Looking for the best tire shine products on the market?
You've come to the right place! In this ProperMechanic.com guide, you'll learn:
- What tire shine products are
- What are the different types of tire shine products
- How does tire shine work?
And much more!
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Our Top Pick
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Our Top Pick
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Car Guys Tire Shine Spray
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View on Amazon |
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Best Budget
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Best Budget
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Armor All Extreme Tire Shine
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View on Amazon |
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Best High End
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Best High End
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BRUSH IT ON Tire Shine
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View on Amazon |
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Chemical Guys Tire Kicker Extra Glossy Tire Shine
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View on Amazon | |
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Meguiar’s Endurance Tire Gel
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View on Amazon |
Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated As of 5/13/2020
Top Rated Overall:
- Super sealant
- Hybrid wax
- Super easy to apply
If you're looking for a high-quality tire polish that's also incredibly easy to apply, you'll love this CarGuys hybrid wax.
This stuff is super versatile and it's also incredible at sealing in those results to keep your tires like new for longer.
You can't go wrong with this wax, even if you're new to tire polish and you've never used it before!
Whether a classic car or a well-kept daily driver, there is something uniquely respectable about the sight of a properly maintained vehicle.
From top to bottom, inside and out, there is no hiding the passion of a vehicle’s owner when their car looks as if it had just been pulled off the showroom floor.
For a vehicle to look its best, no detail can go unaddressed, and your tires are no exception.
Our car tires are what carry us safely from one destination to the next, bear the stresses of heavy braking, and put horsepower to the pavement.
However, just because our tires take a beating, doesn't mean they cannot look good while doing so. This is where wonders can be worked with the use of quality tire shine.
But how can you tell a quality tire shine from those that simply cannot deliver on their promise of perfection? Luckily, we have the answers that you are in search of.
Top 5 Best Tire Shine Products
Check out our below list for a summary of our results. Keep on reading to learn more about your other options!
What Is Tire Shine?
Everyone remembers the proud feeling that comes over them when staring at their vehicle as it sports a brand new set of tires. It is almost as if you yourself were sporting a new pair of shoes or an outfit that you took pride in.
That dark, glossy look that casts the sun’s reflection, stays vivid in your mind long after your car’s new tires no longer possess the same youthful glow.
The purpose of tire shine is to bring back your aging tires’ once exquisite look. No proper detailing job is complete without the use of high-quality tire shine, as it renews the shimmer and radiance that new tires possess as they are put to the pavement for the first time.
Many automotive enthusiasts describe the visual effect that is presented by tire shine as being a “wet” look. This is yet another way to describe the glossy appearance that tire shine can give to even the most tired of tires.
Read More >> How to Remove Scratches From Your Car
What Are The Different Types Of Tire Shine?
Though virtually all tire shines are designed to give off much of the same visual effect, not all market offerings are identical in form. The bulk of tire shines fall into four main types, each having its own distinct form of delivery.
Sprays
Some of the most popular tire shines on the market today come in a spray form. Spray style tire shines can be applied rather quickly, and are often among some of the most widely available types of tire shine today.
While some individuals spray these products directly onto the tire itself for ease of application, it is often helpful to spray the shine on to an applicator. This assists in achieving a smooth and consistent application.
Foams
Many manufacturers now offer their tire shines in a foam formula. These foams can be somewhat tedious to apply.
However, a smooth, even application can be achieved with ample attention to detail. Simply saturate your applicator with the tire shine foam, and begin working your way around the tire.
Gels
Yet another form of tire shine is that of gels. Tire shine gel is expressed onto an applicator, where it is then dispersed around the tire.
Tire shines in a gel form tend to go a long way, as a relatively small amount of gel is adequate for a rather large surface area.
Brush-On Pastes
While not nearly as common as sprays, foams, and gels, tire shines in the form of a brush on paste do exist. These pastes offer a built-in advantage, as they naturally reduce misdirected application due to their brush on nature.
Tire Shine Base Stocks
Tire shines are categorized into two types of compounds, water and solvent-based. These base ingredients serve as carriers to deliver the dressing to the tire’s rubber surface.
Each of these base compounds also achieves different results when applied to a tire.
Water-Based
Water-based tire shines are applied in a “wet” form, but dry shortly thereafter, leaving a matte or satin finish to the tire’s surface.
Tire shines of this nature are known to be environmentally friendly and will not damage a vehicle’s paint job or wheels, should the mixture sling from the tire.
Solvent Based
If you have ever encountered a tire that retained its high-shine appearance, even days after tire shine was last applied, you have seen the work of a solvent-based product.
Solvent-based tire shine uses hydrocarbon-silicon to suspend additional mixture ingredients for delivery to a tire’s surface, in order to provide a slick finish.
This type of tire shine has been known to cause damage to paint and even wheels when incidental contact is made.
Read More >> What Are the Top 5 Best Car Paint Protectors?
How Does Tire Shine Work?
As tires age, they naturally degrade to a certain point. The sun’s UV rays, constant exposure to heat during braking, and unrelenting abuse from rocks, grime, and other road debris, all take their toll on a vehicle’s tires.
Tire shine seeks to reverse this aging process by revitalizing a tire’s tired rubber composition, all while making it shine like a new penny in the process.
With time, a tire dehydrates and stiffens. This eventually leads to cracking, which is commonly referred to as “dry rot.” Tire shine assists in minimizing the prevalence of “dry rot” as a whole.
This is accomplished by rehydrating a tire’s rubber shell by way of the natural lubricating properties of tire shine. Read this article for more on detailing your car, including your tires.
What Do You Look For In The Best Tire Shine?
When seeking tire shine that best suits your needs, it is always wise to consider the exact kind of look that you are trying to achieve. Are you seeking to give your tires the ultimate wet, shiny finish, offering unsurpassed shimmer and gloss?
If so, then you should highly consider choosing a tire shine that utilizes a solvent base stock.
On the other hand, if you only desire to achieve a subtle, rich, black tire look, then a water-based shine will be the route best suited to your needs.
You must also consider your preferred application method. While some individuals prefer to painstakingly apply tire shine to every specific point of their tire by hand, others might have little time to complete such a task, leading to a need for a shine that can be applied quickly on the go.
It can also be of use to purchase multiple tire shines from a preferred manufacturer, in varying forms. This allows you to experiment with which application process you prefer, and the easiest way to achieve the desired effect that you seek.
No matter the type of tire shine that you prefer, or the application form that you feel to be the most beneficial, it is always key to only purchase detailing products from companies that have a sound reputation.
It seems as if a new tire shine comes onto the market every week. Some of these companies become a mainstay in the market, while others fade into obscurity in short order.
Selecting a product from a company with a substantial foothold in the detailing product market ensures that you receive a long-lasting shine, and helps you avoid fly-by-night products that likely offer little benefit.
Read More >> What Are the Top 5 Car Spray Waxes?
Best Tire Shines Reviewed
While a near-endless number of tire shines line the shelves of auto parts stores all over the world, not all are created equally.
When attempting to give your tires a show-class look, you need a tire shine that performs flawlessly. The following are our top picks for the best tire shine products.
Pick #1 - Car Guys Tire Shine Spray
The Car Guys Tire Shine Spray combines the best of new-era innovation, and time-tested know-how, to bring consumers a tire shine like no other.
This tire shine utilizes a newly patented polymer additive to lay down a deep, rich finish that not only looks the part but is also long-lasting in its application.
Simply apply the spray onto the provided microfiber applicator pad, wipe down your tires, and enjoy weeks of unsurpassed beauty.
The Car Guys Tire Shine Spray is also extremely versatile in its range of uses. Are your panels and trim components beginning to age and fade? If so, wipe these down with the same solution to bring them back to their former glory.
This tire shine is also backed by a 100% hassle-free warranty. If it does not meet your expectations, simply return it for a full refund.
Pros
Cons
Pick #2 - Armor All Extreme Tire Shine
Armor All is a name that needs no introduction in the automotive detailing world, as they have been turning out market-leading shines and cleaners for many years.
Not to depart from winning tradition, Armor All Extreme Tire Shine is a product that meets the demands of even the most tedious of automotive detailers and does so at a fraction of the cost of many competitors.
This tire shine features extra gloss enhancers for a smooth, even finish upon every application. This product can be applied in the absence of wiping thanks to its overspray eliminating precision applicator.
Pros
Cons
Pick #3 - BRUSH IT ON Tire Shine
Simply use the integrated hand brush to coat every inch of your tire with this high-quality tire shine, and you will be cruising the town with show type results.
BRUSH IT ON Tire Shine is also designed to outlast nearly any competitor’s product, offering weeks of satisfaction out of a single application.
Pros
Cons
The Chemical Guys Tire Kicker Extra Glossy Tire Shine offers consumers a quality rubber care product, without the sticker shock associated with some competing products.
This tire shine offers a bright, wet tire look that also dries to the touch.
This prevents excess shine from being displaced onto wheels and fenders upon hitting the road.
The Tire Kicker Tire Shine is also notable for its rub resistant finish, meaning that your shine will remain for a lengthy period of time, no matter what the road throws at it.
Also included within the formula are UV ray blockers, which prevent further sun damage, and extend your tires’ service life.
Pros
Cons
Pick #5 - Meguiar’s Endurance Tire Gel
Meguiar’s is a name that has been around in the detailing marketplace since 1901 and has formed a rich tradition of serving those that demand nothing but the best out of their car care products.
Meguiar’s Endurance Tire Gel is produced with longevity in mind. Not only does its gel compound stay in place far longer than many competitor offerings, but it is water-resistant as well.
This high gloss tire shine also features UV ray blockers that assist in keeping your car’s tires out of harm’s way.
Pros
Cons
Our Top Pick: Car Guys Tire Shine Spray
If you demand nothing but the best from your automotive detailing products, the Car Guys Tire Shine Spray is sure to bring you satisfaction on every level.
With a high-gloss finish that yields show-quality results, an application process that can be completed in minutes.
Plus, it's at a price point that is set to appeal to a wide range of consumers, the decision to purchase Car Guys Tire Shine Spray is sure to be one free of any buyer’s remorse.
