Auto Shampoo Suds, Good or Hype?

[CharlesW]

Too much time in the shower again.

Do the suds in car shampoos really do anything or do we just think we have to have them?
Many soaps and detergents do an excellent job with little or no suds.
It seems like I may even have read something about the manufacturers adding sudsing agents to products just to keep us happy.
Anyone have some chemist connections that could get a true answer?:p

[EBPcivicsi]

I talked to our chemist about this last week. It really comes down to prefence and what the customer is planning to do with the wash. I think I can apply this best to meguiars products(I am sure some of you have chated with Mike Phillips). Take #00 hi-tech wash, it is a lowsudsing, high lubricity, light cleaning wash. It is designed to be silicone free for bodyshops to use as both a wash and a lube for wetsanding. The reason it is low sudsing is because you want to be able to see the area you are working on. The goldclass wash is obviosly designed for the more concerned consumer, this is why it is a high sudsing, high lubricity wash. As Charles said, it is basically for us, that is what the typical consumer wants to see. I think basically the suds have nothing to do with the lubricity or cleaning ability of the wash and more to do with what most people want to see. It is like waxes that bead water, they bead so they have good surface tension, but that doesn`t neccessarily mean they offer good protection. That is a totally different conversation though.