Optimum Vs. Adam's: Car Wash Shootout

[CamaroDreams07]

I've been using Optimum's car wash for about two months now and wanted to post some thoughts about it. It's the only soap I've used that can stand up against Adam's Car Shampoo, and I've tried A LOT. I'm gonna do sort of a shoot-out between the two here, maybe help people make up their minds.

Value- Optimum
You get 32 oz for $12 whereas 36oz would cost you $20 for Adam's. Gallons are cheaper as well. You can also get away with using less of the Optimum, so that's more uses per bottle as well.

Suds- Optimum by a nose
These soaps behave very, very similarly. Optimum foams just a tad more, but who cares? They both get you tons of suds.

Lubricity- Adam's
Adam's feels a bit slipperier as you glide your pad across the paint. It instills more confidence that you're not grabbing and dragging, causing marring. Optimum is still very good, but it doesn't take this category.

Cleaning Power- Tie
Both of these seem to leave a flawless finish in terms of removing grime from the paint and wheels. They both seem to remove the same amount of dried bug guts (~90%) without any need for hard scrubbing.

Finish- Adam's
I'm not a chemist, so I don't know how to describe this all that well in terms of why it occurs, but Adam's seems to leave a slicker finish than does Optimum. When you're towel drying, the towel seems to not glide as easily after washing with Optimum as it does with Adam's. I'm guessing Adam's has more shine additives in it that are left behind, whereas Optimum is probably more of a pure soap. Keep in mind that the level of protection on the car in terms of sealants was as consistent as I could keep it throughout the comparison months, so I don't think that was causing the differences.

Overall- Tie.
Do you like to smell grapes or cherries when you wash your car? These are both excellent, you can't go wrong with either.

[Angelo@Autopia]

Great review!

[WiSSDiver]

CD07, awesome job on the reviews. We can always count on you for straight, no nonsense opinions. Thank you for your help!

[camaro2ssblack]

So basically it comes down to this:

Is slightly more protection during washing and a slickier surface after washing worth the extra $0.56/oz? For the guys like me who use a foam gun, that equates to about $2.50-$3.00 extra per wash. Given that my car is a garage queen and only gets washed about 1-2 month, it is worth it to me. Someone who is washing their car constantly would probably be better off with the Optimum based on cost alone.

[CamaroDreams07]

Originally Posted by cgraves

So basically it comes down to this:

Is slightly more protection during washing and a slickier surface after washing worth the extra $0.56/oz? For the guys like me who use a foam gun, that equates to about $2.50-$3.00 extra per wash. Given that my car is a garage queen and only gets washed about 1-2 month, it is worth it to me. Someone who is washing their car constantly would probably be better off with the Optimum based on cost alone.

Well it's hard to say, because the differences are very minor. Suds are also a form of protection, so I'd call it a wash. These two soaps are incredibly similar. I'd be perfectly content using either one with no worries.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Todd@Autopia]

Originally Posted by cgraves

So basically it comes down to this:

Is slightly more protection during washing and a slickier surface after washing worth the extra $0.56/oz? For the guys like me who use a foam gun, that equates to about $2.50-$3.00 extra per wash. Given that my car is a garage queen and only gets washed about 1-2 month, it is worth it to me. Someone who is washing their car constantly would probably be better off with the Optimum based on cost alone.

I wouldn't normally equate a slick feel to extra protection (it may or may not be the case). Usually (not always) slickness is a factor of silicones that are added to the soap or certain petroleums. I know Optimum Car Soap uses a heavy dose of polymers (the same ingredients in a paint sealant) that help bond to and safely remove particulate.

Likely, with most quality ingredients, you cannot go wrong.

[cam fan]

I guess I should stop using this, huh?

[Iomcamaro]

First off. Great review der guy. I agree with what you have said. I just find OPT to clean just a bit better.

Originally Posted by cam fan

I guess I should stop using this, huh?

Nope. Honestly I find that that wash competes with Meg's Gold Class. Shampoos are starting to become so similar that if it's ph neutral, there is little difference between them. There are slight differences in dilution ratios, but you can always add just a little more. Also there can be a slight difference in cleaning/gloss additives, but it just depends on what you like.

I find OPT to clean just a little better than Adam's, and I find Adam's to leave more gloss additives. They are all effective if you keep your car clean on a normal basis and if are reading this forum they all will work just fine. I just use the ones that are more value online. For example: Opt is .5 per gallon. I use 4 gallons per wash so 2 oz per wash. 128/2= 64 washes. $30/64= $0.47 per wash. Adam's is very good value too. I just enjoy using different washes because of the different scents and because I might possibly have enough car wash to wash my car twice a week every week of the year for the next 15-20 years.... Don't ask.

P.S. I hate wash and waxes. They all seem to leave films on the car. The only one that I have found that doesn't is Dodo Juice Sour Power. I am also not saying to go out and get Turtle Wax Zip Wax or Eagle One Quick Dry. These are wash and waxes. Now TW Ice, Meguiar's Gold Class, Meg's NXT, and the new Zymol OTC are decent washes, they just are as good of a value as other soaps online, but I wouldn't hesitate for one minute to pick on of these up if I was in a tight spot.

[cam fan]

Originally Posted by Iomcamaro

First off. Great review der guy. I agree with what you have said. I just find OPT to clean just a bit better.


Nope. Honestly I find that that wash competes with Meg's Gold Class. Shampoos are starting to become so similar that if it's ph neutral, there is little difference between them. There are slight differences in dilution ratios, but you can always add just a little more. Also there can be a slight difference in cleaning/gloss additives, but it just depends on what you like.

...
P.S. I hate wash and waxes. They all seem to leave films on the car. The only one that I have found that doesn't is Dodo Juice Sour Power. I am also not saying to go out and get Turtle Wax Zip Wax or Eagle One Quick Dry. These are wash and waxes. Now TW Ice, Meguiar's Gold Class, Meg's NXT, and the new Zymol OTC are decent washes, they just are as good of a value as other soaps online, but I wouldn't hesitate for one minute to pick on of these up if I was in a tight spot.

Thanks for that. I was a bit hesitant to ask; wanted to avoid asking the equivalent of the bolt-on question, "which cai!?"

[Vintage-Iron]

I use the TW Ice car wash liquid, works great and also helps eliminate water spotting, thats what I like most of all....

[Stinkpickle]

I use to use TW Ice, cleaned very well and left a nice shine. However I found it difficult to apply a detail spray after using it. Not sure, maybe it left something on the car, but I think they have changed it since I've used it.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

[Iomcamaro]

Originally Posted by Stinkpickle

I use to use TW Ice, cleaned very well and left a nice shine. However I found it difficult to apply a detail spray after using it. Not sure, maybe it left something on the car, but I think they have changed it since I've used it.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

They recently updated the line, changed the bottles and all lol. I think they did update some of the stuff, but I think the shampoo is the same.

[Stinkpickle]

Originally Posted by Iomcamaro

They recently updated the line, changed the bottles and all lol. I think they did update some of the stuff, but I think the shampoo is the same.

Gotcha, still worked well - I still have a bottle somewhere!

[ChadG]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams07

I've been using Optimum's car wash for about two months now and wanted to post some thoughts about it. It's the only soap I've used that can stand up against Adam's Car Shampoo, and I've tried A LOT. I'm gonna do sort of a shoot-out between the two here, maybe help people make up their minds.

Value- Optimum
You get 32 oz for $12 whereas 36oz would cost you $20 for Adam's. Gallons are cheaper as well. You can also get away with using less of the Optimum, so that's more uses per bottle as well.

Suds- Optimum by a nose
These soaps behave very, very similarly. Optimum foams just a tad more, but who cares? They both get you tons of suds.

Lubricity- Adam's
Adam's feels a bit slipperier as you glide your pad across the paint. It instills more confidence that you're not grabbing and dragging, causing marring. Optimum is still very good, but it doesn't take this category.

Cleaning Power- Tie
Both of these seem to leave a flawless finish in terms of removing grime from the paint and wheels. They both seem to remove the same amount of dried bug guts (~90%) without any need for hard scrubbing.

Finish- Adam's
I'm not a chemist, so I don't know how to describe this all that well in terms of why it occurs, but Adam's seems to leave a slicker finish than does Optimum. When you're towel drying, the towel seems to not glide as easily after washing with Optimum as it does with Adam's. I'm guessing Adam's has more shine additives in it that are left behind, whereas Optimum is probably more of a pure soap. Keep in mind that the level of protection on the car in terms of sealants was as consistent as I could keep it throughout the comparison months, so I don't think that was causing the differences.

Overall- Tie.
Do you like to smell grapes or cherries when you wash your car? These are both excellent, you can't go wrong with either.

Nice, thanks for the review! I go through Adam's Car Shampoo like crazy . . . I wish the shipping didn't kill me every time.