I would say that car wash season is upon us, but really, isn’t that every season these days? This spring, I feel like my car has been absolutely destroyed by pollen, bugs, and water spots, and like most people, I can’t bring myself to wash it nearly as often as it should be. Do I enjoy my car more when it’s washed? Of course! But can I bring myself to wash it every weekend? Unfortunately, no. That’s why ceramic detailing products have me holding on for dear life.
Editor’s Note: The Mothers California Gold Ceramic products featured here were provided to us at no charge for review purposes; no payment was received in exchange for a positive evaluation, and all opinions expressed are entirely our own.
I’ve tried a lot of products over the years, and I’m a firm believer that more expensive doesn’t always mean better — but cheap usually isn’t the way to go. This spring, I’m testing out a new product line from a well-known brand, Mothers California Gold Ceramic. To their credit, I have used Mothers’ products quite a lot in the past, so I’m very familiar with the brand and the traditional California Gold line. I’ve always known the brand for offering a quality product at a reasonable price, and accessible to anyone who can get to their local parts store. Will the new California Gold Ceramic live up to my expectations? There’s only one way to find out (I’m going to wash my car if that isn’t clear…).
I also want to mention that I will be testing this product on my track car, which I have not washed in quite some time, and is not ceramic coated.
Ceramic Wash & Wax — MSRP $17.99
Image Credit: Gabrielle Schmauderer.
Paying nearly $20 for car soap feels a little steep compared to the $4-$5 options on the shelf, but the Mothers Ceramic Wash & Wax promises effortless cleaning maximized beading — meaning the soap helps to form a hydrophobic barrier that causes water to bead off rather than pool, leaving water spots — and it is pH neutral to be more environmentally friendly.
The Ceramic Wash & Wax smells like watermelon, which is a bit of a departure from the cinnamon smell I love from the brand, but hey, it’s soap, and we are here for results. My Lotus Elise is relatively small, so I believe I can get quite a few washes out of this one container, lowering my overall cost per wash.
I started with a pre-rinse, going over the car with a pressure washer and then using a foam cannon to apply the first layer of soap. The soap foamed up beautifully and gave me a thick, even layer with the foam cannon, and that was even after I diluted it by 50% with water. I also added the soap into my first bucket — we are using a proper two-bucket method with grit guards here; this isn’t amateur hour.
I never really give much thought to automotive soaps. I just grab whatever product catches my eye and concentrate on my detailing sprays and waxes most of the time, but this was the soap that made me stop and think, “I really like this soap.”
I had to take a break here and drop in with a clay bar to go over the car because it was just that dirty (I also used some Mothers clay bar that I had lying around). Instead of wasting a bunch of detailing spray to get through this step, I kept the car suds up and used the lubricating properties of the soap to help get the job done, which was important for testing the next product on this list properly.
Ceramic Paint Correction — MSRP $17.99
Image Credit: Gabrielle Schmauderer.
Once the car was washed and clayed, it was time to test out the Mothers Ceramic Paint Correct. For $17.99, it is a cut-and-polish compound, and compared to other products I’ve tried, I think this is a good price point. The paint correction process is meant to remove minor swirls, scratches, and defects in the paint, and although this isn’t a complete paint correction — that would require wet sanding and a much more labor-intensive process — the Ceramic Paint Correction is much more user-friendly and still does a good job.
I was expecting the cut and polish product to have some grit to it, but if there was any, it must be relatively small because I couldn’t feel it with my hands. I worked it in small sections across the paint, and it did take some effort to get through each section, but that is just kind of how the polishing process was. I chose to do this by hand with the applicator pad rather than my dual-action polisher and had no problems.
Ceramic Spray Wax — MSRP $17.99
Image Credit: Gabrielle Schmauderer.
Traditional ceramic coating is a time-intensive and seemingly technical process for the average consumer, and buyers may have noticed the prevalence of ceramic products popping up on the shelves left and right. I’m typically a fan of your average paste wax — they may be a bit more labor-intensive on the front end, but they supposedly last longer than spray waxes, and maybe it’s just my age, but I’ve always struggled to make the switch. The Mothers Ceramic Spray wax keeps up with the rest of the line in terms of pricing, with an MSRP of $17.99, making it slightly more expensive than the Mothers California Gold paste wax.
The spray wax was thicker than I expected it to be, which I consider to be a good thing, as it isn’t watered down. It works with the rest of the Ceramic line to give the car a glossy coating that protects the car from UV rays that can damage the clear coat and promotes water beading so you don’t end up with harsh water spots on your car, which can also damage your clear coat over time. It worked into the paint very easily, and I didn’t find myself struggling to get even coverage or remove excess.
Only time will tell how long the Ceramic Spray Wax holds up with summer storms and heat, but my initial application was relatively easy and pleasant, and the results are more comparable to what I’d expect from a paste wax (in a good way).
Final Thoughts on the Mothers California Gold Ceramic Line
Image Credit: Gabrielle Schmauderer.
Overall, I think the price for the Mothers California Gold Ceramic line is a bit higher than that of competitors, but it is clear that this is because it uses quality chemicals and ingredients to get the job done.
In the interest of transparency, all three products reviewed in this article were provided by Mothers for an official review, and no payment was made to ensure that this review was positive; it is just my genuine thoughts.
In my opinion, I would rather spend a bit more to get a better product that lasts longer and doesn’t leave me having to wash my car repeatedly every weekend, and it seems this new line from the brand is a great solution. This is the first product line in a long time that has really given me that “wow” factor during the process, not just after with the final results.
