Mothers 07240 California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System Review.

 "Wwww...wow!!!" 2005-07-15
By Avid Reviewer (San Jose, CA)

After reading numerous raving reviews here at Amazon.com and at several other sites, and learning that auto clay was safe for clear coat paints because it works through a non-abrasive process, I decided to give it a try -- and boy, was I glad I did!



My car was covered with a stubborn deposit of dirt and grime that simply would not come off with a car wash. It seemed that the dirt and grime had gotten lodged in the paint and wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried washing the car. After every car wash, I would run my fingers through the paint and it would still feel gritty.



That was when I learned about Mothers 07240 California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System Kit. The results were astounding! After using it, the paint no longer felt gritty but glassy-smooth. The paint was no longer dulled by contaminants and the car looked like it has a new coat of paint! I was immensely pleased with the results.



Unlike a lot of car polish or polishing compounds that use abrasion to strip away surface contaminants, auto clay simply picks up surface contaminants and locks them into the clay. The clay looks and feels exactly like plasticine (Play-doh®) and it is used along with the included "lubricant" spray (actually, an auto soap that provide lots of suds -- like Meguiar's Gold Class -- will work equally well.)



Mind you, car polish still has its place in paint restoration because claying will not remove scratches; only a car polish or a polishing compound (harsher) can do that. And remember, always follow the claying with an application of wax to shield your paint from new contaminants. Also, clay your car every so often and you will keep the paint looking like new!



I am giving Mothers 07240 California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System Kit my highest recommendation. Go on, try it and see for yourself firsthand the difference it makes in your car paint. It's worth every penny and I'm sure you'll be glad you did!

 "Unbelievable Product: Mother's California Gold Clay Bar" 2004-12-07
By Bob I. (Orange County, CA)

I first bought the Mother's Clay Bar system a year ago. It sat on the shelf until I tried it on my two year old Honda CR-V.

It took less than 45 minutes to treat and wax my whole car and the vehicle now looks better than when I bought it. You can actually hear those little rust causing impurities coming off the finish. Stop destroying your clear coat or settling for less than a perfectly smooth finish get this product! I do not own stock in, or work for, Mother's Car Care prducts.

 "The only clay bar kit you need!" 2007-06-02
By Jerry Jackson Jr. (Cincinnati, OH United States)

I've used clay bar kits from four different manufacturers. All did the job fine (though some old Meguiar's clay bar caused some minor scratches in one car's paint). That said, this Mother's California Gold Clay Bar kit is a GREAT clay bar kit and it's very well priced.



As long as Mother's continues to make this kit I will continue to buy it.

 "Works great on overspray" 2006-08-20
By LaChina (IL United States)

This product removed overspray in about two hours and saved me a ton of money. I was lucky to find out about this system and highly recommend it. It's easy to use, just wash and dry your car, and then in 2 feet blocks spray the lubricant and gently rub the clay bar on your car, wiping off excess lubricant and finishing with the wax included in the kit. My car looks like it did when it came off the lot! Couldn't be happier.

 "Unbelievable Results" 2007-09-02
By Andrew Senske (Spokane, WA United States)

The Mother's clay bar system is unbelievably effective. I've had some serious imperfections in the white paint of my 2004 Suburban for over a year. One problem was a spot of red paint on one of the rear side doors caused by someone "dinging" my door. No dent, just a scuff of red paint. Using the clay bar I was able to remove the red paint in about 10 minutes. I really didn't think there would be an easy or affordable way to remove this paint, and I was very excited to watch it disappear as I gently rubbed the clay bar back and forth.



The other problem was tree sap spots all over my hood and roof that were a result of leaving my car parked under a tree while on vacation for 10 days last summer. These spots would not budge with normal washing or with fingernail scratching. After a couple of hours with the clay bar, every spot is gone. It takes some elbow grease and some time, but it works.



The minor imperfections like road tar, bug remnants, etc. disappear in seconds with the clay bar. This is stuff that just won't come off with soap and water, and it comes off extremely quickly and easily with the clay bar.



This system only comes with a single clay bar and it's rather small. Based on the size of the box and on the size of the picture of the clay bar on the box I thought it would be a bigger piece of clay. It's more than enough as is, it's just surprisingly small. If you drop the clay you're supposed to discard it if it gets contaminated by dirt, rocks, etc. so my recommendation would be to tear the bar in half and just use half of the bar at a time.



I'm guessing most clay bars and/or clay bar systems work just as well as this one, but this is the one I've used and it works great.

Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Review.

 "The Goods" 2009-11-07
By John H. Williams (Pittsburgh PA)

Garmin with NavTeq maps is the way to go. Nearly perfect routing. Reliable maps. Very solid combination generally. This particular unit is an excellent combination of features and, as a refub, a stunning value.



The features that allow this device to stand out from most other Garmins are these: (1) Instant on and instant navigation when turned back on where it was turned off. (2) Lane assist in major cities in some intersections. (3) Multiple stops (Via Points) from your starting point to your destination (many Garmins don't do this). (4) Lifetime traffic. You have to put up with small, rather inconspicuous ads now and again, but it's really no big deal. (5) There is no antenna to extend. It's built into the base unit. (6) It's really, really sensitive. Really. Sensitive. Works great. (7) There are transparent images of large buildings and structures that aid somewhat in navigation but even more, are entertaining and interesting.



You really can't go wrong.



What does it lack? (1) Most notably, voice recognition. (2) MSN services, but that is scheduled to be shut off for lack of interest anyway.* (3) A way to turn off the navigation to carry it around listening to the MP3 player when you're out of the car. It's constantly finding GPS signals in the grocery store and announcing when it's lost the signal in the store. I certainly don't need that and certainly don't need the battery being drained trying to GPS while I'm in Barnes & Noble. It would be nice to be able to turn the GPS off while using other features, like the MP3 player and Audio Book player. (5) The FM transmitter that assists using the GPS and MP3 player with the car stereo is apparently as strong as the FCC permits, but it's still not strong enough to overcome competing stations in the city. It's just not a good connection. Too much noise. Some FM transmitters do better, and I've actually plugged my Garmin GPS's audio output into Belkin FM transmitters that seem to do a better (but still not great) job. (6) It doesn't have Europe on it. Just all of North America.



These really are niggling complaints. It's a great unit. I'm loving the instant on. didn't realize how much I'd like that until I got it.



[...]



Since I liked the first one so much, I bought two more. One for my wife and one for another vehicle. My views have not changed. This is really, really the right product for me. Highly recommended.

 "Maybe one of the best values in a GPS" 2009-11-24
By Donald Nelson (OH)

I already own a Garmin Zumo 550 that I move between my motorcycle and my car. Then my wife told me that she would like to have one so I started looking for another one. The Zumo 550 has been great but I didn't need the water proof and other features that add to the price of that one. After a lot of looking and comparing, I found that the 765T had all the features that most people really need at a very affordable price. Bluetooth capability, FM Modulator, MP3 and a great screen that is very easy to read. My wife is thrilled with it. Don't let the "re-manufactured" thing bother you. They are like brand new at a much lower price.

 "Love it, love it, love it!" 2009-10-22
By Maryland Mom

Selected this GPS after reading lots of reviews and comparing features we wanted compared to our old one, the Garmin 200w. Not techno-savvy, I set it up by myself and had no trouble registering or setting up the bluetooth with my phone. Took it out for a "spin" right away and found many features to really appreciate. The bluetooth worked fine, sounded a little like speaker phone but that is to be expected. Haven't had occasion to see how the traffic feature works yet, or the MP3, but overall am quite satisfied with this GPS.

 "Pretty awesome toy!" 2009-11-17
By Jose Rodriguez (Cincinnati, OH United States)

After doing extensive web research, this was the best GPS at a great price. My only CON is that I can not get my Treo 650 to work properly on it through the Bluetooth. Otherwise is great.

 "Lost without it!" 2009-11-19
By Intrepid Explorer (Nashville, TN, US)

As someone who travels extensively, I'd be lost without it. Not just the maps but the other great features as well. I purchased the refurb because Garmin had upgraded it from just the 765 to the 765T which includes the traffic receiver. The traffic receiver (fm) also allows me to hear my garmin through my car stereo which is very useful when connected via bluetooth to my phone. I download books to my Garmin and I play them through the stereo too.



I have yet to see the lane assist work, I guess I don't travel in areas that support this map feature. I'm looking forward to seeing it work.



I beleive that this was a great value buy. Highly recommended!

Quixx Paint Scratch Remover Review.

 "Scratch fix(x)" 2007-05-12
By Harold J. Plamjack

My first and only, thus far, fix was on my BMW wagon. It was scratched by a careless person operating a grocery cart where I was shopping.

Following the instructions that came with this product, the scratch was removed in its entirety.

 "Amazing" 2007-09-22
By M. Seluk (Michigan)

I ordered this stuff through an Amazon affiliate and I am amazed. From both having a door ding from some careless putz and a scratch from a runaway shopping cart- I couldn't be more happy. Effortless. I followed the directions (a little bit goes a long way) and the scratches (the door ding went through several layers) went to as good as new. A definite 5/5.

 "Works very well indeed - Very satisfied - Requires effort" 2009-05-03
By Jonathan Sacks (McLean, Virginia, USA)

Last week I bought a lovely, lo-mileage 2006 Mercury Mountaineer. During the test drive, however, I observed many pencil thin and razor scratches on the left side extending along the driver's door to the front left fender. They were ugly cosmetic marks extending over an area of about 8 feet in length, patchy, scratchy, annoying marks, and I almost didn't buy the vehicle. But in the end I did because it worked great and was exceptional value.



However, I was still bothered by the scratches. I started to research scratch removal and within a few days I'd covered a lot of the scratch market products. Then I stumbled on QUIXX acrylic remover at a local chain auto store which piqued my curiosity. But before I even used it, I researched further and found the QUIXX paint scratch remover. This looked remarkable and I wasn't sure if I really believed it and the company's talk about "plastic deformation" technology. But I bought that too despite its relatively hefty price tag of about $17.



As I write this review, I have applied the QUIXX paint scratch remover with great success. Yesterday, I rolled up my sleeves and went to work in my usual dedicated amateur fashion. I've never restored anything, least of all paintwork on a vehicle, but I take much care of my vehicles and I am persistent and careful in general. I applied the QUIXX exactly as instructed. After 7-10 minutes, I was done and stood back. And I was disappointed as heck! Those scratches remained as visible and prominent as ever. What kind of joke product was this, I asked myself?



I nearly gave up right then and there. But then it occurred to me that since these were mostly real scratches that I owned, i.e., they were NOT paint scratched from somebody else's vehicle as I had initially suspected, maybe I should re-apply the stuff and work it through once again. I'd read about folks using compound removers and polishers repeatedly over a single area who had great success. So I started over.



I repeated the procedure and stood back again after another 7-10 minutes. I wasn't sure if I detected a difference but somehow the scratches appeared to be thinner. They were still visible and as long as ever but they were now less "angry" and less evident, just slightly so.



I went through 4 more re-application cycles over the next one hour and when I was finished, blow me down if the entire side of the vehicle didn't look nearly brand new. At this stage, the scratches are 90% gone on the driver's door and about 75% gone on the front left fender. And I mean "gone" as in disappeared--pretty much vanished.



There were some scratches (there were probably 6-8 scratches or scratch areas I worked on in total) that did in fact disappear as I rubbed them for the very first time. You could actually see the mineral gray clearcoat finish "bleed" into the scratches as I wiped over again and again and again, just as instructed. This deformation technology was working before my very eyes as I applied the stuff. I was impressed, indeed, fairly amazed.



No heavy rubbing with heavy abrasive compounds. This was repeated rubbing with a bit of effort and focus, rubbing and rubbing and rubbing systematically, but not with heavy duty muscle power. I was using the vehicle's own existing paint to re-finish the scratched areas.



I shall re-inspect the SUV later today and re-apply as required. But I am satisfied that this has already saved me hundreds of dollars, if not more, in professional touch-up and refinishing work. I bet I would have been quoted for re-spraying the door and fender. So the product has paid for itself many times over even by now. I am sold on the product and very pleased.

 "Quixx is very impressive" 2008-12-22
By M. Gilman (Oregon, USA)

I wish I had taken a before and after picture of the job Quixx did on a deep scratch on my vehicle.



I bought Quixx after someone "keyed" my recently purchased Jeep Liberty. I was certain I would have to live with the obvious eyesore, but went online and found Quixx and the product reviews.



The effectiveness of Quixx is great. I am no handyman, so I needed something that didn't involve lots of complicated instructions. I used the two tubes of the product as instructed--repeated the process a second time using the wettened sandpaper (rubbing very lightly as written) and watched the deep scratch disappear. Full disclosure: if you get down on your hands and knees and look hard, you can eventually find the rekains of the scratch, but WOW--if you had seen it before, you'd be as happy as I am.



Got a significant scratch on your rig that is driving you nuts? Buy this product. Consumer Reports recommends it, and so do I.

 "Works as Advertised - Two Thumbs Up" 2009-01-02
By Linux MacWindows (Arizona)

This product works as advertised and exceeded my expectations. I used Quixx to remove scratches on the front fender of a Harley-Davidson Road King Classic. The fender's color was Vivid Black. For non-motorcycle people, the Harley fenders are painted sheet metal just like your car and cost nearly $500 to replace. Fixing and painting yourself is not an option unless you work in a paint shop.



I had just replaced a dented and scratched fender with a brand new fender from the factory and you guessed it...I scratched the new fender during installation.



Using Quixx I worked real slow and deliberate following the instructions to the letter. First used Polish 1 then Finish 2. It took 3 passes with Polish 1 then Finish 2 to remove the scratches and I gained confidence with applying elbow grease pressure with each pass. Each pass received greater pressure until I achieved the results I was expecting. I have to use a magnifying glass under direct sunlight to find where the scratches used to be...and this is on black paint with clear coat. (Scratches on black paint are the most difficult to make disappear.)



Ignore the reviews where people rated this product 3, 2, or 1 stars. Their low ratings are a disconnect in their expectation of how this product should perform or their perception of the severity of their scratch. They have perceived they have a "light scratch" but in reality they have a pretty deep gouge that probably needs to be sanded an painted.



Quixx has a web site that describes the types and depths of scratches you can treat, how to use their product, and what to expect as results. Their flash demos and video on using the product are very informative. The graphics on scratch geometry through clear coat, paint, primer, and down to metal will help you understand what is fixable and what may not be fixable with their product.



The scratches I repaired apparently were limited to the clear coat layer of paint so I was very fortunate and achieved stellar results. If your scratch reaches the paint layer you will probably get good results. If the scratch is deep to the primer layer then you will most likely need a different and more expensive solution. Think about it....your paint is yellow and your primer is red. This product will not make the red primer turn yellow to repair your scratch if the scratch is all the way to the primer.



I highly recommend this product for minor scratch repair or reducing the ugliness of more severe scratches.

Zwipes Microfiber 36-Pack of Cleaning Cloths Review.

 "Hello My Little Cleaning Friends!" 2008-09-07
By ~~Hummingbirder~~ (Pataskala, OH)

I love microfiber. It's wonderful. You can use it for just about anything. Clothing, upholstery, bedding, cleaning cloths - it's everywhere now and there's a good reason. It's incredibly soft, sturdy, and absorbent. There are variations in quality though. For all-purpose cloths, these are a great deal, and you stock up to boot. These cloths don't look that sturdy, but they are. Keep a dozen in the kitchen, you may never buy paper towels again. You can clean just about anything with them. There are better cloths for polishing glass, but these will work. They're also good for dusting off your keyboard. Why don't you do that right now? It probably needs it.



These would make a good practical gift for any teen or adult.

 "Works like a charm AND environmentally friendly" 2008-09-07
By Razz (USA)

These are the best cleaning cloths I have ever used. I clean everything in my house with them. They don't scratch, they don't leave lint, and they clean like a dream. You don't even need chemicals - a little bit of water and these clean windows better than anything I've ever used. Just pop them in the wash and you're not using up paper towels. I've washed mine dozens of times and they are still going strong. Great product.

 "Absolutely amazing" 2008-09-11
By LP Sweeter (Near Nashville, TN, USA)

The first time purchasing these from Lowe's I really didn't have a clue about what a terrific product I was picking up - just labeled as cleaning cloths, so I grabbed some. When I started using them, it was incredible to see just how well these little wonder cloths worked on EVERTHING. Heck, I don't even need window cleaner for my windows anymore! Now I'm buying a whole bunch of them to share with my family and friends... as a single mom with limited time, these are a God-send in getting my housework done.

 "Finally, clean glasses" 2009-01-13
By Journeywoman (Michigan United States)

And a great bargain to boot. I see these for as much as $1.00 each in stores so Amazon's price structure is great.

I love these for my eyeglasses, mirrors and windows. All are streak free now.

If they have a downside it is shrinkage. I wish these were preshrunk as I like the size when new. The are much closer to washcloth size once put through wash and dry. BTW, be sure to wash these in a load you don't use fabric softener. No dryer sheets either. It affects the absorbency.

 "Zwipes towels are outstanding" 2008-10-16
By Sandy Rabbit (California)

I thought I'd take a chance on these wipes because I was tired of using spray on products and tons of paper towels to clean. I have used these towels to dust plantation shutters, my stove top, wooden furniture, etc. It was amazing to me how it grabbed the dust without having to "dampen" the surfaces with a cleaning product. I have already washed them several times and they are still working as they did when new.

Actron CP7875 PocketTherm Infrared Thermometer Review.

 "If you like gizmos ..." 2008-03-13
By RDK

This is a 5 star little gizmo for the gadget freaks among us.



For anyone else a 3 or 4.



You will quickly run out of things to measure around the house -- but it's fun anyway.



Do be advised that for any consistent reading you must hold this at a precise distance from your target or the reading will vary greatly. Not a defect -- but just a fact of measurement.

 "does what it says" 2008-02-24
By K. McLaughlin (USA)

There is a growing number of these gadgets out there. This one works as it was promised and is a convenient tool (and toy) for the gadgeteer. How much colder are the single pane windows than than the double panes? How cold is that floor in the bathroom? The speed at which you can make measurements is great. This unit is not as accurate as the precision it provides, but good enough. Incidentally, soon after it arrived I picked up "A Matter of Degrees" by Gino Segre at the county library - check it out.

 "The perfect tool!" 2006-11-30
By Bill Jackson (Pass Christian, MS USA)

This pocket IR thermometer is the perfect tool to keep around the home and the office. It's cheap enough that you can afford more than one. It works extremely well and is so simple to use. Just point and push the button. I found myself measuring the temperature of all sorts of things just because it is so easy.



I actually received one of these as a promotional item. I liked it so much, I bought several more for my engineering team to use in their work. Highly recommended!

 "good for the price" 2008-09-22
By Michael B. Brand (San Antonio, TX United States)

This is a handy device that works well for the price. I find it is great for checking temperature of wine in the glass, quick ear-temp checks (which run lower than oral), and checking pan temps. It was also interesting to learn just how hots our bulbs burn (including compact fluorescent). It is small enough to fit in a pocket and has a handy auto-off feature.



It does have some limitations. Because of the conical surface area measurement, the size of the area being measured must be smaller than your distance from it. The max temp of around 450F sometimes limits its utility for cooking.

 "Great gadget to have around" 2007-02-24
By David Town (Absecon, NJ United States)

Received one as a promotional item. AWESOME ! I've used it on all sorts of stuff (including the fireplace which registers off the scale, at over 425 degrees f. DON'T TOUCH!!!) Whenever you need to check the temperature of something where perfect accuracy is not critical (like a child's body temperature), this is the gizmo you want. When I take my inner ear temp, it shows 94.8 and 94.6 for right and left ears respectively. Pretty consistant, though a couple degrees low. I can deal with that when I'm measuring pump temps and checking relative temps looking for heat leaks. Over all super tool!