The Famous Wax Question

CROM

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I enjoy Zaino, used it on my Viper and it looked great and durability is second to none (lasts months). You don't have to do all the time consuming prep you once did thanks to the ZFX additive. You can put 5 coats on in an hour or two (depending on how quick you are)

NXT just doesn't hold up, the durability is quite poor. I use it on my Lexus when I am lazy and it lasts about 2 weeks if I am lucky. I've used 1Z Einszett Glanz Wax and it's pretty good stuff, definitely worth a try.
 

Matt M PA

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TCKTPLZ...great post. I enjoyed that.

I won't get into the war by mentioning what I use...but I have tried the NXT product. It's really nothing more than a cleaner-wax with more oils. The reason it shines and hides slight imperfections is due to the oil content. It also contains abrasives. The oil content is another reason that many users do not get good longevity as it washes off.

The oils abrasives are why I choose not to use it on my cars. I prefer more durability and avoid abrasives.

Auto paint is only 4 or 5 mils thick...including primers, color, and clear. I use no product with abrasives unless needed, as I do not want to cut the paint at all unless absolutely necessary.
 

Steve 00RT/10

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I don't believe you. Post the name of this miracle product that you "use." Billions of people throughout the world frequent this forum daily and read these posts. They can truly see that your veracity and verity is being questioned and is ultimately on the line. Now you can either tell us the name of this "wunderkind" and exhibit and uphold the rectitude that you embody or otherwise show to the whole world that you are simply no more than an equivocal pontificator.

Your post epitomizes that of the finish saboteurs that appear ubiquitously on this forum. However, my altruistic nature is giving you the chance to show the entire world who and what you really are. However, your equivocal statement(s) leads us to believe that you are no more than an ostentatious charlatan. The absence of the name of this product fails to corraborate your plethora of boasting. But, for your sake, there is still hope. You can tell us the name of this product and not only show, but prove to the whole world of your veracious character that lies within. For it is definitely being questioned, and is ultimately on the line. From the mountains of Tibet, through the plains of Cambodia, to the pyramids in Timbuktu; the whole world is watching, and they are watching you.

Sheesh! I leave the house to go to work for a few hours and look what happens. I should have known better than to blaspheme the Zaino cult...again. I will be shuttering the house at night for fear of reprisal.

I take righteous umbrage at the above 'mean spirited' statements. :smirk: For the record: I am unequivocally not a pontificator! I boast not! My veracity is intact! I say nay to charlatan as well.

So saying---for the billions of people waiting with bated (or unbated) breath..........the wax I am currently using---- is called ------Liquid Lustre. There, I said it. I am not saying that there aren't better products out there---just that it's the best I've used to date for a lasting shine. I've been waxing cars for over 40 years and have tried many different kinds. I came across this stuff about 3 years ago at a car show from a car builder who builds and/or restores cars for a living. Some of these cars are one of a kind that come to him from different parts of the US and Canada. Reggie White had a couple cars in his shop when I visited there at a later date. I asked what he was currently using for wax and he matter of factly told me it was this stuff. Not that it was the best---just that he had tried it and thought it worked pretty good. That was good enough for me to get a quart or two. For all I know, he has tried many kinds since then. Haven't seen or talked to him since.

Are you going to tell us what this miracle wax is? Don't even think about telling me it is a Carnuba and you are getting 36 washes throughout the winter, I will have to call BS on that one.

The bottle says it is a Carnuba wax and perhaps I was off by a couple washes. I multiplied 4x9 months to get 36. The car is actually only out for 6 months of the year, but it sometimes gets washed more than once a week. I stand by my beading statement at the end of each winter. Of course it doesn't bead like a fresh coat, but there is beading. I've never used a wax before that had any beading left at the end of winter. Oh, and did I mention shine? I've never seen a car shine like this at the end of winter either. I wax this car once a year---in the spring before I put it away for the summer.

Enthusiast Agentf1, I am guessing that the Phila suberbs is the Philadelphia area. Unless you are from someplace else........someplace that actually has a winter, I fail to see how you can offer an objective opinion on my winter usage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I did a quick check at the National Weather Service site and it looks like you had all of 18" of snow this past winter. Can that be true?? We had a light year this year with 220 inches. 2 years ago it was over 300. Heavy, heavy salt and sand. I take your comment with a grain of salt---so to speak. :smirk:

Not sure how much more of this verbal banter and abuse I can take, but as of this writing, I will not be switching to the dark side of the........."finish saboteur extraordinaire"..........at least not until it becomes something as easy to use as what I do now....and at a reasonable price.

Steve
 

BigCarrot

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It really depends on the color. On darker colors like red and black, Pinnacle is unbeatable. It doesn't last very long, but the depth is VERY impressive. I did half my hood in NXT and half with Pinnacle, and it was very obvious which was which. For lighter cars, that depth isn't really achievable, so you go for more of a glossy shine. For that, I like a good polymer like Menzerna or even Zaino.
 

viperama

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In the past years i tried many different waxes and polishes for my daily driver (red, no clearcoat... worst thing ever).

I tried many of the so called wonder products without success.
Their most common problem was, that they will work and last long under good weather conditions but not here with all the rain, snow and salt.

For my purpouse and the weatherconditions here, i got the best results with SONAX Products.

For Cars without Clearcoat i use theyr colorkeyed Wax&Polish and add Xtreme Wax (doesnt affect shine) for longer lasting effect.
For Clearcoated Cars i use Sonax Stage 1 Nano polish.

You must be registered for see images

Sonax Xtreme Wax
with Carnauba
 

GR8_ASP

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Dang Steve I anin't never gonna tell you what I use. But then again my garage queen never gets dirty so it never gets washed!

I will say that a good normal wax (carnuba) works better for allowing rubber bits from coming off. Zaino has not been good for that (not that I would ever get rubber bits on my paint :D ).
 

tzoid

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My experience, 2 black cars, one my Viper GTS and the other my daily buggy, an '04 CTS. Both paint jobs were done very well by the factory. Both look very good when waxed....Viper only has had Zaino, the Cadillac has had NXT. The problem with the NXT is it doesn't last near as long as the Zaino...washes almost completely off in 6-8 weeks and I have always used DuPont #7 car wash (powder) and I normally wash the car once a week, occasionally twice. The Viper gets waxed 3 or 4 times a year, but I do it for the fun of it...it's never needed it based on the way the water beads with the Zaino product. My experience, for what that's worth...oh by the way, neither car has ever been washed by anyone else and never, ever a car wash!
 

SYNFULL

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I bought the Pinnacle Souveran after reading about how great it looks on black cars. I must have been nuts spending 65 for a can of carnuba wax. I have a can of eagle one carnuba wax sitting on my shelf that I haven't even opened yet. I tried it on my blck vette and it wasn't any better than the eagle one carnuba. I think I am sending for a refund.
Garwood
 

VIPER GTSR 91

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Use pinnacle souveran!!
You are so correct. Pinnacle rocks. No zaino shmamo for me. I tried it and no comparison. Threw it all out. Oh it smells fruity though!!! Just took first place in a big show last week in sports car cat. with a 142 competitors.
 

Newport Viper

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onerareviper

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My experience, 2 black cars, one my Viper GTS and the other my daily buggy, an '04 CTS. Both paint jobs were done very well by the factory. Both look very good when waxed....Viper only has had Zaino, the Cadillac has had NXT. The problem with the NXT is it doesn't last near as long as the Zaino...washes almost completely off in 6-8 weeks and I have always used DuPont #7 car wash (powder) and I normally wash the car once a week, occasionally twice. The Viper gets waxed 3 or 4 times a year, but I do it for the fun of it...it's never needed it based on the way the water beads with the Zaino product. My experience, for what that's worth...oh by the way, neither car has ever been washed by anyone else and never, ever a car wash!

Zaino does last longer than NXT. I've tried both, and Zaino last at least 3 times as long (8 weeks vs 24). Problem is, Zaino doesn't do squat for even minor swirls, unless you slap on 5 coats. Here's my dilema.... After about 8 weeks, I have accumilated enough new minor swirls to start to annoy me.... Therefore, I am polishing every 2 months anyway. And with the NXT, it is one coat and back to 99% swirl-free perfection. With the Zaino, it is 5-8 coats, curse words, and salt stains from the sweat pouring off my head before I am happy. As far as shine from the 1-8 week span, you would be hard pressed to tell a difference between Zaino & NXT. Although if I had to choose, I give the nod to NXT during those first 6 weeks. From 6 weeks on, Zaino wins no-contest until you re-polish. For my needs, NXT is the winner.

Keep in mind, I haven't use Zaino in some time..... Not sure if they offer a new product which works better at filling swirls, as I used Z2/Z5. I also never tried the Pinnacle products, as I have a Silver car.

P.S. - Another product I have found to last EXTREMELY long is Collinite #476s Super Doublecoat Auto Wax. Excellent product and last longer than anything I have ever used, including Zaino. It takes some elbow grease to get this stuff off, but boy does it last.

http://www.collinite.com/
 

Matt M PA

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The above picture of the 'vette an is excellent example of the "smoke and mirrors" that come from using a product loaded with oils. This product did not correct the problem...it only hid it momentarily. Many glazes do the same thing with oils by hiding the defects…only for them to reappear. The slight abrasiveness of NXT may also help a bit...but as I wrote above...do you really want to use abrasives on a regular basis? It is indeed a process, no "magic juice" as stated above. (Newport...do we agree on something?) That said, I cannot believe it was only one coat of NXT on that side of the hood. If indeed, it was just NXT, it only proves my point.

A product like Zaino that contains no abrasives or oils will not correct paint problems. It is more of a "sealant". Meaning, your paint has to be in good shape to begin with. As with any product, proper prep has everything to do with the end result.

Whether it is dumb luck, or technique...my cars do not have swirls....even my dark blue Excursion. All I usually have to do is clay, Z2 by hand or PC machine and I get excellent shine and durability.

Here's what my 24/7 outside in the rain and snow vehicle looks like.

http://autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56380

Some more thoughts about swirls. Microfibers. Quality varies greatly from maker to maker, so you could be inducing marring and swirls with your towels. A good test is to rub them on a CD with moderate pressure. If they don’t scratch the CD, it’s probable that they won’t scratch your paint either. Instant detailers. If your car has been driven..it is best to use a California duster first…then the instant detailer. The grit that settles on a car from driving will also cause these fine scratches. Finally, drying your car after washing can also cause fine swirls. I use a CR Spotless system that eliminates the need to dry the car…avoiding one more opportunity for marring the paint.

Hope this helps.
 

Newport Viper

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It is indeed a process, no "magic juice" as stated above. (Newport...do we agree on something?) That said, I cannot believe it was only one coat of NXT on that side of the hood.

Matt we agree, we know it's a process!

Please read the following topic again ( pics and everything). This test was done by vette owners on there own, in front of 20 other vette owners. So yes I think you can believe it.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1879&highlight=corvette+and+zaino
 

onerareviper

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Bottom line: Try both, I did.

Try NXT if - You don't mind polishing (1 coat) once every 6 weeks and want an incredible deep/swirl-free shine. It doesn't last nearly as long as Zaino, but it does better at hiding swirls. I also prefer the shine/depth it provides, but Zaino is no slouch. A lot depends on personal preference. Both are easy on/off.
 

JWVIPER

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My experience with the NXT is that it is easy, great look, but draws a lot more dust to the car. The Zaino may be a notch (slighly) below in shine but almost no dust attraction and lasts longer. I clay once in spring and 2 at best 3 waxes until winter. California duster and Z Spray keeps it buff.
 

agentf1

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Here are 12 coats of Zaino on the left, one coat of NXT over 12 coats of Z on the right.
Which finish would you rather have?

When is everyone going to get it in their heads... :confused: IT IS A PROCESS to get a good finish.


There is NO magic juice.


4162ZainoCorvette7RAW1-med.jpg


Full story here.....Oh, and do use mirofibers with any product! :D

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1879&highlight=corvette+and+zaino


Pass the popcorn, please!!

Newport, do you really think you are going to fool anyone with that picture. Sure, it may be Zaino on the one side and NXT on the other, what you are failing to mention is that the Zaino side has been neglected for quite some time now and the NXT side has just been prepped with a buffer and probably a half a dozen products. I think it is pretty much common knowledge that NXT is one of the worst product on the market and can barely withstand 2 weeks or 2 rainstorms, whichever comes first. NXT is nothing more than a cleaner wax that is loaded with oils. I would use Lemon Pledge on my car before NXT and get better results. There are dozens of better products than NXT on the market right now such as Zaino, Klasse, Menzerna FMJ, Pinnacle, Collonite... and the list goes on and on.
 

TCKTPLZ

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*** is this? The new "performance line" from Nu Finish?

Never before has the Viper Club of America witnessed such attempted deceit, guile, and chicanery. Led by the infamous demagogue "Newport Viper," these saboteurs have descended upon these forums like a ravenous scourge. One by one they intend to debauch and decay the beautiful finish of everyone's cherished Viper. Armed with caustic, noxious, and acrid products like NXT, these miscreants attempt to ravage all that lie in their path. But, the few who embody honor and rectitude will not let that happen. For the Viper Club of America is the guardian of truth and paladin of rectitude. Even within the grasp of diabolical, nefarious, and fiendish rapscallions of demagoguery, we will fight to uphold what is right. At last, I give these rogues their final ultimatum. Uphold your honor and speak the truth of the wax. To do not would ultimately drive the final nail in the coffin of your debased ethos and iniquitous character.
 

Need4Speed

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I have to agree with 2BADD 4U. I Just did my Red RT/10. Washed with dawn, very lightly clay bar'd, then used the new Zanio Z-2 pro with ZFX (whatever its called) additive. Then a day later hit another coat of Z-2 pro and then the Z-8 spray. The results were really amazing. 5 days later I put a coat of Carnuba Zymol carbon ontop. It litterally looks and feels like a wet plastic coating ontop of the entire car. Using the Z-8 after washes and garaging the car with a cover I shold not have to Zaino agian for a very long time... Go to Autopia.org professional detailers recommend a product like Zanio Z-2 with a good carnuba based wax ontop like pinnacle. But to each their own. I've used alot of stuff before, Zanio just makes it really easy.
 

agentf1

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*** is this? The new "performance line" from Nu Finish?

Never before has the Viper Club of America witnessed such attempted deceit, guile, and chicanery. Led by the infamous demagogue "Newport Viper," these saboteurs have descended upon these forums like a ravenous scourge. One by one they intend to debauch and decay the beautiful finish of everyone's cherished Viper. Armed with caustic, noxious, and acrid products like NXT, these miscreants attempt to ravage all that lie in their path. But, the few who embody honor and rectitude will not let that happen. For the Viper Club of America is the guardian of truth and paladin of rectitude. Even within the grasp of diabolical, nefarious, and fiendish rapscallions of demagoguery, we will fight to uphold what is right. At last, I give these rogues their final ultimatum. Uphold your honor and speak the truth of the wax. To do not would ultimately drive the final nail in the coffin of your debased ethos and iniquitous character.

Well said. :D
 

PDCjonny

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I think it is pretty much common knowledge that NXT is one of the worst product on the market and can barely withstand 2 weeks or 2 rainstorms, whichever comes first.

Err..it is? Common knowledge to whom? I have seen many MANY testimonials from NXT users who love it and prefer the shine, ready availabilty and cost to most others. (Do a search here). I couldn't care less about NXT or any other wax (I am currently using Pinnacle) but isn't this a bit of an overstatement? Can you prove it?
 

agentf1

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I think it is pretty much common knowledge that NXT is one of the worst product on the market and can barely withstand 2 weeks or 2 rainstorms, whichever comes first.

Err..it is? Common knowledge to whom? I have seen many MANY testimonials from NXT users who love it and prefer the shine, ready availabilty and cost to most others. (Do a search here). I couldn't care less about NXT or any other wax (I am currently using Pinnacle) but isn't this a bit of an overstatement? Can you prove it?

Go to a forum like roadfly or autopia and ask what most of the ********* detailers like me think of NXT and they will all tell you it is just a mediocre cleaner wax with zero durability. If you like give me your address and I will send you some samples I have laying around and you can see for yourself that it is junk. Keep using the pinnacle as it is one of the best carnubas around. If you want the same look with added durability switch to Z2 Pro topped with Z8.
 

2BADD 4U

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I have to agree with 2BADD 4U. I Just did my Red RT/10. Washed with dawn, very lightly clay bar'd, then used the new Zanio Z-2 pro with ZFX (whatever its called) additive. Then a day later hit another coat of Z-2 pro and then the Z-8 spray. The results were really amazing. 5 days later I put a coat of Carnuba Zymol carbon ontop. It litterally looks and feels like a wet plastic coating ontop of the entire car. Using the Z-8 after washes and garaging the car with a cover I shold not have to Zaino agian for a very long time... Go to Autopia.org professional detailers recommend a product like Zanio Z-2 with a good carnuba based wax ontop like pinnacle. But to each their own. I've used alot of stuff before, Zanio just makes it really easy.


:2tu: :2tu: :2tu:
 

Newport Viper

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*** is this? The new "performance line" from Nu Finish?

Never before has the Viper Club of America witnessed such attempted deceit, guile, and chicanery. Led by the infamous demagogue "Newport Viper," these saboteurs have descended upon these forums like a ravenous scourge. One by one they intend to debauch and decay the beautiful finish of everyone's cherished Viper. Armed with caustic, noxious, and acrid products like NXT, these miscreants attempt to ravage all that lie in their path. But, the few who embody honor and rectitude will not let that happen. For the Viper Club of America is the guardian of truth and paladin of rectitude. Even within the grasp of diabolical, nefarious, and fiendish rapscallions of demagoguery, we will fight to uphold what is right. At last, I give these rogues their final ultimatum. Uphold your honor and speak the truth of the wax. To do not would ultimately drive the final nail in the coffin of your debased ethos and iniquitous character.








This is the best wax thread ever!! :D :D :D

You know what they say on the golf course!!

FORE!!!!!

Do you like, warmth, depth, like a pool of water, or do you want ...........

416IMG_0759-med.JPG














.... your car to look like PLASTIC??

1087Viper_469-med.jpg
 

Cal Cobra

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Zymol. I swear by the stuff, for almost 20 years.

Can you give more details on this brand of wax?

I just tried their car wash and wax on my hard top for a test, it looks really nice. They recommend as a final enhancement step to mist clean water on it and rebuff in order to make the compound further bond and enhance gloss. I'll try that before I put it on. Amazingly this stuff is all natural, smells very nice.

Their leather cleaner/protector looks very nice as well.

Cal
 

big-n-italian

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<< but they are only interested in having the best shine for themselves. >>

What a great idea! OK, Let it be known then, that I only use Turtle Wax on my car. ;) :D
 

gthomas

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Zymol. I swear by the stuff, for almost 20 years.

Can you give more details on this brand of wax?

I just tried their car wash and wax on my hard top for a test, it looks really nice. They recommend as a final enhancement step to mist clean water on it and rebuff in order to make the compound further bond and enhance gloss. I'll try that before I put it on. Amazingly this stuff is all natural, smells very nice.

Their leather cleaner/protector looks very nice as well.

Cal


Not technical info. ;)

After you finish buffing the car, start at the first point you started buffing, and rebuff.
Use a spritzer bottle with either filtered or bottled water (tap will have 'additives' you don't want) and a new (clean/fresh) buffing clothe.
WOW, the sheen will be like glass.
It is work :mad: , but worth it. And it's good if you practice karate. :D
And all of their products are great.
 

ViperCorp

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Zaino, Pinnacle, NXT, everyone has their favorite just like some folks think Britney Spears is hot while others, like me, thinks she's trailer trash.
 

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