Liquid vs. Carnuba Waxes - Benzworld.org

bocabenz · 07-24-2007, 07:11 AM

I'm sure this is a very subjective topic and there's no definitive answer, but is a liquid wax really as good as a carnuba wax?

To me, it just seems that carnuba waxes would leave a thicker coating on the car that should offer more protection and last longer than a liquid. I could be wrong though, so that's why I figured I'd ask.

Yal · 07-24-2007, 10:30 AM

With the advances in synthetic polymers and the advent of VOC compliancy forcing some formulas to change it is no longer true. IMHO anyway

You can find a varying scales of durability on both liquid and paste "waxes" now.

For example S100/P21s paste wax, which offers stunning results on dark cars, is not very durable at all while Collinite 476s or FinishKare's 1000p pastes are like starship USS Enterprise shields on paint

On the liquid side you have Mother's California Gold liquid which doesn't hold up well although it looks ok, but yet you can get Collinite 845 liquid, Jeffswerkstatt Acrylic Jett, Klasse AIO, Optimum Car Wax, Danase Paint Sealant and FinishKare's 2180 which are incredibly durable.

So it really depends. It also gets very subjective if you factor in the kind of enviroment your car is left in. Things like humidity, high heat, sun exposure, rain acidity and garage/or not can really change the effect of certain exterior protectants.

**ByByeAmericanPie** · 07-24-2007, 12:18 PM

Carnauba is a wax derived from the leaves of a plant native to northeastern Brazil, the carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera). It usually comes in the form of hard yellow-brown flakes. It is obtained from the leaves of the carnauba palm by collecting them, beating them to loosen the wax, then refining and bleaching the wax.

The wax for automobiles comes in both liquid and paste form. If a wax were pure carnauba, then it would have the consistancy of a rock, i.e. VERY hard. When a wax says it is "pure carnauba" it only means that carnauba in its pure form was used in making the wax and most auto waxes, even paste waxes that call themselves "Pure Carnauba Wax" have a very small percentage (1% - 3%) of pure carnauba in them.

PolishAndWax.com · 08-13-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bocabenz

I'm sure this is a very subjective topic and there's no definitive answer, but is a liquid wax really as good as a carnuba wax?

To me, it just seems that carnuba waxes would leave a thicker coating on the car that should offer more protection and last longer than a liquid. I could be wrong though, so that's why I figured I'd ask.

Carnauba's are available in liquid, paste and spray form. Most agree that carnauba's offer the best shine, but they don't necessarily last as long as synthetics.

It all comes down to what's most important to you...longevity, ease of use, staining, shine, cost...etc.

benzyfreak · 08-16-2007, 12:23 AM

There are luquid carnuba waxes in the market right? I don't see the logic of this topic.

*peace.

Gregs300CD · 08-20-2007, 04:58 PM

Meguire's Gold Class paste is awesome.
The paint looks wet.

gfspencer · 09-17-2007, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByByeAmericanPie

Even paste waxes that call themselves "Pure Carnauba Wax" have a very small percentage (1% - 3%) of pure carnauba in them.

You are exactly right . . . . but some waxes – such as zymöl – can have 50%+ carnauba wax.

I use zymöl paste wax about once every three or four months and top that with one of their spray field glazes after a wash.

**Buellwinkle** · 09-17-2007, 12:19 PM

I don't understand the comparison. Is the comparison between liquid and paste wax of the same formulation? Or is it between modern waxes vs. old school waxes that some contain caranuba?

I'll start with liquid vs. paste. I asked the techs at Meguiars, which is better, NXT Liquid, or NXT Paste and the answer I got back is that it's the same formulation, same results, same longevity, just one is a liquid, one is a paste. So I tried both at Meguiars under their supervision on my wife's CR-V because it wasn't waxed in a long time. I found the paste was much harder to use because you couldn't get a thin enough coating and it took a lot longer to remove. Also, with a machine bufer, it was a lot easier to squirt a line on the car or pad and work it in rather than transfer wax from the can to the car. I found no difference after a month between liquid and paste in terms of shine or wear.

Now if you compare a newer product like NXT Tech wax or other synthetic polymer wax vs. an old school paste wax like Meg's discontinued #16 the difference is night and day but not necessarily is one better than the other. The newer waxes have formulated fillers, cleaners, color enhancers and such that makes a less than perfect finish look a lot better. If you used an old school wax it would not look as good because it would just enhance the flaws rather than mask them. On the other hand, if you do have a buffed finished that's in good condition, the old school wax has better reflectivity and the wax lasts longer but has no color enhancers, no fillers, no cleaners so the finish better be in good shape (clayed, polished/buffed) before applying. For when I'm really bored, I like to use something like NXT Tech Wax first, then follow it up with #16 hard paste wax to seal in the Tech Wax. This doubles the life of the wax for me and gives it a little more sparkle.