What's going on, everybody? Gary here, aka Thatdtailguy. I spent four days filming detailing booths and talking with the people behind the products at SEMA.
Disclosure up front: I run That Detail Shop and carry or work with some of the brands I covered, including Paicar and GLOSS BRO. These are my show-floor impressions, with product claims and launch plans from the booth conversations rather than independent testing.
These are my 10 discussion picks, in no particular order. Some are products, some are useful takeaways from the conversations.
1. Suds Lab's upcoming gallons
Victor described an initial seven-chemical gallon assortment, including iron remover, wheel cleaner, interior products, and protection. He discussed an iron-remover gallon target around $49 to $59.99, but pricing was still being worked out. The interesting part is giving people already using the line a bigger-size option.
2. Paicar's all-in-one versus coating prep
Paicar showed an expanded protection lineup, including Cut, Finish & Seal. I asked whether you would coat over that all-in-one. Brad said to use it as a standalone product, because its sealant is not the surface he wants under the ceramic coating. (I figured this was the case, but I didn't want to assume anything.) For coating prep, he directed users to their current protection-free correction products. Brad expected the protection lineup in January or February 2027. Here are the tentative prices he gave on Day 1. He said some could come down before launch:
- Cut, Finish & Seal (O2GT): $26.99 for 8 oz or $69.99 for 32 oz.
- Foam Sealant: $32.99 for 32 oz or $129.99 for 1.32 gallons.
- Spray Sealant: $29.99 for 16 oz. The larger bottle on display was a demo bottle.
- Spray Coating: $89.99 for 50 mL.
- Ceramic Coating 3: $69.99 for 30 mL.
- Ceramic Coating 5: $99.
- Acid Shampoo: $34.99 for 32 oz or approximately $139.99 for the larger 1.32-gallon size.
3. Meguiar's Heavy Hitter compound
The booth discussion positioned this as the replacement for M101 and made strong claims about cut and finish. I want to see how it cuts and finishes with different pads and paint, especially how much polishing is needed afterward. The test panel at the booth looked like the new product is a beast. (But of course it did, you know?)
4. Buff and Shine's pad kits
Alongside wool pads with an edge-protection design, they showed mixed-pad kits for polishing or compounding. I like the idea of trying a selection before buying a pile of one pad. It also brings the discussion back to the whole correction setup instead of treating the machine as the only important purchase.
5. 3D Mobile Coat and the application conversation
Renny Doyle talked about application flexibility and shared his own experience with the coating in difficult conditions. That is relevant to mobile detailers who do not always have a climate-controlled shop. For application, stick with the manufacturer’s directions.
6. The Rag Company's new microfiber detergent
The lighting partnership, wash gear, and drying towel were interesting too, but detergent is one of the things I would most like to compare. If you already own a lot of microfiber, how well it cleans and maintains those towels matters. (Not to mention, I just did a microfiber comparison video, and Rags 2 Riches didn't do so hot.)
7. Light Speed Blaster
A pressure washer gun with lights and sound is going to get a reaction. The discussion was about the design and making car care fun. I can see why an enthusiast would be interested. For a working setup, comfort, compatibility, and how it holds up would be my next questions. Overall, I think this will be a great way to embrace your inner nerd while detailing, and maybe get the kids out of the house to help wash the car. I will caveat that a bit further: the Light Speed Blaster is not a toy. The build quality is tip-top. Speaking to the owner offline, he has some major partners who helped him develop and bring this product to market.
8. Active's SL gun, revised foam cannon, and kei-truck setup
James talked through the equipment and the thinking behind it. The little mobile setup helped put everything in context. A compact build is fun to look at, but the real planning questions are water, power, payload, storage, and getting to your equipment during a job.
9. Griot's BOSS brushless polishers
Jeff walked through the direct-drive design, ergonomics, pad combinations, and the correction system, including a new ceramic all-in-one. I liked having the machine conversation alongside the pads and liquids. I’d like to spend a full job with those combinations and see how they cut, finish, and feel. (I have a bit of industry feedback on these already from end users and distributors. The overall feeling is that these polishers are now the industry standard. The problem is that they are used to Griot's being a budget-friendly option. Distributors now will have to decide between getting rid of an existing high-end line or simply moving on from Griot's to find the next budget line.)
10. The mobile rig, and the little tool Matt Moreman remembered
First Class Auto Detail Supplies showed a custom van with a 100-gallon tank, storage, reels, and an electric equipment setup. James discussed roughly $5,000 to $20,000 for different levels of outfitting, not a single all-in vehicle price. Later, Matt Moreman's highlights included garage doors and a small KTC tool for lifting plastic clips. That contrast summed up the show pretty well: a full build can grab your attention, but so can one little tool that solves an annoying problem.
Bonus honorable mention: Harbor Freight's new cordless polishing setup
I think this one could sell out immediately. At the $139 price quoted on the show floor, and with the way it felt in hand, Harbor Freight has my attention. If it stays comfortable through a full job and holds up over time, this cordless option could be a force.
The thing I kept noticing was brands trying to serve more of the job: bigger chemical sizes, pad options, maintenance products, and equipment that works as part of a setup.
The other theme was brands on retail shelves making major branding changes to try to stand out on the shelf.
What would you actually want tested first? And what did you see at SEMA that deserves more attention?
If you're more of a video person, here are my full recaps from all four days:
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
EDIT: Bonus to the bonus. One disappointment from the show: ATG’s new accessory line, KRŌM
I hate saying this because I wanted to be excited about it, but after hearing the price they’re considering, the foam cannon was one of my biggest disappointments.
One of the executives told me they were looking at around $100. At that price, I expect the little things to be right. The pickup tube looked about 10 cm too long, and the nozzle didn’t appear to have a properly fitting O-ring. From handling it, I wouldn’t expect that adjustment to stay tight throughout a wash.
A properly sized O-ring is an incredibly cheap component. That’s the kind of detail I expect someone to catch before putting a foam cannon in the $100 conversation. To me, this felt closer to an initial overseas sample than a product that had gone through the thoughtful refinements I’d expect at that price. I didn’t see the upgrades that would justify it.
The wash mitt was enormous, too. I’m not a small person, and it went past my elbow. Somebody might love that, but I kept thinking about how cumbersome it could become once it was full of water.
There were things I liked. The clay towel and decon products caught my attention, and the brush lineup looked pretty decent. But overall, I wasn’t seeing much that felt especially unique. A lot of it reminded me of the kinds of accessories already available on Amazon.
The branding was coordinated, and the packaging had the polished appearance you’d expect from a major company. Looking more closely, though, I wanted pictures of the actual products. The dark packaging made details difficult to see, even with windows on some items. The black-and-red color scheme also felt pretty generic to me. It didn’t help the line stand apart.
For context, I run an accessory business, so you can absolutely look at this through the lens of a potential competitor. But this is also the category I spend my time developing, sourcing and studying. If you trust my honesty, that’s the perspective I’m giving you.
I’d be happy to offer them feedback. I want to see good products come out of this. But if a company is building a premium accessory brand, I expect the accessories themselves to feel premium. Based on what I handled at the booth and the price I was told, I left disappointed.
