The Resurgence of Wax

[D.T.]

Growing up in the 80’s, Collinite 476 Double coat was the gold standard. It provided good protection & gloss.
 

Fast forward to today & for the past several years, wax seemed to take a back seat to polymer, ceramic, and graphene with high gloss, impressive water behavior & longevity. 

But it also became apparent that many polymer, ceramic, graphene coatings & sealants are susceptible to water spotting issues at least from what I’ve seen here in Ga. 
 

For the last several months or so I have applied liquid montan & or carnauba based protection on close to 50 vehicles that live outside in the sun. 
 

In doing this I’ve noticed good gloss, slickness, and protection from the wax based products & I have not seen any water spotting issues. 
 

I do still apply ceramic coatings but lately I’ve been applying more wax than coatings with solid results & happy car owners. 
 

My question is, in knowing, first, that wax based products aren’t as susceptible to the water spotting. Second, that water spotting is an issue.

 

Why doesn’t Optimum have more wax based products for example, a durable liquid wax, paste wax,  & wax based AIO? 
 

 

 

[dlc95]

Probably because Optimum's coatings and sealants are more resistant to hard water deposits. Or maybe. 

 

One of the biggest reasons I stay with the line is due to that. My gf has been parking in the driveway where the sprinklers douse the vehicle with hard water every morning. Not super hard, bit it can and sometimes will leave water spots. On her last vehicle it would get water spots (with the other products I was using). 

 

In 2021 I did an experiment on my hood with CarPro Gliss on the driver's side, and Optimum Car Wax on the other.  Ever morning the sprinklers would hit the front of my car. The Car Wax side cleaned up easily, where the Gliss side needed to have a treatment with  a water spot remover. I ended up polishing the Gliss away and using Car Wax on my car all summer of 2021. 

 

I like wax too. I have 3D Paste Wax and a variety of Zymol waxes. I used to lay down a layer of Duragoss 111  and go Zymol over it. I still do that if needed too!

 

I have a couple few gallons of Optimum Car Wax - before the ceramic was added. I offer this as my standard protection option after any type of polish or compound / polish process. My basic polishing process is a cleaner wax like GPS or 3D Speed. I'll offer a layer of Car Wax over either for a small up charge  

 

I'm not a fan of the glass bottle coatings. If Optimum Gloss Coat wasn't available It's debatable that I'd even offer that option. I'm glad to have it in the line up though.

[Lowejackson]

My guess why OPT does not offer a wax is their line has a strong focus on efficiency.  As great as waxes such as Collinite are, they are time consuming to apply and therefore not very efficient.  Perhaps the wax market is now so mature there is little room for significant improvements. 

This is all a guess, maybe Dr G just prefers polymers?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Lowejackson!

Don't ask me about this because I still don't understand how there are any other LSP's after WOWA sealants came out in 2007.

[Ron@Optimum]

without putting words in Dr G's mouth, I think he believes "wax" is older technology and polymer sealants have greater durability, gloss, hardness, and ease of application.  it's obviously a personal choice but I don't see Optimum offering the wax options you mention (We're not a Flavor of the Month Company) and the market is not going that direction.

[Lowejackson]

6 hours ago, Setec Astronomy said:

Lowejackson!

Don't ask me about this because I still don't understand how there are any other LSP's after WOWA sealants came out in 2007.

Indeed.  The WOWA sealants should have completely changed the market. 

[Ron@Optimum]

I would suggest they HAVE changed the market

[Setec Astronomy]

I don't think they have.  Since the 2007 release of Zaino Clear Seal, Opti-Seal, and Ultima Paint Guard Plus, followed by a few others that have mostly come and gone, people are still using all manner of (traditional-style) liquid sealants, paste sealants, waxes, etc. etc.  In a recent trim thread on another forum, separate posters noted how they used Opti-Seal or OCW to keep their trim looking new, which just reinforced to me the simplicity and goodness of just using Opti-Seal on the whole car, and throw out all your other products.

However, this hasn't become a reality, even for me.  I used to say, "if I was starting over, I would just have one LSP, Opti-Seal, and use it on the whole car, paint, glass, chrome, trim".  Of course, I wasn't starting over and still have more products than I will ever use.

[dlc95]

On 8/14/2023 at 5:56 PM, Setec Astronomy said:

I don't think they have.  Since the 2007 release of Zaino Clear Seal, Opti-Seal, and Ultima Paint Guard Plus, followed by a few others that have mostly come and gone, people are still using all manner of (traditional-style) liquid sealants, paste sealants, waxes, etc. etc.  In a recent trim thread on another forum, separate posters noted how they used Opti-Seal or OCW to keep their trim looking new, which just reinforced to me the simplicity and goodness of just using Opti-Seal on the whole car, and throw out all your other products.

However, this hasn't become a reality, even for me.  I used to say, "if I was starting over, I would just have one LSP, Opti-Seal, and use it on the whole car, paint, glass, chrome, trim".  Of course, I wasn't starting over and still have more products than I will ever use.

I know that feeling. I have been fairly successful though! I haven't purchased any new sealants, waxes, or coatings outside of Ultra Ceramic Seal in over a year. I gave my entire stash of CarPro to a friend of mine, and sold some of my old Meguiar's M26 and M16 tins. 

 

I plan on having just the Car Wax, Opti-Seal, UCS, Hyper Seal, and Gloss Coat available for customers.