How does Turtle Wax Platinum stack up against Zaino. My Zaino is running low and I have been looking at low cost alternatives.
Turtle Wax Platinum v. Zaino
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The best low cost alternative is Mother's Reflections Polymer wax. You can find it at PepBoys/Autozone/AA. They have two new lines, a new Reflections Synthetic wax and SynWax FX. Check out www.reflectionswax.com I'm using it now after using Zaino. Very impressed....
TurtleWaxPlatnium may still be free with AutoZone mail in rebate, limit 2.
Free TurtleWax may be better than full price (better) competitor, if you are on a budget.
Free TurtleWax may be better than full price (better) competitor, if you are on a budget.
Thanks for your replies. Tell me more about Meguirar's NXT.
I have no experience with Zaino, I am not that hardcore into detailing, and I don't want to bother with mail order.
I use the Turtle Platinum on my wife's Jeep, and I have been very satisfied. It is a carnuba/polymer blend, and a very mild cleaner as well. It goes on super easy (the paste), it is like butter. It comes off pretty easily too. I am pleased with the durability, it stays slick to the touch for about 3 weeks, and beeds for 6, in my experience. I think it is a very good one step product. I did use a cleaner and then a polish (Meg's Deep Crystal, step 1 & 2, just because of some of the dreaded scratches from a gas station car wash that the wife did) first, but have put on several coats of the TWP. I use the booster about every other week, and it extends the slickness feel even longer than the 3 weeks. All in all, it is a product I would recommend very highly for someone looking to just "wax" their car.
I also use the NXT system on my daily driver. Totally different product then the TWP. This is a sealant. It is very very easy to use. The durability is just ok, but I have found that when you use the booster wax, it really increases the durability dramatically. I will try the Mothers when I finish all of my NXT product, but that might be a while. I don't top it with anything else, but I hear a lot of people love to top the sealants with a pure carnuba to really give it the extra kick.
I use the Turtle Platinum on my wife's Jeep, and I have been very satisfied. It is a carnuba/polymer blend, and a very mild cleaner as well. It goes on super easy (the paste), it is like butter. It comes off pretty easily too. I am pleased with the durability, it stays slick to the touch for about 3 weeks, and beeds for 6, in my experience. I think it is a very good one step product. I did use a cleaner and then a polish (Meg's Deep Crystal, step 1 & 2, just because of some of the dreaded scratches from a gas station car wash that the wife did) first, but have put on several coats of the TWP. I use the booster about every other week, and it extends the slickness feel even longer than the 3 weeks. All in all, it is a product I would recommend very highly for someone looking to just "wax" their car.
I also use the NXT system on my daily driver. Totally different product then the TWP. This is a sealant. It is very very easy to use. The durability is just ok, but I have found that when you use the booster wax, it really increases the durability dramatically. I will try the Mothers when I finish all of my NXT product, but that might be a while. I don't top it with anything else, but I hear a lot of people love to top the sealants with a pure carnuba to really give it the extra kick.
I like the Turtle Wax Platinum too, but I a under the same situation that Bert is, I generally use a WAUD product like TW Express shine, or Eagle One WAUD. But for the 3-4 weeks max, that I do not use a booster, I think the Turtle Wax Platinum does a nice job, and beads water well, it also makes my next wash fairly easy, which tells me it is working fine for my applications.
Sorry, I meant to say it beads for at least six, without any booster, in my use. I have always used the booster before the 6 weeks. details, details
Dumb question, OK really dumb. It has been years since I waxed a car. I have always heard that the new cars have a clear coat and don't really need it. My 96' GMC truck still looks great. Are you guys waxing new cars. If so would it be safe to assume that something like Turtle Wax Platinum would not harm the clear coat?
A clearcoat is paint with out the color pigment. So you care for it pretty much the same as a single-stage (non clearcoated) paint job. If anything, clearcoats need more TLC because they're thinner. If a clearcoat fails, no amount of buffing or polishing will bring it back to life. The car will need repainting.
The reason there was a concern about waxes being "clearcoat safe" was not the paint but the waxes. Old skool paint jobs were harder, applied thicker and oxidized quickly so the waxes of the day were pretty aggressive, loaded with solvents and abrasives in order to cut thru the oxidized layers and restore the gloss.
Today, paint jobs are much thinner but modern paint technology has slowed the rate of oxidation so there is no need for aggressive polishes unless the car has been neglected for several years. If you look at most of the waxes on store shelves, the cleaning/polishing action of them is far milder than products used to be. Products like Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax, Mothers FX Synwax, Turtle Wax Platinum, etc. are very similar in composition; synthetic "wax" mixed with light abrasives (kaolin clay, mostly). They apply and remove far easier than the waxes of old because there is no need to "bite" thru the paint in order to improve the looks.
What most serious car care nuts have done is switch to polymer sealants and moved away from natural waxes like carnauba wax. Sealants last longer, hold up to the elements better, usually offer a brighter, glossier shine, and a few sealant (like Zaino) can even be layered to an extent in order to improve the shine and protection.
bretfrax,
Are there any other polymer type waxes other than Zaino that you could recommend. I don’t want to mailorder wax. I would prefer a single step type wax. Would one of the others you mentioned be ok. Thanks for the excellent lesson on waxes and clear coats by the way.
Are there any other polymer type waxes other than Zaino that you could recommend. I don’t want to mailorder wax. I would prefer a single step type wax. Would one of the others you mentioned be ok. Thanks for the excellent lesson on waxes and clear coats by the way.
I'm glad you found the info helpful.
There aren't too many polymer sealants available at mass retail. A couple I could recommend are Liquid Glass and Duragloss. LG can usually be found at Pep Boys and Duragloss at small independent auto parts stores (Part Plus, Pronto, etc).
If your paint needs some serious polishing to remove oxidation, scratches, scuffs, etc, you could use a pre-wax paint polish followed by one of the above products, or try a product like NuFinish. While I feel NuFinish is a little too harsh for regular use on modern paint, it is a pretty good one-step paint polish with a decent polymer protectant.
There aren't too many polymer sealants available at mass retail. A couple I could recommend are Liquid Glass and Duragloss. LG can usually be found at Pep Boys and Duragloss at small independent auto parts stores (Part Plus, Pronto, etc).
If your paint needs some serious polishing to remove oxidation, scratches, scuffs, etc, you could use a pre-wax paint polish followed by one of the above products, or try a product like NuFinish. While I feel NuFinish is a little too harsh for regular use on modern paint, it is a pretty good one-step paint polish with a decent polymer protectant.
BretFraz Thanks Again, My paint is in excellent shape. Truck is 1 year old so need something pretty mild. Would the Turtle Wax Platinum stuff be too abrasive?
All i have to say is. I put on zaino about a month ago, and everytime i open my door, I still feel the smoothness of wax on my car.
Yes zaino is a mail order product. But now adays you practically get everything through the net, well everyone i know atleast get stuff through the net.
The only thing is the price of the product. I bought the 1st out of the 2 kits on the site. The product however will last atleast two years. I think if you narrow it down, its really worth it.
I can throw a towel from one side of the hood, it'll slide through the whole hood and fall on the ground. What wax can do that one month after you wax it??
Yes zaino is a mail order product. But now adays you practically get everything through the net, well everyone i know atleast get stuff through the net.
The only thing is the price of the product. I bought the 1st out of the 2 kits on the site. The product however will last atleast two years. I think if you narrow it down, its really worth it.
I can throw a towel from one side of the hood, it'll slide through the whole hood and fall on the ground. What wax can do that one month after you wax it??
Put your hand in a plastic bag and run it across a freshly washed car. The bumps you feel are bits of pollution that has been embedded into the clearcoat. The way to remove this is by using a claybar (claymagic) which can be gotten at autozone. DO not use the Mothers clay bar only Claymagic, it is the best by far, and is similarly priced.
Klasse Sealant Glaze can be layered.
Klasse All in One has mild cleaners to help remove fallout.
I prefer to wash, clay, wash again then use Klasse SG, layered 3 times. this easily lasts 6 months.
(Never use dishwashing liquid to wash your vehicle, it will remove all protection!
Only use a quality car washing detergent.)
One must wait overnight to let each polymer layer crosslink cure with the surface, then you can put the next layer on.
Each layer goes on very thin, almost invisibly.
After you buff it off, let the sun hit it as the UV helps the cureing process.
NXT cannot be layered, as well as any sealant/wax that has cleaners in it.
You can top coat with carnuba wax after all the polymer layers have been applied and cured.
Klasse Sealant Glaze can be layered.
Klasse All in One has mild cleaners to help remove fallout.
I prefer to wash, clay, wash again then use Klasse SG, layered 3 times. this easily lasts 6 months.
(Never use dishwashing liquid to wash your vehicle, it will remove all protection!
Only use a quality car washing detergent.)
One must wait overnight to let each polymer layer crosslink cure with the surface, then you can put the next layer on.
Each layer goes on very thin, almost invisibly.
After you buff it off, let the sun hit it as the UV helps the cureing process.
NXT cannot be layered, as well as any sealant/wax that has cleaners in it.
You can top coat with carnuba wax after all the polymer layers have been applied and cured.
So if I wanted to play lazy and stick with a 1 step wax the Turtle Wax Platinum would work correct? This is a 4wd truck guys not a show car. I'm not going to spend all day Saturday washing and waxing it. The simpler the better for me.
For an almost-new truck, I'm sure the Turtle Wax product will be fine. It's a nice, easy to use wax.
Claying is a nice step in that it makes the paint feel glassy smooth and helps make waxing a little easier. But its no big deal if you want to skip that step.
Give the Platinum stuff a try and let us know what you think. Remember thin coats are way better than thick, and always wax when the paint is cool to the touch.
Oh, one more thing - use a car wash shampoo instead of detergent when washing your truck as a car wash shampoo will not strip off all the wax you applied.
Have fun!!
Thanks Again. I am going to try and wax this weekend as my truck is 1 year old. Then I will try and wax every 6 mos. Have some Turtle Wax car wash shampoo already so thanks for that tip. I will report back how the waxing goes and general impressions of the Turtle Wax Platinum.
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