NEW PRODUCTS: Mantis High Performance Car Care

There's just a hint of Spring in the air, and that means Road Magazine's Project S4 (http://www.roadmagazine.co.uk/project-cars/) – like your car – is calling out for its Spring clean. And it needs it, after a Winter of salt, icy rain, sleet & snow corrosion. After years of being a motoring hack, I have acquired a garage full of samples from various car cleaning, valeting and detailing companies – some great, others terrible (now filed under B1N!), but I'm always keen to try out more. Mantis (www.mantis-performance.com) endorse the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship – and if their products can clean-up mud-splattered, gravel-bashed rally cars, Project S4 and your road car should present no serious challenge. Mantis kindly sent me three products to test: Scratch Remover (£9.99 RRP), Perfect Wheels foaming rim cleaner and brightener (£9.99 RRP) and a very garish lime green and yellow Microfibre Mitt (£4.99 RRP). (Mantis also offer Instant Shine Waterless Cleaner & Gloss Booster, a Scratch Repair Pen (both £9.99 RRP), a Wheel Brush (£7.99 RRP) and Microfibre Towel twin packs (£4.99 RRP) in their range). As with every Project S4 cleaning session, a good wash is required first and there's no better way to do that than with a Karcher Jet Wash, which never ceases to amaze me how good it is: http://www.roadmagazine.co.uk/2011/05/03/project-s4-karcher-pressure-washer/. A good hand wash and shammy followed, and then it was Mantis test time:
Bad news first... I'm not a fan of the Microfibre Mitt. When dry, its static charge is supposed to "attract and suck-up event he tiniest particles of dust" and when wet it's supposed to "use capillary action to grab and pick up thick dirt." Green fibre stem side is for cleaning and dusting. Flat yellow side is for polishing and buffing. Unfortunately, it just left green and yellow flecks on the car, wet or dry. Maybe it'll be better next time...? Fits well though, so 5/10. Now the good news: Perfect Wheels is perfectly named. Mantis say "it's unique foaming action clings firmly to your wheels, easily lifting off road grime and brake dust for sparkling results that last." Bang on! Just spray it on, brush it into the hard to reach crevices, leave it a bit and jet wash it off: Done! Bling wheels in five minutes. It's an amazing product, faultless, so 10/10. It even managed to make Project S4's 12-year-old rims look good, and that's an impressive cleaning act. Road's S4 is a tidy, low mileage example, but, being the age it is, it does have the odd scratch. Or did... before I used the miraculous Mantis Scratch Remover, designed to "eliminate light surface scratches, swirl marks, scuffs, blemishes and over spray... perfect for restoring dull paintwork back to its original finish." It's magic. Just apply some to a cloth, rub in circular motion over scratches, scuffs etc. with a bit of pressure and, hey presto... mint paintwork and scratches disappeared. First rate gear, so another 10/10. So, there you have it,  two amazing car cleaning and detailing products from Mantis... good enough for British Rally Championship cars, Road's Project S4 and recommended by us for your motor. Try some today via www.mantis-performance.com, or by calling +44(0)207-6913800.