Its affordable price point and strong cleaning power has made Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo one of the go to products when it comes to car detailing. It’s been a product I’ve kept in my detailing arsenal for years now. Easy to use, powerful and isn’t too expensive to buy, there are few complaints to be made about the Gold Class shampoo from Meguiar’s. But does it have what it takes to be one of the best car shampoos on the market?
Size Tested: 64oz/1.89 liters.
RRP: $10.99, buy now. £16.79, buy now.
Testing the Meguiar’s Gold Class car wash shampoo
Using two buckets, I diluted roughly 2 ounces of car shampoo with around 2-3 gallons of water in one bucket, and kept a spare bucket filled with clean water. I used a hosepipe to fill up the buckets, and used the pressure washer to create some foam in the bucket filled with the Meguiar’s product. Initial foaming was good, it’s not the foamiest product on the market, but foam doesn’t always equal cleaning power.
There’s no real scent with Meguiar’s Gold Class car shampoo, it just smells of, well, car shampoo, if that makes sense. Some manufacturer’s offer to spruce up the smell of their product with blueberry, cherry, etc, but here it’s kept simple. I’m not overly fussed about the scent so I won’t be taking it into account when reviewing.
Applying the shampoo to the car with a microfiber wash mitt, I started with the roof, and made my way down the car. Before using the shampoo, I did first use a snow foam to help lift off dirt, as well as an alloy wheel cleaner. That being said, due to the length of time between washes, the car was in a bit of a sorry state, so it had built up a good chunk of dirt over time. That meant I had to spend a bit longer on each panel ensuring I’d removed all remaining dirt from the vehicle.
The results
Despite built-up dirt, the Gold Class shampoo was able to bite through most of the grime without issue, and only the worst areas needing a revisit. With it being a shampoo and conditioner in one, you can visibly see it going to work, removing dirt as well as chasing water away from the bodywork. No, it won’t leave your car beading like a wax will, but it sure does offer some resistance. It also leaves the paintwork feeling soft to touch.
I’ve always been impressed with the way in which the Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo goes about its business, especially for its price point. However, when it comes to cleaning power, Meguiar’s own NXT generation shampoo delivers better performance for a fraction more cost. Be sure to check out our full review on the NXT Generation shampoo.
