Jeffs

Ok, quick question to all the car cleaning enthusiasts out there : Is there much of a difference in shine and protection among the different types of waxes??


For fun. I used 5 different types of waxes on different places on the car to experiment. the 5 types of waxes are: Meguairs ultra gold solid wax, Turtle Wax Ultra high gloss paste wax, Zymol Cleaner wax (liquid), P21S Carnauba Wax, Zaino car polish (liquid, most expensive, given by a friend).

After applying them to different sections, I do not see any difference in shine brilliance, only difference I could think of is that the liquid waxes are easier to remove then the solid ones and that the Meguiars Ultra Gold leaves the most residue. The brilliance and smoothness of the car's surface is the same. So....why spend the extra amount of money on let's say....Zymol specialty waxes which can cost thousands of dollars per small jar when I can buy one off Autozone for under $8?? Am I missing something when applying them? I followed instructions by the letter....so no problems there...

tachyon

I would say the rest of the equation is about durability. If the cheap yet easy-to-apply stuff lasts as long as the expensive stuff, you are on to something.

So keep an eye on the ability of each section to bead up water and let us know how they hold up.

Cool experiement. Thanks!

stream

Asking about somebody's favorite wax is a bit like asking about somebody's favorite color--you'll get as many answers as people you ask.

I've been a car nut for a few decades now. I had used Zymol Carbon for years on my Porsches. It's a bit pricey, the application/removal process is a pain, and it doesn't last very long, but has an incredible depth of color and shine. So for a weekend fun car or garage queen, it's a great choice. The high end Zymol waxes (which can cost big bucks) are for those entering their cars in the Pebble Beach Concours--there's no other reason to justify the cost.

A few years ago, I got tired of the difficult application/removal process with Zymol and switched to One Grand Blitz wax, which is also a high quality carnauba wax. Very easy application/removal, and lasts a long time, as carnauba waxes go (2 - 3 months). Has a great depth of color and shine (not quite to the level of Zymol, but close enough).

Some folks prefer synthetic polymers, such as Zaino or Rejex. They--supposedly--last longer than carnauba, and many like the super shiny look they produce. I find them to be too shiny, giving a plasticky or artificial looking shine. And the application/removal process can be long and painful. And then you read about people who go through that process, only to apply a coat of carnauba wax to enhance the shine--why not just use carnauba in the first place?

Jeffs

Stream, you must have great eyesight. I cannot detect any difference in brilliance or shine, but agree that zymol is harder to apply and P21 S is easier....given a choice I would take the P21 S since its easiest to put on.
Hmmm.....water beading...sprayed water on my car on purpose and I really cannot tell any difference....damn what's wrong with my eyes or am I missing something??

stream

You can tell the difference when seen on an entire car, and particularly on darker colored cars.

Not surprised water beading isn't noticeably different--they've all just been applied so are at full protective force. Over time, as some break down faster than others you'd notice a difference.

russo

Yeah, P21 is damn easy. You can wax the whole car then buff off without any difficulty. With Zymol, you have to do it a panel at a time.

For water beading Zymol would bead better as in the beading is smaller compared to P21S, thus water would just rush down the bonnet faster than P21s. Durability wise I think they are the same.