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The Best Tire Shine To Make Your Car Look Good As New

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Last Updated: May 3, 2024, 1:27 p.m.

Cars and trucks are always fun to admire, in my experience. They’re a work of engineering, combining various parts that work together to create a beast of machinery that’s fast, sleek, and comfortable. But no matter how well you treat your vehicle, it will lose its shine and color over time. To address this, you may want to do a little bit of maintenance here and there to keep it looking as good as it did the day you bought it. Fortunately, there are products that you can use to turn even your tires into sleek and clean parts of your vehicle.

Tire shine is simple to use and works by coating your tires in a thin layer of chemicals. These chemicals stick to the tire and give it a nice, long-lasting shine that, when properly applied, will make your vehicle look good as new. Whether you want to make your old tires look new again or ensure your new tires last for longer, tire shine products may be of use to you. To help you choose the right one, we’ve rounded up the best tire shines of 2023 in this guide.

Best Tire Coating: Buyer's Guide

Tire shine may seem like an unneeded extra step, but trust me, even casual car owners love the look of their vehicle after a little tire shine. This is all you need to know about tire shine.

What Is Tire Shine?

Tire shine is a type of car product that’s applied to your car’s tires. The shine coats the tires in a thin layer of chemicals that both nourish and protect your tires while also resulting in a nice shine that’s easily visible even from afar. Car owners like me use tire shine to make their cars look nicer, and their tires last longer.

Benefits of Tire Shine

It makes your tires glow

Tires look great when you first buy them, but they quickly become dirty after a few days of driving around town; just one trip to the outdoors with mud and dirt can lead to some heavy cleaning required. I know I've been there. It can be difficult to maintain the look of your tires in the long term, but with tire shine, it’s not impossible. Tire shine is a semi-permanent way of keeping your tires shiny. They don’t last forever, but they can last long enough that you can make use of the coating for a few days or even a week, depending on the product and how well you applied it.

It protects your tires

One other benefit of tire shine that you may not have known about is its ability to protect your tires. Think about it — tire shine is basically a thin layer of protection — why wouldn’t it protect your tires? The chemicals will coat the tire and protect it from dust, dirt, and debris, so you can minimize the chances of tires fading or cracking over time with enough application. Of course, since tire shine doesn’t last forever, you’ll need to keep on applying a coating for the best results, but it’s better than leaving everything up to fate. To see a demonstration on how best to apply tire shine to protect your tires, check out this YouTube Short by Jamie the Cleaner: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ppCFfPmuIEM

Types of Tire Shine

Tire shine spray

Tire shine sprays are the most common type of tire shine and the most convenient. You can easily apply it with the spray bottle and with practice, with little to no overspray. There’s also the advantage of being able to use the spray on other parts of the car — tire shine is sometimes capable of shining your car’s plastic and vinyl elements, perfect for the interior plastic and other parts of the car that need a light coating.

Tire gel

Tire gel is the thicker, more potent alternative to spray. It can be a little tricky to work with due to its viscosity, but once you get the hang of it, you can make your tires look exceptionally shiny. With the thickness of tire gel, you can also leave a thicker layer of the formula, which will make it last longer than sprays.

Finding the Right Amount of Shine

Knowing how much shine you need for your car is a little tricky. Generally, you’ll want to add just a little bit of shine at first, slowly adding more layers until you get just the right amount of shine. Drive with that shined tire for a few days to see if that’s what you prefer, then make adjustments as necessary.

Top Picks

Best Overall: Car Guys Tire Shine
Wet Tire Look: Adam's Tire Shine
Incredible With Applicators: Chemical Guys Tire Shine
Amazing Tire Gel Option: Meguiar's Tire Shine
Most Durable: Armor All Tire Shine

Reviews

Best Overall

Car Guys Tire Shine

Pros	Cons
Can be used on tires and plastics Lasts for quite a while Can be used flexibly	A lot of product needed

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Wet Tire Look

Adam's Tire Shine

Pros	Cons
Great for achieving the wet tire look Uses SiO2 for long-lasting application Especially potent when used in layers	Takes a while to achieve the wet tire shine

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Incredible With Applicators

Chemical Guys Tire Shine

Pros	Cons
Comes with applicators Creates a dry finish Amazing results that last a while	Applicators need to be purchased in a bundle

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Amazing Tire Gel Option

Meguiar's Tire Shine

Pros	Cons
Very thick and long-lasting Results in a rich shine No spillage or dripping	Can be difficult to work with at first

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Most Durable

Armor All Tire Shine

Pros	Cons
Coats the tire in a protective layer Minimizes cracking and fading Comes in packs of two	Not as shiny as other tire shines

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FAQs

How long does tire shine last?

Tire shine can last anywhere between a couple of days to a week or more depending on the formula, the type of tire, and the method of application, among other things.

Does tire shine make tires last longer?

Tire shine leaves a thin protective layer over the tire, making it last longer over time by protecting it from the elements.

Can I use tire shine on other parts of the car?

Some tire shine products can be used on plastics and vinyl aside from just the tires.

Do I apply tire shine on wet or dry tires?

Most professionals suggest that you apply tire shine on dry tires. While some products advertise that they can be applied on both, there is a greater chance of the product slipping or dripping on a wet tire.

How long does tire shine take to dry?

Usually between three and five minutes. After that, wipe off any excess tire shine.