What wax?

Author
Discussion

davek_964

Original Poster:

8,796 posts

174 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
quotequote all
Apologies, since I'm sure it's been asked a million times before.

For the last few years I've had a car with full PPF, which meant a quick rinse was enough to keep it sparkling and I didn't need to use wax. However, the replacement only has PPF at the front which means I need to find a decent wax. I can't actually remember what I used to buy so would appreciate some recommendations.

somouk

1,425 posts

197 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
quotequote all
Very few people actually use wax these days, it's slow to apply, often difficult to remove and often stains plastics.

I would probably say look at something to suit your budget that is SI02 or ceramic based. Many are spray on and wipe off or apply using a technique and then buff very easily.

I personally love the Infinity Wax range of products and use their ceramic products on my cars.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
quotequote all
Nothing wrong with a wax, and plenty of enthusiasts still enjoy waxing a car. Little wrong with a Dodo Juice product, or you could look at something like Angelwax, Garage Therapy or Infinity Wax - all of whom make great products.

That said, if you're not into the concept of waxing, then those brands will do various options for spray waxes / sealants with things like SiO2, ceramic coatings or the latest in buzz words - graphene

C5_Steve

2,795 posts

102 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
quotequote all
The brands above are all great, wax/polish is still very much a part of detailing and protecting the paint. Anything Carnauba based will be simple to apply/remove and provide a great finish.

Ice_blue_tvr

3,101 posts

163 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
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Not an expert by any means, but as a result I love autoglyms HD wax as its relatively easy to apply but very easy to remove without leaving greasy swirls behind.

coldel

7,732 posts

145 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
quotequote all
If you want ease of use and decent longevity Bilt Hamber Double Speed as its name implies is easy to apply and remove.
The key is to apply very thin layers, dont slap it on, and have a couple of decent soft microfibres to buff off.

You can of course go plenty of other routes as described above. Gyeon do something called Wet Coat which is meant to be pretty good.

Something which many people miss is the clay and panel wipe stages. Use a clay mitt to do stuff quicker than a clay bar and still pick up enough of the crap, and a panel wipe will remove residue and make the final stage the most effective it can be for wax application.

gweaver

906 posts

157 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
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There are some good quality wax samples available discounted at becauseracecarbox right now.
The Dodo Juice, Wax Planet and ODK waxes are all easy to use, and I don't think any of those will stain plastics.

Alternatively a spray and wipe or spray and rinse sealant might suit those who prefer the quick and easy option.

_Hoppers

1,176 posts

64 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
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Bilt Hamber's Double Speed Wax for me. I applied it late October/November last year and water is still beading!

Belle427

8,858 posts

232 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
Soft 99 is still one of the most durable but I'd apply something like turtle wax seal and shine more often.

ChocolateFrog

24,852 posts

172 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
coldel said:
If you want ease of use and decent longevity Bilt Hamber Double Speed as its name implies is easy to apply and remove.
The key is to apply very thin layers, dont slap it on, and have a couple of decent soft microfibres to buff off.

You can of course go plenty of other routes as described above. Gyeon do something called Wet Coat which is meant to be pretty good.

Something which many people miss is the clay and panel wipe stages. Use a clay mitt to do stuff quicker than a clay bar and still pick up enough of the crap, and a panel wipe will remove residue and make the final stage the most effective it can be for wax application.
Literally just bought some this morning.

Not overly impressed with a professional ceramic coat I had done and the sprays don't seem to last long either.

Always had a good experience with BH products.

davek_964

Original Poster:

8,796 posts

174 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
Have ordered some BH Double Speed - some of the reviews do seem to suggest it's not the easiest to buff off. But we'll see - will be a bit of a shock to the system having to properly wash and wax again....

gweaver

906 posts

157 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
Belle427 said:
Soft 99 is still one of the most durable but I'd apply something like turtle wax seal and shine more often.
Both of those are good options. Soft99 Fusso F7 (liquid) is much easier to apply than Fusso 12 month (paste), and less fussy when it comes to weather conditions and preparation.

_Hoppers

1,176 posts

64 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
davek_964 said:
Have ordered some BH Double Speed - some of the reviews do seem to suggest it's not the easiest to buff off
It is hard to buff out if you apply too much

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
_Hoppers said:
davek_964 said:
Have ordered some BH Double Speed - some of the reviews do seem to suggest it's not the easiest to buff off
It is hard to buff out if you apply too much
What Hoppers said.

andburg

7,214 posts

168 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
quotequote all
i used to spend hours waxing, i now spend minutes spraying on autobrite ceramic magiseal and then rinsing it off.

i reapply every 3rd wash, probably no needed as water still beads up and sheets away but it wont do any harm

coldel

7,732 posts

145 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
quotequote all
andburg said:
i used to spend hours waxing, i now spend minutes spraying on autobrite ceramic magiseal and then rinsing it off.

i reapply every 3rd wash, probably no needed as water still beads up and sheets away but it wont do any harm
You shouldnt need to take hours waxing, you literally rub in a very thin layer a panel at a time and buff off 5 mins later. Each panel shouldnt take more than a few mins of rubbing in and buffing off. I can wax my entire car with about 30 mins of effort (not counting the wait time). The main issue I see are people layering it on thinking it needs to be highly visible and then struggling to buff it off.

I do see the benefits of the spray sealant though, in terms of reduced elbow grease.

andburg

7,214 posts

168 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
quotequote all
coldel said:
andburg said:
i used to spend hours waxing, i now spend minutes spraying on autobrite ceramic magiseal and then rinsing it off.

i reapply every 3rd wash, probably no needed as water still beads up and sheets away but it wont do any harm
You shouldnt need to take hours waxing, you literally rub in a very thin layer a panel at a time and buff off 5 mins later. Each panel shouldnt take more than a few mins of rubbing in and buffing off. I can wax my entire car with about 30 mins of effort (not counting the wait time). The main issue I see are people layering it on thinking it needs to be highly visible and then struggling to buff it off.

I do see the benefits of the spray sealant though, in terms of reduced elbow grease.
yeah the time taken is the more thorough wash and prep given you're making contact with the paint vs a spray on/rinse off sealant

coldel

7,732 posts

145 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
quotequote all
andburg said:
yeah the time taken is the more thorough wash and prep given you're making contact with the paint vs a spray on/rinse off sealant
It is good to polish and clay though every 3-6 months to keep the paintwork slick and resistant to degradation. I just roll it into that upkeep routine really.

vikingaero

10,256 posts

168 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
quotequote all
andburg said:
i used to spend hours waxing, i now spend minutes spraying on autobrite ceramic magiseal and then rinsing it off.

i reapply every 3rd wash, probably no needed as water still beads up and sheets away but it wont do any harm
I do roughly the same but use https://www.turtlewax.co.uk/products/hybrid-soluti...

It's normally on offer for around £11 at Amazon/Halfords who price match each other. It's so easy to use that I apply it after nearly every weekly wash (overkill, yes!) - spray onto an applicator and wipe on/do the next panel/light buff off of previous panel. You can use on plastics, alloys, glass, trim, interior shiny trim etc. Literally 10-15 mins max depending on size of car.

A lot of people who sit in the car comment on the RainX type properties (it doesn't last as long as RainX) and the smooth silky paintwork.

Court_S

12,764 posts

176 months

Thursday 16th March 2023
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I’m still a big fan of wax; once the car is prepped it’s easy on / off.

I’ve had really good results with in2detailing’s ceramic wax; cost effective and durable. Soft99 Kiwami Extreme gives amazing gloss but i don’t think it’s very durable and it doesn’t seem to play nice with the QD’s that I have.

It’s the prep that takes the time rather than the actual wax application.