Product Reviews and Evaluations by dsms...

In the past few months I have been playing around with some new products and stuff thats been around I just haven't used before.

I realized something... I realized that when you purchase a new product of any kind that you WANT to believe it works really well, you WANT to believe your hard earned money was well spent... you WANT to believe its better than what you already have.

The truth is, sometimes it wasn't money well spent, sometimes products just suck!

As a smart consumer you need to realize when something just doesn't work out for you to simply let it go. I believe everything deserves a fair shot, and proper application should always be practiced but if you give it a fair shake, and applied or used it correctly (or just logically at least) and it doesnt pan out, cut your losses and move on.

Don't keep on using something that you know will never really provide the result your looking for simply because you believe in the "Well I paid for it" mentality.

The above I consider to be common sense, the following is the reason I created this post.

Providing Honest User Reviews:

In the past I have tried products that worked pretty well the first time out, maybe it was the type of paint, maybe the working conditions, maybe I got lucky.... whatever it may be.

From that ONE or TWO uses I choose to write a product review or give that product my recommendation. What I didnt realize is that MAYBE the product(s) I choose to recommend haven't been fully tested first. MAYBE I was simply writing a review based off 1 good experience with it negating the fact that I could possibly have 10 bad experiences with it later on.

^This is not a good idea for providing real world feedback:doh:

If you choose to recommend a product that you have used or put up a review on it thats great but please spend plenty of time with it before you do so and make sure that it really is worth the accolades. Sometimes you may find that miracle product you thought worked great on car X, looks like crap on car Y!

If you try a new correction polish and it works great on your black car after a few uses, good for you but please understand that your single experience with that product does not necessarily make it a good product for everyone, as we all work and detail with so many variables.

Basically, before you put up a review of a product, test it thoroughly, in various conditions and then see what you think about it. Using something for the first time will really cloud your judgement, again because you just paid good money for it.... of course you want to believe its great!

I have done my best to no longer do instant reviews of products I just tired for the first time, I really try to get as much play time with it as possible before making a statement about it.

 

I hear you with that anticipation factor business. So did you ever get around to testing Vertua?

 

:thumb:

I learned this a few weeks back with Scholl's.. Both parts. Bought it, didn't like it, traded it off. Said some things, talked to Ken, realised I didn't give them a chance and now I should probably do more testing

 

So are you going to post up any reviews?

 

Only problem is someone who only has one car to detail, like me, can only test on that one car and provide feed back. I agree with use it many times and I have been guilty of loving something after using it once and the second time I used it, results where not as good or just plane sucked.

 

Need to use Diablo wheel gel on at least 5 or 6 more wheels to review it, and leatherique needs a few more go arounds!

 

Also, I'd like to point out there's a difference between an opinion on a product and a solid review.

I've tried a lot of products.. but haven't put all of them through a rigorous review session. Does it mean my opinion means anything more or less? No, it's just that. Opinion. I don't think its necessary to put a product through TONS of testing to form an opinion and share it on an internet board... But if you're going to create a formal "review" of a product and announce it as that, then I agree more testing is in order to make it valid and non-bias :shrug:

 

Valid point. Opinions are fine but for people doing legit reviews or evaluations (the kinds that can possibly influence others to buy or not buy X product) should really be thought out and well tested.

Again im not a rule maker, just something I thought should be discussed.

 

I think we agreed!! :applause2::applause2:

 

I usually use 3:1 and works pretty good... but in barrels on heavily soiled wheels its faster to use something like Meg's WB, cuts faster and less agitation.

I love diablo... it has it's place among the likings of P21s, although it's been a LONG time since I've touched a bottle of it.

 

Good thread to discuss thoughts on product reviews. Personally, i take reviews with a grain of salt, unless there is a overall consensus of said product having merit as described. With so many variables with the whole process, it will take time to draw a fair conclusion to present it in a unbiased way.

 

I have found that wax's fall into the category of take it with a large grain of salt. So many differences. Such as JetSeal, so many people love it and say durable as anything and so many hate it because it is not durable at all.

 

I'm the same way. I physically can't buy a wax more than 50 bucks. I just ordered Diablo, only 16oz though. Had to test it out. I'm thinking about ordering Espuma Revolution if I can, from the UK.

 

Dave is right. its pretty hard to test products. conditions usualy would be different. i agree that you need to test product first before posting review (should have waited with megs 38 that i posted i guess, was just excited how it worked on 2 cars).
with wheel cleaners and any kind of cleaners its hard, condition of cleanning surface would be different and might work good for some and not so good for others

maybe it should be review/opinion

 

Great to see how people go the extra mile to be more responsible and constructive when making reviews.

 

I've never read a review here on DB (or any other forum for that matter) and considered it to be anything but an opinion. :shrug:

Edit: something that folks may want to consider is, if one changes their mind about a product upon further use, is to go back and update the review thread.

 

amen dave

 

Dave...I mostly agree with you however especially with some compounds and polishes, they may have their strong suit on one type of paint more than others. I have found products that work great most of the time but then there will be that one time where the paint is finicky and I need to try something different. You have done a ton of cars. What I'm saying is that I don't think there's one product that can be used in every instance. There are a lot of variables to detailing, and the key to the job is getting the right mix of product, pad, speed, etc to make that car look its best. Now for something like a metal polish, it either works well or not. Glass cleaner the same.

 

For me it's all about the reputation of the poster. If I see a post/review/opinion on a product from a poster I respect then it has a lot of creedance with me. If I see someone come on here and just constantly pimping a product or product line I pretty much treat it as such until I see a poster with a repuptation and proven track record for solid reviews give an opinion on it.

 

Such as someone who has never posted their product usage and then all of a sudden talks about a particular soap to use...