Some car cleaning guides are too long and too complex to follow properly. Filled with talk of expensive Krazel pressure washers, car dryers and waxes, such premium products can cost more than a weekly shop. Simple car cleaning methods exist (touchless being one of our favourites), but they need to be really impressive cleaning products to get the best results.
NanotechSST is one of these simple car care companies. Offering a relatively small selection of products, it promises big things from three simple stages; clean, restore and protect. We've previously tested its car shampoo and found it to be excellent - now it's time to see whether the restore and protect range can live up to the same standards.
So, with a stunning Jaguar E-type in need of a little care and a selection of cleaning products lined up, let's see just how good this simple car care system works.
What is NanotechSST?
Originally founded to protect and clean boats, NanotechSST ventured into car care. Here, it offers a simple range of products designed to effectively clean, repair, and protect cars, all without the pomp and flash of some other detailing brands.
It prides itself on being easy to use. The demonstration didn't use a pressure washer, for example, and while a machine polisher was used, it's by no means essential for getting the desired results.
Based in the UK, this company has a strong interest in harnessing the power of nanotechnology for cleaning and boasts a stringent testing process to ensure each product performs as described. Each product is designed to be as environmentally conscious as possible too; most chemicals are sourced here in the UK, and it's all mixed together and bottled here, too.
Clean - Washing the cat
Unusually for a car care brand, NanotechSST doesn't offer a dedicated pre-wash, snow foam or even a dilutable all-purpose cleaner. Instead, it's straight into the shampooing stage using its Auto Wash.
While this sounds like a recipe for scratches on mucky cars, if the car is coated, or there's only a little grime on it, shampooing alone can be an acceptable way of cleaning a car. The E-type for example had a light layer of dust and pollen on it and as such a quick rinse with a hose will have been enough to keep that paintwork scratch-free before shampooing.
I've previously used the shampoo on a modern car with a modern clear coat and the results were exemplary. The main difference here was that the Series 1 E-Type had much older paintwork than anything I'd previously cleaned.
It was interesting to see how the gloss-enhancing abilities would transfer to older solid paintwork. The paint developed an almost-wet look even after being dried, the shampoo leaving behind a new lease of life in the classic paint.
Not much compares to this shampoo in terms of glossiness. Autoglym's UHD Shampoo is probably its closest competitor on the market but has a different focus than the Nano Wash. It's a specialist shampoo designed almost exclusively for enthusiasts and nothing really compares to it.
4/5
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| • Offers genuine paint protection | • Not the most exciting shampoo | |
| • Super-concentrated formula | ||
| • Leaves a gorgeous shine in paintwork |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 250ml |
| Extras | Works in a pressure washer, doubles as a screenwash |
Restore - a quick polish
Even with a deep gloss instilled in the Jag's paintwork, small surface swirls and marring still existed and required attention. NanotechSST's polish is a non-abrasive compound and is perfectly suited to treating this older paintwork.
The polish isn't available for sale yet, but from the results on the Jaguar's classic British Racing Green, it looks both easy to use and perfectly capable of removing imperfections in the paintwork.
Machine polishing a car is a skill that requires finesse and this wax seems forgiving enough for a beginner to use.
N/A
Protect - The top layer
The final and most crucial part of the process is ensuring that the paintwork stays looking just as good as it can for as long as it can. With the Jaguar free of scratches and that deep gloss already present thanks to the shampoo the final step was to add a coating of Nano Guard Auto.
Like any liquid sealant, it takes a fair bit of time to apply and buff to a flawless finish. It's an unusual option because it doesn't make use of graphene or ceramic technology like most other premium sealants. Instead, it relies on nanotechnology to provide both hydrophobic and oleophobic (oil-proof) properties with a maximum durability of 15 months.
Nano Guard Auto is also water-based which means it's a total joy to work with. It's light without being runny, spreads easily and it also went on perfectly fine with a microfibre towel. What this all means is that complete, long-lasting coverage is easy and won't leave you with aching muscles.
Direct competitors are fairly hard to find. Both Autobrite Direct and Soft99 offer similarly priced sealants that'll cover more than the two cars NanotechSST claim from its product, but won't last the maximum of 15 months.
If you're wanting to treat a car once and not have to re-apply protection for as long as possible, this product has to be on your shortlist.
NanotechSST also offers two types of spray-on sealant - Speed Guard and Quartz Guard. Both are designed to offer protection without the hassle of having to hand apply the product, a simple spray and buff with a microfibre towel will be enough to suffice. They don't last as long as a good paste of liquid protectant but are tempting options against other spray waxes.
4.5/5
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| • Long-lasting | • Fairly expensive | |
| • Deep gloss enhancement | ||
| • Easy to work with |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 100ml |
| Durability | 15 months |
| Suitable for | All cars |
| Extras | No |
Verdict
NanotechSST had previously impressed me with the level of gloss it offered when I tried the shampoo. If it could make a slightly brown (Metallic Maple Red) Volvo look like a boiled sweet, it definitely could improve the gorgeous Jag's green paintwork.
The shampoo, polish and sealant all work in harmony to add a number of protective and gloss-enhancing layers onto the paintwork that leaves the finished product looking spectacular.
Immediate protection was also top-notch, with obvious water sheeting. We're yet to see the long-term durability of the range but have been invited back to see how well it lasted.
In many ways, it reminds me of Autoglym's Polar range. A simple and straightforward way of cleaning and protecting a car. While the Nanotech range doesn't need a pressure washer as the Polar range does, it is a simple cleaning method and has the added bonus of polishing out small imperfections in the paintwork.
If you're after easy car care with long-lasting results and don't want too much complexity, NanotechSST is an ideal choice of products.
More items to consider
How it was tested:
I was invited to watch a demonstration of how effective the process was for use on older cars. While there I watched the car being cleaned, polished and protected. I also have first-hand experience with the product range, testing the shampoo and sealant earlier this year.
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