Update on Ultimate Wax durability

[RPPM]

Hey all, little update on Ultimate Wax wintertime durability:

In early December, I clayed my 2005 Ford Focus, and then used the following combinations on the car: Passenger side front door: ColorX via Megiuars 7" polishing pad, followed by Ultimate wax paste via Meguiars 4' finishing pad. Passenger side rear door: 4-1 mixture of Duragloss 501/601 applied with 5.5" white LCS polishing pad, followed up by 4-1 mixture of Duragloss 105/601 applied with 5.5" black LCS finishing pad. Driver side front door ColorX via Meguiars 7" polishing pad, followed by Collinite 476 paste wax via 4" Meguiars finishing pad. Driver side rear door, Same Duragloss combo as passenger side rear door, plus Collinite 845 applied with Meguiars 7" finishing pad. I did not use any additional spray wax, or spray detailers. The car was washed weekly through December with Gold Class Car wash.

The car was not driven on salt covered roads until early January. The last car wash took place on 1/7/12 until today. The car had the lower panels of each door pretty much covered with dried brine from salt/chemical solution from the lovely western, PA roads. I can now say without any doubt, all the products I used did NOT hold up at all on the lower portion of the doors. Above the midpoint of the door, all products were still able to bead, and sheet water, below that, nothing left at all. I can say, this actually makes me happy, as I have come to agree, most of the "durability" is just hype. Conditions have the most impact.

On a side note, thank goodness for Ultimate Quik Wax. After the wash, I did the whole car, smoothness restored! What a great product!!

[RPPM]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

I also meant to add, The Ultimate Wax combo above the mid point of the door seems every bit as fresh as any of the others at the same area, which all have a reputations being very durable.

[Meticulous-Detail]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Interesting, you tested what are suppose to be the some of the most durable sealants/waxes in the industry and none of them held up. I wonder if coatings would have held up? That could be the nest experiment.

The lower portion of the doors takes a beating, I wonder if anything will hold up in that area.

[RPPM]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

I have heard coatings will possibly hold up, I don't have any experience with them, so I won't guess.

I think lot's of companies make claims about their durability, and while Duragloss, or Collinite MIGHT outlast Ultimate wax, I think the difference is a lot less than say compared to Gold Class, or NXT, or #26. From what I just saw, I am pleasantly surprised with the Ultimate Wax.

[ffboy]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Durability of collinite in my opinion and experience is very good, but to say it lasts 1 whole year is not too accurate. I still use a spray wax to boost the leftover wax protection i use a spray wax/detailer that best compliments the collinite look. That's why its a good thing some quality sealants/wax manufacturers don't make the amazing claims of their wax lasting for this particular period of time, and instead educate people on the proper techniques in car care to keep their rides looking good.

But honestly, i'm a bigger fan of collinite than meguiars, but only just. I still love my NXT 2.0 especially on black. Easier to use, and i like that it's able to hide certain swirls.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Thanks for taking the time to do this test and follow up after this much time. No doubt that subjecting any wax or sealant to continuous bombardment of road salt is an incredibly harsh test - that's some pretty nasty stuff!! We would expect to see some of the current crop of semi permanent coatings to hold up better due to their vastly different chemistry. Now, would "longer" be several months, a year? That will depend on the actual coating, prep before application, etc.

[RPPM]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

To Meguiars credit, yes they try to make products that are durable, but they are realistic and truthful in what the consumer can expect. Part of what really made me feel comfortable at the end of this little experiment is I can now comfortably go back to my normal routine, claying, ColorX, Ultimate wax three times a year, and claying, Ultimate Polish/SwirlX followed by Ultimate wax once a year. If I am feeling like I want to play around with a topper in between, some GC Plus, or #26 foot the bill. No need to get caught up in the layer upon layer some other companies want you to do to achieve a durability level that just isn't sustainable. Guess it goes back to the old OTC vs. Boutique debate.

Mike, thanks for your continued input into this site. As usual, you called it before I even went out to start this little test!

[Meticulous-Detail]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Too many steps and layering are my biggest pet peeves. I read some of these 43 step details with boutique products and then a 3 or 4 step detail with OTC products and can't tell or see the difference. I know pics can be deceiving, but halogen and swirl finder lighting pics look the same to me with OTC and boutique. That said I like DG and Collinite and proabably continue to use them, plus they are inexpensive unlike some other boutique waxes that are in the hundreds.

[RPPM]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Agreed, I don't consider Collinite, or Duragloss boutique either. I can get both locally. Although there are people on other sites that will put 10 layers of something on for the very last in look or durability.

[Mark58]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Problem with Layers is NO one has proved that it works. Maybe you can put a coat of paste wax over sealant and that's about it. Just my opinion.

[ffboy]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Maybe layering works but not as huge a difference as one might believe. It's a good thing meguiar's recommends layering to ensure complete and more even coverage and not to allow the wax to last months or even a year.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

The whole boutique vs pro vs OTC debate will rage for as long as there are cars to detail and paint to polish. We know that there are a lot of really good products out there and you all need to decide what works best in your workflow. But no matter what you choose, you'll do yourself a huge favor if you get your technique dialed in correctly. Nobody makes a product that will do the job on it's own when it comes to paint polishing. We'll never forget that Thursday Night Open Garage where Joe Fernandez (aka Superior Shine here on MOL) stood up in front of everyone and offered to share his secret to perfect paint. He walked over to the shelf containing our Mirror Glaze line, picked up a bottle of M105 and turned the back label for all to see. He then said "read the directions and follow them". Simple. Brilliant.

[Garage Troll]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

I firmly believe that layering is really only good for looks. Yes, two coats to ensure even coverage is a good idea but when you start getting into 3 plus layers, that's where you start to cross the line into waste.

What I find to be most ironic is reading random posts where the author states they put 4 or 5 layers of wax/sealant on their car yet later on the also state they wax/seal once a month. There really is no point in that, but, it's their money and time.

On the note of longevity for UW I can say I did a customer's car at the beginning of July and put a single coat down and when I did her car again in November, it was still beading. Just to be sure, I asked her how many times she had washed it to see if she had possibly had one of those waxes from the coin-op washes put on. But, she soar she hadn't washed it once since I had last tended to it. So, as far as I'm concerned, UW has some pretty solid durabilty.

[RPPM]

Re: Update on Ultimate Wax durability

Andy, that's good to know. Do you remember if you used UWP, or UWL? I agree about the 4-5 plus layers, and then it's stated they wax monthly. If i spent all that time, I think a certain spouse would have me sleeping in the garage...