CarPro EliXir Quick Detailer Is Great in Between Washes

If you’re looking to take care of the paint on your car, you’ve no doubt read our guide on how to not only wash your ride but also how to wax it. Great, you’ve got that out of the way, but what about in-between washes? If you don’t have time for the whole shebang, a quick detailer might be the right product to use. Similar to waterless car washing products, but with an eye towards getting your paint to really shine.

That’s where CarPro EliXir quick detailer comes into play. It’s a high-gloss quick detailer that was designed to be as easy to apply as the companies’ waterless wash product; Ech2o. However, unlike the Ech2o, it features the hydrophobic power of the “leader in ceramic nanotechnology”. 

In the car detailing world, there’s no shortage of buzz words thrown around, so I put a bottle of the EliXir to the test to see how it performed. Let’s see how it got on.

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This product showed up with the spray nozzle in the box, so remember that some assembly is required. Getting it all assembled was simple, and though basic, the spray nozzle does the job of creating a usable mist. It isn’t super stout, however, appearing rather flimsy. And I put the EliXir to the test on a 2014 GMC Acadia with a black metal flake finish, also known as my family car. 

Application is simple: shake well, spray about half a panel, then use a circular buffing motion to spread the product in and work it back off. The EliXir not only produced a high-gloss finish, really making the paint shine, but it also did so with minimal “elbow grease”. I felt like I was hardly working at it, but was incredibly pleased with the results. Streaking was minimal, and I didn’t have to go back very often to catch stray streaks after my initial pass. Even the Acadia’s glass cleaned up nicely after EliXir application. 

CarPro claims the protective characteristics of EliXir will last a month. That’s not bad at all, but this isn’t a wax or all-in-one product, so don’t expect to wipe your car down twice a year. 

And though you can apply two or three coats, it doesn’t impart any material benefit. Go ahead and spray away if it makes you happy, but I stuck with the one coat.

EliXir delivers on all the normal quick detailer promises, being quick and requiring minimal effort to apply without streaks. The thing I love the most about spray detailers is the amount of time saved. I didn’t have to constantly go back over where I’d just gone to clean up stray streaks. It was, for the most part, a one-and-done product. 

If you live in a state with winter too, a detailer like EliXir can keep things looking fresh and protected when you don’t want to run the car through the automated wash or freeze your hands by doing it yourself.

The spray nozzle isn’t the best thing I’ve ever used. Not only that, perusing the review section of Amazon revealed that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t love the nozzle. A number of reviewers commented that the bottle had separated from the nozzle, spilling most of the product on the ground, or requiring them to go and procure another bottle. 

For more than $30 (the big bottle) they sure could spring for a better nozzle.

If you’re looking for a quick detailer to keep your car looking good between serious washes, or protected from road grime as the world turns into a frozen wasteland for months on end, then the CarPro EliXir is a great product. 

Sure, there are a bunch of buzzwords sprinkled throughout the company’s marketing material, but this stuff actually works. The paint on my Acadia was left glossy and smooth. Unfortunately, getting things nice and shiny also revealed to me just how imperfect the paint on my 8-year-old family hauler truly was. 

Don’t be me, take care of your paint before it gets dinged up and faded.

The EliXir is a great product at a decent price that will keep your ride looking great, no matter how many minor rock ships your hood has.

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.

A. EliXir is supposed to last up to a month, but additional coats don’t extend that time, so get it done in one or two passes and enjoy some time saved.

A. Yes, the product is advertised as safe on many materials, and I can confirm it applies well to glass.

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