By Gary Passmore, Thatdtailguy
Watch or read: Watch the full Day 1 video, or use the links in each section to jump into that part of the conversation.
Disclosure: I operate That Detail Shop, which carries or works with some brands featured in this coverage, including Paicar. This article covers show-floor previews and conversations. Manufacturer performance claims have not been independently verified here, and pricing, availability, and release plans may change.
Watch the full Day 1 video
More choices for the driveway and the detail shop
What's going on, everybody? Gary here, aka Thatdtailguy. Day one at SEMA gave us plenty to look at, but two conversations deserve a closer look: Suds Lab's move toward professional-size products and Paicar's new protection lineup.
Both speak to something I hear from detailers all the time. You find a product you like, start using more of it, and then need the sizes, supporting products, and training to keep growing with that brand.
Here's what stood out, what the brands told me, and what still needs time in the shop.
Suds Lab is preparing gallons and a correction lineup
Watch Victor discuss the Suds Lab lineup at 07:10
The upcoming gallons were the biggest takeaway from my conversation with Victor at Suds Lab. He described an initial assortment of seven chemicals covering interior care, wheels, tire and trim dressing, carpet and fabric cleaning, spray-and-rinse protection, and iron removal.
For somebody already using these products regularly, a gallon option could make a real difference. The important comparison will be the final price per usable ounce, including any dilution, rather than just the number on the bottle.
I asked specifically about the iron remover because that is routinely an expensive part of a detailer's chemical shelf. Victor discussed a possible retail range of about $49 to $59.99 per gallon, but he was clear that the pricing was still being worked out. Treat that as a target, not an available deal.
Suds Lab also showed a metal polish, one-step polish, carnauba wax, polish, and compound. Victor described these as the first phase of its professional correction offering, with a launch targeted for 2027 and the possibility of something sooner.
One useful update for anyone who remembers last year's announcements: the aerosol project had been paused while the company continued working on formulas. The focus had shifted toward the chemical lineup, gallons, and correction products.
A starter kit is solving a different problem
Watch the Suds Lab conversation at 07:10
At the other end of the shelf, Suds Lab showed a starter bucket with six smaller bottles. Victor explained that the goal was to give somebody new to washing a car a more complete kit that was still manageable to carry.
That matters too. A brand can serve the weekend washer and offer larger sizes for the person doing multiple vehicles. Those customers do not necessarily need completely separate brands.
The Cyclone Air Tool was another display that caught my eye, along with the dual-chamber foam cannon. Those deserve their own equipment discussion, but the gallon assortment was the part of this booth most directly aimed at people using chemicals every day.
Paicar fills out its protection system
Watch the Paicar booth visit at 14:36
At Paicar, Brad walked me through an expanded lineup that included Cut, Finish & Seal, a foam sealant, spray sealant, spray coating, ceramic coatings, and an acid shampoo intended for coating maintenance.
The useful detail here was how those products fit together. I asked whether the Cut, Finish & Seal all-in-one should be followed with a ceramic coating. Brad explained that it is intended as a standalone service. Its sealant is not the preparation surface he wants under the coating.
I figured that was the case, but I wanted Brad to answer it rather than assume. If you sell a one-step service and a separate coating service, this is exactly the distinction you need to explain to a customer.
For a coating job, he directed users toward the company's protection-free correction products before proceeding with the coating process. That distinction is worth remembering when you are choosing products for a service package. The all-in-one and the coating preparation process serve different jobs.
Brad also described a planned certified-detailer training program that would extend beyond coating installation into wet sanding and correction. That was a future plan discussed at the show, rather than a program I attended or evaluated.
Availability is part of the story
Watch the Paicar conversation at 14:36
Paicar was showing the protection lineup at SEMA and taking preorders, but Brad said the expected arrival was January or February 2027. He also described the pricing as tentative.
Here are the tentative prices Brad gave me 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.
These are show-floor figures in USD, not current store offers. Match the bottle size before comparing prices, especially with the spray sealant display.
That is why I am treating this as a preview. A booth display gives us a chance to understand the products and ask questions. It does not establish current stock, final pricing, or real-world durability.
More from the floor
Watch Griot’s Garage at 27:51 · Watch Wipe New at 29:00 · Watch the KCX booth at 30:08 · Watch House of Rags at 33:53
KCX had a large display with Ultra Foam, marine products, a polishing area, and COLOURLOCK. Griot's Garage gave us an early look at the polishers we would return to discuss in more detail. Rust-Oleum Wipe New had its lineup on display, and the House of Rags brought together a wide range of chemicals, towels, and accessories.
The theme I kept coming back to was having more of what you need within a familiar product line. Larger bottles, correction products, protection, and education all matter once you move beyond buying one bottle to try.
Which would be more useful to you right now: affordable gallons or a more complete correction-and-protection system?
More from SEMA 2026
Watch Day 1 · Watch Day 2 · Watch Day 3 · Watch Day 4
Find more product tests and detailing conversations in The Detail Standard.
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