Bowden’s Own range of car care products reviewed

I’ve been a car person for many years, from street and rally cars, to tourers and 4x4s. Back in the day there wasn’t much of a range of cleaning products to keep your pride and joy looking good, but today there are so many products it can get confusing.

My 80 Series LandCruiser is nearly always off road, in some of the harshest conditions that our country can dish up, and it’s often dirty and dusty for weeks on end. But I find with the right products my 34-year-old Cruiser comes up a treat time and time again. 

While I’m happy enough to use self-serve car washes for high pressure washing and rinsing while I’m on the road, I refuse to use those scratchy brushes on the paintwork. A few years ago I was introduced to the Bowden’s Own range of car care products, and just recently they released some special cleaning agents for 4x4s. 

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A bit of history behind the brand: with a shed full of unique cars the Bowdens used to use high quality cleaning products from the USA and Europe, but they began to notice issues with the products having cheap ingredients in the formulas. As a result the Bowdens decided to develop a range of their own and by the year 2000 they had a batch of four products to use on their own vehicles before, in 2002, they took the plunge and started to market this range to the public. Over the next few years the Bowden’s Own range grew and grew and the early products were hand made and bottled in a shed on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Bowden’s Own makes it clear that it only uses local chemists to research and develop products, and uses local production companies for packing and distribution. Each product is custom made from scratch to be the best it can be. Some products like Wheely Clean and Tyre Shine each took over seven years to develop. The range is massive with everything you could ask for to clean the inside and out of your vehicle including interior protection, products to remove stubborn stains, anti-bacterial cleaners, engine cleaners, car care kits, buckets, a huge polish range plus a range of brushes and cleaning mitts. 

Due to constant demand from off-roaders, Bowden’s Own has now developed a range of products and tools for four-wheel drivers. With names like Dirty Times 4WD Wash, Down & Dirty, Under Armer and The Little Stiffy brush, I knew I was in for a good time cleaning. Generally the Bowden’s Own process is to pre-soak a vehicle (I used the Mega Snow Job ), let it soak and then high-pressure hose off, hand wash with Dirty Times 4WD Wash, dry and then apply a wax or paint protection. 

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The Dirty Times 4WD Wash has advanced rust inhibitors and minerals to dissolve salt build up. I find it breaks down the toughest of stains on my 80, especially the outback red dirt grime that tends to build up and stick to every orifice. This product is safe for all surfaces and won’t strip any ceramic coating off, and can be used on caravans, jet skis, boats and ATVs, plus it’s totally biodegradable. 

After a good wash I use the Twisted Mother Sucker (say that fast three times) to dry off and prepare for a coat of wax or prepare for paint restore.

The new Down & Dirty product is simply amazing; just spray on (wheels, tyres and chassis) then use either the Little Stiffy or The Chubby brush for extra penetration and hose off. As Bowden’s Own says, “Super effective for removing stubborn red dirt, grime, mineral deposits, grease and oil from vehicle underbodies and inner guards.” Down & Dirty is safe to use on all metals, plastics, rubber and non-porous surfaces. It’s also good for removing black exhaust soot, built-up road grime, and mud, grease and oil marks. 

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I am also a big fan of Under Armer, which I use prior to every big trip as it coats the underside and chassis with an anti-corrosion barrier that will last for two to three months. This formula has taken five years to develop and it works well at repelling mud, salt, sand and road grime. Application is straightforward; high-pressure hose the underside of your 4×4, spray Under Armer on all surfaces, let it dry then hose off. It will leave the underside clean and shiny but it won’t leave it tacky and sticky like some others do. 

Bowden’s Own is an Australian family-owned and operated business that uses Australian companies to develop and make its products, right down to the caps, bottles and labels. As well as car and 4×4 products, there are bike-cleaning products, cannons for your home pressure washer and service kits, apparel, brushes and more.