Hi Mark! The following is just my opinion. Iāve had this discussion/argument with more people than I can count. Iāve chased high end carnauba waxes for over a year. When I say high end Iām talking about Zymol Ital ($175), Zymol Concours ($244), Zymol Destiny ($1045). All have high percentage of carnauba but the issue I had with all of them was the carnauba melted on the top surfaces of the car on really hot days. Carnauba melts at 180 degrees. The hood on a black car in the sun looks like it has an oily film on it and you can write your name in it. It will wipe off but reappear on a hot day. All that money spent and I wasnāt happy.
This is some great info Les! Like I mentioned above, I havenāt used a carnuba wax in years, I just think these new sealants and coatings do such a great job and last so much longer. Figured youād have some good insight for the OP. Your cars always look fantastic and the gloss is always off the charts even in photos!
I was a Turtle Wax guy for 30+ years until a couple years ago. My wife's Onyx Black 1999 Mercedes and My(RIP) 2000 Mars Red Mercedes were waxed twice a year with it. Both were/are daily drivers and spent life since new in rainy 200+ days a year Seattle. Both were garaged every night and rain or shine washed/cleaned inside and out weekly. Same routine with both when we moved to Bama in 2012. The only difference is in Bama it's A LOT easier to keep a car cleaner for longer periods of time without all the rain.It's been nearly 20 years since I have used a Turtle Wax wax product, their good old Super Hard Shell..........................
Despite messing around with ceramic coatings of late, I still think traditional waxes and sealants have a place, both in terms of the way they look and the user experience. There is a certain level of satisfaction in applying and admiring a wax, hard to describe but definitely a factor.
For me, if I'm reaching for a wax or sealant, I have two that come to mind above all others -
Collinite 845 - a very old, very proven liquid wax that is just magical in how it makes paint look. You need to work for it though, 845 has a few quirks. First, you need to warm the bottle up in the sun or under hot running water to liquify the wax. Second, apply it as thinly as possible, more is NOT better and will only make the removal a pain. I use a soft finishing/waxing pad on my polisher to get smooth, even and THIN coverage. When applied as such, the removal is smooth as silk. Lastly, as the product cures over the next few days, it can exhibit a slightly hazy appearance, this is completely normal and is removed at the next wash. The gloss actually improves further after a day or two after application as well. Durability is between 4-6 months depending on conditions.
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant - this is another proven performer, one that absolutely excels in the gloss and slickness categorys. Again, a product that has a quirk or two. (I would say at this point that product "quirks" are not restricted to these two products, all LSP's have an application quirk, even ceramic coatings). Apply Wolfgang DGPS thinly, again I use a polisher for this, to the whole car in one go and leave to set for 45min before removal. You will marvel at the wipe off, it's smoother than 845 and a truly enjoyable process. DGPS is oxygen activated and needs a 12-hour cure before getting wet or damp to ensure a thorough bond to the paint, so plan accordingly. Wolfgang don't really advertise a longevity claim for DGPS, I would say expect 3-4 months on a daily driver, a year or two for a garage queen.
It's pretty hard to beat Wolfgang DGPS for gloss.................................
