Difference between M16 vs M26

[evert]

Difference between M16 vs M26


My name is Evert Buitendijk and I am one of the moderators of the Dutch forum.

Maybe you can help me with a small problem. In Holland you can still buy M16 paste wax (SUPER PRODUCT and my favorite) but what is the difference in gloss and shine.
The M16 has white Carnauba and the M26 yellow. But are there more differences?

I have already found this link:

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-136.html

Thanks Evert.

[Joe's detailing]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

what is the diference in gloss and shine.
The M16 has white carnauba and the M26 yellow. But are there more differences?

#26 has a nice shine, so does #16 {IMO} it's preference and #16 is hard to locate in the states, since being discontinued..

However, I find #16 more durable ...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

My name is Evert Buitendijk and I am one of the moderators of the Dutch forum.

Maybe you can help me with a small problem. In Holland you can still buy M16 paste wax (SUPER PRODUCT and my favorite) but what is the difference in gloss and shine.
The M16 has white Carnauba and the M26 yellow. But are there more differences?

I have already found this link:

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-136.html

Thanks Evert.

Difference between #16 and #26?
As for the difference between M16 and M26, they are completely different animals, M16 came out in 1951, and is what is referred to as a "Heavy Wax", or a high molecular weight wax or a hard wax, just ask anyone that has applied too thick of a coating of this product and then attempted to wipe it off and what they discovered?

If you apply too thick of a coat of M16 and let it fully dry it will come off like concrete, it will dang near break your arm trying to remove it. There is no wiping, but instead it's more like forcing the wax off. Most people that have made this mistake, usually thinking is more is better will actually put scratches into the paint in their efforts.

So be forewarned, if you ever apply M16 to your car's paint, be sure to only apply a thin coat and just to be on the safe side, if it's your first time using the wax then only apply it to one panel, let it dry and then wipe it off and see how you do with just one panel. If you can apply a thin coat to one panel and remove it without struggling, then wax the entire car.


M26 is a blended wax, not a wax based off of Carnauba as someone tend to post on other forums, just read the back label, it states this very clearly, no pun intended.

It leaves a very clear finish and we would put it up against any other wax on the market, including the very expensive boutique waxes like the Zymol ridiculously expensive waxes on the same panel of a black car to test and compare for richness of color, clarity and reflectivity or in other words, DOI, Distinction of Image.

Both waxes are "Pure Waxes", that is they contain no ingredients with the intended purpose of cleaning or abrading the finish and as such should only be applied to paint that is in excellent condition, that is brand new clean, polished paint or older paint that has been previously cleaned and polished.

M26 will tend to have a darkening-effect while M16 will not tend do offer this feature. The darkening effect is often times confused by people on other forums as a bad thing but really it's a good thing as what it's doing is maximizing clarity which shows up to our eyes as the full richness of the color of paint.

People that confuse darkening as a negative just don't know what they're talking about and we always tell people to remember who these people are and then question anything they post as unreliable because they just don't understand the art of polishing paint and instead will try to argue with you with their lack of understanding.



Here's an example of the darkening effect or the maximizing of clarity...

In the zillions of classes we've personally taught since moving to California from Oregon to work for Meguiar's, if we can, we alway show how darkening the paint, no matter what the color, or type of paint, is a good thing...

Just check out how we darkened the paint on this Lexus...

Before


After



Besides removing the gross rotary buffer swirls,

(Let me say that again)

Besides removing the swirls...

We increased the clarity of the clear coat and this gives a darkening appearance, at least the black is a deeper, richer black in the AFTER picture not a hazy gray black like it started out.

Now next time you run into some self-proclaimed guru on some other forum and he tries to argue with that darkening is a bad thing, remember these pictures and in the future give this person all the credit they are due which is zero credibility.


M26 and some of our other paint protectants like Gold Class, NXT Tech Wax 2.0, M21 2.0, Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax will increase the clarity of the clear coat and this gives a darkening appearance, at least the black is a deep, rich black, not a hazy gray black like it started out.

We always bring up the topic of "Darkening" and the type of discussions people have about it on forums like this, and then we ask everyone looking at the results if the way we darkened the paint, or in other words, brought out the richness of color is a good thing, or like some on forums position it, a negative thing and it's always unanimous that every loves the rich color created by the application of a quality wax/paint protectant. Always.


Reality is, you want the color of your car's paint to be rich, clear and reflective, a feature of any quality wax or paint protectant, you don't want your LSP to reduce richness of color, clarity or reflectivity. Luckily, most quality paint protectants work well and bring out the richness of color or the clarity of the clear coat.

Thus in the end, it really comes down to,


”Find something you like and use it often”

If you find a product you like, then apparently the results look good in your eyes, if you use it often, then your finish will always look great. It's only when you begin to neglect or abuse the finish that it goes down hill.

M16 and M26 are completely different products, it's true they are both waxes or paint protectant, whichever term you like best to describe a product that protects paint but beside being in the same category of products there's not much else they share in comparison.

Best thing to do is to test for yourself, that is perfectly prepare a black hood by cleaning and polishing the paint and then tape off two sections about 12" square and apply these two different waxes, allow them to fully dry and then wipe off the dried reside and inspect the results in different lighting.

Hope this helps a little...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

That took a while... time for lunch...

[evert]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

Thank you both very much for the answers.
Is is a very hot discussion as the M16 is still for sale in the Netherlands.

Better order a couple of tins tomorrow before is runs out.

Evert.
(Sow. now its time for bed.)

[Tom Weed]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

That took a while... time for lunch...

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

That took a while... time for lunch...

That is too funny. Was not expecting that

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

meguiars has some great products! but as far as I'm concerned M16 & M26 is just the best out there period!
like mike stated about the darken effect that M26 has is just amazing and as for the M16 being a hard wax, when I did the post on the M16 on my ranger I haven't done anything else beside a quick rinse a couple times at my job and the bedside is still holding the shine and depth that was there when I did the detail. If I'm not mistaken it has been over 8 months I believe.
Anyways I just thought I would share my two cents on this topic.

[TKDDAD]

Re: Difference between M16 vs M26

I've used both and love them both. #16 is actually easy to apply if you keep it thin...I apply with a DA...since it's a paste, I grab a plastic putty knife and spread it out on a 9006 pad and apply it at speed setting of 2.5...I let it dry about 15 minutes and remove it with the DA and a polishing bonnet over a 7006 burgundy pad...you won't find better LSP's than these two IMHO...