so I’m well-placed to advise you on how different brands of dash cam stack up against each other. What’s more, I’m an enthusiastic driver, so I’ve got a good idea about which details are important for a dash cam to pick up.

What’s in the box?

As ever, I’ll begin by guiding you through what comes in the box. Naturally, the camera itself is the centerpiece, but you also get Thinkware’s adhesive mounting system, a microSD card (which is quite rare to get included!) and a quick-start guide. The full manual is online. There are also adhesive clips designed to help you tuck the dash cam’s cables into place after installation, and you also get a spare adhesive pad for the mount. When purchasing your F70 online, you’ll get the choice of either a 12V car charger or hardwiring kit as its primary power source. However, an OBD2 power lead is also available at extra cost, and although in this case Thinkware supplied us with the hardwiring kit, I also have access to the OBD2 lead – so that’s what I’ll be using in this test.

Tech Specs:

• Resolution: 1080p at 30fps
• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Extra Features: G-sensor, parking mode-ready, vehicle departure warning

Thinkware camera mounts

I have a love-hate relationship with the mounting system that Thinkware uses in the F70 and X1000’s design. The slide-on mechanism to attach the camera to the mount is perfectly simple and effective, but adhering the mount to the windscreen is something which Thinkware devices always frustrate me with. The reason being is that they use a type of 3M adhesive which has a protective film that is anything but easy-peel. Admittedly, my nails are practically non-existent, but even still, it’s an oddly arduous task.

After 5 minutes of trying and failing to peel the darn film off, I eventually conceded defeat and used a scraper blade to get the job done. Maybe it’s just me, but across the board, Thinkware dash cams always end up being the least straight-forward to mount. It’s a small, quite specific gripe, but one which can make the installation process that little bit more frustrating and time-consuming.

Positioning the camera

Once you’re able, it’s a good idea to position the camera high up and central on the inside of your car’s windscreen. That way, you’ll get the best footage, and the camera will cause the least amount of distraction. In fact, if you hide it behind the rearview mirror it won’t cause any distraction at all. This is especially true of the Thinkware F70 thanks to its slim, discreet design. When placing the mount, you might also want to take note of the fact that the F70’s lens is located to the side of the camera’s body. As such, if you want a perfectly central viewpoint, it may be worth offsetting the mount’s position a little.

Connecting to power

As mentioned earlier, you can power the F70 by either connecting it to your car’s 12V charge port, or hardwiring it into the car’s electronic system. The third option is to use and OBD2 power cable (as shown above), which is a costlier – but much less invasive – way of achieving the same constant power objective as the hardwiring kit. This means that not only will the camera be operational when the car’s engine is running, but it’ll also be lying dormant in parking mode when you’re away from the car. In this scenario the in-built G sensor will wake the camera up when it identifies an impact. More on that later…

Daytime image quality

Right then, with everything set up, the next stage of the test involved getting out on the road and assessing the quality of the recordings that the camera picked up. I should mention that the F70 was tested in its default settings, meaning a resolution of 1080p at 30fps, with a 140-degree viewing angle. At a glance, I’m sure you’ll agree that the image quality is perfectly reasonable. The picture is crisp enough and all the fine details like vehicle license plates and facial features are legible when you pause the video.

What it does lack though, is GPS. You can enhance your F70 with a GPS add-on, but at its core, it doesn’t have that tech built-in. As such, its recordings aren’t accompanied by location and speed data as standard. That might be a bit of a blow in the event of a legal case, but isn’t totally out of the ordinary for entry-level dash cams.

Night image quality

As with every camera, night time presents a much more difficult set of conditions for the Thinkware F70. However, it still does a pretty decent job. When casually viewing, it picks up a lot of the larger details, and captures the finer ones too if there’s minimal motion involved. However, it’s when you start actively looking at the reg plates of other cars, or signposts, when you realize that actually the picture isn’t quite so clear. But, no matter how much money you spend on a dash cam, you’re likely to encounter that problem.

Glare is another prominent issue with night time recording, and it’s definitely present here. Although not a dealbreaker, the glare (and interior reflection, for that matter) is exacerbated by the F70’s lack of polarizing lens filter. Again though, that’s sort of tech isn’t found on its rivals at this price point either. So, overall, while you can pick holes in its performance, the F70 is roughly on par with its nearest competitors.

Impact Detection and Parking Mode

As far as additional features go, the Thinkware F70 is quite a simple device. Again, it’s an entry-level product, so literally anything is a bonus. One thing that it does have up its sleeve though is a G sensor. This bit of tech helps the camera to identify impacts, and when that happens, it stores a recording of that moment in a separate folder. As you’d expect, this feature is operational when you’re driving about, but it also forms the basis of ‘parking mode’. As explained earlier, this is the camera’s dormant state which allows it to capture incidents upon impact when you’re away from the car. In its default settings though, there is a bit of a catch…

See, while using the F70, I found the G sensor to be overly sensitive. In the clip above, you can hear it beep as I go over a speed bump at a reasonable speed. But even when travelling over much less severe bumps, it’ll occasionally trigger when you’re travelling at motorway speeds. Now, for context, my car’s suspension isn’t exactly the softest. But it’s not hardcore, it’s just a worn stock setup from 2005. To me, that shouldn’t be enough to trigger an impact detection. It’s not the end of the world though, as you can lessen the sensitivity in the settings. Plus, it does at least give me an easy way to demonstrate the effectiveness of how the G sensor would work in parking mode.

Verdict

So, the Thinkware F70. Put simply, it’s a no-nonsense dash cam that just focuses on the basics, and to be honest I quite like that. I often find all the added extra features and functions of high-end dash cams to be a little gimmicky. It records decent footage at daytime and night and has a pleasingly discreet, slimline design. The mounting process is probably my biggest personal grievance, though maybe you’d have better luck with it. It’s a shame that GPS is absent too. Plus, while that G sensor is very oversensitive out of the box, it’s better to have that and turn it down a notch, rather than have a sensor which is oblivious to everything. The retail price is competitive, but not a bargain per se.

If you’re after a ‘my first dashcam’, then I’d recommend this one as it’s a good introduction to the market. However, more seasoned dash cam users should probably look elsewhere.

The post Thinkware F70 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

RRP: $399.99 / £269.00

How we tested the product

To get the best idea of what the 622GW is capable of, I went through every element of ownership to try and get a glimpse of what it’d be like to have the camera installed in my car permanently. That means going through the installation process, trying out all the features, and testing it at both day and night. For added insight, I also sourced one of Nextbase’s rear cameras to connect to the 622GW.

It’s also worth noting that I’ve got a good number of years of road experience under my belt, so I understand when a dash cam might be useful. As such, when we talk through the results of the footage later, I’ll attempt to pick out the small details which could matter most.

What’s in the box?

Just like the Nextbase 222, the first thing that the 622GW’s box greets you with is a window decal, reading, “WARNING – Protected by Nextbase Dash Cams”. It’s not to my taste, but you may view it as useful visual deterrent against thieves or road-ragers. There’s a quick-start guide as well, which includes the link to the full online user’s manual, should you need it. A bit of foreshadowing, there…

Elsewhere inside the box, you’ll find the camera neatly partitioned from its accessories. In this instance, Nextbase supplied me with a cool bronze-colored camera (which is either very rare, or very new), but you can also buy the 622GW in a more traditional black/grey if that’s not to your liking. The accessories contained within the box consist of a ‘Click&Go PRO’ mounting point, a 12V car power lead, and a trim tool to help with cable tucking. There’s a USB cable for initial camera charging too, and a spare adhesive back plate for the mount. Importantly, there’s no microSD card though – you’ll need to buy that separately.

Normally, the rear window camera is sold separately too, but the folks at Nextbase kindly threw it in with the 622GW for me to review. Inside that box, you’ll find the camera itself (with adhesive mount) and a connecting cable to link it up to the 622GW.

Nextbase 622GW Tech Specs:

• Resolution: 4K at 30fps, 1440p at 60fps, 1080p at 120fps
• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Extra Features: In-built Polarizing Filter, Alexa, What3Words, National Safety Portal, and much more…

Nextbase Rear Window Camera Tech Specs:

• Resolution: 1080p at 30fps
• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Extra Features: 6m-long connecting cable
• Compatible with: 322GW, 422GW, 522GW, 622GW

Positioning the camera

Right then, with the introductions out of the way, it’s time to get onto the next phase: installation. Happily, the Nextbase 622GW is a doddle to fit into your car. That Click&Go PRO mount is a brilliant bit of design that makes connecting and disconnecting the camera to the mount so easy that you can do it one-handed. That makes a nice change because honestly that part of the process is usually a bit of a faff. Whereas here, you don’t have to worry about being too forceful or not forceful enough – the magnets are strong enough to do most of the work for you.

As for the actual positioning of the mount and camera, you want to aim for a location that’s high up and central on the inside of your windscreen. For example, I chose a spot behind my car’s rearview mirror as you can see above. This not only stops the camera from distorting your field of view as a driver, but also allows the camera to pick up a wide spread of focus out the front of the car.

One thing that’s worth noting with these Nextbase dash cams, however, is the fact that the mounting point is to the side of the camera lens. As such, if you position your mount perfectly centrally, the lens itself will be off-center. That’s something to take into consideration when attaching the mount to your windscreen. The camera itself can also pivot on the mount, allowing you to line up its field of view exactly how you want.

Rear camera fitment

RRP: $69.99 / £69.00

Now that the front camera is sorted, it’s time to move onto the rear camera. The same best practice applies here – aim for a spot that’s high up and central to get the best view. Be careful not to have the lens’ view distorted by any sun strips your car might have though.

In my case, it was fairly easy to pick out the right location as my car’s rear wing has a central mount. As a result, all I had to do was more or less line the camera up with that wing mount. The camera itself is very straightforward to adhere to the glass thanks to its potent adhesive back plate.

Wiring it all up

So, you’ve got your two cameras nicely positioned at either end of your car, but now you need to connect them. Fortunately, that’s easy too. The rear camera jack that you can see in the prior picture links up with a 6m-long cable which then plugs directly into the side of the Nextbase 622GW. Great, but now you’ve got one long cable running down the length of your car. And that’s even before you consider powering it all. For that, you need to take the supplied 12V car charger, plug it into your car’s port, and then make the connection with the 622GW’s mount. Again, an easy enough task, but one that leaves you with a long floating cable.

As such, if this was to be a permanent setup in your car, you’d need to get creative with how you tucked those cables away. The power lead can hide behind dash and pillar trim, but the rear cam cable will need to go through either your car’s headliner or its carpet. And I’ll be honest, that’s a fairly big job. Since these cameras would spend a maximum of a few days in my car, you’ll have to forgive me for leaving it all untidy and loose. You definitely shouldn’t copy my actions if you actually buy these though.

Daytime Front Camera Performance

It’s time to hit the road! Once the cameras were all set up, the next step was naturally to test their performance. So that’s exactly what I did. Unfortunately, on the day of testing, the weather wasn’t on my side. Instead of some nice sunny views, I’m afraid it’s all a bit grey and depressing. In a way though, that’s quite a good way of testing the camera’s ability to pick up details in dodgy conditions. After all, it’s never sunshine and roses all year round.

The Nextbase 622GW performs really well in these conditions, so much so that I wish I did have some more vivid 4K footage to show you. From an analytical perspective, all the important fine details are easily readable, if not while the video is playing then certainly when it’s paused. Stuff like vehicle license plates, street signs, and even identifiable features of the person waiting to cross the street are captured. It goes without saying that this not only makes for a great recreational dash cam, but could also prove highly useful in the event of legal case.

Daytime Rear Camera Performance

The Nextbase Rear Window Camera isn’t as powerful as the 622GW, so naturally it lacks some of the ultimate definition of its counterpart. That said, I think you’ll agree that it still picks up all the useful details. It’s a thumbs-up from me on both counts. Plus, as it piggy-backs off the front camera, it shares the 622GW’s GPS data capabilities.

Also, who knew British police had unmarked Volvo XC40s these days? Red ones, at that!

Night Performance

I think the biggest differences between the Nextbase 622GW and its lesser-spec counterparts become most apparent in the dark. Compare the footage above to that of the Nextbase 222 and it’s night and day (pun intended). Sure, there is still some glare, but it’s markedly less intrusive than that which you get with the 222. This is no doubt aided by the fact that the 622GW has a polarizing lens filter built-in, which is designed to reduce glare and interior reflections. Now, admittedly, you do still get a bit of reflection – you can see my car’s head unit screen reflected at the top of the glass, for instance. But overall, it’s nothing compared to the reflections you get in cheaper dash cams.

As for the picture quality itself, it’s really sharp at a glance, especially when looking at well lit stationary details like the Audi in front. But, it does still fall foul of the age-old night video problems. Once you start honing in on the small things like passing registration plates, you really have to strain to make sense of any of the letters. Most of the time its ineligible. But it’s unfair to criticize the 622GW for that, because frankly every dash cam has the same problem.

The rear camera has the same issues, but being a less powerful device, those issues are a little more exacerbated.

How can I view my footage?

There’s a few ways you can view the footage that your Nextbase 622GW captures. The first is simply by taking the SD card and using the adapter to insert it into your laptop/PC. From there, you can view the recordings on your desktop, which is what I did primarily. However, here’s the kicker. When I went to access those video recording files, all that was available was the final minute of footage before I turned the camera off, translated into front and rear perspectives, plus high definition versions and low definition versions. Evidently, this is pretty odd – and pretty useless from an ownership perspective. And I’m 100% sure that’s not what’s supposed to happen. So, naturally I tried to figure out what was going wrong.

I thought I had found the answer when consulting the user’s manual, which states you need a U3-grade SD card when using a rear camera alongside the front one. But alas, the SD card provided by Nextbase was indeed a U3 one. I then wondered whether I’d have more luck accessing the recordings via Nextbase’s cloud system – which you can visit from the MyNextbase Connect smartphone app. After setting up the app, I consulted the footage archive where, once again, all I could see was a handful of variations of the final minute of video recorded. The app also really struggled to sync with the camera, resulting in tedious waiting times. My next (and final) guess was to attempt to access any additional recordings through the MyNextbase Player app for PC. But again, same result.

Solving the problem

I decided to go out on a second journey to see if the problem might glitch itself away, but sadly that wasn’t the case. I also know it’s not an issue with the available space left on the memory card, because I was able to record additional footage with the Nextbase 222 on the same card!

I’m sure there is an explanation and an easy fix, but in the time I had available, I couldn’t find it. As I say though, Nextbase are a highly reputable brand, and for what it’s worth, I haven’t seen this problem mentioned anywhere else. Perhaps I got unlucky, or perhaps (more likely) I’ve just missed something really obvious in the settings or setup. In the event of this happening to you, I’ve got no doubt that Nextbase’s customer support team would be able to guide you to a resolution. In fact, Nextbase even offers a professional installation service to help avoid problems like this.

Extra features and functions

The Nextbase 622GW is jam-packed full of features. Perhaps more so than any other dash cam I’ve come across. Parking mode is a pretty common feature for a dash cam to have, whereby the in-built G sensor will detect any movement when your car is parked, promptly sparking into life to catch the miscreants that caused that movement. For that to work though, the dash cam needs a constant power source, which in turns mean you’d have to hardwire it into your car’s electronic system. The hardwiring kit you need for that is sold separately, and was not part of this review.

Elsewhere, major headlines include Alexa compatibility. For this to work, you have to link your phone and camera via the MyNextbase Connect app. Once you’re all set up, you can then use Alexa just as you would on other devices. Another really cool feature is What3Words. This is another third-party service built-in, which allows emergency services to locate you within an incredibly precise radius in the event of an emergency. That will work well in tandem with the camera’s automatic SOS function, which calls authorities if no movement is detected after a large G sensor trigger.

One of the more controversial features, meanwhile, is the National Safety Portal. This allows you to upload footage directly to a police-monitored cloud service, should you come into contact with any ‘dangerous’ drivers. Depending on your particular stance, this is either a great way for people to look out for each other, or a stingy way for people to rat each other out.

Verdict

The Nextbase 622GW is a fairly expensive dash cam, but in fairness it does pack a punch in terms of image quality. It’s also considerably more affordable than both Garmin and Thinkware‘s flagships. Installation is as pain-free as a dash cam can be – I love the Click&Go PRO mounts. It’s also got impressive levels of tech, with both Alexa and What3Words standing out as unique compared to the other dash cams I’ve experienced. Of course, it’s impossible to ignore the teething issues I had with file recovery/recording settings. But given more time, I’m confident that it’s an issue I’d have been able to get to the bottom of. As such, I feel that was as much about user error, as it was product failure.

So, would I recommend the Nextbase 622GW with an additional rear camera? Yeah, I think I would. I really do like a lot about this setup, from the way its footage looks, down to the layers of functionality it has stored within it. I reckon if you got yours working as it should, you’d be set for whatever the road can throw at you. There’s not much more I could’ve asked from it.

The post Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How we tested the product

When reviewing the Nextbase 222, I wanted to try and create as much of a comprehensive ownership experience as possible. So, I’ll be letting you know what it’s like to install and operate, what quality of image you can expect, and I’ll also highlight any user grievances I come across along the way.

I’ve been driving for plenty of years now, and I understand the sort of scenarios where a dash cam would be important. So, when I show you the results of the Nextbase 222’s video recordings later on, I’ll guide you through the important details. What’s more, while working for Fast Car, I’ve come into contact with quite a range of dash cams, so I’ll be able to judge how it compares to some of its key rivals.

RRP: $99.99, buy now / £79.99, buy now.

What’s in the box?

Well, this is the first dash cam that’s made me chuckle a bit. The reason being is that when you open the box, the first thing you see is an easy-peel window decal, upon which there’s a little camera icon, joined by the text, “WARNING – Protected by Nextbase Dash Cams”. It’s a fun little freebie which I’ve never seen any other dash cam brand throw into the mix, so I guess it just caught me off guard a little. I suppose it could work as a deterrent against thieves or any vengeful drivers you meet on the road, but personally it’s not the sort of thing I’d put on my own car.

Anyway, it’s the rest of what’s in the box which is most important. Once you dig beneath the decal and quick-start user’s manual (the full one is online), you’ll find the camera itself as well as a 12V power cable, Click&Go PRO mount, and plastic trim tool. There’s also a spare adhesive mount back plate and USB cable, but no microSD memory card. You have to buy that separately. Overall, the packaging is very well presented with the camera neatly segregated from its accessories.

Tech Specs:

• Resolution: 1080p at 30fps, or 720p at 60fps
• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Extra Features: parking mode-ready, photo mode, 2.5-inch HD control screen

Positioning the camera

Positioning the camera and its mount is a relatively straightforward job. You simply remove the protective cover from the mount’s adhesive cover and stick it to your windscreen. When choosing a location, it’s best to go high up and central. This will not only give you a good view of all forward-facing angles, but also reduce the risk of the dash cam interfering with your line of vision. As a result, I like to tuck dash cams behind my car’s rearview mirror.

Once you’ve got the mount in position, fitting the camera in place couldn’t be easier. Nextbase uses a magnetic system, so there’s no need to intricately clip the camera in place or get more adhesive tape involved. You can literally do it one-handed. In fact, the magnets have a real kick to them, which takes you by surprise at first, but is brilliant for ensuring a strong and secure fitment. I have to say, it’s probably my favorite dash cam mounting setup that I’ve come across so far.

One final thing to bear in mind though is the lens offset, which I only clocked after installing the camera. See, the camera lens is to the side of the camera’s mounting point. That means that the lens is just off-center to the left. Fortunately, it’s easy to adjust the camera’s orientation to make up for this (as you’ll hopefully agree when watching the videos below), but for the best results, it may serve you well to keep that lens offset in mind when choosing the exact spot to locate your mount.

Connecting to a power source

To connect the Nextbase 222 to a power source, you’ll need to make use of the supplied 12V car charger. I was surprised to learn that the power cable actually inserts into the mount rather than the camera itself – a relative rarity in design amongst the dash cams that I’ve come across. This makes it easier to quick-release the camera from its mount.

Alternatively, instead of using the 12V charger, you can hardwire the Nextbase 222 into your car’s wiring system. Nextbase’s hardwiring kit is available to purchase separately. Whichever option you choose, if you plan on having this camera in your car for the long term, you’ll need to find a way to hide the connecting cables behind the car’s interior trim. Nextbase supplies a handy trim tool to help you do this, but it might take some creativity on your part.

When you first power the camera up, you’ll need to go through a quick and simple setup routine. This will ask you to select a language and set the time and date; the latter likely because the camera doesn’t have in-built WiFi. In the settings menu, you can then change attributes such as resolution and exposure, as well as toggling audio on or off (there’s also a simple button to do this). You can even change the length of video recording files, and adjust the sensitivity of the inbuilt G sensor. For the purpose of this review though, I’ll be testing the Nextbase 222 on its default settings.

Operation

Once you’re up and running, the camera will automatically switch on and begin recording once it receives power as a result of you turning the ignition on. You can then just let the camera do its thing. Bear in mind though that it’ll eventually run out of storage space, at which point the camera will automatically delete the oldest recordings to make way for new files. So, if you’re using the 16GB Nextbase microSD card, it’s worth backing up any recordings you want to save after every 90 minutes of driving. Double that time period to every 180 minutes for the 32GB microSD, and so on. You can also manually prioritize footage of an event that’s just unfolded in front of you. You can do so by pressing the lower central button beneath the control screen, which will save that specific recording from the camera’s automatic deletion process.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s a photo mode that you can switch to if you want to manually take a still image. Meanwhile, playback mode allows you to look back at video footage or photographs that the camera has stored.

How can I engage parking mode?

Parking mode is your eyes and ears when you’re away from your vehicle. If the camera’s onboard G sensor registers any movement, the camera will kick into life to try and catch any potential culprits of contact red-handed. Unfortunately, you can’t access parking mode while using the simple 12V car charger, as for it to work the camera needs a constant power source. For that reason, parking mode is only accessible if you hardwire the dash cam into your car.

How can I view my footage?

The easiest way to view your footage is to do what I did – take the microSD card, place it in the supplied PC/laptop adaptor and view the recording files directly from your desktop. However, Nextbase also offers free services such as MyNextbasePlayer, which once downloaded, allows you to make a wide range of edits. You can inspect footage frame by frame and even add annotations. So, if you’re faced with a legal situation, or if you’re using your dash cam for social media purposes, it’s well worth looking into. When testing it, I found it simple and intuitive to use. Similarly, Nextbase’s cloud system makes it easy to access and share your recordings online from any device. Unfortunately, the Nextbase 222 is not compatible with Nextbase’s cloud-based smartphone app though.

Daytime Performance

Right, now we’re onto the practical bit. I took my car out for a drive with the Nextbase 222 attached in both daytime and night conditions. These clips are taken from those journeys, and will hopefully give you a realistic idea about what sort of image quality you can expect from the camera.

Let’s start with the daytime recording. As you would expect of a 1080p, 30fps device, the results are very positive. The image is crisp and the color palettes are vibrant. The real test of the image quality is when you start to examine the details with forensic interest. To see what I mean, pretend you’re a detective looking for clues or evidence in the environment. Can you read street signs and shop signs? Or what about the license plate of the grey SUV that emerges from a side road? How about the face of the person who abruptly appears in the road? At full playback speed, these fine details might pass you by. But I find that when you pause the footage, these important aspects become crystal clear. To me, that’s the mark of a good dash cam.

One thing that it does lack, however, is GPS. That means that the footage won’t have any accompanying data about location – or perhaps more importantly, speed.

Night Performance

As for the night performance, well the camera was always going to struggle a bit more. This is the norm for dash cams, or any camera, really. The lack of available light means that those fine details I mentioned above become ineligible 95% of the time, even if you pause the video. Interior reflections also become a larger issue. But again, that’s common for dash cams, especially ones at this price point. The general picture is reasonable enough, but the biggest standout issue was glare. Glare is a common problem at night, but to my eyes at least, this was quite a severe example of it.

For the sake of fairness, it’s also worth pointing out that these conditions weren’t the most optimal. Rain is always a wildcard, hence me setting my windscreen wipers to a rather brisk pace in the hope of maintaining a relatively clear view for the camera. In hindsight, it also becomes clear that my car’s windshield was dirtier than I realized before recording. So, theoretically, could you get better nighttime results than this? Well, yes, I suppose you could. But not to the extent that would be game-changing.

Can I improve the quality of the image?

Yes, you can. You can buy a polarizing filter for the camera lens, which should help to reduce the presence of interior reflections and suppress the amount of glare. You can also try playing about with the exposure settings in the menu.

Verdict

Overall, there’s a lot to like about the Nextbase 222. It has, in my opinion, one of the best mounting systems of all the big-name dash cam brands. Setup is nice and simple, and the daytime video footage is certainly up to scratch. Sure, parking mode is only available if you buy the optional extra hardwiring kit, meaning added expense, but that’s the same with many other dash cams across most brands. The lack of GPS might be a particular gripe for some though, and in standard form, I felt that the nighttime performance of the camera left a lot to be desired, caveats of sub-optimal conditions aside.

So, whether I would recommend this dash cam comes down to what you want to get out of it. If you’re after an entry-level package which simply records good daytime footage, then you can’t go wrong with the Nextbase 222. However, if you’re a more avid dash cam user who wants the best possible coverage for legal defence, or are somebody who spends a lot of time on the road at night, then it might be worth looking elsewhere. Still, the Nextbase 222 is a commendable effort, especially when you consider you can often purchase it for less than the RRP.

The post Nextbase 222 Dash Cam Review appeared first on Fast Car.

This OBDLink MX+ model is their top-of-the-range scanner. It can work on an iPhone with iOS 9 or later, an Android phone (4.4 or later), a Windows 8 phone (or later model) and an Amazon Kindle Fire. There’s also lots of third-party software available to use with this scanner.

So can it delve deep into a car’s ECU? Let’s find out.

RRP: From $139.95 Buy / £129.95 Buy.

How I tested the OBDLink MX+

I had already tested the entry-level OBDLink CX [add link please Matt]. This top-of-the-range MX+ version promises more features through the free dedicated app. Plus, it can be used with a wide range of third-party apps, such as FORScan, BimmerCode, MotoScan, OBD Fusion and OBD JScan. I was prepared to be overwhelmed.

I also had a couple of cars to plug the OBDLink MX+ into. One of them, a 2006 Ford Focus, had a dodgy passenger window that wouldn’t wind up. Could it be recalibrated? Another, a 2005 Audi A3, had a parking sensor problem. Could the MX+ identify this?

Using the OBDLink MX+

What’s in the box?

The OPDLink MX+ is supplied in a small, rugged box that’s about three inches wide and long and a little over one inch deep. It even has a magnetic lock on its lid. Inside, the MX+ scanner is contained in a neat-looking zipped pouch, which can be stored inside a car. I also found a warranty card (three years) and a small user guide with clear instructions in English.

OBDLink is keen to show it values its customers. Inside the lid of the box, there’s a thank you message and email address for the support team. The warranty card states it’s three years long. Plus, there’s a 180-day money-back guarantee. The user manual asks for reviews if you like the product and suggests contacting OBDLink if you don’t. Plus, once you have registered MX+, an email is sent with more information on using it. There’s even a link to a YouTube video showing a customer using the MX+ with his Ford Mustang.

Downloading the OBDLink app

Using your phone, simply scan the QR code in the user guide and the app will install and open. A quick registration process takes less than a minute to complete. Then you’re ready to go and can choose any of the OBDLink products to connect to (the same app works with all of them).

Connecting app and OBDLink MX+ scanner

The user manual instructs you to start the engine, then plug in the OBDLink MX+ into the OBDII port. This had me worried. Most scanners need to be plugged in, the ignition switched on but the engine not started. I followed the instructions with my fingers crossed. It all worked fine and I opened the app. However, I did email the support team at OBDLink to check this, especially for using the Map function where the device needs to remain fitted. They quickly responded to confirm the device can remain connected whilst driving.

Connection was straightforward and because I was also testing the CX scanner, I could flip between the two. A small button on the front of the scanner helped to send a signal from it to connect to the app. It worked every time.

Using the app

With no instructions in the small user manual for using the app, it’s soon apparent why. It’s so utterly simple to use. The two main menu screens have seven simple options. The one I was most interested in was diagnostics. After choosing it, I was instructed to switch off the engine, but leave the ignition on. This I did without any fuss on several occasions. The diagnostics were quickly checked, but nothing was listed on the Audi A3 with its parking sensor problem. No EML had been raised, so perhaps it couldn’t be identified. Instead, I looked at the enhanced features to dig deeper. Still nothing.

The Dashboard feature is impressive. It displays live data readings for engine rpm, speed, coolant temperature and several others. Some of this data can be displayed as a graph, which helps to analyze readings and engine behavior. Combine this with the Map function and a journey can be analyzed to report on fuel consumption, speed and engine parameters. So you can work out if an engine is running too hot, using too much fuel or the car is being driven too fast.

OBDLink MX+ verdict

For $40 more than the entry-level CX, the top-of-the-range MX+ isn’t overly expensive. Its enhanced diagnostics may come in useful, along with its ability to communicate with CAN systems (SW-CAN and MS-CAN). Plus, it can be used with a wide range of third-party apps. And its live data and data logging features are impressive.

Be sure to check out our guide to the best Bluetooth OBD2 scanners.

The post OBDLink MX+ OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.

With a 2006 Ford Focus (petrol engine) to test out the vLinker FD+, what could we discover? We decided to try using it with a free version of FORScan downloaded on to a Windows-based laptop with Bluetooth connectivity. This free-to-download app is designed to be used with Ford, Mazda, Lincoln and Mercury cars.

RRP: From $49.99 Buy / £44.99 Buy.

Using the vLinker FD+

What’s in the box?

Supplied in a small box that’s almost five inches long, less than three inches wide and a little over one inch deep. The device is small, being the width and height of the OBDII port and two inches deep. So it’s awkward to unplug from the OBDII port.

An informative quick start guide is included, which has been poorly translated into English. If you can excuse the grammar, then it’s easy enough to understand.

Downloading the vLinker app

The quick start guide shows how to get started with the FORScan app. This can be downloaded and installed from a number of places, depending on what equipment you are using. Downloading and installing it on to a laptop took a matter of minutes.

Connecting app and vLinker FD+ scanner

With the device inserted into a car’s OBDII port, the ignition on and the app running, there’s an on-screen connect button to select to enable the two to communicate. The two are quickly paired and, in this case, FORScan starts to communicate and check the vehicle. In my case, I had Bluetooth switched off on my laptop. When FORScan failed to connect, I checked this through Windows and switched it on. FORScan then connected successfully and ran through some checks. It correctly identified the Ford Focus, including its engine and ran through several checks.

Using the app

FORScan is a very straightforward app to use, especially on a PC or laptop, but it does require some knowledge. The data that is displayed, especially for connecting to the vLinker FD+, takes a little time to understand. However, it’s not too complicated and clearly shows what is happening. And it also helps if problems are discovered. In my case, a fault relating to the alternator and charge circuit was raised. The app recommended running a charging system diagnostic to check it. However, it also stated that the EML had not been activated for this fault.

Other useful features found in this app include a dashboard for live data and also an oscilloscope reading. The oscilloscope is more like a graph and can help with values relating to intake air temperature, mass airflow (MAF) and throttle position.

vLinker FD+ verdict

The vLinker FD+ is a straightforward Bluetooth scanner that works with a range of third-party apps. And you can choose to use it with several apps. However, not all are completely free and some have upgrades or add-ons to purchase. It’s useful for identifying faults and looking for them, even if the EML is off. Plus, the range of live data that can be displayed helps with monitoring and checking systems on a car to further diagnose issues.

RRP: From $49.99 Buy / £44.99 Buy.

We pitted 7 of the best Bluetooth OBD2 scanners against each other in a mega test. Find out which one the group test in our Best Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner guide.

The post vLinker FD+ Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.

I had a 2005 Audi A3 and 2006 Ford Focus ready and waiting to communicate with the UniCarScan UCSI-2100. Would I be able to look for faults, read live data and test equipment?

RRP: From $79.99 Buy / £54 Buy

Using the UniCarScan UCSI-2100

What’s in the box?

The UniCarScan UCSI-2100 comes in a small, durable box that’s approximately four inches wide long, less than three inches wide and a little over one inch deep. The device is quite small, being the width of the OBDII port and a little over two inches deep. Fortunately, the sides of it are ribbed, which makes it easier to pull out of the OBDII port.

An informative user manual is included, which helps with downloading and installing the app on to a phone, tablet or PC/laptop.

Downloading the app

The user manual states that one of the Android apps that can be used is called UniCarScan, but this cannot be found in the Google Play Store. Luckily, six other apps are also recommended, and I chose ScanMaster. It took a matter of minutes to download and install.

Connecting app and UniCarScan UCSI-211 scanner

After inserting the device into a car’s OBDII port, switching on the ignition and launching the app, the user manual provides some guidance. However, it’s all very straightforward. There’s a four-digit password to enter, which is listed in the user manual. Pairing the device to the phone is then straightforward for anyone used to doing this with other Bluetooth-enabled equipment.

Using the app

This device works with several BMW-dedicated apps (Android and iOS). There are recommended apps for other makes of vehicle. Although these are generic apps, the one I tested, ScanMaster, is WGSoft’s own and worked on the Audi A3 test car. It retrieved the car’s VIN and looked for stored fault codes, but didn’t test any equipment. This car had a known parking sensor fault, but this wasn’t identified.

Other features in the ScanMaster app that proved useful included live data. This can help to show values such as vehicle speed, engine rpm and temperatures to help identify an overheating issue, for instance. Typical of a free app, some values are only available with a paid version.

UniCarScan UCSI-211 verdict

As an entry-level Bluetooth scanner, buying the UniCarScan UCSI-2100 and using the free version of ScanMaster is all you need to check for logged fault codes. In my case, it failed to identify an existing parking sensor fault. However, perhaps another app or a paid extra would have helped with more diagnostics.

Check out which product won our best Bluetooth OBD2 scanner. 

The post UniCarScan UCSI-2100 OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.

How I tested the OBDLink CX Bluetooth scanner

I had a couple of cars ready and waiting to plug the OBDLink CX into their OBDII ports. On one of the cars, a 2005 Audi A3 Sportback, I knew there was an issue with a parking sensor. Would the Bluetooth scanner find it? And on another, a 2006 Ford Focus, the passenger window would wind down, but not back up. Was there a calibration issue the OBDLink CX could fix?

I was also interested in looking at live data. This can help to diagnose problems by looking at the behavior of the engine.

RRP: From $79.99 Buy  or £78 Buy.

Using the OBDLink CX

What’s in the box?

The OPBDLink CX is supplied in a small durable box that’s roughly three inches wide and long and a little over one inch deep. It even has a magnetic lock on its lid. Inside, I found a warranty card (three years), a small user guide with clear instructions in English and the device. OBDLink is clearly keen to show it values its customers. Inside the lid of the box, there’s a thank you message and email address for the support team. The aforementioned warranty card clearly states it’s three years long, but there’s also a 180-day money-back guarantee. The user manual asks you to leave reviews if you like the product. And provides links if you don’t.

Downloading the app

This is one of the quickest and easiest app installs I’ve seen. After scanning a QR code in the user manual using my phone, the 25MB dedicated app was quickly installed and opened. Not only that, but the user manual couldn’t have made it simpler. Downloading was step 1 of 5. It was hard to go wrong.

Connecting app and OBDLink CX scanner

Worryingly, the user manual explains to start the engine, then plug in the OBDLink CX into the OBDII port. Anyone used to communicating with a car’s ECU will know this isn’t the norm. Usually, the device is plugged into the OBDII port, then the ignition is switched on, but the engine not run. I realized I had to follow the instructions to test them out. But what if it all went wrong? It didn’t. Instead, I then launched the OBDLink app and pressed Connect on the main menu screen.

Connecting the app and scanner took a couple of attempts, but it was soon established. Plus, that connection remained reliable throughout testing.

Using the app

There are no instructions in the small user manual for using the app and I can see why. It’s so simple to use. The main menu screen has some clearly labelled options.

I was amazed to see that the Diagnostics feature quickly revealed no fault codes. Perhaps it had already scanned everything on the car. However, it didn’t pick up the parking sensor fault, which hadn’t raised the EML. Maybe the Diagnostic feature only lists faults where the EML is illuminated.

I soon discovered some features require an in-app purchase.

I liked the Dashboard feature, which provided live data readouts of engine rpm, speed, coolant temperature and several others. Some of this data can be displayed as a graph, which helps to analyze readings and engine behavior.

One feature that is really impressive is the Map function. This enables a car journey to be logged, showing where it goes and how it performs.

OBDLink has developed its Bluetooth scanners to be compatible with other third-party apps, such as Torque, Carista and BimmerCode. Some of these are entirely free to use, whereas others require in-app purchases. I was, however, impressed with the versatility of the standard app, which can run on an iPhone with iOS 9 or later or an Android phone with version 4.4 or later. The app can even run on a Windows phone (version 8), and an Amazon Kindle Fire!

OBDLink CX verdict

For an introduction into engine diagnostics and analysis, the OBDLink CX is a budget-priced option. Its diagnostic tools are limited, but perhaps sufficient for a novice. And the dashboard, map and live data features provide an overview of how a car is performing.

Be sure to check out the best Bluetooth OBD2 scanners in 2023.

The post OBDLink CX Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on Fast Car.