Battle of the Waxes: Which Car Wax Reigns Supreme? The Results May Suprise You 

The most important observation is which lasts longer? I have purchased so many modern spray waxes but the paste wax still seems to last. About 4 months I use meguiars cleaner wax. 50 years old and somehow seems to still work the best as far as lasting the longest. That's weird to me so I do keep watching videos and keep trying new stuff.

I start with a paste wax, but then I follow it up with 🐢 wax 'Ice' spray wax. This has always given my vehicles a deeper/wetter look when compared to using just one or the other. I paste wax twice a year, spray wax once a month. Meguiars gold class carnuba is my preferred paste.

thank you for testing 8 different waxes & getting to see them

If Americans would do as good of a job as the British or better at maintaining, cleaning and polishing their cars/trucks! Then they used automotive market would be much much better than it is now!! Unite to work together against the cash for clunkers travesty!! We don’t have to make America great again or elect a certain candidate. But we need to unite in taking care of older cars and restoring old cars!

You could do this test with a gloss meter and get some science behind the shiny :)

I use Turtle wax because that is what my father used when I was growing up so it is what I have the most experience with.

I used Klasse All in One for years because of its durability and ease of use. You could get by with twice a year on it. It is expensive.

I think the real test is to see which one lasts the longest. Like a water test 1 month later. Tyvm for the video👍

Love to wax also I am not ready to throw waxing on the side and go on ceramic coating yet. It’s just fun little more maintenance

Consumer Reports rated New Finish as the wax with the best over all protection (it lasts the longest says CR) Although New Finish didn’t provide the best shine. I actually bought New Finish and think it’s ability to still bead up on my car nine months later is impressive. Especially being my car is parked outside year around in the Colorado climate.

I have used Nu Finish for a very long time. Its cheap, it goes on in any light and (most importantly) if buffs out super easily.

The meguairs cleaner wax is great and long lasting I recently switched to there gold carnival wax and it is by far the best paste I've used

I use Nufinish. It goes on and off easy and leaves a great shine and a slickness that makes me swipe the car every time I pass it. Plus I find the process very therapeutic and the result very satisfying.

I used that orange bottle new finish on my two year old Ford van.. within a couple weeks, the paint had turned dull, and I ran my finger across it because I thought it was fog, the paint came off on my finger like chalk.. it ruined my paint job. The real kicker was, I drove that van for 31 years. For 29 of those years, it looked old and sunbaked. I could never get that truck to shine again like it did when I bought it new I learned my lesson, I will never use anything but carnauba wax on any of my vehicles ever again, there may be better stuff out there, but I’m not gonna experiment anymore

The chemical guy seems to be a rip off and then there’s some crap in England that cost $65,000 for container!!

Meguires Gold class and Meguires Nxt generation were great unfortunately they wuit making them and the Ultimate is hard to get completly off

Next time use Tonyin Graphene Wax or Turtle Wax Graphene Wax 😊

Similar experience when I was testing waxes, they all looked the same. Ease of use and durability is really the main difference between them. Great video! You'd probably like Collinite 845, that one is very nice to use and durable.

I'll stick with Turtle Wax Hard Shell paste wax. Bit of a pain to apply but it lasts for months. Every wash I use Turtle Wax Wax And Dry spray. I use Meguiars Car Shampoo for wash soap. Water blade and microfibers to dry, I always keep microfibers and Mothers Spray Detailer to take care of bird poo right away. Black Honda Civic, black Mercedes E350 wagon.

If all are ok then Mothers CMX is quite easy and fast to apply. Is there other easier?

I use to hand wax, I felt there was no way a spray could be more durable than a paste. Emailed Turtle Wax one day, they basically said most waxes these days are not true waxes. They are synthetic polymer sealants regardless of paste, liquid, or spray and it doesn't matter how you choose to apply it. Makes little difference if you apply they work equally as well, and are more a carrier used in order to spread the polymer sealant. Basically summarized it as spray is easier to apply for many people, and less time consuming. It actually made a lot of sense to me, and I've not used paste/liquid wax since.

They are kinda the same, shocking. I have switched to the spray ceramic, easy to use, doesn’t discolor rubber or plastic and it seams to last a tad longer.

Thank you so much for making this video 👌👌👌 been using nu finish and don't see why use another one if it's super easy to apply and can do 3-4 times a year (that's just me) 🤪 thanks again 👍🔥👌💪👈

I waxed my Mazda Tribute with Nu Finish....it lasted years....I was amazed.

Appreciate the care you you took for a scientific method! The problem here is that the paint was in poor condition and the only wax that would work well would be the Meguiars cleaner wax, which also contains polishing agents. To judge the difference in quality of shine, expensive wax does create a better look as far as depth and how different styling ques pick up reflections. As with any wax, you can't "build a house without a foundation" the more important steps are proper preparation previous to wax such as buff, clay and polish. Also it is essential when finished with the wax the vehicle be sprayed with a detail spray to pick up excess left over from different steps ( I like to do this with every step) I have found Blackfire Black wax to do an excellent job on dark colors, albeit with proper preparation previous to wax

I’ve used 6/10 of these products. Can’t beat basic turtle wax. The chemical guys wax smells like banana. It’s works fine as well.

Not a big car waxer, but I have used Nu Finish for years Easy to apply and buff. Shines good too.

Great content, love it! I ceramic coated my car last year, it's always garaged and kept very clean, I'd like to add some wax protection now, can I just add some carnuba wax or should I use a cleaner wax?

My 1st car was a second gen z28 with a 350. Boomer parents were a little crazy 😂

IF you are not going to Clay Bar your car ... Meguiers cleaner wax works GREAT ! Nu Finish is not a wax ... but Yes it works very well

I am 70 years old and have used only a few different types of waxes. At my age I am looking for durable and easy to apply waxes.

Hand waxing takes to long I use a buffer, I apply two coats of wax when I polish my car.

I've tried many waxes over the years and for a few years i detailed cars for friends and yes, they seem to all give a nice shine but what i look for is how easy they are to apply and wipe off, that's where i find differences

Great to know I don't have to spend a lot of money for great results. Thanks!

The true test is how long will thet last.

I've used NuFinish for years. The first time you use it, have to put two coats on. After that, wax once a year. Other waxes have to be renewed monthly.

Wait. Nu finish is polish, why are you calling it wax?

Thanks for the No Spin honest test

For paste wax Turtle wax ceramic graphene paste wax is excellent! Also soft99 fussocoat! Both excellent with fussocoat lasting much longer and having crazy hydrophobic properties!

i am going to enjoy this video...

Nice demo. It's been YEARS since i hand waxed any of my vehicles, so i thought I'd come here for some info. Although paste is a little more a pain in the butt to apply, I'm gonna grab some good ole TW . Thanks!

For a 2008 Honda Element I will use Nu Finish. For a brand new 2023 Subaru Forester I will use Nu Finish. Years ago when I was young and owned a Jeep I spent an arm and a leg on car care products and many hours of elbow grease.

I always have a been a fan of nu finish works great full car

I just factory ordered a 2024 Miata RF and it was the first car I've waxed in decades. I used Meguiar's carnuaba liquid wax, which I've read gives a great shine and helps bring out the color of the paint, but doesn't provide as much protection as other waxes and therefore needs re-applied more frequently. Thoughts?

I used to detail cars professionally and I started thinking that all these companies are selling us is fancy packaging and adjectives. I told my wife a few months back that I’m going back old school. Dawn dish washing liquid, windex, turtle wax and armor all.

My first car was a 2010 camaro and I am thinking the same thing! What were my parents thinking. Im just like you, I waxed it every 2 weeks and I loved it. Love the video great work.

Stupid question. Can I wax my truck in a garage? Asking cause it’s 100+ degrees here in Texas all fucking day.

TRY GORILLA GLUE, IF IT WILL FIX A HAIR-DOO IT'LL FIX ANYTHING - LMAO!!!!!!! I AM OLD SCHOOL, I LIKE TURTLE WAX - ANY WAY, GOOD VIDEO - *BRAVO!!!!!!!*

As a young man in the 80s I didn't have $ but I did have time and energy to spare. I waxed my car every week or 2 and enjoyed it for the most part. I used turtlewax paste, liquid and NuFinish. Now in my 50s I have a lil more $ and a lot less energy... I have no desire to wax and buff 12+ times a year. I applied a 2 yr ceramic sealant to my truck and will also use TW ceramic mist as a drying aid every couple of washes. My truck is super hydrophobic, candy like gloss and stays cleaner longer.

Fantastic video! No BS. Thanks for posting. 👍

Which one of these products gives you the most protection? I’ve switched to turtle wax hybrid ceramic spray mainly because it’s supposed to give about 6 months of protection but I do like to use wax as well just be side it’s tried and true.

Please note, polish is what really makes paint shiny, more than wax. Wax just helps protect mostly.

This was a waste of time. sigh

Consumer Reports rated Nu Finish as one of the best waxes for longevity (up to a year) But didn’t rate it for the best shine. I have been use this wax once a year on my car, and think it does a very good job. My car is parked out side all year in extreme weather conditions. In Colorado.

Thank you sir for getting to the bottom of this. Carnauba wax is carnauba wax. Now try spray detailers

I can wax and wash cars by hand all day. In my community when i do it for people i do it cheap. I like seeing shiny cars pass by me going up the highway.

My question is how does it hold up in the sun? I grew up in Hawaii where we parked outside, back in the 70's most wax's back then maybe would last 3 weeks in the sun.

A good test would be to see which one of those lasts the longest. I love my Maguires gold class wax. In the can. The first year I had my car I was all about the spray waxes, ceramic this, and ceramic that. This year I've gone back to traditional hand waxing. I also use Maguires wax as you dry after I wash my car. Which is often 😆. It's actually pretty insane how often I wash my car. Anyway, Ive found that traditional waxes look better on my silver car. I also enjoy waxing.

Nu Finnish for me, but the real test for me is how long a wax/polish lasts on the car...maybe you could tell us which one you like sometime into the future with these.

I suggest against turtle wax. Was VERY shiny & left the car butter smooth. Used it for years cuz I was poor, but you saw the streaking. The NUMBER ONE Complaint I’d get from family is the streaking with the Turtle Wax, and it’s harder to remove when it hardens. I’m gonna try my luck with McGuires The liquid turtle wax carnauba is nice, it’s a cream & comes off easily, but DOES NOT LAST AS LONG as the old school wax and buff

In the late 60s, we waxed my Dad's Car, a Dodge, the Paint came off a couple of years later. It was the Factory Paint. Because of that and the Pain of doing it, I have Never waxed any of my Cars the past 55 yrs.

Predicting Nu Finish as the sleeper

I have been a professional detailer for about 3 years now but really kicked it up a notch this past year and I also had to play around and test many product to find my best application and for wax applications, turtle wax high gloss spray mist has actually done a great job for me but I do switch it up sometimes I like new finish And the ones u tried, I use chemical guys occasionally but I think it’s has a lot to do with the age, condition and paint type of vehicle at the end of the day

Use that Nu Finish on your windows. Quiet’s noisy wiper blades & during heavy rain you’ll see better as the water flies off the windshield.

The cleaner wax helped bring back my wagon, which had 18 years of tough love in Central Wisconsin. Not sleeping in a garage for 18 years of its life. At the car show, they said, "Wow, you really waxed the hell out of this!" I said I only put on one coat throughout. But it's lasted the longest out of many of the products I've used. So I suppose it depends how long it's been since it has last been waxed for results.

Nice video, I've used all kinds of waxes and sealers. It all depends on all kinds of factors, age. damage from just regular washes and scratches. I've changed from the Turtle wax to Chemical Guys Butter wax. My car is in great condition, so I don't need hard waxes. The only reason I've been using the Butter wax is for convenience. Easy on and off and no dust. Monthly waxing will keep any car looking good. But the video is awesome and answers easy questions. I've always hand waxed my cars. And a bottle of butter will last me 6 months, at 20 bucks that's a great deal for me.

but zymol smells the best...

It looks like we’re in the golden age of waxes so it’s just a matter of personal preference

Meguiar's Black Wax had amazing "depth" on my dark blue Golf GTI. Unfortunately they stopped making the wax around 2020.

I used to use the turtle wax ice liquid wax but they have discontinued it. It was the easiest wax to apply and remove. The wax came with a sponge applicator that you applied by just running across the paint. You would let it sit for 30min, wipe off the excess, and then finish with a clean dry towel. The best part about it was that you could apply it on hot panels in direct sunlight and it didnt matter.

How long after replied and being outside in weather, do the waxes shine and bead water like when just applied? Ease of application and durability matter.

Nufinish is great but keep it off the plastics!

Used CG Butter Wax for years and I've liked the results. I believe that find what works best on your own vehicle and stick with it. Any paint protection is better than none.

I search a long tasting, easy application, shiny wax, what would you recommend for me? I am a hobby detailer. Gyeon wax q2 or meguiars ultimate quick wax or turtle wax graphene spray wax or what other?thanks ❤❤

1:46 😂

Mostly like when buying shoes, your buying the name brand... Unfortunately...

I use Johnson"s Pledge spray wax on my 2022 Corvette Stingray. I have won first prize at car shows , using this product as part of my detailing arsenal. Car wax manufacturers have bamboozled most car owners

This is not a purely objective, scientific evaluation, but I think subjective tests like this are every bit as important, maybe even more so. I've watched several videos today from professional detailers and I think it's most important to point out that regular waxes and ceramic waxes (and I presume hybrids) can be very different. Ceramics are for primarily for gloss and waxes are for primarily for protection (as one detailer said, ceramics are a clear coat for your clear coat). Ceramics finishes also require much more extensive surface preparation to work effectively, don't really lend themselves to spot polishing since they don't blend/feather as well, and, unless you park in a garage, ceramics actually wear out faster (forget the marketing myth). So, if you're applying a true ceramic finish, you got your work cut out for you. Not my words, but those of detailers. Your particular results underscore that there's no silver bullet solution for all cars and all drivers. Most waxes will provide protection and shine but the condition of your car's paint and how well you maintain it is much more important. For me personally, I simply won't go down the ceramics (or other chemical) rabbit hole because of the significantly higher work/maintenance and expense to get the most out of it. The best finish I ever had on a car was 50+ years ago on a '69 Chevelle SS. And that was because I washed it every couple of weeks, got the bugs, tar, and bird droppings off asap, and waxed it 2-3 times a year. A formula that still seems to work pretty well.

Turtle wax hybrid solutions ceramic wax spray. $13, spray on and wipe off.

The best wax I've ever used is Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax. It goes on clear and wipes off with little to zero effort. The other thing is the shine is brilliant, and that's what I'm most interested in when I wax. I'm not really looking how I can NOT detail my car with longer lasting formula's or whatever based on longevity. The one drawback with Souveran is the price - $69 for 8 ounces. Latest product I've tried is Chemical Guys liquid Butter Wet Wax. It's a Carnuba creme wax and costs only $20 for 16 ounces. I also used a Mequiar's synthetic paste wax - no longer made - but its a little tougher to remove but has outstanding shine qualities as well. Next up for me is Mequiar's Ultimate Paste Wax - because I like the Mequiar's brand.

When i was younger i seen an old man car i think it was a 66 chevy impala...he painted it green with a brush and it looked real good from about 25 feet away..lol. And i remember it had a great shine on it. He told me he used Jubilee spray furniture wax on it. It looked good for the poor old guy. He tried. He was happy. Ill never forget that

I wish I had a big garage that I could work only vehicles in.

Hydrophobic is irrelevant. Shine as measured with a gloss meter and then, done again after 3 months and after several car washes to determine longevity is what I want to see.

I jump at the latest and greatest. The result is a 1 ton capacity cabinet packed with car cleaning products. Yet I always return to Turtle Wax cleaning and waxing paste. Their carnuba spray is great too and lasts a long time, especially after a good cleaning waxing. Different paints will hold it differently.

I’ve always waxed once a month since new on my 2018 car. Still looks like new. I’ve never done full ceramic as I don’t have a covered garage to let it cure properly. In the beginning, I used TW super hard shell. Now my go to waxes are Megs cleaner and TW Ice Spray wax.

My grandpa and dad always used nu finish still have it to this day. Love the stuff

Turtlewax is superb just not the one you used

I always like to finish off with a buffing towel and get everything streak and piece of dust gone. I’m very happy with my $5 turtle wax

Just bought an orbital buffer for our 01 Excursion, waxing it is like waxing a battleship, and I hope the orbital will be quicker. Im going with the Mcguires cleaner wax. It's a good video.

Really like the turtle wax. Super cheap good protection for 3-4 months it is kind of more work on buffing off by hand though.

Good job there, but now I wonder if there is a difference in how long it lasts. Back when I was poor I used turtle wax then when I started having some cars with decent paint jobs I used McGuire's (or however you spell it) but maybe it looked better BECAUSE I was using it on a first class new paint jobs. I think I will squirt some of that turtle wax next time I buy and see how it does

Collinite 915 for shine, ease of wiping off, 3-4 month durability

The difference is in how long each one lasts and what will remove them. Project Farm has a great comparison on this

Use chemical guys synthetic spray wax, clean surface with alcohol first then check out that shine

Thank you for doing the comparison. Have you tried using the clay before waxing?

Great video. Thnx!

Meguiars Carnauba or Ultimate,, after Meguiars Ultra polish

I have owned a detail shop for 20 years. All the paste wax pretty much has the same outcome i have found. We have probably tested 30 different ones. Pretty much comes down to how you like to apply it and what brand you are familiar and comfortable with. The mothers hybrid seems to last a long time vs most we have tried but other than that they are all similar

Used to be able to buy zymol at Walmart years ago. Can't find it anywhere locally anymore.

Ive used almost all the pastes over the years. I dont think doing small squares next to each other works, you just cant see the difference. When you do the whole car, you can really see differences, particularly in the curves, bends etc. Ive noticed The maguiars ultimate has always given the most shine, with a deep wet look that edges out most others. And it lasts pretty good also.