What types of cleaning/waxing products do you use and do they work?

[Kaizen]

Meguires makes the best products. May not be the cheapest, but its well worth it.

[SRQRIDGE]

This stuff works great. I use it after I wash the truck. It helps keep the shine and looks great. It can be used on the bug deflector, window vents, head and taillights. It's great and it came from H&A. Play around with the shopping cart to see what the shipping charges are. I believe I bought 6 cans at once to save shipping. here is a thread on it also.

I think I get about 4-5 washes out of a can. I keep some in the trunk for surprise bird poo.
For $4 a can, it great. Try and bundle with other items ordered to save $$$$.

Spray Cleaner and Polish

[Brett K]

I am constantly using different products. I like to experiment. In addition to some of the usual OTC stuff, I have used Zaino, Klasse, Wolfgang, Pinnacle, S100, amd Collinite. I keep coming back to Collinite Marque D'Elegance though for its durability through the winters in the Northeast. Supposedly, it has more Carnauba than any other wax. I am currently experimenting with some new polishes. I have heard lots ofg good things about Menzerna products.

[justdeefire]

I have been using duragloss auto wash for the suds. lately for the wax i have been using ultima paint guard plus. full coat of wax in about 15-20 minutes. easy as pie. every now and then I will use the duragloss sealant. works great as well.

[StoneRidge07]

I will have to look into these products. I usually do the same thing and experiment.

[John01XX]

Originally Posted by Brett K

Supposedly, it has more Carnauba than any other wax.

Carnuba does Not provide any long turn durability. Carnuba breaks down under UV exposure very quickly.
Carnuba is terrible for use on vehicles that are not kept inside a garage all the time. Carnuba is a well marketed ingrediant that should only be used on Show Cars that are not daily drivers.
Carnuba is a form of Wax and gives a great depth of shine appearance for show but will not last more than a few days when exposed to UV rays.

Stay away from Carnuba products for use with daily driver vehicles. Don't be fooled by Mass Marketing.

Polymers are the best for long term durability

[Franks]

Originally Posted by John01XX

Carnuba does Not provide any long turn durability. Carnuba breaks down under UV exposure very quickly.
Carnuba is terrible for use on vehicles that are not kept inside a garage all the time. Carnuba is a well marketed ingrediant that should only be used on Show Cars that are not daily drivers.
Carnuba is a form of Wax and gives a great depth of shine appearance for show but will not last more than a few days when exposed to UV rays.

Stay away from Carnuba products for use with daily driver vehicles. Don't be fooled by Mass Marketing.

Polymers are the best for long term durability

John01XX, is exactly correct, polymers and sealents provide lasting protection. This comes at a slight cost though as they rob the look of depth from the finish, something that has been "polymered" will look more reflective then deep.

There is an easy fix for this though, put a coat of carnuba over the polymer. You should wait 12 hours or so after using the polymer as it needs time to cure then apply some pure carnuba wax (meguiars # 26). Try it you will be pleased, especially if you own a vehicle that is dark in colour.

[Brett K]

Originally Posted by John01XX

Carnuba does Not provide any long turn durability. Carnuba breaks down under UV exposure very quickly.
Carnuba is terrible for use on vehicles that are not kept inside a garage all the time. Carnuba is a well marketed ingrediant that should only be used on Show Cars that are not daily drivers.
Carnuba is a form of Wax and gives a great depth of shine appearance for show but will not last more than a few days when exposed to UV rays.

Stay away from Carnuba products for use with daily driver vehicles. Don't be fooled by Mass Marketing.

Polymers are the best for long term durability

I would agree on every other carnauba product I have used. However, not this stuff. It is highly regarded by many on the autopia website. It has outlasted every synthetic I have used except for maybe Zaino or Klasse. Maybe it does have synthetic properties in addition to the Carnauba, I'm not sure. Let me pull up the MSDS to see. It sheds water like no other and has lasted through high temps and salt and cinders for months with two coats about a week apart.

Here you go
Collinite Wax Products* :: Choice of the Pros :: Auto, Marine and Industrial

[John01XX]

Originally Posted by Brett K

I would agree on every other carnauba product I have used. However, not this stuff. It is highly regarded by many on the autopia website. It has outlasted every synthetic I have used except for maybe Zaino or Klasse. Maybe it does have synthetic properties in addition to the Carnauba, I'm not sure. Let me pull up the MSDS to see. It sheds water like no other and has lasted through high temps and salt and cinders for months with two coats about a week apart.

Here you go
Collinite Wax Products* :: Choice of the Pros :: Auto, Marine and Industrial

Brett,
the key here is dealing with "Autopia"

They are a well marketed Retail outlet for consumer products. It is a very successful business but retail none the less. If you really want straight up and accurate information then talk with manufactures and chemist's that deal with commercial grade products. You can't believe what you read off some privately owned retail storefront on the web.
Try spending a day at the International CarWash Association's conventions. In September there is a convention in Vegas and another in Atlanta and one in Atlantic City in October. When it comes to real Professionals that is where they will be.

It is a fact, "Carnuba has very poor durability properties" under any name brand.
fact: carnuba is a wax and as such when applied looks nice but if you do a second coat ALL of the first coat is removed when applying the second coat.
Waxing does not get any thicker by applying multiple coats. You can wax a car 5 times but you end up with only one coat and the same duribility as if you only applied one coat.

Again if you want durability stick with a Polymer based product of your choice.

Leave the Carnuba to show enthusiats(sp?)
In you product link it says: "highest-ever concentration of pure Carnauba waxes"
"waxes" is pural ????

Carnuba is singular. It comes from the Carnuba plant or tree in Brazil. There are no variations. If the statement was accurate it would have said "highest-ever concentration of pure Carnauba" period, but then that is another reason that Autopia is successful !
Don't believe what you read on the web and instead speak with true professionals and not retail sales and marketing people.

[Tcape]

I just washed my black RL, and used "Eagle One Wax-As-You-Dry" when I was drying off the truck. I really the results I got with the product. Consumer Reports rated this as the best spray wax out of the many they tested. I don't expect any spray wax to last very long, but it's nice to use between thorough wax jobs. And it was great at taking off water spots.