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    Detailing Mod Lowiepete's Avatar
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    Finish Kare # 350 Super Polymer Tyre Dressing

    What is it?
    Finish Kare Part #350 Super Polymer Body Shop Safe Tire (sic) Dressing

    What Does it Bring to the Table?

    Finish Kare #350 Super Polymer Body Safe Tire Dressing is a thick water
    based polymer enhanced dressing perfect for use on tyres and exterior or
    interior trim.

    Finish Kare #350 Super Polymer Body Safe Tire Dressing gives a deep, glossy
    sheen. It's wash resistant for better durability and will work on any type of
    plastics or even rubber tyres or trim.

    FK #350 is very easy to apply and use, simply apply with a sponge or brush,
    allow to dry for approx 10 minutes and then wipe any excess off with a cloth.
    Tyres may require a second application upon first use but will look fantastic
    when finished!

    Size:31 oz / 916 ml.


    What Am I Testing it On?

    Bridgestone Potenza tyre, after rain has stopped play, I'll also have a go
    on a Falken tyre. Will report later on this.

    What Do You Think of it?

    In a word, impressive!

    Anyone who's followed my missives will know how much I rate the FK #108AS
    product, not just on tyres but on all the black plastics, rubber trim, and
    even my lovely cream leather seats! There I was, scanning the Serious
    Performance web site looking to replenish my stock when something else caught
    my eye. FK#350 tyre dressing.

    A quick search on here revealed no more than a couple of posts, and an
    appeal for info in the Detailing World Tyres section revealed no response.
    Curiouser and curiouser...

    So, I fired off an enquiry to Alex at SP and back came this response...

    Quote Originally Posted by Alex @ Serious Performance
    Hey Steve!
    Really nice super thick version of 108 but has gone under the radar somewhat...
    Nice product though... And a 32oz bottle will last you forever!

    I guess that was me hooked

    From this point I'll let the pictures do the talking...

    Dressing a Bridgestone Potenza Tyre


    The tyre at the start. This had been treated with just one coat of FK#108AS
    nearly 3 weeks ago and has had 2 washes in the interim.


    The tyre is still fairly hydrophobic


    The washed and dried tyre ready for the FK #350


    A lightly dampened SP tyre pad , primed with FK #350


    Immediately after application of FK #350


    After just one coat, in context.


    About 20 minutes after application. Tyre _not_ buffed!


    Dressing a Falken Tyre

    Here are the pictures of FK #350 Tire Dressing on a Falken tyre...



    The tyre awaiting cleaning


    Just as hydrophobic


    Tyre washed and dried. Even after 3 weeks, this isn't bad for the FK #108AS,
    indeed, I'd not normally feel the need to add more dressing at this point


    Tyre immediately after being dressed


    Comparison with the Bridgestone tyre


    Dressed tyre, in context


    Observations

    If I'm showing the car, I normally like to dress my tyres on the day before the
    show. The reason for this being that in common with other high polymer
    products, it looks so much better the next day. Certainly, the finish is by no
    means shabby at this point, but I'll probably prefer it tomorrow.

    Compared to the very runny FK #108, this product is very gloopy and it's
    clear that Alex was right - the 32oz bottle will last me ages!

    I'm not one for shiny tyres, but in a week or three I'll be trying this out on
    a car where the owner likes shiny tyres. I'll report on this in due course.

    An Important Caveat!

    I know that I've said that I prefer a natural look to a tyre, rather than one
    that looks like it has been purposely dressed. From my pictures, you _may_
    get the impression that I'm not being honest with this. The reason being
    that several weeks ago I tried another make of dressing which _did_ leave
    this "Look at me, I've been dressed" finish, and there may still be some residue
    of that. With rain interrupting play today, I've not had a chance to really
    scrub the tyres clean.

    Pros

    Well, first up the fantastic value for money! Considering that this is exactly
    the same price as a 32oz bottle of FK #108, need I say more? I really do
    wonder why it has fallen below the radar!

    One thing I don't like about tyre dressings are those that make the tyre look
    like it has been dressed. I much prefer a tyre that looks sharp, natural and
    obviously clean. Both of these FK products produce the latter, very satisfying
    effect.

    One common thing that we all moan about with tyre dressings is longevity
    of look, mostly because it can be a mucky process. Applying either of these
    dressings is really a breeze! There's no muck, no stickiness and very little
    chance of sling, oh, and the #350 is cheap!

    After a few regular #108AS applications the coating will give around a month of
    use before needing to be topped-up. I doubt that FK #350 will be any different.
    Indeed it may last longer. I'll report on this in due course.

    Obviously, with the product being water based, it may well need a greater
    application frequency if it gets wet more often. As always its a string-length
    question. The "pro" point I'm getting to is that all this makes longevity much
    less important. A quick top-up is just that, quick!

    Cons
    This product is very gloopy, so there is a possibility that it won't clean as
    well as the FK #108AS - this is pure supposition at this stage; I'll report
    further on this. With the anti static properties of #108, that's what the "AS"
    stands for, I doubt that it will usurp it on things like my dashboard plastic.

    20 Hours After Application

    Here are the two tyres just 20 hours after application of the FK#350



    The Bridgestone


    The Falken


    Now, you can probably see why I apply this the day before the show, rather
    than at the show.

    One Week On...

    Here are the two tyres a week after application of the FK#350 and after some
    during the rain driving - I know, unusual for me! Neither wheel washed.



    The Bridgestone


    The Falken


    The car after an ONR wipe-down and a coat of Serious Performance Show Detailer,
    shows the unwashed Falken wheel in context...


    One month on...

    After a trip to Cumbria where one wheel wash took place, but no pictures taken,
    this is the unwashed Falken tyre a week after the 280 mile trip home through
    some fairly heavy rain...



    There is now much less brakepad dust. This is the wheel after washing with
    CG HFE. Despite the very wet journey home I was quite surprised to still see a
    little hydrophobic behaviour in the rubber.



    Nevertheless, I decided to re-coat the tyres and the main benefit was both
    the speed of application and that I was left with clean hands afterwards!


    The Falken tyre after its 2nd coat...

    I really couldn't resist this photograph where I can show a view of my car
    from a rare vantage point. All the groundworks of my new front garden have
    now been completed, so, here are the re-coated tyres in context heheheh



    This will be my final post regarding the tyres. I'm very pleased with the
    product's performance so far.

    FK #350 on a Ford RS2000 spoiler

    Here's the rear spoiler on a Ford RS2000 50/50 treated with just one coat
    of the FK#350



    Mk.2 Escort Gets the Tyre Treatment

    As promised earlier in this thread, some pictures of tyres with a bit of bling
    applied to them...



    Tyre Untreated


    With 1 coat of #350


    With 2 coats of #350


    ...and in context


    Completed car on the next day


    Conclusions

    Right from the beginning I've been a tremendous fan of FK #108AS, mostly for
    its sheer versatility, so this product has to have things going for it for it to
    impress. Being so much more concentrated, and the fact that it's water based,
    makes the #350 a very attractive purchase! The only usage consideration twixt
    the two is whether or not the anti-static properties are important. Maybe only
    on dashboard covers, eh?

    At just £10.95 for a 32oz bottle, there is no question of value for money!

    Where Do I Buy It?

    My bottle was supplied by Alex from Serious Performance

    Acknowledgements

    My thanks to Alex for his help once again.


    Regards,
    Steve
    Last edited by Lowiepete; 28-03-2016 at 15:15.

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