I Tested the Most Expensive Waterless Car WashJustin Helton"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."When researching products for my test of waterless car wash products, one unfamiliar brand repeatedly came up alongside the stalwart detailing brands. Yet one factor stuck out. Maxl One is, by a considerable margin, one of the most expensive consumer-level waterless wash/detailing products on the market, costing far more than other premium brands in the space. So in that test, I figured it wouldn't have been fair to compare it to products that cost a fraction of what it does.I was also curious why this stuff costs so much.Maxl One with Triphene$70 at amazon.comMaxl advertises the product as something considerably more ambitious than a conventional waterless wash: an all-in-one cleaner, gloss enhancer, and protective coating that can be used on everything from paint and glass to plastic, rubber, metal, and even some interior surfaces. The company says its 20-ounce bottle can clean and coat roughly eight to 10 average-size vehicles because only about two ounces are needed per car, and it can be diluted fifty-fifty for maintenance cleaning.AdvertisementAdvertisementThese are some extraordinary claims, but if Maxl One truly lived up to even half of them, perhaps its price tag would be justified.What Is It?The reason Maxl gives for the premium price is Triphene, its proprietary coating technology. According to Maxl, Triphene bonds to the surface to create a slick, hydrophobic layer that repels water, dirt, and grime while adding gloss and color depth. The company goes considerably further than most waterless-wash claims, saying Maxl One can outperform conventional waxes and sealants and match or exceed expensive professional coatings. It also claims the protection lasts months, or up to a year under ideal conditions, while continuing to build protection when it's used as a regular waterless wash.Of this list of bold claims, it's worth separating which ones I could actually evaluate without getting scientific: how well it removes dirt, how much you need to use, how easily it wipes away, and what the paint looks and feels like afterward. Maxl itself acknowledges that heavily soiled or muddy vehicles should be conventionally washed first; its waterless-wash application is intended for lighter contamination.Real-World TestingI started with my Porsche Boxster, which had accumulated the sort of light dirt, dust, and road film that makes a waterless wash useful in the first place. I worked on one section at a time, first giving the bottle a good shake and working out of direct sunlight, as Maxl recommends. I lightly misted the product onto the panel and microfiber towel rather than soaking the paint, then made straight, light passes to lift the dirt. Maxl recommends using a second, clean section of the towel, or a separate dry microfiber, to buff the surface after the initial wipe.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe product has plenty of lubrication, and the process felt more like using a particularly substantial detailing spray than trying to force a traditional waterless wash through accumulated road grime.The spray left the Boxster with a nice shine, but the deep green on the Rover would be more of a test.Sheilah VillariOn lightly soiled paint, Maxl One was easy to work with and left a notably slick surface after the final buff. It also didn't require the amount of repeated spraying that some waterless products need when you're trying to keep the towel moving freely across the paint. I did, however, remain conscious of the fact that this isn't a magic dirt-removal product. A waterless wash still relies on the microfiber to physically remove contamination, so I wouldn't use it on heavily dirty paint. And again, Maxl itself recommends washing first when a vehicle is heavily soiled, which is also the approach I'd take with any waterless product if minimizing the possibility of marring is the priority.My Range Rover provided a more demanding second test. The Rover is a working test vehicle rather than a garage queen, and its larger panels and less-than-perfect paint made it a useful contrast to the Porsche. I again worked in small sections, spraying lightly, wiping with a clean microfiber, and following with a dry towel to finish the surface.On the Range Rover, Maxl One proved particularly useful as a maintenance cleaner, and I have to say I was pleased with the result. Although the dirtier, neglected paint on the Rover required a bit more buffing than the Boxster did, the end result was surprisingly smooth. The paint felt pretty slick considering I hadn't decontaminated the surface in any way, and there was an appreciable luster to the finish when I was done.A little bit of product goes a long way.Justin HeltonThe product also claims to rejuvenate faded plastic and rubber while leaving matte and satin surfaces without an artificial shine, which makes its broad surface compatibility part of the appeal. While I didn't focus heavily on this attribute, the bit of overspray and residual product on my towel allowed me to give the bumper and some of the trim a pass. The results weren't on par with a dedicated trim restorer, but it did leave the surfaces looking cleaner and noticeably less cloudy.The before and after is actually pretty impressive.Justin HeltonWhere Maxl One becomes harder to judge is the long-term coating claim. A single cleaning session can tell me whether a product cleans well, wipes off easily, looks good, and feels slick; it can't prove whether a protective layer will genuinely last months or a year. Maxl says its hydrophobic protection can be monitored by watching how quickly water beads and runs off the surface and that using Maxl One as a waterless wash effectively reapplies that protection each time.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's an interesting proposition, particularly for an enthusiast who regularly maintains a car, but it also changes the way I'd think about the product. You're not really paying for a bottle of waterless wash; you're paying for a maintenance product that combines cleaning with a coating step. To be fair, this isn't the only waterless wash to make this claim, but it was more effective on initial use than some of its more affordable competitors.The Maxl One VerdictAfter using it on both the Boxster and the Range Rover, I can understand why Maxl charges more than conventional waterless washes, but I'm less convinced that the price alone makes it the obvious choice for everyone. The product is pleasant to use, highly lubricated, easy to wipe away, and leaves a pretty good finish, while the ability to clean and add protection simultaneously is genuinely useful. Still, this is an enthusiast product aimed at someone who values convenience, finish, and protection more than simply getting a dirty car clean.If you're looking for the cheapest way to wipe down a lightly dirty vehicle between washes, Maxl One is difficult to justify, if only because of its high price point. However, if you want a waterless wash that also functions as a protective maintenance product, it's a much more interesting proposition.The final result on the Rover.Justin HeltonYou Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State
