Differences between OTC and 'Good Stuff" waxes ?

[HyundaiGuy]

I just finished detailing my car with stuff available at Pep Boys. Here is what I used:

Rain X Car Wash
Meguiars Hot Wheels All Wheel Cleaner
Mother's Clay Bar
Mother's Paint Cleaner
Mother's Glaze/Sealant
Mother's Pure Carnauba Wax
Mother's Back to Black
No tire dressing

What am I missing by not stepping up to the boutique products? The car looks good to me.

 

[termigator]

If it looks good to you, then that's all that's important.

I spent years buying "Good Stuff waxes" (Pinnacle waxes, Wolfgang Fusion, Blackfire, etc.) and I still have enough "boutique" waxes to last a lifetime, but I never noticed a big enough difference between any of them to warrant the higher price. The prep work (I polished my cars with a random orbital machine to get rid of swirl marks) was always more important than whatever I chose as the final topper.

Going by your list, I'd say you did very well, but I would like to ask if you have considered investing in a random orbital polisher? Used properly (It's not that hard), it will definitely help make your car look the best before putting on the final application of wax.

Are you aware that your username and signatures don't really match?

 

[HyundaiGuy]

I forgot to mention that all of the liquids were applied with a random orbital polisher.

I actually clayed my wife's car as well, used Mothers Paint cleaner, then was running out of time before it rained, so put on a colt of NuFinish, and it looks good as well. Not as good as mine, but i think the darker colors look better cleaned up.

I'm thinking now that the prep work (clay/cleaning) makes more of a difference than the glaze/sealant/wax used.

Yes, I realize my signature no longer matches what we drive. The Hyudais were extremely reliable but boring. The Fiats are also extremely reliable, have more features and get better fuel economy. Lots more fun too.

 

[walk23]

Although Mother's produces good results, the differences in some of the "other waxes is longevity. Some of today's sealers will last up to a year, as well as the Colonite carnauba lasting about a year.

 

[RTexasF]

The biggest difference is looks and longevity BUT that depends on the products. There are OTC products that are better than the high dollar ones. It's a long learning process. Use what you like and use it often! That's a quote from Mike Phillips of Autogeek. He is one of the best detailers on this planet.

 

[Robenstein]

Both the very available OTC and rarer brands vary greatly from what I have seen. Meguiars and Mothers make some fine products for OTC, whilst your basic Kit or old school Turtle Wax are pretty lackluster.

 

[Gotch]

I don't really use "boutique" products, I'm hooked on Megs commercial products (Ultracut 105, #80 Polish, etc). The biggest difference you would see is doing paint corrections. Correcting paint takes a ton of work (if they can do it at all) using OTC products.