Truck owners: it is 3 p.m. on Saturday, you are on a step stool, and the roof is half waxed. That is the job this kit replaces. Your truck is not a big car: Ethos's own drying towel spec puts a sedan at two passes and a full-size truck at four or five. Everything else scales the same way: the wash, the wax, the trim nobody gets to. On a Ram owners' forum, one owner put a full hand wax at “about six hours,” all of it by hand. Another called it “an all day affair.”
This kit is built around one swap. The hand wax goes, and a spray coating goes on panel by panel as you dry. The protection that took a Saturday now takes the time between the rinse and lunch. The other seven picks shorten every step around it, in the order you use them.
The slow part of a truck was never the wash. It was the wax.
Four fair questions first
Can a Spray Really Protect a Whole Truck in an Hour?
Yes, because it is not a wax you rub in and buff off. RESIST bonds as you wipe it, so each panel is done when you move to the next. Owners time it: 35 minutes on a Sierra 1500 crew cab, about 40 on a 2023 Tundra, about an hour on a Ram 1500. Ethos rates one coat at 12+ months, which is more than a day of hand wax gives you.
“Took about an hour to do a Ram 1500. Looks great and works as advertised. Can't beat it for the price.”★★★★★ Michael D. · Ram 1500, bought the 3-pack · Jan 2026 · customer review
Will a Spray Streak on a Big Dark Truck?
It can, and the fix comes before the claim. Work in the shade on a cool panel, one panel at a time. Use a light mist, not a soak, and buff with a second, dry towel before you move on. RESIST bonds on contact, so a light coat flashes in seconds and there is little to buff off. Too much product on a hot black hood is what leaves film.
“My black truck turned out amazing! Work better than I hoped it would on black.”★★★★★ Jerry R. · black truck, bought the 3-pack · Mar 2025 · customer review
Is It Any Better Than a Quick Detailer?
A detailer is a wipe-down that is gone by the next wash. RESIST is graphene in ceramic resins that bonds to the paint as a coating, rated 12+ months per coat. In Project Farm's independent, unsponsored test of 8 coatings, it went through five harsh chemicals and still had the lowest sponge drag of the group, 2.3 lb. That slickness is why dirt rinses off instead of sticking.
“It's amazing how the dust from a dirt road easily wipes off. I haven't had to wash my truck for 2 weeks.”★★★★★ Jerry L. · bought the gallon · Aug 2025 · customer review
How Long Does It Last on a Truck That Lives Outside?
Ethos rates RESIST at 12+ months per coat. Sun, road salt and harsh automatic washes shorten that on a truck that never sees a garage, so plan to re-coat the hood, roof and tailgate when water stops beading, which takes minutes, not a Saturday. That is what bottles two and three in the 3-pack are for.
Faded trim?
Grey Flares and Bumpers Go Back to Black in Minutes
Unpainted plastic is where a truck shows its age first: fender flares, bumper caps, mirror housings, the cowl. Owners describe it going “a chalky, almost white grey.” Next to clean paint, it makes the whole truck look older than it is.
Graphene Shine is a water-based, graphene-enhanced dressing that darkens and rejuvenates faded trim and tires back to a like-new look in minutes. It leaves a UV-protectant layer and does not sling onto your paint like silicone dressings. On tires it lasts 2 to 4 weeks per coat. One light coat gives a satin finish, two give gloss.
Aaron E.'s wheels and tires after Graphene Shine. “Makes trim look absolutely new!!”
“I used this on my plastic Duramax mirrors and I was blown away by how nice and shiny they look. They actually look new now.”★★★★★ Aaron E. · Duramax pickup · Sep 2022 · customer review
Straight talk: it is a dressing, not a permanent coating. Under heavy rain and weekly washes, plan to wipe on a fresh coat when the black starts to fade. At these prices, that is the point: one bottle does a lot of re-coats.
Get Graphene Shine
Black Trim Back This Weekend ★★★★★ 4.95 · 82 reviews
Product title on the store: Graphene Shine, Tire Shine & Black Trim Restorer.
The Kit, in the Order You Use It
1
Foam Cannon Pro V2
Best for: mud and road film
Let Foam Loosen the Mud Before Your Mitt Touches the Paint
Running boards and rocker panels “hold a ton of mud and make it a pain to wash,” as one Silverado owner put it. Scrub that grit and you drag it across the clear coat. The Foam Cannon clips onto a pressure washer and blankets the truck first, so the dirt loosens before contact. Its air-injection design makes foam up to 50% denser than standard foam cannons.
“was able to quickly get my 2022 suburban and ram 2500 washed and looking brand new again.”★★★★★ Champion · Ram 2500 · Sep 2023 · customer review
Foam Cannon Pro V2 $102.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.95 · 20 reviews
Needs a pressure washer (1000 to 4000 PSI; electric from 1300 PSI).
2
Ceramic Shampoo, 1 gallon
Best for: weekly washes on a big truck
A Shampoo That Leaves Beading Behind Every Wash
A truck goes through soap. The gallon is 128 oz of pH-balanced shampoo infused with ceramic resins, so each wash adds hydrophobic beading instead of stripping what is already on the paint. It is safe over a coating, wax or sealant, and the high-foam formula is what your foam cannon wants.
“I have a older pickup that hasn’t been waxed in several years and after just one wash, the way water just rolls off like I had waxed the vehicle.”★★★★★ Tommy W. · older pickup · May 2021 · customer review
Ceramic Shampoo, 1 gallon $88.00 · See it ★★★★★ 5.0 · 27 reviews
3
Clay Mitt, Quick Decon
Best for: bugs and sap on the grille and hood
Pull the Bug Guts Off the Front End in One Pass
“My truck's front end has a ton of stubborn caked on bug guts,” a Ram owner wrote after a summer of country roads. The Clay Mitt removes bugs, tree sap, water spots and road film from paint, glass, plastic and rubber. Its hexagon weave works up to 10x faster than a traditional clay bar. Keep the panel wet with shampoo as you go.
“I gave my truck a good hand wash then foamed it up and gave it a good rub down with the Mitt. Rinse and dry. Truck was super slick.”★★★★★ Rocky S. · truck · Oct 2025 · customer review
Clay Mitt, Quick Decon $44.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.96 · 26 reviews
Heavy tar? Ethos does not make a dedicated bug and tar remover; use your own on the worst spots first.
Order here, straight to secure checkout
If You Only Buy One Thing, Make It RESIST
Spray, spread, buff, next panel. Rated 12+ months per coat. ★★★★★ 4.9 · 652 reviews
30-day money-back guarantee, even after you use it
Free shipping on orders over $75
Made in the USA · secure checkout with Shop Pay, PayPal or card
Spray It On, Watch It Turn Red, Rinse the Brake Dust Away
Big wheels hold a lot of brake dust, and harsh acids are what owners are afraid of. This one is pH neutral with no caustic acids. It turns deep red as it dissolves the dust, so you can see it working. Spray it on a cool wheel, let it dwell 2 to 5 minutes, agitate with a soft brush, rinse.
“I've always been fearful of using wheel cleaners for fear of discoloring or damaging my rims, especially on my BRAND NEW 2026 RAM truck ... the mat black wheels on my truck looked amazing.”★★★★★ George C. · 2026 Ram · May 2026 · customer review
Wheel Cleaner, 16 oz $27.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.84 · 181 reviews
5
MAX 1400GSM Drying Towel
Best for: drying a full-size cab without wringing
Dry the Whole Truck in Four or Five Passes
Swirls happen at the drying stage, when a thin towel runs out of capacity halfway down a panel and starts dragging grit. The MAX is a 24 x 36 in, triple-layer, 1400 GSM towel: two slick outer faces around an absorbent core, edges sewn inside. Ethos rates it at two passes for a sedan and four or five for a full-size truck, without wringing between panels.
Coat a Crew Cab in 35 Minutes, Then Just Hose It Off
This is the swap that gets the Saturday back. RESIST is graphene (rGO) in ceramic resins that bonds on contact: spray a panel, spread, buff, next panel. No cure time, no haze to chase. Ethos rates one coat at 12+ months of protection. In Project Farm's independent, unsponsored test of 8 coatings, it finished with the lowest sponge drag after five harsh chemicals, 2.3 lb.
Keith K.'s black Ram after RESIST, with his Jeep behind it
“washed and tested resist on a jeep and dodge ram.slick stuff,easy application.flashes so fast nothing really to buff off.”★★★★★ Keith K. · Ram and Jeep, not garaged · Feb 2021 · customer review
“Super easy to apply. Did my Sierra 1500 crew cab in 35 minutes.”★★★★★ Scott W. · Sierra 1500 crew cab · Jun 2025 · customer review
“my truck is too big to put in the garage, so it gets southern jersey lot of sun. I thought that the paint was too faded, but after I applied this product the truck looked like new again.”★★★★★ Redd H. · 2016 Titan XD · Apr 2025 · customer review
Off the pavement too. Coated paint sheds trail dirt instead of holding it, so a Jeep or a 4Runner rinses clean after a muddy weekend.
“my Jeep is so easy to clean up now after hitting the trails its ridiculous!”★★★★★ Ryan · Jeep · Apr 2025 · customer review
John Q.'s Jeep after RESIST: “Completely spotless.”
RESIST, 3 bottles (Buy 2 Get 1) $88.00 · gallon $146.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.9 · 652 reviews
More than 8 in 10 RESIST 16 oz orders are the 3-pack.
7
Graphene Shine
Best for: trim and tires, last step outside
Finish the Trim and Tires So the Clean Paint Has a Frame
Covered in full in the faded-trim section above. Do it last, after RESIST, on dry plastic and tires. One bottle does the flares, bumpers and mirror caps; the 2-bottle pack gives you one for the trim and one for the tires.
Graphene Shine, 2 bottles $41.00 · gallon $102.00 · 1 bottle $25.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.95 · 82 reviews
8
Super APC, All Purpose Cleaner
Best for: mats, bed rails, engine bay
One Bottle for Muddy Mats, Bed Rails and the Engine Bay
Mud does not stay outside the cab. Super APC is safe on plastics, rubber, leather, upholstery, carpets and engine components, and it is concentrated: full strength for caked-on dirt, diluted for a wipe-down. One concentrated 16 oz bottle for the cab and the engine bay.
“From Engine cleaning to interior cleaning, this is one product that does it all.”★★★★★ Robert H. · Super APC · Dec 2025 · customer review
Super APC, 16 oz $22.00 · See it ★★★★★ 4.93 · 41 reviews
Before you start
5 Mistakes That Cost Truck Owners a Saturday (and Their Finish)
Washing with dish soap. It is made to cut grease, so it cuts whatever wax or sealant is on your paint too. Use a pH-balanced car shampoo.
Running a lifted rig through a tunnel wash. Automatic washes are set up for stock-height vehicles. Check the posted height and tire limits first, and expect the lower panels, where the mud is, to come out dirty.
Using silicone dressings that sling and fade. Heavy silicone tire shines wash away quickly and fling onto the paint you just cleaned. A water-based dressing that bonds does not sling.
Waxing a full-size truck by hand. That is the six-hour job. A spray coating goes on as you dry, one panel at a time.
Skipping the trim. A clean truck with grey flares still looks old. Fix it in minutes.
This Kit vs a Dealer Coating vs an Unlimited Tunnel Wash
This kit
Dealer coating package
Unlimited tunnel wash
What it costs
RESIST 3-pack $88.00; most of the kit is a one-time buy
Owners report dealer quotes of $1,299 and $1,500 on trucks1
About $34 a month on average2
Your time
An afternoon. Owners timed the coat at 35 to 40 minutes
Drop-off and pick-up
Minutes per visit, every visit
Lower panels, wheels, trim
By hand, every inch, trim dressed
Varies by package
Brushes set for stock vehicles
Protection
RESIST rated 12+ months per coat; recoat in minutes
Depends on the product and package
Whatever the add-on menu sprays
If you do not like it
30-day money-back, even after you use it
Depends on the dealer
Cancel the membership
1 Dealer quotes posted by truck owners: $1,299 (reddit.com/r/f150, Mar 2023); $1,500 (5thgenrams.com, Jul 2020). 2 WashIndex car wash membership price index, average advertised unlimited membership, June 2026.
What Truck Owners Ask Before Ordering
Will it streak on a big black truck in the sun?
It can if you use too much or work on a hot panel. Work in the shade on a cool panel, one panel at a time, a light mist on the towel, and buff with a second dry towel. One owner's advice after doing three vehicles: “Do not use too much.” RESIST flashes fast, so there is very little to buff off.
How long does it last on a truck that lives outside?
Ethos rates RESIST at 12+ months per coat. A truck parked outside, road salt and harsh automatic washes shorten that, which is why most owners buy the 3-pack: the second and third bottles are your re-coats. Graphene Shine is a dressing, not a coating: tire shine lasts 2 to 4 weeks, and trim needs a fresh coat when the black starts to fade.
Is a spray coating better than a quick detailer?
A quick detailer is a wipe-down. RESIST bonds to the paint as a coating. In Project Farm's 8-coating test it went through five harsh chemicals and still finished with the lowest sponge drag of the group, 2.3 lb. For heavily swirled paint, have it corrected first; a coating protects, it does not polish.
How much do I need for a full-size truck?
Less than you think. One RESIST owner used about 1 to 2 oz on a Tacoma. Another: “I did 2 SUV's and a small pickup. Had more than half of product left.” Three 16 oz bottles cover one truck for a long time, or two trucks; the gallon is for a fleet or a household.
What if it does not work on my truck?
Use it. If RESIST does not do what this page says within 30 days, contact Ethos for a full refund, even on an opened bottle. That covers the 3-pack too: coat the truck with bottle one and decide.
Get the Saturday Back This Weekend
Wash, foam, clay the front end, dry with one towel, then coat the truck panel by panel. Dress the trim last. If you only buy one thing, buy the 3 bottles of RESIST: that is the step that used to take all day.
Order here, straight to secure checkout
Protect the Truck This Weekend
Pick the size. The 3-pack is what most owners buy.
30-day money-back guarantee, even after you use it
Free shipping on orders over $75
Made in the USA · secure checkout with Shop Pay, PayPal or card
P.S. Coat the hood first. Hose it down after the next dusty drive and watch what runs off. If RESIST does not perform, use the rest of the bottle anyway, and Ethos refunds you in full within 30 days.
MN
Mike Nilson · Editor, Car Care Journal
Mike Nilson is an editor at Car Care Journal, where he writes owner's guides to washing, protecting and maintaining vehicles at home. He wrote this guide to the truck and off-road kit for Ethos Car Care.
Mike Nilson was compensated by Ethos Car Care for this guide. Ethos Car Care makes the products on this page and publishes it. Prices and ratings are read from the Ethos store; quotes are from Ethos customer reviews.
RESIST, 3 bottles · $88.0030-day money-back, even after use
