# Greased Lighting



## lanzodave1970 (Jan 8, 2015)

Hi all, used this Greased Lightning product for the first time on my BMW, quite impressed. Is there alternative products which aren't so expensive or better products out there?


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## DIESEL DAVE (Jul 26, 2007)

Dave have a read through this section of the forum for all the info you require


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

+1

However, if you're not looking for a rinseless wash, but a direct alternative to
the GLSS, have a look at the 3D Waterless Wash. It's much easier to use and
doesn't dry white in all the nooks and crannies :thumb:

Regards,
Steve


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## ftoed (Apr 16, 2013)

lanzodave1970 said:


> Hi all, used this Greased Lightning product for the first time on my BMW, quite impressed. Is there alternative products which aren't so expensive or better products out there?


I've used this stuff for years and I love it, megs ultimate wash and wax is fantastic too though...


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

ftoed said:


> I've used this stuff for years and I love it, megs ultimate wash and wax is fantastic too though...


I've not used the Megs, but the technology has moved away from the clay
based potions like GLSS. I really hate the stuff on cars now, not because it 
doesn't work, but annoyingly because of how the kaolin dries white in all the 
tiniest crevices. Having spent ages cleaning out the marks from a Merc I work
on, it went to a Merc dealer, (they use it by default) who put them all back 
in again. Boy, did I swear?

What this technology has done is help engineer many new QD products that 
almost fill the entire scope between cleaner at one end and protective potion 
at the other. I've already mentioned the 3D product, but others like ADS Nano
Gloss Paint Sealant (NGPS) and the quick detailer from PowerMaxed now bring 
something new to this field.

Up until quite recently, probably like many others, I've not had any longevity
expectation of a QD beyond just a few days. These 3 products can now 
extend that expectation, not through their polymers, but by the inclusion of
(poly)siloxanes, a modern version of silicones. Some claim to resist washing!
The resulting slickness also helps to extend the dirt sticking resistance, so, 
far from being fearful of these waterless wash products, they're providing 
better protection than ever!

So, that leaves the old chestnut of when and where. With these latest 
potions being far more liquid than GLSS, there is a greater chance of getting
into and behind the dirt. The cleaning process is slightly different in that
the dirt encapsulation is improved, so there's less of a marring risk. It still
requires some gentle touches, but it's still very effective!

This then brings us on to dealing with winter salt. For me, I would not use or
recommend waterless, for one simple reason: cost! There is one over-riding
factor when dealing with road salt. You need enough liquid to dissolve it,
though not so much that you unwittingly create an ice rink.

The solution is to resort to a single-bucket rinseless wash; something like
ONR or CG Hose-Free Eco (HFE), following that up with one of the 3 QDs
I've mentioned above. You can easily follow the guidance here, substituting
the ONR with your potion of choice. The drawback with modern QDs can be 
smearing if you over-apply - less is more with them. At the other end of the 
scale there is a marring risk because partly dissolved salt is an invisible 
abrasive almost as sharp as sand!

My GLSS, which I still buy, is now relegated to cleaning my windows and PVC
frames and to cleaning the stainless steel in my kitchen. It's wonderful at
stopping finger marks on the latter. Sadly, due to a reformulation, it no longer
cleans the grease off the cooker hood filter like it used to; it's Limonene based
potions for that job now.

Regards,
Steve


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## ftoed (Apr 16, 2013)

Lowiepete said:


> I've not used the Megs, but the technology has moved away from the clay
> based potions like GLSS. I really hate the stuff on cars now, not because it
> doesn't work, but annoyingly because of how the kaolin dries white in all the
> tiniest crevices. Having spent ages cleaning out the marks from a Merc I work
> ...


Thanks Steve, interesting. I really need to try this ONR stuff, I have absolutely no idea what it is or what it involves, best read up on it.


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## adjones (Apr 24, 2013)

I actually do not mind GLSS. To be brutally honest, there is NOTHING out there that resists water spotting like it.


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

adjones said:


> I actually do not mind GLSS. To be brutally honest, there is NOTHING out there that resists water spotting like it.


I wonder what could be doing that? It's certainly not its carnauba content,
and yet that wax is its only protection claim...

I'm currently testing the PowerMaxed QD and that's doing an excellent job of
not water-spotting, though that may be because winter rain is usually a tad
cleaner here anyway. It's something that I'm watching closely though.

Regards,
Steve


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## phillipnoke (Apr 1, 2011)

I have just got some Wiiliams waterless it's good too


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## adjones (Apr 24, 2013)

Lowiepete said:


> I wonder what could be doing that? It's certainly not its carnauba content,
> and yet that wax is its only protection claim...


Don't know. The effect isn't all that long lasting, it tends to last only for a few days or maybe a week.


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

adjones said:


> it tends to last only for a few days or maybe a week...


...hence my question, which makes any one of the 3 potions I mentioned worth 
exploring. I'd start with the NGPS because of its versatility.

Regards,
Steve


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## adjones (Apr 24, 2013)

Lowiepete said:


> ...hence my question, which makes any one of the 3 potions I mentioned worth
> exploring. I'd start with the NGPS because of its versatility.
> 
> Regards,
> Steve


To be honest, I wouldn't use one of these types of products for a routine wash. with the miles I do and the dirt picked up, you need a hose. I did try in the early days but black paint ended up looking like it had been sanded by the end of the winter. Low water products are only in my bag during the summer.


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## helicopter pat (Jul 5, 2014)

Greased Lightning was the only product in the world to use on your car as far as Ideal World was concerned a while ago, always on special offer and every presenter said they would use nothing else. Then all of a sudden Williams was the new Snake Oil and the same presenters that the week before had used Greased Lightning for years now claimed to have been using Williams for ever.


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## Ads_ClioV6 (Apr 27, 2014)

its good on windows etc and around the house,ive 2 bottles full in the shed as after seeing a black car on a forum after using the showroom shine,i stayed well clear of it on any car paint


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## adjones (Apr 24, 2013)

helicopter pat said:


> Greased Lightning was the only product in the world to use on your car as far as Ideal World was concerned a while ago, always on special offer and every presenter said they would use nothing else. Then all of a sudden Williams was the new Snake Oil and the same presenters that the week before had used Greased Lightning for years now claimed to have been using Williams for ever.


That's how tv selling works. Williams gave them a better deal or more profit. If They thoughts they could make more money rubbing turd on your car, that's what the presenters would be lapping up.


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