The 9 wax showdown!

[WolfStrong]

For a while now, I have been stressing to people the importance of prepping the surface prior to waxing, and that it isn't the wax that makes the look, rather how well the surface is prepped. Basically, my idea is that waxes can only do so little for a clear coated car considering we are talking about a layer LSP that is considerably smaller than the already thin clear coat. I want this to be a real world demonstration for those who are using their cars as an every day driver, and not the garage queen that is going around with a flawless finish and zero orange peal. This is for you guys! I want to show everyone how good your paint can look if you just take the time to care for it.

I will be looking for how they compare to not only themselves, but also unwaxed paint in looks, water beading, water sheeting, slickness, ease of application and removal, smell, price, its ability to protect against water spotting, and any other unique things I discover about the wax.

Here is a picture of what I started with. A typical swirled up every day driver. This is a 93' BMW Jet Black paint with factory clear coat.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0439.jpg

I then polished the paint out with my Harbor Freight rotary, Meguiar's So1o Polishing pad (yellow), and M83.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0444.jpg

After this, I finished up with So1o Finishing pad and M9.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0443.jpg

I have to say after using these tools right now that I have mixed feelings about them, and realize I still have a bit to learn in using them. The Harbor Freight rotary is far from a great machine, but it works, and for most others I would recommending saving the extra money for a good machine and maybe keep this as a backup (you can't go wrong with $25). As for the So1o pads, I have only the regular Meguiar's pads to compare them to and what I have discovered about these is that for one, I absolutely love the backing plate on this system, and that they don't tend to heat the paint up as fast. They are very forgiving pads, and great to start out on. With that said though, I do like the feel of the regular pads as well. It isn't that they are better or worse, just different. They aren't as forgiving, but they have a good solid feeling. M83 I felt splattered a lot and dried fairly quickly when not used properly, while M9 was much more forgiving. I know they are different types of polishes, but I would like to see M83 a little more user friendly like M9, which I believe was able to do this with its heavy oil concentration. Overall, I do love this combination of M83 and M9 and am just being nit-picky.

After I finished that up, I then went head and taped off the sections with thick blue painters tape to leave some of the polished area for comparison for when after the waxes are applied. As you can see, this is actually two images PChopped together, but you get the idea what I am doing here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0441-IMG_0442.jpg

When it was time to apply the waxes, it was getting to be night, but I still had some ok lighting in my garage with a work light to see the paint with. It was 62° F outside, and it just finished raining this morning, so it wasn't too damp or too dry; just right! I also have to stress to everyone about proper wax application. Some call for a damp or moistened applicator, which I simply used Pinnacle XMT pad conditioner to do. Another important factor is to apply waxes THIN! For the ones where this is very important, I have went ahead and noted it in the review of that product, but here is a picture of the entire hood waxed without removal (except Souveran, which I will explain later):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0446.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0447.jpg

For comparison purposes, here is a list of prices for the waxes I used:

$9.99 11 oz Paste Eagle One NanoWax® Paste
$7.91 9.5 oz Paste Turtle Wax Classic
$16.50 8 oz Paste ICE Polish
$12.99 9 oz Paste Collnite 476
$79.99 8 oz Paste Pinnacle Souveran
$11.99 11 oz Paste Meguiar's Gold Class
$14.99 8 oz Liquid Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
$12.99 16 oz Liquid Meguiar's #26
$17.99 18 oz Liquid Meguiar's NXT 2.0

Meguiar's Gold Class
My first impression with this wax is that it is meant to compete with the high end waxes. The smell of it is really clean and pleasant; it is hard to describe but I enjoy it. Applicator was included inside in a nicely packaged tin which by far, is my favorite design. Nicely sized opening for the pad as well for easy access. The wax goes on very easily which I guess is due to the high oil concentration it seems. After I applied all 9 waxes, I went back to it and it was dry, so the drying time is well under 15 minutes which is a very good thing. When I went to remove it, I took a very light pass, and imediatly, it completely took it off! I was absolutely breath taken on how easily this stuff came off! To say it was effortless would be an understatement.

Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
This wax has an interesting smell. It is without a doubt, a waxy smell, with maybe a hint of a buttery scent. It is one of those scents where you don't mind it, but it isn't something that you would enjoy or look forward to smelling. For application, I applied a small bead to a foam pad since this was a liquid. Application was very easy as it just glided on the surface, very simular to Gold Class, though it didn't seem to have as much oil in it. Drying time was quick and under 15 minutes and removal as just effortless. Like Gold Class, it completely came off with virtually no pressure, which in my eyes means less chance of swirls. I have used this wax plenty of times before, and one thing I would like to comment on is that it can be a bit dusty when doing large sections like the entire hood, which is why I always stress the importance of using a good quality microfiber to absorb as much of that as possible and doing thin coats. In my demonstration, I taped off the jams and trim pieces so I didn't have any problem with this, but it may be a concern for some.

Meguiar's NXT 2.0
The long awaited NXT V2! I have used the first one plenty of times, but retired it after I had too many streaking issues which I did not have with M26. I am glad to say that after buying new cloths and using this product, I had absolutely zero streaks! Much like Gold Class, it seemed to be very oily and application was very smooth. Same old familiar NXT fruity smell that no one can seem to point out which fruits. Strangely enough, it has the same exact scent as Pepsi Summer Mix, so if you want to know what NXT tastes like...anyways! One thing I am also impressed with is that it had completely dried within 15 minutes, which again another fantastic change I see as the older one, as mentioned, never seemed to completely dry, resulting in streaks. Removal of NXT V2 was just as effortless as the other two Meguair's waxes and this being the last Meguiar's wax tested in this test, I have to commend them on making their waxes so incredibly user friendly and at such a good price!

Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
Just to avoid confusion, this is infact a synthetic wax. This product came with its own foam pad in an oval shape about the size of your hand. It also comes with a microfiber cloth (70/30mix), but one thing that annoyed me about it is that the tag on the microfiber can not be removed without cutting it off. Otherwise, it was very soft. I found the foam applicator a bit strange to use considering that this paste wax only had a diameter of about 2 1/2"-3"! I ended up only using the tip of the applicator to get some of the product out. Application was very strange as well as it went on rough! The foam applicator wasn't the problem, rather the wax itself! I have to say that I did actually return another one to get this one because the other was opened and looked like it was burned! This one was sealed, but I think I may of got a bad batch because it marred the surface pretty bad upon removal, and after hearing how easy this stuff was to use, I am convinced of a bad batch. I will probably be returning it for a refund and going to another store, reprepping the surface, and trying again. I will say it had a wierd smell. It was fruity, but I couldn't place it on what it smelled like. It wasn't pleasant like NXT where you randomly find yourself opening it up for a wiff, but it wasn't a bad. The product itself was a bluish color, and I will have to take a picture before I return it for anyone with experience with this product to give me information on what is going on. If I should get the liquid instead, let me know asap. Until further review, this will be taken out from the contest.

Pinnacle Souveran
After I realized that I had $60 credit and free shipping with Autogeek and they had a sale for it for $60, obviously I couldn't resist the offer! I was very impressed with the packaging of the product, outside of the cheap cardboard box. You get a piece of paper to even thank you for purchasing it right there on top with nice paper! Very professional! The microfiber had a tag which was tapped on for easy removal which I thought to be very good and I liked a lot! The wax itself is held in a plastic container with the foam applicator, perfectly sized for the wax by the way, sitting on top all in a golden bag. Now, onto the wax itself! I found that it will slide right out of the plastic tub, so be careful when using it! This can be a good thing if need be, or a very bad thing; I will let you decide. What I will say is that this is what you call a wipe on, wipe off wax; no dry time. Application reminded me much of Gold Class in that it is a very oily product and just glides right on. The provided microfiber is perfectly sized for the job and removes it with absolute easy. As far as application and removal, it was different removing it wet, and strangely it didn't make it any easier or harder than the Meguiar's products to remove. In terms of user friendliness, it is on top simply for the wipe on, wipe off factor.

Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
You are first welcomed by an old fashion tin that required a flathead screwdriver, coin, or key to open as the lid violently pops off...great; talk about an omen! I had tried this wax once before this test, and to say the least, I was honestly scared to apply it this time! When they say lay it on thin, they are not kidding! Last time I put it on what I thought was pretty thin, and what I realized is that where I first put the pad to the paint, I did not spread that out enough while I did the rest so the wax dried on and to say it was hard to remove would be an understatement! I ended up resulting to a paint cleaner and quick detailer to remove the excess! Simply put, MAKE SURE you lay this as thin and humanly possible! When it dries, it dries hard, as in cement hard and ends up resulting in you doing it all over again if you mess up and apply it too thick. Strangely enough, it was a breeze to remove when put on thin and application was easy, though not as buttery smooth as the heavy oil waxes like Souveran and Gold Class. On my second time I did much better applying it and only had to use quick detailer to remove the caked on parts. I can defiantly see why this wax is dubbed a heavy wax and why it is so durable! The scent wasn't pleasant at all though. It smells like petrol, and while some gearheads may find that a turn on, when it comes to detailing, I do not. It doesn't smell like gas, but it defiantly rings of the scent. Cost is reasable, and considering how little of this stuff you need to use, I would say it is a very cost effective wax, but defiantly requires a learning curve!

Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
Now this was an interesting product to work with. It is very, very runny, even after shaking it up. It rings of the same scent of Collnite, though seems to smell a lot like gasoline as well. Did I mention how runny it is!? It makes application a bit difficult seeing that it runs like water, but once you get how to put a small bead on the pad, it spreads very easily. I ended up putting the pad directly against the opening, and tipping it upside-down then back. This gave it a small bead for application, and worked out pretty well. Removal of this product wasn't as easy as many others, and I would probably point this to it needing a bit more of a drying time. Overall, it isn't a bad product to work with, though just not the best. I also must be noted that this product requires certain temperture ranges to work in, and I was right in the middle of that which was good. It seems to actually like the heat, as it requires to 'bake onto' the surface by leaving the car in the sun for 4 hours, so it may not be the best choice for those winter months when you are going to be below those tempeture ranges for application and see very little sun. Strangely, it requires shade to be applied. A very interesting product.

Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
Talk about a strange paste wax! This stuff isn't so much of a paste, as it is a gel! It seriously reminds me of pudding, only green. Overall, application was actually very easy, though due to the pudding nature of the wax, may take some getting use to if you are raised on regular paste waxes. It is defiantly easy to apply too much of this stuff if you are not careful as well. As mentioned before for some of the waxes, it requires a moist or damp pad (which it includes) to apply. Now, what is interesting is that Super Hard Shell requires FOREVER to dry! 15 minutes, and it was still only getting started on the drying process! This was applied thinly as well! Perhaps next time, I just got to think Collnite thin and have a fan blow on it with some heat or something because after awhile, I just got sick of waiting and removed it anyways with a slightly moistened cloth. Far from user friendly, especially if you are doing detailing for money, but if you have those long hours on the weekends to burn, by all means try it and let me know just how long it actually takes for this stuff to dry! The smell was also very wierd to say the least, and yet very faint. I tried very hard to smell it but it seems as though it barely has a scent at all. Strange, but at least you don't have to worry about people looking at you while you sniff you tin of wax on the weekends.

Eagle One NanoWax® Paste
I was really looking forward to using this wax after hearing very little about the brand itself from others outside of the wheel cleaner. Strangely, this stuff reminded me a LOT of NXT. The tin is shaped and designed almost exactly the same way but with just different graphics; it smells remarkably simular, though different, and applies just as easily. So far so good! It even included a foam appliator to this wide-mouthed tin which made getting paste out remarkably easy, which is one thing I love about the Meguiar's pastes. After 15 minutes of drying time, I then did a swipe test and found it to be still drying, so I waited...and waited...and waited some more. Maybe 15 minutes later, it was almost all dry, so I went to remove it. While it was easier than the Turtle Wax Super Shell, I still found it bringing back bad memories of the first NXT. It didn't really streak, rather just took a while to dry. I would venture to say that if you let it sit for a good 45 minutes to a hour, it would be well and ready under the conditions I was in, so I wouldn't take it out of the picture just yet, I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone with a short attention span.





So there you have it! Those are the 9 waxes I have tested. Now, I am sure you noticed that I have not tested the sheeting, beading, slickness, looks, or any of the other things I said I was going to look at, and the reason is that I want to see them at their best, which means letting them cure over night (12+ hours) and then letting it sit in the sun for a couple hours for Liquid Glass. By the end of tomorrow (Tuesday), I will have how they perform in all those areas, as well as how they shed of dirt/protect the paint, water spot prevention, dust prevention, and the works! Stay tuned!

[raceboy614]

wow, thank you; this thread has some great info.

[E36M34life]

Yeah, thats awesome! Thanks for taking the time to take all the pics and do the write up, I look forward to the results!

[m3beemer16]

sweet! Let us know your overall thoughts. maybe rankings.. thanks for doing the homework for us!

[M0nK3y]

Subscribed.....

[The Man]

1,000,000% I will recommend the ultima wax and trim detailer which actually adds a brief 6 month clear cout to the car, and stays and shinny for the whole 6 months. Although this may cost about $200 for a whole kit of about 10 products (including interior), the outcome is just SPECTACULAR. Also this one bottle of liquid wax lasts 50 cars! so basically this kit will last a life time (alittle sacasm).

[WolfStrong]

So I woke up, and headed to the garage, and I will leave it there! Sunny day out today so Liquid Glass will have its chance to harden in the sun, and with the dirt parking lot at work, we will see plenty of dusting!

I will say that after briefly looking at them, you guys are in for some surprises tonight!


1,000,000% I will recommend the ultima wax and trim detailer which actually adds a brief 6 month clear cout to the car, and stays and shinny for the whole 6 months. Although this may cost about $200 for a whole kit of about 10 products (including interior), the outcome is just SPECTACULAR. Also this one bottle of liquid wax lasts 50 cars! so basically this kit will last a life time (alittle sacasm).

You really might want to keep tuned to this thread, as I think you will be impressed with the results!

[M0nK3y]

Hurry Up!

[whosyadadie01]

this i have to see

[m3beemer16]

you got everyone all antsy now!

[E36M34life]

Come On!!!

[Cup of Coupe]

Subscribed.....

+1

[Brandjas18]

So far so good.....i will check back later.

[ajnavo61490]

lets see a sheeting video :)

[WolfStrong]

lets see a sheeting video :)

Downloading the beading video right now to the comp (USB 1.1 Motherboard FTL :( ) and will be taking the sheeting video afterwards!

What I can say is that I am taking the video while it is my first time experiencing this, so needless to say, a few waxes surprised me, while the whole thing all together is well...a bit of a surprise in itself.

[M0nK3y]

OMG! im so nervous!!

:rofl

[E36M34life]

I CANT WAIT!!!!! I will check back tomorrow morning.

[MBe36]

This is a godly thread!

[WolfStrong]

Alright, I am having one hell of a time with these videos! First, they don't want to download on my computer (beading one did, sheeting ones are still on camera), and now I had to wait 20 minutes for it to compress the beading video only to find out it is still too big for youtube! If anyone has any input on a video compressing program, PLEASE let me know! I am going to go buy some batteries for the camera, and if worst comes to worst, just take it to Staples and have them put it on a CD. I was really hoping to post it tonight, but it seems something is against me doing it tonight!

What I have done tonight though is left beaded water on the hood to purposely get water spots on the hood; I am testing how well they protect against such a thing. So, when I wake up tomorrow, I am not going to be wiping it off, oh no. I am going to let them sit on there through the whole day in the sun to really put these waxes to the test! We will see which ones truly protect the best!

As far as looks goes, this is the one thing that I was expecting to write up a long review on how each one produced its own unique shine and such, but here I am left a little dumbfounded. What I will say is that if this were a flawless paint surface with zero orange peal, I could probably give you a much better idea, but that is not the point of this review, rather how these waxes react on a factory paint job with a car that is driven daily. I wanted to save this for last, but due to the camera problem, I thought I might as well post it up next. Going by looks alone, I will say that NXT and Souveran were the two that took me by surprised the most, so read on to find out why!

I will be rating the waxes ability to darken/give a wet look on a scale of 1-5
(3) Gold Class
(4) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0
(N/A) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
(4) Pinnacle Souveran
(2) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(3) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(1) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(3) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

I swear to you guys, I had to look twice before posting this, but I can honestly swear that those ratings are an honest picking and I can easily say that. The one that truly surprised me the most was NXT V2, and again I have to stress that before this, I was not a huge supporter of the first version and tended to use M26. The other big surprise to me was Souveran, as I was expecting this wax to do something spectacular, but the simple fact of the matter is that it just didn't. Don't get me wrong, it defiantly had an improvement, but is it really an improvement that is worth the $80 premium is the question. Now to be perfectly fair, I am not testing just how well these waxes are reflecting the depth and colors, and the reason is simple: on anything outside of a Pebble Beach winning, orange-peal-free, flawless paint finish, it would be near impossible to tell! I took it out in direct sunlight, and probably looked like a moron standing there for at least half an hour trying to eye it from all different types of angles with both naked eye and polarized glasses, and couldn't see anything outside of the darkening ability of the waxes, and yes, I do have fantastic vision (actually slightly better than 20:20).

What I must stress here, and is mostly the whole point behind this review, is that unless you are working under absolutely perfect conditions with the perfect paint job, chances are that an unbelievably small level of wax (even when compared to the clear coat), is not going to make or break the look of your paint, rather the prep work is what gives the whole effect. To me, a wax is something like a cherry or sprinkles on top of the ice cream sunday; nothing to dwell over, just a nice finishing touch to an already incredible, mouth watering beauty. Now, to add to that though, I also believe that a wax does more than just being that simple cherry, rather also provide a much needed part of your paint work; to make it easier to maintain by protecting paint. The better a wax protects the paint, the less abrassive method you need to use to clean the containments, which means the less you have to worry about the paint being in harms way of scratches and ultimately, fading!

This is why I am so excited to get the sheeting video up, because it may shock some of you on just how different some waxes perform! That, and with this water spotting test, I think will provide a clear prospective on what wax may best suit your needs for your daily driver!

[omegaraceshop]

there is nothing wrong with the Harbor Freight Buffer. i've done at least 4 cars with it, and it's still working.
just use it on a very slow setting. you don't want it at too high an rpm. don't think i've every had it past #3 setting. Don't put any pressure on the buffer either. basically just guide it over the surface with the pad at a slight angle off the surface. The weight of the buffer itself, and the compound will do the work.
Based on how bad or good the surface is will determine what type of compound you use. from a heavy abrasive compound to remove deep swirlmarks and imperfections, to a very light glaze to just clean up a surface that is in good condition. The 3m and Meguiars products have worked well for me. you can get them online from any body supply place.

the speed of the buffer should not really change, just your compound choice will change.
also don't use the same buffing pad with different compounds. if you use a heavy compound, and move to a glaze to finish, make sure you use a different pad with the glaze, or some remaining compound will remain on the pad and will ruin the glaze process.
Try to make sure the surface temperature of the car isn't too hot before you start buffing. try not to do it in direct sunlight. hose it down to cool it off if necessary.

[Jed]

Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
You are first welcomed by an old fashion tin that required a flathead screwdriver, coin, or key to open as the lid violently pops off...great; talk about an omen! I had tried this wax once before this test, and to say the least, I was honestly scared to apply it this time! When they say lay it on thin, they are not kidding! Last time I put it on what I thought was pretty thin, and what I realized is that where I first put the pad to the paint, I did not spread that out enough while I did the rest so the wax dried on and to say it was hard to remove would be an understatement! I ended up resulting to a paint cleaner and quick detailer to remove the excess! Simply put, MAKE SURE you lay this as thin and humanly possible! When it dries, it dries hard, as in cement hard and ends up resulting in you doing it all over again if you mess up and apply it too thick. Strangely enough, it was a breeze to remove when put on thin and application was easy, though not as buttery smooth as the heavy oil waxes like Souveran and Gold Class. On my second time I did much better applying it and only had to use quick detailer to remove the caked on parts. I can defiantly see why this wax is dubbed a heavy wax and why it is so durable! The scent wasn't pleasant at all though. It smells like petrol, and while some gearheads may find that a turn on, when it comes to detailing, I do not. It doesn't smell like gas, but it defiantly rings of the scent. Cost is reasable, and considering how little of this stuff you need to use, I would say it is a very cost effective wax, but defiantly requires a learning curve!


Very similar to the Beauty Shine Pink Wax that I use (which also reminds me of the Harly Wax that my dad used when I was a kid). The best way to apply and remove these hard waxes with little solvent is to use a spit shine method (like what would be done to shoes) that I read about on autopia.

Here's the method as laid out in a post by Nick T. on autopia.org:

Dampen the MF square and load it with just enough wax to thinly cover a small area - 1/4 hood or 1/2 door. Wipe it onto the work area and continue wiping until most of the wax disappears. Mist lightly as needed to keep a few water droplets on the surface. Move to the next work area and repeat. Now to the third work area. For the fourth step go back and redo the first area. Next do area four, then two, then five, then three, then six, etc. After you do the final area you’ll have a car with a lot of spots of hazed wax - but not to worry. Lightly mist an area with the cold water - 1/2 hood or door - and lightly buff with a MF towel. Turn the towel frequently. When the towel becomes damp switch to a new towel. After 24 hours you can repeat the procedure, and each time it increases the depth of the shine.


It works VERY well for those type of hard waxes. I've also used it with P21S with great success as well.

Great write up, WolfStrong!

[M0nK3y]

there is nothing wrong with the Harbor Freight Buffer. i've done at least 4 cars with it, and it's still working.
just use it on a very slow setting. you don't want it at too high an rpm. don't think i've every had it past #3 setting. Don't put any pressure on the buffer either. basically just guide it over the surface with the pad at a slight angle off the surface. The weight of the buffer itself, and the compound will do the work.
Based on how bad or good the surface is will determine what type of compound you use. from a heavy abrasive compound to remove deep swirlmarks and imperfections, to a very light glaze to just clean up a surface that is in good condition. The 3m and Meguiars products have worked well for me. you can get them online from any body supply place.

the speed of the buffer should not really change, just your compound choice will change.
also don't use the same buffing pad with different compounds. if you use a heavy compound, and move to a glaze to finish, make sure you use a different pad with the glaze, or some remaining compound will remain on the pad and will ruin the glaze process.
Try to make sure the surface temperature of the car isn't too hot before you start buffing. try not to do it in direct sunlight. hose it down to cool it off if necessary.

In order to COMPLETELY remove swirls and imperfections, you need to remove clear coat. To do that, you need a High RPM machine that pressure can be added. So that polish can work its job, and remove the clear coat its needed.

That doesn't sound like the type your using. Also, meguiars and 3m are good products, but there is better. Like menzerna, klasse, cg, and the one taht starts with a Z or something......? lol

Good write up, can't wait to see results :alright

[E36M34life]

Awesome results so far, cant wait to see the rest!

[WolfStrong]

Ok, it is 11:30 pm, I just home home from work after a 14 hour work day, and to top it off, I have to wake up at 7am, so needless to say I don't have the time to do anything tonight, but trust me when I say I am probably just as, if not more anxious than all of you to see how well the waxes protect (I will be doing the test in the morning).

Since I have had yet another delay, I will post up some more thoughts. I said that the two biggest surprises where NXT and Souveran, well add Eagle One Nano wax to that list. What the surprise is that NXT exceeded my expectations and is very honestly, worlds different and better than the old version. Eagle One also exceeded my expectations and I honestly had no idea how good this stuff is, and that reasoning will appear in the following reviews. Souveran though, while it did surprise me in a few areas, highly disapointed me in terms of looks. I was shocked to see that this wax did not give me the results I was hoping for, and perhaps I just had my expectations too high (and believe me, they were very high). I am not saying Souveran is a bad wax; far from it! I still would say Souveran is an unbelievably good wax, especially for a WOWO wax, but I was just expecting it to make the paint look like water was literally running down it, which I have come to realize is just expecting too much from any wax, period.

Turtle wax also gave me a bit of a suprise, and that includes the ICE that I had just thought to not even consider. I explained all the reasons why on this all in the videos, so I don't want to give that all away!

With that said, I need to get some much needed sleep right now! Gnight!



EDIT: I will be Photoshopping a picture of the differences in looks to show you guys what I am talking about for the 1-5 scale, so stay tuned for that as well!

[E36M34life]

Awesome, cant wait!

[M0nK3y]

Jeez......this is killing me!

[Ridium]

subscribed!

[E36M34life]

HEELLLLLOOOOW!?!?!?! Anybody there?

[M0nK3y]

HEELLLLLOOOOW!?!?!?! Anybody there?

he usally posts after he gets home. Like around 11 oclock his time

[Ineeda325]

he usally posts after he gets home. Like around 11 oclock his time


Stalker :shifty

[M0nK3y]

Stalker :shifty

no :devillook

that is his average posts

[Driv3r]

Zaino is my favorite LSP. Great Product, cant beat durability, beading, sheeting, or shine.

[WolfStrong]

he usally posts after he gets home. Like around 11 oclock his time
Sneak attack! (using computer at work)

Zaino is my favorite LSP. Great Product, cant beat durability, beading, sheeting, or shine.
I actually want to try Zaino in the future.

I will be out at 6pm sharp, so I will head to buy the batteries and such so I can get on the move with this and finish this review! (Crosses fingers) I really hope its just the batteries that isn't allowing me to dl the videos! I am still looking for a video compressing program so I can put the videos up on youtube, so please anyone, advice on this?

[M0nK3y]

Sneak attack! (using computer at work)

I actually want to try Zaino in the future.

I will be out at 6pm sharp, so I will head to buy the batteries and such so I can get on the move with this and finish this review! (Crosses fingers) I really hope its just the batteries that isn't allowing me to dl the videos! I am still looking for a video compressing program so I can put the videos up on youtube, so please anyone, advice on this?

What camera and program are you using?

[ac34351]

a very good thread, alot of info :D

[WolfStrong]

Camera is Canon PowerShot S3 and program is Adobe Premiere Pro.

[WolfStrong]

FINAL REVIEW!!!

Ok, after waiting 2.5 hours for the video to upload, it froze up on me! I decided I am just going to talk about it until I solve my computer problems, which is probably going to require a reformat of the computer (my computer is pretty messed up right now). It isn't the beading video that I am excited about, rather the sheeting video! That just happens to be the one stuck on the camera.

Ease of Application
Ease of application basically consists of how smooth the wax lays on the paint, how easy it is to spread evenly and thinly, how easy it is to get the applicator inside the tub, and all that fun jaz. Just simply read the first review on my thoughts on all the waxes in general, but here I am going to put a point system to them as some have requested, though personally, I think that the first review will give you a better insight than just numbers. Also note that there are both pastes and liquids here, so while I am grading on one scale, some things like Liquid Glass's runny nature took away from its score along with ICE's oversize applicator with undersized tub, while likewise Gold Class and Souveran were incredibly easy waxes to work with with everything nicely sized and everything just done right. Collnite's finicky nature also took away from its score, along with both the Turtle Waxes, but remember that I also still do stand strong that once you get the technique down, it really is much easier, so keep that in mind.

(5) Meguiar's Gold Class
(4) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0
(1) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
(5) Pinnacle Souveran
(3) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(3) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(2) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(4) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

Ease of Removal
This did not only take into consideration of how easily the product wiped away, but also how it did with drying time. Collnite was going to be the hardest to rate in ease of use, because while it is super easy to remove with a good drying time, it can be impossible if not applied properly, which is why I have seperated the two catagories. I had to rate the Meguiar's waxes down half a point, because while they were unbelievably easy to remove, they do require a drying time, while Souveran does not, making it the clear winner. Otherwise, all went well! The Turtle Wax Hard Shell was as my first review said, a royal pain in the you know what to remove simply due to the thing not wanting to dry! Removal was very streaky as well, which ICE also seemed to share a bit of the same problem. Nanowax was still easy to remove, but did require extra drying time, hence the knock down in the score.

(4.5) Meguiar's Gold Class
(4.5) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(4.5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0
(3.5) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
(5) Pinnacle Souveran
(4) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(3) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(1) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(4) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

Clean hood with cured wax - Water Beading:
This was without a doubt, my hardest test believe it or not, because they were all so simular in their beading, I spent well over half an hour looking at water beads trying to find out which one beaded better than the other, and while in my initial testing I had made a few observations in the video, after spending a lot of time off camera, I realized much of that was probably due to the sprayer itself and the curves of the hood. As much as I hate to do this, on a scale of 1-5, all of them deserve a rock solid 5.

Clean hood with cured wax - Sheeting:
This is where it got REAL interesting and where the differences in the waxes became apparent! After I took the video, again I spent a long time with many gallons of water dripping on my boots from the hood on trying to observe the difference. This was, without a doubt, the easiest one to grade and the most fun! What I have to stress here is that they all do, without a doubt, sheet water, and none of them do a bad job at all! However, there are a few, namely Eagle One NanoWax and NXT that just blew me away, with NanoWax being the big surprise! The water literally just fell right off the paint with this wax and I was just blown away that I had never heard of anyone who made raved about this product because it really is good stuff, especially for the price! ICE also gave me a bit of a surprise because this stuff seriously does sheet water as well. I made a scale down below to give you guys an idea on how I thought they compared.

(3) Meguiar's Gold Class
(4) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(4.5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0
(4) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
(4) Pinnacle Souveran
(3) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(3) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(3.5) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(5) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

Water Spot protection
I was very disapointed with this test, and the reason is that all the waxes seemed to have failed miserably. Every single one has completely lost all of its shine, and trust me on this one, because I spent a good 45 minutes with 1000watt halogen lamps looking at every possible angle. No one wax wiped off easier than the other, and here is the difference that the wipe off made (note that the tape took some off when I tape off an area).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0480.jpg

This was done with a clean microfiber and ONR quick detailer mix for the reason that I have found ONR to leave behind the least, if any shine agents that would change the results of the test. Now note that while it does look clean of water spots, this is what the paint actually looked like:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0476.jpg

Another oddity that I noted was that Liquid Glass seemed to fog up for some reason. I tried to capture this with the camera, and I think you can see the difference here with some fogging in a small area. You will notice it right where my hair is in the picture, that cresent shape that looks like it could be glare is actually a fog:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0482.jpg
I tried to debunk this with putting the light against it to see if it is due to the cold, or due to the heat of the light, and it seems as though it is due to the cold, though I still can't be sure. This again just stresses my thoughts on Liquid Glass not being a good winter wax.

So, unfortuneatly, none of them were scorable in the protection ability as they all performed the same, so I thought I would try some beading to see how they acted, and this is where some of you may be in for a bit of a surprise, I know I am!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0492.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/IMG_0486.jpg
I'm not sure if I caputred it on camera very well, but they all seem to be beading very, very differently. Liquid Glass and NXT don't seem to be fully beading up at all anymore! Compare them to the beading in the video, and I believe you will draw the same conclusion. What also leads me to believe this is that they are not showing a tape line anymore, while Turtle Waxes ARE, especially ICE paste! All the other waxes were showing the tape lines which shows simply that they do infact have a higher surface tension over the unwaxed paint, which would lead me to believe wax is present.

I then went onto trying to sheet water on this, and it again left me with a very hard test. All the waxes dropped down a lot in points here, but surprisingly, some do a bit better than I thought:

(2) Meguiar's Gold Class
(3) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(1.5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0 *****
(3) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste
(2.5) Pinnacle Souveran
(2) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(1) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(3) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(3.5) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

*****I also HAVE to note to everyone that I could be wrong on NXT not beading up in this test, but I can assure you I studies it long and hard and while it may be beading up, it is not doing it NEARLY to the extent of the others, which is maybe where Ultimate Quick Detailer is suppose to come into play, but I personally wouldn't take that beading over the others in any situation given a choice![/i]

I didn't bother taking a video because of all the headache I am having with my computer, and considering it officailly takes 4+ hours to get a video on youtube for me, I will probably just upload the sheeting one since that is the impressive one, once I get that whole thing figured out with getting it off the camera!



Final Thoughts
Well, I can honestly say that I have learned a WHOLE lot from this little test, probably the most important thing being just how important it is to prep the surface prior to waxing with a REAL good clay job to where not even the plastic baggy can pick something up, and polishing the paint to absolute perfection. I also learned just how little importance a wax actually plays in this game, because after this test, I am convinced on just how little time you have to remove whatever is on your paint, and just how thin of a layer of protection these waxes offer, even with some of the best in this test like Collnite and NXT.

As all of you probably have done by now, adding up the points gives a final score of this:
(17.5) Meguiar's Gold Class
(19.5) Meguiar's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax
(20.5) Meguiar's NXT 2.0
(12.5) Turtle Wax ICE Polish Paste ******
(20.5) Pinnacle Souveran
(14) Collnite #476 Super DoubleCoat
(13) Liquid Glass Auto Polish/Finish
(10.5) Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell
(19.5) Eagle One NanoWax® Paste

What I want to note on ICE is that let's say that it might not of marred the surface if application was easier (again, still up in the air or not if it is a bad batch) and which in turn made removal easier, it could of had the chance to score a 21, which would put it as the winner, but that is all dealing with if and buts, and the point of me saying this is that the scores really don't matter, it is just something there for fun. So, as you can see Meguiar's NXT 2.0 and Souveran scored 20.5 which puts them in a tie for first place while Eagle One NanoWax and Meguiar's #26 scored a 19.5 for a tie in second, and third left up to a solid 17.5 from Meguiar's Gold Class. So don't go out and buy simply based on the scores, READ what I wrote, and see which one seems like you would enjoy using the most!



I have to say in all this, Souveran was a bit of a letdown for me, and Eagle One NanoWax was a HUGE surprise! NXT also, obviously is just a solid, all arounder wax. So the question is probably in everyone's mind, "So what wax are you going to use on your car!?" and for my situation, my car is one that is driven every single day, get's a lot of abuse from the weather, and I plan to want to wax about every month at the most. Overall, I am leaning towards Eagle One NanoWax or Meguiar's #26. NXT would probably be my top choice, however I do have the dilema with it falling apart after that water spotting abuse test on how it would hold up against other containments and if it would just fall on its face again. Durability also comes into play here, and as many know, Collnite lasts a good, long time, and I am sure with a little practice, it wouldn't be a bad product to work with. I have heard horror stories about ICE's durability, so I can't say much on that. So I guess my answer to which one is:

The test must go on!. I am going to strip them all with a paint cleaer, re-apply, and test for durability, but this time take care of the paint and make sure to avoid water spots at all costs! For all those who don't believe me on the NXT looks vs Souveran, I might also do a side by side of those two for everyone to see! It is now past midnight, and I have to wake up at 7am, so gnight everyone! I hope you learned from this as much as I have!

[Rolyf]

Hi WolfStrong: Interesting results. The one thing I would like to suggest is that you leave the samples as they are and give us a retest on the beading after a month. Durability is a very important aspect for me and one which should be factored into your scoring system.
Way back in 1969 I had access to an artificial weathering device in a lab where I worked called a Weatherometer. Samples were attached to a carousel and subjected to salt spray and intense UV light. I had an objective measuring device called a Reflectometer which measured the percentage of light reflected off an object.
I cut up the hood of a white 62 Falcon and applied all the then popular polishes. The only one I recall is Turtle Wax although I seem to remember that one was a DuPont product. Simonize Paste (pure carnauba?) was my winner but that was then.
Overall, I don't want to nit pick, thanks for the hard work and information you passed along. Also I agree with your suggestion that each reader make their own choice, at least now it can be an informed choice.

[Rolyf]

Oh, personally, I use Zaino with hardener when I have a full day to spare. Otherwise, I use the NXT when I want to get the whole job done in under two hours. Frankly, I can't say I see any difference. However I feel better about the Zaino. Go figure.

[p0cket penguins]

epic.... i need some zaino

[mbanks21]

So how would a sealant compare to the wax? And would a wax over a sealant provide even more protection

[stupenal]

How hard of a job was it to prep the paint using the Harbor Freight polisher?

The reason I ask is, there are way too many maintenance issues that have higher priority on my list, than buying a UDM or PC 7424. However, if the $25 polisher can polish out the typical swirls AND can be used by a beginner (which I know you are not), it might manage to sneak itself into my garage.

Advice?

[WolfStrong]

So how would a sealant compare to the wax? And would a wax over a sealant provide even more protection

If you remember, I tested both here in this test, and believe it or not, it was the sealants that were torn apart from the water spotting test, with the exception of ICE (NanoWax says it has carnauba, so it may be part sealant, part carnauba). I truly believe after this test that there is no distinct advantage over using sealant vs carnauba, rather how well engineered the wax itself is.

I also do not believe that a wax over a sealant will provide any protection, unless the products are specifically made to bond to each other (ie: Klasse AIO + SG).


How hard of a job was it to prep the paint using the Harbor Freight polisher?

The reason I ask is, there are way too many maintenance issues that have higher priority on my list, than buying a UDM or PC 7424. However, if the $25 polisher can polish out the typical swirls AND can be used by a beginner (which I know you are not), it might manage to sneak itself into my garage.

Advice?

It is about as frustrating as working with a PC, which I did not care for. The rotary tends to want to jump around if it isn't even with the surface but will take out more imperfections A LOT quicker, whereas the PC takes forever, but doesn't have a mind of its own so to speak. Remember that when buying a rotary, you also need at least 4-6 pads (~$50), a minimum of a medium and finishing polish ($60-100), clean (and I do stress clean and in good shape) microfibers ($30), a handy side of quick detailer to mist the pad, a spur ($10), and something to clean the pads with (usually these solutions run around $10). After you add all that up to a $175 minimum, and then you look at buying a machine, you can either look at it one of two ways: the first is well it is only going to be $25 to make it $200 which will be nice and cheap, and after all, it is going to get the job done. The second is that you are already spending roughly $200 in supplies alone, and that you are going to be working on the car with this thing a minimum of 5 hours so the last thing you will want is to do is cheap out on the machine after already spending $200 in supplies, and just get the better machine that isn't going to make the task a PITA.

Personally, I was on a budget, I REALLY wanted a buffer, and I already had all the supplies from my PC, so I thought WTH, went to Harbor Freight, and picked one up for $25 since that is just change compared to how much I have in detailing supplies. Note that I already had all the equipment though, so $25 more wasn't a big issue. Given that, if I were to be going out and buying everything, I would detail that extra car or two for the neighbors, save up, and buy a quality buffer.

[WolfStrong]

I just thought I would post up the scale on the difference the waxes made in their ability to darken the paint:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/wolfstrong/detailing/waxtest/shinescale.gif

[stupenal]

It is about as frustrating as working with a PC, which I did not care for. The rotary tends to want to jump around if it isn't even with the surface but will take out more imperfections A LOT quicker, whereas the PC takes forever, but doesn't have a mind of its own so to speak. Remember that when buying a rotary, you also need at least 4-6 pads (~$50), a minimum of a medium and finishing polish ($60-100), clean (and I do stress clean and in good shape) microfibers ($30), a handy side of quick detailer to mist the pad, a spur ($10), and something to clean the pads with (usually these solutions run around $10). After you add all that up to a $175 minimum, and then you look at buying a machine, you can either look at it one of two ways: the first is well it is only going to be $25 to make it $200 which will be nice and cheap, and after all, it is going to get the job done. The second is that you are already spending roughly $200 in supplies alone, and that you are going to be working on the car with this thing a minimum of 5 hours so the last thing you will want is to do is cheap out on the machine after already spending $200 in supplies, and just get the better machine that isn't going to make the task a PITA.

Personally, I was on a budget, I REALLY wanted a buffer, and I already had all the supplies from my PC, so I thought WTH, went to Harbor Freight, and picked one up for $25 since that is just change compared to how much I have in detailing supplies. Note that I already had all the equipment though, so $25 more wasn't a big issue. Given that, if I were to be going out and buying everything, I would detail that extra car or two for the neighbors, save up, and buy a quality buffer.


Thanks for the informative detailed reply! I really appreciate it.

[WolfStrong]

Well I just did another side test on the trunk while it was unprepped and swirled up (I just clayed it) with Souveran, NXT V2, and Eagle One Nanowax. Simply put, Souveran did add a little shine, but it was on the scale of more like 1 on that scale I posted. Eagle One did a FANTASTIC job of covereing up swirls and I would say a good 50-70% of the swirls were covered up! I simply could not believe how good this stuff is and why no one ever brought it up before, or at least not more often. Then, there was NXT 2.0. Guys, I simply could not believe it...not only did NXT add a good wet look, but, you may not believe this, but it covered up at least 80-90% of the defects! The paint literally just looked like I just polished it!

This also leads me to another conclusion. When I had prepped the surface prior, even with a cleaner that contained polish (M9), Souveran showed more improvement than on the unpolished surface. What this leads me to believe is that Souveran was indeed made for the paint that is perfectly prepared with zero orange peal and the works. If you have that kind of paint job with that kind of prep work, than I would say give Souveran a shot because it does seem as though it may produce an unbelievable result. Outside of that though, it seems whether the paint is prepped or not, NXT V2 is unreal in its ability to make the paint shine. Who knows, it might even still out perform Souveran on that perfect finish considering ho well it is doing right now, but as I said before, that was never the intention of this test.

I also did a little fun comparison between Mother's Cleaner Wax paste, Meguiar's Cleaner wax paste, and ColorX. Mother's Cleaners wax was slightly easier to use than the Meguiar's Cleaner wax, and came off a bit easier. It also had a more pleasant scent, and the old style tin from the 60s. Neither though, completely removed the water spots. ColorX on the other hand not only went on easier, not only did I not work it as much as the others, and not only did it remove easier, but it removed 100% of the water spots! This was just a fun little test I wanted to do, but I gotta say, I am impressed!
Considering I have a stockpile of Ultimate Quick Detailer, Meguiar's NXT V2 will be the official wax that goes on my paint!

[E36M34life]

Awesome write up man! Thanks for the awesome write up. But I have a question for you, whats the difference between the first version of the nxt and the v 2.0? I mean in terms of how the bottles look so I can get the right one.

[WolfStrong]

Awesome write up man! Thanks for the awesome write up. But I have a question for you, whats the difference between the first version of the nxt and the v 2.0? I mean in terms of how the bottles look so I can get the right one.

The second one is shinny and has "NXT 2.0" written on it while the other has "NXT" with no "2.0" on it.

[Z300991]

I tried ICE a few weeks ago ( cleaned the car with DAWN only) and then last week NXT 2.0 ( I stripped off all the old wax, used swirl and glaze and then two coats of NXT ). I like the way the ICE made my car look, nice and wet in the sun. I have a 97 Mont. Blau Z3 with lots of curves. The ICE really brought out more of the dark rich colors and curves more so then the NXT 2.0. The NXT 2.0 really gives a nice shine and slick surface but not as deep of a wet look and shine as the ICE.


The second one is shinny and has "NXT 2.0" written on it while the other has "NXT" with no "2.0" on it.

It is available at a few select Wal-Marts. They need to sell off all the non-2.0 wax first. So a newly opened Wal-Mart was the only place in Austin that has it.

Regards,
Alexander

[Dayp]

Meguiar's Gold Class
My first impression with this wax is that it is meant to compete with the high end waxes. The smell of it is really clean and pleasant; it is hard to describe but I enjoy it. Applicator was included inside in a nicely packaged tin which by far, is my favorite design. Nicely sized opening for the pad as well for easy access. The wax goes on very easily which I guess is due to the high oil concentration it seems. After I applied all 9 waxes, I went back to it and it was dry, so the drying time is well under 15 minutes which is a very good thing. When I went to remove it, I took a very light pass, and imediatly, it completely took it off! I was absolutely breath taken on how easily this stuff came off! To say it was effortless would be an understatement.

this stuff blows black magic and nufinish away for sure, i just got some and its amazing, i can wax my whole car in 30 min. or less. and it allows you to apply it to the whole car then wipe off, and it comes off with almost no effort. even when dry. i reccomnd it for sure and its under $10

[jmillet]

The Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax 2.0 is still not generally available in the Seattle area. I checked Schuck's, AutoZone, NAPA, WalMart and finally found some at Pep Boys in Everett.
Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Detailer is also somewhat hard to find although I did snag some at WalMart.

[BavboyM3]

Tried NXT 2.0 last night.. NICE!

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/mfantojr/bmw7.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/mfantojr/bmw8.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/mfantojr/bmw3-1.jpg

[E36M34life]

^^Looks really wet! Awesome, I cant wait to snag some of this once wal-mart starts carrying them around my area. :(

[hamanncheese]

subscribed

[M0nK3y]

Should have tried some poorboys blue and red paste wax, i would want to see how those compare to others. For my car it looks wet and amazing :drool:

[BUNTA]

I just used NXT 2.0 for the first time today.
I didnt have the streaking problems I had with the original NXT. It comes off very easy to. Ill be using some on my car this weekend.




Hunter

[kablammo]

Great thread - Thanks a ton for your time!

Is it possible for you to take pictures of the hardware you used in this test? The buffer, pads etc.

Thanks in advance,

K

[WolfStrong]

A bit of a surprise for everyone. I was at Kragen buying some winshield wipers, and I saw a bottle of Dupont Teflon wax on clearance for $1.50 so I thought why not. To say the least I am a bit surprised! This stuff is VERY easy on, but tends to be a bit hard to remove, so apply it thin. It more or less reminds me of Eagle One Nanowax in terms of application and removal if that helps. Now, when it comes to its shine, that is what surprised me! I put it side by side NXT V2 and believe it or not, it looked almost EXACTLY the same! Upon further inspection, it did not cover up as many swirls as NXT, but the darkening effect is right there with it and NanoWax. Sheeting is also VERY good, and again right there with NXT and NanoWax, probably mostly due to the fact that it does leave the surface pretty slick (about the same as NXT V2).

So, guys, I HIGHLY recommend going to Kragen and seeing if you can get some for clearance, because it is without a doubt, worth every penny of that $1.50!


Great thread - Thanks a ton for your time!

Is it possible for you to take pictures of the hardware you used in this test? The buffer, pads etc.

Thanks in advance,

K
Unfortunately I can't. A few days ago, my computer completely crashed with the motherboard and hard drive failing. Fortunately I backed up everything on a second hard drive right before hand, but as of right now, I no computer of my own to get my camera connected to :(

[m3beemer16]

which Kragen did you go to?

[kablammo]

Unfortunately I can't. A few days ago, my computer completely crashed with the motherboard and hard drive failing. Fortunately I backed up everything on a second hard drive right before hand, but as of right now, I no computer of my own to get my camera connected to :(


How about model number or web links of your Harbor Freight rotary, pads etc. I can't seem to find it online.

Thanks,

K

[nathancarter]

Wow, very nice.

My Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell will be going in the trash when I get home tonight :D

I can't believe I went through almost an entire tub of that crap. I just assumed that waxing was supposed to be a pain in the ass. It took me half of Saturday to wash, clay, and wax my wife's Volvo, and I think most of that time was spent removing the wax.

On second thought, it won't go in the trash, I'll just use it on the wheels. Apply wax to wheels, clay & wax the rest of the car, remove wax from wheels.

[m3beemer16]

how does royale compare? JK http://www.amazon.com/Zymol-12001-Royale-Glaze/dp/B000F3K0T8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1201303421&sr=8-9

For you guys that use Klasse AIO, do you apply it by hand. I had bought a PC and it was stolen before I got a chance to use it.

[m3beemer16]

Found the Dupont Teflon. It was marked $2.44 reduced price. I left paying $1.62 :)

[WolfStrong]

Found the Dupont Teflon. It was marked $2.44 reduced price. I left paying $1.62 :)

Tape off an area, and compare it to whatever you want and tell us what you think! I promise you won't be disapointed in the results! Especially if you guys are using the Turtle Wax Hard Shell! I still do stand by that you should read what I wrote and pick which wax would suit your needs the best. For ~$2 though, the Dupont stuff is a steal!

Also, you can find the Chicago Electric rotary I bought for $25 at Harbor Freight. They sell it for $40-50 in stores, but just bring a printout of the online and they will price match. You can also buy it online:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92623

[mbanks21]

Ill find out what I used today. I did a S500 that was COVERED in swirls. It looked like spiderman just covered the car. All I did was wash and wax (lady was too cheap for buffing) and you could barely see the swirls.

[Anthony914]

The Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax 2.0 is still not generally available in the Seattle area. I checked Schuck's, AutoZone, NAPA, WalMart and finally found some at Pep Boys in Everett.
Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Detailer is also somewhat hard to find although I did snag some at WalMart.

really? ive seen UQD many places around here

[Dominguez]

I've been using meguiars gold class since last summer and it makes my 93 e36 look better than most black cars on the road. it really leaves an impressive deep, wet shine. i guess the only draw back is it has to be applied bi-weekly or monthly. how do sealants compare to waxes in terms of wetness and shine?

[e46 325cibimmer]

What a great thread, thanks a ton OP! :redspot

Will try the nxt 2 as soon as it stops raining

[E36 Phantom]

Amazing writeup! My E39 has terrible swirls, I'll have to try the NXT. I've always sworn by Deep Crystal, but I'll give the NXT a shot for the final step!

[nathancarter]

:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1

Thanks again. Wal-Mart had one bottle of NXT 2.0 (and about ten of the original NXT).

It took me about 40 minutes to hand wax the whole car including the glass. With the old Turtle Wax Super Hard shell, it was always two hours minimum.

Unfortunately, I had to do it in direct sunlight, but I think it turned out pretty good. It didn't conceal my (very minor) swirls as much as I hoped, but the metallic sparklies are much more sparkly now. I took some before-and-after photos, but my paint is in pretty good shape, so you can't tell the difference in the photos. Also, Titanium Silver Metallic is very forgiving when it comes to visible swirls.

I need some paint correction on the passenger rear fender, it's been resprayed after it was hit while parked in a parking lot. I never realized how glossy it ISN'T until looking at these photos.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/megarath2000/BMW/driverside.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/megarath2000/BMW/passengerside.jpg

[94bimmer740il]

Im about to wax mine soon!

[Ohtwo]

:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1:drink1

Thanks again. Wal-Mart had one bottle of NXT 2.0 (and about ten of the original NXT).

It took me about 40 minutes to hand wax the whole car including the glass. With the old Turtle Wax Super Hard shell, it was always two hours minimum.

Unfortunately, I had to do it in direct sunlight, but I think it turned out pretty good. It didn't conceal my (very minor) swirls as much as I hoped, but the metallic sparklies are much more sparkly now. I took some before-and-after photos, but my paint is in pretty good shape, so you can't tell the difference in the photos. Also, Titanium Silver Metallic is very forgiving when it comes to visible swirls.

I need some paint correction on the passenger rear fender, it's been resprayed after it was hit while parked in a parking lot. I never realized how glossy it ISN'T until looking at these photos.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/megarath2000/BMW/driverside.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/megarath2000/BMW/passengerside.jpg


W123 I see. My favorite color.

[ohlins8990]

I'm abit surprised by the Collinite. I picked some up at work and tried it. I found it worked really well so far. I had the best luck doing a real small portion at a time. I like NXT(what I usually use), but it doesnt last very long IMO.

[WolfStrong]

I'm abit surprised by the Collinite. I picked some up at work and tried it. I found it worked really well so far. I had the best luck doing a real small portion at a time. I like NXT(what I usually use), but it doesnt last very long IMO.

I am sure if I tested for durability, Collnite would of taken the cake, but for me, that simply wasn't a concern. It really is a good wax, and believe me, I still use it, just as I use all of them believe it or not. It just depends on what I need out of a wax that depends on which one I use, which is why I said to not judge on which one is the best, rather pick which one suits your needs.

[ajnavo61490]

wolf... we needa video of you flooding your hood... and see which wax floods the water the best :)

[nathancarter]

W123 I see. My favorite color.

Yes, with a broken camshaft. :cry: Haven't pulled the head to inspect the damage. Might resurrect it on biodiesel. Sorry for the hijack.

[WolfStrong]

wolf... we needa video of you flooding your hood... and see which wax floods the water the best :)
I already said how they compared in the flood test.

Unfortunately, my computer completely crashed, and although I still have my data on my hard drives (which still work), I have no computer for at least another month or two, which means no software to even compress those video files. When I get a new computer, you can be sure I will be posting up videos, but it is going to be a few months.

[detailgreenUSA]

wow good work... im sure alot of people are ahpy with this thread

[TambourineMan]

This should be a sticky.