There is one consistent thought that has been present in my mind for much of the past 9+ years of owning a detailing business and 11+ detailing.
Some of the loudest trolls (I mean voices) on the internet who feign superiority over other detailers, are on the lower end of the spectrum of detailing acumen. Unfortunately, the zealous blind critical voices are often the loudest voices. There are also products over hyped based upon superficial feedback. Being a part of the social media renaissance, there is a billboard of people who miss the big picture when they rush to criticize a product or jump on a bandwagon.
A spray sealant at a more affordable price that enhances the looks of a car might generate some buzz on social media. Years later it becomes an afterthought not because of new technology, but from the realization that its durability and overall performance have been vastly overrated. More people will now over time reevaluate a product for what it is.
A very popular brand creates a spray on product housed in a plastic bottle that has the word ceramic in the name. The average consumer goes wild for it, making it the talk of the industry. Over time, the internet is filled with negative posts about the product, due to the realization that it does not do the same things that a product in a small perfume shaped bottle does. There is some legitimacy to some of these critiques at the same time, assumptions compromised a fair assessment of the product. The company may have even marketed the product as a sealant but felt the pressure to name the product XYZ Ceramic 123. Seeing it for what it is, it is probably a good product.
Preference often gets confused for rating. Some enjoy ease of use. Some people use products that complement the product attributes better. Professional and amateur alike we are (too) quick to say one product is golden and another is trash. Reading the instructions or speaking with a representative of the company or even another user has never really caught on in society. I equate this to many people’s ever decreasing attention span and patience exhausting possibilities. This is also why I caution people more than ever not to easily be swayed by one person’s opinion or even a number of opinions right after a product is released.
I am not above being flawed in my evaluation of products. But there is something to be said about products being more different (particularly in strengths and application methods, versus being merely inferior or superior. I am also a firm believer that it is a matter of trade-offs or what you are willing to give up, even paying a high price point, when accessing your preference. Even in praise I have often spoken to the proverbial elephant in the room of paying for what you get. Over the years I have come to the conclusion that a majority of products are solid, and either fit a certain system or methodology.