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Best car wax?

30K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  everterp 
#1 ·
I'm looking to wax my cube for the first time this spring. It will be the first time I will wax a car as I've learnt it's a good way to protect the paint. Also, I know certain waxes take off small scratches and of course, makes the car look fabulous and new. So, I am looking for the best wax I can use on my sapphire black/blue cube. I want something that will be easy to use and give the best result possible. I was looking at the Meguirs Tex Wax 2.0, either the paste or liquid version... Is it a good choice? What is exactly carnuba wax? Should I polish it (what exactly is the difference between polishing and waxing??). I'm very open to the help you can bring me! Thanks!
 
#2 ·
wax/glaze/sealants are just to protect all the polishing you might do.

polishes have a grit in them and cut the paint (like liquid sandpaper with the right buffer and pads).

what do you want in a wax? easy on off? cheap? quality? theres alot that goes into a decision haha
 
#5 ·
viperman500 said:
I want a wax that will last for 6 months as I will wax it in spring then in autumn. I want it to make my cube look at it's best. I also want something not too hard to apply.
If you are looking for the twice a year product you should invest in an upper end product. Google Klasse AIO and Sealant Glaze. The 16.9 Oz kit cost $49.99. The pepboys, walmart, etc, NXT 2.0 all will only last 1 - 2 months.
 
#6 ·
I started using Turtle Wax Ice Paste Polish. It works just as good, if not better as conventional car wax. And it is also better in a way as it does not leave dust or white spots on plastic surfaces that get into cracks and crevices that are very noticeable on darker color paints. It's wonderful!! I'll never go back to regular wax.
 
#7 ·
eh if your looking to spend 3 dollars on wax go with turtle wax. if your looking for a barrier against the elements go with menzerna.

and with the klasse its decent stuff but again the idea of an all in one doesnt work. ask how many girls who do their hair up...if they use shampoo+conditioner.
same idea.
 
#8 ·
Wax does NOT correct anything in the paint. It does not take out swirls or scratches or anything like that. Wax or sealant is merely a protective layer added to a vehicle after it has been cleaned and polished. If you want to see actual results you will need to at least use a clay bar and chemical paint cleaner before you wax. You can do this by hand, but it takes a long time and you don't get the best results. However if you are going to invest in a buffer and pads you can keep your car looking mint all the time. You can polish out the scratches and make it look awesome.

Now if you want to get a wax or sealant locally there are decent options, but Turtle Wax Ice is not one of them. This product uses oils and fillers to make you think your vehicle looks better, but in reality it is just masking the problems and not providing any UV protection for your clearcoat.

Here is part of a little article I wrote for a friend of mine who had the same question.
So you say you want to wax? Well "waxing" is the term that has become synonymous with adding a last layer of product to a vehicle that will protect it from the elements as well as add gloss, depth, and sparkle to the paint. In reality there are three different products that you can use to protect your car. Wax, sealant, and liquid waxes (hybrids). To understand which one you want to use you have to understand what they all are, and what their purpose is.

Wax
First wax. Wax is just that, wax. It is a product that contains carnuba wax. Carnuba is the best of the best, show stopper when it comes to a show car finish. Carnuba waxes add depth and wetness to all non-metallic paint jobs. Carnuba wax is easily the best looking protection that a non metallic car can get. However there are draw backs. Carnuba wax is expensive. Generally for an ok carnuba wax you are going to pay about $20-$50. It will look ok, but not great. When you step up to what they call boutique carnuba waxes you get a wax that has at least 50% carnuba by volume and you get into the $100-$3000 range. Also carnuba isn't the most durable finish. It looks great on a show car, but for a daily driver it won't last very long, 1-3 months at most. Thirdly carnuba wax can be hard to work with. It will go on and buff off easily but it tends to "sweat". What that means is a couple hours after you apply it, or even the next day, some cloudiness might appear on your paint and you will have to buff it off again. Not a big deal, but can be annoying if you are in a hurry and don't want to waste the time. Also carnuba waxes must be applied by hand, not with a buffer, so it can be time consuming.


Sealants
The next type of paint protection is sealants. Sealants are man made and are always in liquid form. Sealants add a TON of gloss to any color paint, but are low on the wet look and depth. The main draw for using a sealant is it's durability. On a daily driven car a sealant can easily last 4-6 months depending on the weather. Also sealants go on very easy and can be applied via machine (your buffer) where as carnuba waxes should be applied by hand. Now, while I'm not a huge fan of the super glossy sealant look, some people love it and prefer it over a carnuba wax. I use sealants for all my customer cars though because of it's great durability since I don't see a customers more than a few times a year.

Hybrids
Finally there are liquid waxes, or hybrids as I call them. These are few and far between but they do have their place. A hybrid, like a sealant is always in liquid form and can be applied via machine buffer. It is a mix of man made chemicals, and has some carnuba thrown in to help. A hybrid does everything well, but nothing great. It adds gloss, depth and the wet look, but not to the same extent that a dedicated sealant or wax does. As for durability it falls pretty much right in the middle with 3-5 months.

Now with all that info here is what I do. I lay down a layer of sealant on my vehicle. This way I get the gloss and protection that I want. After letting the sealant cure for 12 hours I then apply a layer of carnuba wax on top of the sealant. This not only adds even more protection, but it gives you the depth and wetness that the sealant lacks. The drawback to this is that it takes more time and cost more money, but if you want the best look possible this is what you have to do.


All that said here are some of my favorites:
http://www.detailersdomain.com/colloniteliquidinsulatorwaxno845.aspx AMAZING durability. I've seen two coat of this last for 9 months and still going strong.

http://www.detailersdomain.com/menzerna-powerlock-polymersealant.aspx Very easy to use and looks great. In good conditions it can last up to 6 months, but I would expect 3-5 realistically.
 
#10 ·
SlammedNiss said:
I always used the Mother's 3 step paint cleaner/polish/wax. Took a full weekend to totally detail the car but was worth it. Would wash, clay bar, wash again, paint cleaner, polish, then wax.

While you can get good results with that kit you aren't actually polishing anything. The pre wax cleaner chemically cleans the paint which is good, but it doesn't remove any swirls or marring. As for the glaze/sealer all it's doing is filling some swirls temporarily and adding a little protection.

To polish something you have to use something with mechanical abrasives in it.
 
#11 ·
twistedframe said:
While you can get good results with that kit you aren't actually polishing anything. The pre wax cleaner chemically cleans the paint which is good, but it doesn't remove any swirls or marring. As for the glaze/sealer all it's doing is filling some swirls temporarily and adding a little protection.

To polish something you have to use something with mechanical abrasives in it.
That may be true, but I was never disappointed with the results. I never had any swirls that I could see and the paint was as smooth as glass when finished.
 
#12 ·
SlammedNiss said:
twistedframe said:
While you can get good results with that kit you aren't actually polishing anything. The pre wax cleaner chemically cleans the paint which is good, but it doesn't remove any swirls or marring. As for the glaze/sealer all it's doing is filling some swirls temporarily and adding a little protection.

To polish something you have to use something with mechanical abrasives in it.
That may be true, but I was never disappointed with the results. I never had any swirls that I could see and the paint was as smooth as glass when finished.
Now that you edited your original post to the Meguiars system , then it does have a light polish in it. That will help to level the paint and make it smooth. Again by hand it won't remove many defects, but it is a great way to keep your vehicle looking it's best/
 
#14 ·
snap said:
Hands Down ....Zaino go to Zaino.com ;) I use it on my Cube and my Corvette
X2!!!
 
#15 ·
I generally use a paste wax containing carnauba wax. I've heard that was very good. The last one I got was made by Turtle. I forget what model of Turtle it was, but it was easy enough to apply and rub out. I don't go crazy waxing my cars. If the weather is right, and I'm in the mood, I'll spend some time on it.

I once had a red car that was about 15 yrs old, and I thought I'd spruce it up. I gave it a light compounding and then waxed it. It was amazing. People who were stopped next to me a traffic lights complimented me on the appearance - thought it was a repaint. Newer paints seems to look better longer without much work.

Any opinions on carnauba?
 
#17 ·
viperman500 said:
I want a wax that will last for 6 months as I will wax it in spring then in autumn. I want it to make my cube look at it's best. I also want something not too hard to apply.
OK if that's what you really want then don't bother with wax. Get Glass Coating. Look Up OptiCoat 2.0 or AQuartz or CQuartz. All three are at least 8H hardness (harder than your clear coat and wayyyyyyy harder than any wax or sealant) and last for a least 2 years. NOTE: Professionally polish car first.
 
#18 ·
snap said:
Hands Down ....Zaino go to Zaino.com ;) I use it on my Cube and my Corvette
I'm another "Zaino Zombie". :)

Been using it for years on a variety of family/friends' cars.

I love how easy it goes on / off and doesn't leave white marks on the rubber trim.

I usually wash as usual, do a coat of Z2 show car polish, follow up with Z6 detailer/anti-static and finish with the "grand finale" spray.
 
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