Are "premium" car waxes worth it?

[shirohniichan]

Here is a quote from a 2006 Consumer Reports car was test:

When CR ran Klasse All-in-one and Zymol through tests, both were
impressive overall. Both gave car finishes a superior gloss. Both
improved the look of weathered panels more than any tested wax,
except the top-rated Meguiar's Cleaner Wax Liquid A-1216s and the
discontinued and slightly abrasive liquid Blue Coral Blue Poly
Sealant BP25. Both Klasse and Zymol were very expensive. We paid
$23 for 17 ounces of Klasse and $40 for 8 ounces of Zymol (plus
$8 for a Zymol "pre-cleaner"). We'd suggest using a good regular
wax instead.

For those of us who aren't entering our OBs in competitions, is it really worth buying premium brand waxes (like Klasse or Zymol) for our cars if other waxes (e.g. Meguiars or Blue Coral) test as well for 1/5 to 1/2 the price? Are Consumer Reports test reliable in your opinion?

[keninn]

zymol is great stuff, but prep is a real pain. you gotta wipe it off before it dries, so you can only do small portions at a time. i like to start and stop at my discretion. i switched to zaino because of the extreme ease of application/removal, and the astounding results. no shade? no problem. it can go on it direct sunlight. miss a spot? no problem. you can leave it on for days, and it just wipes off. there is an initial prep process, but you really dont need to, just wash it good and apply. it protects better than any other i have ever used. the 8 oz bottle appears small, but it will do a LOT. it says 24 cars per, it easily does that. costs about the same as the other stuff, but there is none easier to apply, and it protects/lasts longer better than any other i have used. oh, and the shine is amazing. smells good, too.

[shirohniichan]

I found this comment useful:

If you hate to wax and won't do it often,
consider Nu Finish Soft Paste ($5.97 for 14 ounces), which earned
top marks for durability and cleaning. But, like its liquid
brandmate, it left a weathered finish slightly less glossy than
some of the other tested products.

I want to put something on my from bumper and hood to make it easy to clean off dead bugs once I get back from a road trip.

[2ohno]

Originally posted by shirohniichan
I found this comment useful: want to put something on my from bumper and hood to make it easy to clean off dead bugs once I get back from a road trip.

Isnt that what we all want ?


Coming from a motorcycle background, I use motorcycle stuff to clean my car/truck - Honda Spray and clean for the interior/kickplates - Bike Brite to clean the grill ( works really well on dried on bug guts on your chrome and such ) , Plexus to clean the blakc/grey parts of the grill area and I use Tefflon wax for everything else -

[07OregonOutback]

Use a clay bar to get the bugs and grime out of your paint. Then use a mediocre carnauba wax.. say something you'd pick up at the auto parts store for 15-20 bucks. I actually picked up a 16oz. bottle of Zymol at Baxter auto parts for like 12 bucks. It does a pretty awesome job (just look at my gallery pics) Put a couple of coats on then apply one coat a month and your paint should stay like new. I went out and got my car covered in mud the past two weekends, finally washed it off and the paint still feels freshly polished. The clay bar is the key to a really good detail job IMO.

[shirohniichan]

Originally posted by 2ohno


Isnt that what we all want ?

What I meant is that I will sacrifice the "gloss" and "shine" aspects of a wax or polymer coating on my front bumper if the product offers superior protection from dirt and bugs. If a cheap NuFinish paste will make the bugs and dirt rinse off easily, I don't care if my front bumper doesn't have the wet, glossy, "just washed" look.

[huff]

I've had really good luck with Meguiars Gold liquid wax. It seems to have a harder finish than some waxes. Its fairly easy to work with too. I do a couple of coats on the bumper, mirrors, front third of the hood, and around the windshield. Most of the time a good blast with the hose knocks the crap out of the bug guts. Plus it helps if you can atleast spray the bugs off before they get too baked on. Clay bar works beautifully as well.

[GTScott]

If you are willing to properly prep the surface and want something that will last a LONG time, look into Zaino. I use it on the daily drivers. It has a somewhat "sterile" look to it but it lasts FOREVER it seems.

[johnson]

Unless you're trying to create a show car, don't bother....I've wasted my share of money trying things like Zymol. Just not worth it for your basic daily driver.

Nufinish is excellent when it comes to durability. It is a synthetic polymer based product, so it lasts a long time. Only quib about it, it is a very solid white color, so if you have a dark colored car, it will tend to make anywhere you have chipped paint stand out.

Mothers California Gold Cleaner/Wax is a good natural carnauba product. It has much less tendency to make chipped paint or scratches stand out on a dark car. But, it's not quite as durable as the Nufinish (will require reapplication more frequently, depending on your weather).

I've tried Meguiars Cleaner/Wax and Gold Class....actually like the regular cleaner/wax better. Seems a little easier to apply/remove. It seems almost as good as the Mothers, but leaves the finish a little less slippery.

I actually have and use all 3 of these products. I'm hoping each product has it's own unique benefits, and by using all I can reap the benefits of each.

[brianjone5]

I've been a regualr wax user (Maguiers etc) for years on my several cars.
Their NXT brand is impressive. While not for the Subaru, I bought my first expensive wax (Swisswax) for my Aston Martin. There really is a difference, especially after a couple of days, in terms of gloss and wetness. A marked difference.

No, I'm not using it on my subie, but to answer the OP, better waxes do better, simple as.