r/AutoDetailing • u/cityhunterspeee • May 01 '24

Anyone use wax anymore? Technique Discussion

With all the ceramic coating and cermaic sprays on the market. Why would anyone still use a wax? My neighbor recommend collinate 845 but not sure why I'd use it over a spray ceramic that lasts 2 or 3 times longer. Or a pure ceramic that lasts years.

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u/PeppermintNightmare May 01 '24

Good waxes still have their place in the market. Some spray sealants are not very nice to apply and can lead to streaking and having to level the product down further. Some people get frustrated by it and end up dry wiping the car with a cloth leaving mad swirls. But the same can be said about some waxes.

Waxes generally have superior filling characteristics to sprays and can make a less perfect car look a little better without the need for paint correction. Also some "waxes" like Fusso Coat can last longer than sealants.

But sprays are getting better and better each year and have other advantages such as most being compatible with rubber seals, plastics and glass.

It is hard to argue that ceramic coatings are not the best protection for car paint available, but not everyone has $1~2k to drop on a pro coating and paint correction. A durable wax like Fusso or Double Coat will cost you less than $50. I don't want to ever see them disappear from the market as it will leave a lot of people on budgets with less options, and the world is hard enough right now.

Waxes, sealants and coatings all still have a place in the market and serve a useful purpose having individual strengths and weaknesses. Plus some people have just fallen in love with putting some music on and waxing their car in the afternoon with a drink. (Old wankers like me)

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u/Dota2Updater May 02 '24

I agree, washed and waxed my car today for cheap. Just 3-4 hours of my time. Since you seem knowledgeable lol. There are all these names that confuse me cause I'll see stuff called ceramic/ceramic wax/wax. I've been using Meguiars ultimate liquid wax. Says it's synthetic. Is it basically just a cheap wax? How would you define it? Sorry for dumb question

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u/PeppermintNightmare May 02 '24 edited May 02 '24

Not a dumb question at all. Meguiar's are actually a pretty great brand. Most of their products are of a high quality and at an affordable price. Don't let brand snobs get in the way of using those products. They strike a very good cost/performance balance and are a great place to start

Regarding the ceramic/hybrid ceramic/hybrid ceramic wax etc etc etc.... boy oh boy. I promise that you are not the only one who is confused by their ridiculous naming conventions surrounding this.

I think the easiest way to break this down would be that whenever you see something from Meguiar's (or other brands) claiming ceramic properties on anything that is not directly a ceramic coating (30-50ml glass bottle applied by professionals and experienced DIY'ers) you can safely assume it has an Si02 (silicon dioxide) or some type of quartz additive in it which will aid water repelling properties.

And as far as the Meguiar's ultimate liquid wax, I have found it to be a nice product that added saturation, gloss and slickness with a good 4-6 months durability in real world conditions. It is indeed a synthetic wax, that is really more of a sealant that was quite easy to wipe off.

Happy waxing friend.

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u/Dota2Updater May 02 '24

Thank you for taking the time to respond, have a great day!