Zymol really Turtle Wax?

[Xtian]

I don't know if anyone here has ever tried Zymol Cleaner Wax before (probably), but has anyone ever heard the rumor that this variety of Zymol is really made by Turtle Wax? Does anyone know if it is true or not, and is there any legitimate proof of this if so? I know this has nothing to do with Meguiar's so that's why I posted it in the break room.

[ktlimq]

At PepBoys you can see the bottle. See the manufacture location. It is Chicago, IL. TurtleWax is also in Chicago.
By the way, if TurtleWax manufactures it, is it bad?
I did not compare many products on the market, but I do not feel that TurtleWax products are specifically bad. Could you tell me why you hate TurtleWax?

My limited experience with Zymol Cleaner Wax:
It smells good.
It is very easy to wash the foam applicator after you wax.
Trim stain: somewhat difficult to remove on some trim (it largely depends on trim surface) compared to some other waxes.
Durability: I do not know, and do not plan to test its durability. I can only tell that it lasted two weeks very well on my roof and trunk lid (other wax is on other sections of my car): still good shine and beading.

Meguiars NXT vinyl rubber plastic Protectant seems to strip Zymol Cleaner wax off, while it does not seem to strip off TurtleWax F21 paste wax or TurtleWax Platinum paste wax.

I do not yet have my favorite wax, but current candidates are Prestone® High Protection Wax, TurtleWax F21, TurtleWax Platinum paste, TurtleWax Platinum liquid, and Meguiars NXT paste.

[Mosca]

I googled it and found "Zymol Cleaner Wax by Turtle Wax". So, yes. It's made by TW. It's NOT a TW product, it's a Zymol product manufactured by TW.

I think EVERYONE who has made it this far, searching the internet for car care advice, has tried this product. It's a step we all take, trying the most expensive wax that's sitting isolated at the checkout counter in the auto parts store.

It smells great, stains trim, dusts like crazy, looks good on the car.

There are lots of great choices in this price category. Zymol Cleaner Wax by Turtle Wax is one of them. The sentence above is "the book" on this product. It's what I've found in using it, and it's also what I've read others have found. It's what ktlimq has found. If I had a bottle, I'd use it up before I'd throw it away. Or I'd give it to a friend or relative.


Tom

[Xtian]

I never said anything about hating Turtle Wax. I was only curious about this internet rumor that Zymol is really made by Turtle Wax. I too have found a website by google which sells Zymol, labeling the product in the description: Zymol by Turtle Wax. To be perfectly honest, however, this doesn't convince me for sure, even considering that the place of manufacturing is the same for both products. I have yet to see any "conclusive" evidence that the cheaper Zymol is made by Turtle Wax. Until then, I'm inclined to believe that it's probably made by Zymol in a manufacturing plant that happens to be in the same city as Turtle Waxe's, and that the websites that have posted the description "Zymol by Turtle Wax" are possibly mistaken as a result of the circulating internet rumors. It could also be possible that the rumors stemmed from such a goof with a product blurb. Either way, I feel inclined to give Zymol the benefit of the doubt on this one, until it can be proven otherwise. I have actually e-mailed both companies numerous times without receiving a response from either. To be sure, this is a mystery. The only reason why I find it so interesting, and this is also why you might mistakenly infer that I hate Turtle Wax, which I don't, is that the two companie's respective philosophies about car wax are so vastly different that the notion of them being connected in some way seems a bit absurd. Turtle Wax, though not "bad", has traditionally favored the high chemical content, artificial ingredient route of manufacturing affordable and "no brainer" wax products. Zymol, on the other hand, considers itself more of the Bentley or Rolse Royce of car waxes being that it puts greater emphasis on the purity of its ingredients, and moreover, the status of their products as being "all natural", or without the chemical compounds found in other wax products, i.e., petrolium distilates is tauted as well. Again, this is not to disparage Turtle Wax products, but just to point out that they are in a completely different ballgame. Wouldn't you be surprised if you heard a rumor that Mercedes was marketing a new automobile which was actually manufactured by Kia?

[the other pc]

From Zymol’s website:

“Zymol Enterprises, Inc. formally retracts the previous notice on this site stating that the Turtle Wax Ltd. distribution rights for Zymol had been cancelled.�

[Mosca]

Originally posted by Xtian
I never said anything about hating Turtle Wax....

Nope.

But you might be confusing comparing products with comparing marketing approaches.

If you take all the hooplah away, you have a blue cleaner wax competing in the $10/bottle category; how does it compare with other $10/bottle waxes such as Gold Class, TW Platinum, EO nanowax, Mother's Relections?

There is a business relationship between TW and Zymol, but your car is immune to that; the product either works or it doesn't, the value equation is either advantageous or not. The business relationship is a sideshow, irrelevant to the performance of the product.


Tom

[Xtian]

But I've seen alot of posts on other intrernet forums disparaging Zymol because of it's possible relationship with Turtle Wax and encouraging others to stay away from it because of this. I realize that the ultimate performance of the product gets the last word in regarding its value, and I consider Zymol to be a product that performs extremely well. So, in the end, I know it doesn't technically matter whether Zymol has any relationship with Turtle Wax or not, however I was still very intersted to get to the bottom of this since I really can't stand when negative rumors circulate about a great product due to shaky evidence of a circumstance that, even if true, wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Apart from that though, I was still just curious as well because it seems a bit odd to me; not bad, just odd.

[Mosca]

People who disparage a product based on who manufactures it rather than how the product performs are misguided. You are correct to ignore them and to use your own judgement.

IMO, the evidence is neither shaky nor circumstantial. Zymol Cleaner Wax is manufactured and marketed by Turtle Wax, most likely to specifications set by Zymol.

Funny thing, I'm sure that Meguiar's considers Turtle Wax to be respectable competition. They make some pretty decent products, products they design and manufacture themselves. Monsanto, 3M, Dupont et al have a lot of brainpower in those labs. Wirh the added marketing power that gets those products in the right places at the right prices, this is really a boom time for peopel looking to get the most bang for the buck.

Just because something is hard to get and pumped up on the internet doesn't make it better than something else sold OTC. I've purchased and used a lot of the boutique stuff and IMO many of the products you can get at Target, KMart, WalMart, etc are every bit the equal of most of the "boutique" brands. NXT, ColorX, Gold Class, Meg's Three Step and Cleaner Wax, Turtle Wax Platinum, Eagle One Nanowax, and Mother's come to mind. I hear Prestone Wax is excellent. Lots of people swear by Eagle One Wax As You Dry (I don't like that one myself). For me, you have to step up to Pinnacle Souveran to get a very incremental advantage.

So, Zymöl Cleaner Wax. Looks great, smells great, dusts like crazy and stains trim so be careful, and the shine & beading is short-lived (but we don't know if the product is still there protecting). If you like to wax every two or three weeks, then this is a good product because it smells fantastic and you'll get lots of practice controlling the dusting and the trim issue. I'd control dusting by spraying a litle quick detailer on my removal towel.

I have a jar of Zymöl Carbon that someone gave me; send me a PM with your address, and I'll cut a corner off of it and mail it to you, if you want to try their expensive stuff. Do you have any Meguiar's #26 paste? If not, I'll include some of that to compare. Make up your own mind, I won't steer you.


Tom

[Xtian]

Thanks for the offer, but you really don't have to inconvenience yourself with all that...I'de feel bad about it. I would however be interested to know what kinds of results you got from the Carbon if you have indeed used it. I've never looked into Zymol's fancier waxes for the simple reason that they seem like they'de be a pain in the neck to use correctly.

[Mosca]

You know, I have so many products that I'm perfectly satisfied with, products that I know their look can't be improved on. The offer of Carbon along with #26 was a setup, as you probably knew. If you have AutoZones in your area, start calling them and asking if they have item# 555334, Meguiar's #2611. That will be an 11oz jar of #26 High Tech Yellow Paste Wax, and the price is 99 cents. It will say 4.99 on the can, but it will ring up as 99 cents. (Regular retail is something like $10). That 99 cent wax will kick the Carbon out the door, and gives the $60/8 oz Souveran a run for its money, too. I use the Souveran maybe once a year, if that. I get just as many "WOW"s with the #26, or NXT, or Gold Class.


Tom