looking for durabe sealant & wax

[drifter420]

There is so many people who rant and rave bout certain which kind of sealant and wax. I have already a shelf full of OTC ones that I will not use.

So I'm looking for a sealant and or a wax that is most importantly durable. Most of the OTC ones don't seem to last more then 2 rain storm or car washes. I don't have the time to be waxing my car every week/month

I"ve been hearing bout NXT 2.0 and meguiard #21 sealant. But after some more searchin through this forum. ITs gettin confusing.

I haven't had any luck finding the 2 above mentioned products.. so it seems like ebay maybe my option. ( I"m in Canada )

I don't really care bout the bling you get initally ( just bout all of them will do that ) So anyone with long term experience ( without re coating ) would be great on what product you used.

 

[bretfraz]

I've tested dozens and dozens of products. My cars usually have 2-5 products on them as I'm always doing side-by-side comparisons. Right now my truck has SIX (6) different products on it to see which products hold up to the high heat and humidity we are already experiencing in Georgia. I've been testing waxes and sealants almost continuously since 2001.

For sealants, Zaino and Rejex have lasted the longest. Zaino beats Rejex a little in durability and I much prefer the Zaino product line as they offer a full product line whereas Rejex is a one-trick pony product. While I am an avid Zaino user, I was surprised that Rejex hung in there as long as it did (4+ months) and maintained its looks.

If you are willing to use two products, Klasse makes a well regarded acrylic-based sealant. Best results are obtained by starting with their All In One (AIO) product, then topping it with their Sealant Glaze (SG). Personally I think Zaino looks better, lasts a little longer and is less finicky to use but Klasse has been around a long time and has many loyal and happy fans.

For waxes, most don't hold a candle to a decent sealant. The most durable wax I've tried is Collinite 476S. They make several waxes and all seem to be pretty durable. Not the best looking wax I've ever used and some say it can be fussy to use, but for $12.99 at Harbor Freight (if you have them up there), its a good deal.

Years ago I used Liquid Glass and felt that was a good store bought sealant. They did change their formula a few years ago and the stuff isn't as good as it used to be, but still one of the better retail products.

I'm not a fan of NuFinish and do not recommend it unless your paint is dull and chalky, but the stuff does have a good rep for durability. If you can pick up a bottle for $5.00 or so, it might be worth a try.

Keep in mind that most store bought waxes are formulated to look good, be easy to use and be affordable. Once you get past $10-12.00, sales drop off dramatically. This market situation almost guarantees most waxes will perform the same. It is impossible to produce a high performing product and sell it at a competitive retail price point while maintaining a high profit margin. The good stuff will have to be mail ordered and will cost you more but is generally worth it.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of responses, many of them conflicting. I know you've tried a lot of products but if you can narrow down the selection to 2 or 3 and give them a try, I'm sure you'll find one you like. No need to be a total nutcase like me and have 5 different waxes and sealants on your car. Stick with a couple and you'll be good to go. Good luck and happy waxing!

 

[milehighassassin]

I have used PRO/BAF Industries since 2000, and have loved all of their products. Their paint sealant works great.

http://prowax.com/

Sealant:
http://www.prowax.com/sealants.shtml

 

[MKZman]

I am now in a different camp. Durability into the many months is not important to me. Most people that boast durability cheat by using boosters.

I prefer that just detailed look (was seeking durability) and there are some many affordable (even OTC) and extremely easy to apply spray waxes out there so it is not problem to do a spray wax after every wash or so to keep the appearance up.

As someone said elsewhere in the oil section -- I like changing my oil so why do I want a 50K OCI just to say I can do not have to change it. For the price of many layers of products, you can just wax a little more often.

 

[Barkleymut]

I use Meguiars NXT on my black 2007 Mustang GT and have been somewhat happy with the results. It does take quite a bit of effort to buff it off after application. The water beading and shine lasts really well for 6-8 weeks then dies off.

 

[1sttruck]

It's been raining off and on this evening, and water still beads on the Nufinish that was applied last summer. The vehicles sit outside here in the Pacific NW. If I get time I'll reNufinish in the next month or two.

 

[Mucho_MPG]

Colinite 476S pure carnauba double wax. This stuff beats NXT, NuFinish, Klasse, etc. You cannot beat the durability of this wax, especially in harsh winter environments.

 

[MKZman]

Originally Posted By: 1sttruck
It's been raining off and on this evening, and water still beads on the Nufinish that was applied last summer. The vehicles sit outside here in the Pacific NW. If I get time I'll reNufinish in the next month or two.


Are you sure what you say is beading is attributable to the wax?

 

[john1782]

Originally Posted By: Mucho_MPG
Colinite 476S pure carnauba double wax. This stuff beats NXT, NuFinish, Klasse, etc. You cannot beat the durability of this wax, especially in harsh winter environments.


Not completely true, my car sits outside 24/7 and 476s lasted just over 2 months. NuFinish on the other hand has last no less than 8 months, so for only $5 a bottle it really can't be beat

 

[Mucho_MPG]

Not saying you are a liar, but I have never talked to anyone who, when properly applying Colinite 476S only got 2 months of effective protection/beading from it. It is known in the detailing community as one of the most durable waxes made. Hmm.

NuFinish is much too abrasive and you would never catch it being used on anything other than a beater. Certainly not a new car.

 

[john1782]

Originally Posted By: Mucho_MPG
Not saying you are a liar, but I have never talked to anyone who, when properly applying Colinite 476S only got 2 months of effective protection/beading from it. It is known in the detailing community as one of the most durable waxes made. Hmm.

NuFinish is much too abrasive and you would never catch it being used on anything other than a beater. Certainly not a new car.


That's why I bought the 476s, because it's so highly praised. Bought the tin off ebay, so maybe it was a little old or the detail shop didn't properly apply it. I'll try applying 476s myself this time round and see what happens

 

[ron350]

I purchased a tin of Collinite 476S off of ebay and I am extremely disappointed.
Any chance they are selling bogus Collinite off of ebay.

The stuff in the can reminds me of Johnson paste wax for hard wood floors.

 

[Colt]

1.Zaino
2.Rejex

 

[1sttruck]

"Are you sure what you say is beading is attributable to the wax?"

People don't question the durability of Zaino when it's used on a garage queen with monthly boosters, but seem to when Nufinish is mentioned. Nufinish is despised by 'detailers', people who seem largely to be owners of smaller vehicles, but it's used by those who just want a durable finish and don't have time for detailing, people like me. How many people 'detail' a quad cab pickup ? How many people detail two pickups and two sedans ? It doesn't seem like many do.

My son bought a 92 F150 last year and it's hard to say in what century it was last waxed. The Nufinish helped to keep the paint from rubbing off on your clothes if brushed up against it too hard. It still beads since being finished last summer and sitting outside all year, at least where it's clean, like the other vehicles do. But, it does need another coat. Good enough for me.

 

[Ryan]

You can't mess with NuFinish... I use it on my patrol car. The car looks 100x better than the rest of the patrol cars. After taking it through an auto car wash, the paint looks perfect. The ones without wax go through a car wash and still look nasty because the dirt is "stuck" onto the paint. It is not bad for people who don't want to spend a lot of time on a car. For the patrol car, it is perfect because the car gets dirty as soon as I drive it, but at least it has something protecting the paint's surface.

 

[MKZman]

My brother in law was a NuFinish man. I gave him a bottle of Mothers Reflections and never looked back. He waxed evert vehicle he could. Reflections is not a 6 month product but it really looks great, extremely easy to apply, last a decent time, and do not feel you are applying a toxic chemical. I am not judging the durability by beeding but by slickness and appearance. There are a lot of very easy to use products so dreading the wax chore is something you do not need to fear.

 

[jarvk22]

MKZman I agree 100% on Mothers Reflections I can do a full size car in 20 minutes and have it come out perfect. Reflections is the best OTC you can buy. No product including ZAINO is going too last a year. Reflections is so easy I can do my cars once a week in 20 minutes and they always look great.

 

[double vanos]

I use Griot's Garage paint sealant on the wifes Tahoe. Goes on fairly easy and comes off easily too.

Seems to hide swirl marks well and lasts around a year.

I use GG spray on wax when drying the thing and it always looks great.

Never thought I'd see the day I'd use a sealant but then waxing a Tahoe is akin to waxing the battleship Texas.

It's an easy way to take care of an automotive behemouth. Cheers!

 

[globey]

Originally Posted By: MKZman
Originally Posted By: 1sttruck
It's been raining off and on this evening, and water still beads on the Nufinish that was applied last summer. The vehicles sit outside here in the Pacific NW. If I get time I'll reNufinish in the next month or two.


Are you sure what you say is beading is attributable to the wax?


What else would it be attributable to? I can take pictures of ten vehicles out in my apartment complex that I know never get waxed and water does not bead at all. It's sad, really. Then take pictures of well-cared for cars and the beading is nice and small.

The beading certainly isn't caused by magic.

 

[xtell]

That is how Colinite is supposed to be, ie. like hard paste wax. Just put it on in a thin coat and you will not have any trouble wiping it off. Over the years of personal use and using it on three different cars, I would have to say that it is as good or better than any other wax you can find.