Quick detailers are marvellous creations, designed to add an incredibly thin layer of protection to a car to help seal in protection, deepen any paint gloss and help prevent the formation of water spots. Hybrid detailers work like normal quick detailers, only infused with ceramic technology to last longer. This hybrid detailer from Duel Autocare proudly boasted up to eight weeks of protection on its own, and we've utterly fallen for it.
Finished in a lucid yellow is one of the best ways of adding protection and shine to a car without having to spend ages working with a tin of wax. It's such an easy task in fact that you'll start to question why hybrid detailers aren't more commonplace.
To top it all off, it's really good value for money. Most ceramic-infused hybrid detailers cost at least a third more than the Duel option, it's priced in line with most normal quick detailers. Add in that most car panels will need two sprays to cover it and this detailer becomes more and more tempting.
Verdict: A hybrid detailer that works as a drying aid, gloss enhancer and eight-week sealant, yes please.
5/5
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| • Amazing glossiness | • Can’t be applied in direct sunlight | |
| • Real durability | ||
| • Nice smell |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 500ml |
| Durability | Six-eight weeks |
| Suitable for | Paintwork and wheels |
What's good?
As a quick detailer, it's exemplary. A quick spray onto a panel will provide a perfectly distrubuted layer that with a quick buff from a suitable microfibre towel will leave an immediately visible deep gloss in the paintwork. It's not quite as deep as a properly applied wax, but still improved the overall look of the paintwork and was incredibly effective for something that required no curing time.
More importantly however, it also provides immediate protection to the car in the form of a thin-yet-durable layer of hydrophobic protection. Its performance can genuinely match some spray waxes, but with the added feature of clearing away dust and other light-surface dirt like fingerprints. Water beaded straight off the bodywork too, a good sign for the protective qualities of this hybrid detailer.
What's ok?
The trigger and bottle aren't the best design unison we've used. It's by no means uncomfortable, but there's not a lot of spare finger space thanks to the rounded top of the bottle. The draw and grip are very good however.
Smell is always subjective and in this humble reviewer's opinion, Oxide smells a little like cheap citrus cordial. Duel's shampoo and Satin Interior Dressing for example smell utterly divine, but this was more divisive. Sprayed onto a panel, it did smell noticeably nicer however.
Any negatives?
There's very little I could find wrong with the Oxide Hybrid Detailer. There's no faulting the performance or longevity of the detailer, and it's exceptionally good value for a hybrid detailer. In order to find fault with Oxide you really have to start nitpicking. For example, there's no mention of whether it can be used as a clay lube, a common duel (sorry) use for quick detailers. It's also prone to streaking if over-applied, although that's something that can happen with any spray-on product.
More items to consider
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How we tested it
We tested Duel Autocare Oxide Hybrid Detailer on a dark blue BMW 5-Series, examining how easy the quick detailer was to apply to the car as well as the level of gloss present in the paintwork. Durability was tested by applying water to a treated area to see the results
Other products used in this test: Duel Autocare Bahama Blue High Concentrated Shampoo | Kärcher K 3 Power Control | Coral Fleece Microfibre Cloth