Carnuba waxes

F

ForceFed4

New member
Hello,



So I've ben here a little while and learned quite a bit; enough to have tried a few new products and like the results.



Right now I'm using NXT Tech Wax as my LSP and I'm pretty happy. My car is bright mettalic blue, and it gives it a "candy" pop that really makes the color electric. I don't seem to have durability issues with it like some complain of, my cars beads just fine for at least a month using NXT (washing with QEW a couple times between waxing).



So I'm happy (and here's where I get myself into trouble), BUT... there's a whole world of stuff out there I haven't tried using at all. Most notably, the more traditional, "natural" carnuba based waxes.



On my past car (black, and all the fun that goes with it), I had some bad experiences using some of the cheaper carnuba waxes (Mother's Gold) that just seemed to smear and smudge around, so I've avoided them.



Now I'd like to try some of the "real" contenders, but I'm not quite sure what to expect or where to go with it.



First; wax selection... I want a high-quality product. It doesn't necessarily need to be a "boutique" brand, but even within those there's a LOT of names. P21S, S100, EX-C, Souveran, and it goes on. I can't really afford to buy a can of each just to test them out, so I have to make a decision based on non-personal information.



P21S seems to be maybe the best value out there, so I'm tempted to go with that. But people rave about Souveran, so maybe I should just spring for the higher-quality stuff right from the start. Or maybe I'll never notice the difference and it will be money wasted? I'm not really sure.



I'd like to combine the wax with VM as a prep coat, since it's a daily driver with some swirling that needs attention, I don't know if that introduces ompatibility issues at all.



Any advice for making the "premium wax" dive?
 
Don't rule out Megs #16 .. its not boutique but I understand it is close to P21S but better durability..



I use the #16 so I do know about the durability part
 
Another question on Pinnacle waxes:



Aside from the obvious price difference, what is different between Pinnacle Souveran and Pinnacle Signature?



Product descriptions try to emphasize the similarities so I can't really tell, but it sounds like Souveran is all natural waxes/oils while Signature is a Carnuba/synthetic hybrid wax.



My car is metallic, which is what Signature wax is marketed as being ideal for.



It's still more expensive than P21S though, so if it's nothing special I guess I won't bother.
 
I've been using P21S and S100 and have been really impressed. I love these waxes! They go on so easily and buff off easily.



As soon as I run out of s100, then I'm gonna give Poorboy's Natty Wax a try. I hear good things about it. Will be awhile as I just started a new jar of P21S and I've got a brand new jar of S100 sitting here.
 
I have a sapphire blue Miata and I've used Souveran, S100 (aka P21S) and Klasse AIO/SG. I like Souveran x2 the best on it but it's a high maintenance wax (but it's very easy to apply). It is very deep and wet looking, darkens the paint a bit and gives a very luxurious look. For the most part, I've been ecstatic with AIO x2/SG x5, a different look than Souveran. It is supremely shiny, wet looking, deep (not to Souveran standards, though) and durable. SG and metallic blue work very well together and is one of the best colors for SG. I also used S100 which subdued the reflectiveness of my Klasse base but clarified the reflections. It was able to hide to some extent the minor swirls I had. Overall though, I much prefer the AIO/SG without the S100 on top. Here are some pics of my car:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=6154&thumb=1



Here is quozl's beautiful R32 VW with both Klasse and S100:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=15909&thumb=1



Here is one of my fave Klasse pictorials courtesy of qwik:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=11676&thumb=1
 
I really like #16. As a topper it seems very clear and the durability is better than a lot of the boutique products. Did my daughter's new Mustang with it and it is holding up very well and looks great. # 16 is also very inexpensive as a little goes a long way and there's plenty in the can.
 
I have used alot of carnubas. The differences on your color between P21S and Souveran would probably not make the cost difference worth it. It takes a real deep dark color to appreciate the affects of Souveran and even then the differences arent really all that much.



I have used, Souveran, P21S, Trade Secret, Natty's, #26, #16 alot. If I had to pick one out of the bunch it would no doubt be P21S. Easy on Easy off, low dust attraction, rinses very clean even with rain. Not nearly as durable as #16 but alot easier to work with IMO.



All in all you really cant go wrong with any of them its a matter of budget and what you wanna try.
 
I just used #16 by itself over #80 on red and the results were pretty impressive.I couldn't ask for a better look,prolly just as good as the more expensive products out there.It seemed good for once not going through all the time and wait of using a sealant first then using #16 as a topper.
 
I've used both s100 (same as p21s) and souveran on my black car. I like souveran better than s100. s100 produce a deep wet look shine especially when used with the SEPC. But when compared to souveran, s100 looks like it has a harder shine than souveran. Souveran makes the paint looks really deep and wet. It really makes the paint look like it was dipped in a fresh paint and still dripping. I've been using s100 for quite sometime now but after purchasing my souveran i haven't looked back since. I still use s100 on other colored cars but for my black car i only use souveran. I don't really care much about the premium price because souveran is the only wax i've used that really impressed me and surpassed my expectations. The jar will probably last me for more than a year. I've had atleast 6-8 coats applied on my car and the jar still looks like it has not been touched. A little goes a long way.
 
I have to agree! Souveran paste is THE wax to use for dark finishes like blacks and reds. Makes my red SC430 look as if it was covered in olive oil!



For silver, I also find the new Pinnacle Signature just like Souveran, but for silver. I gave my small sample jar I got from Pinnacle to one of my neighbors here at our condo as he maintains his black Toyota pick-up as if it was new, but his wifes car is a silver Toyota so I found a test vehicle.... After he washed it, clayed it, did minor polish and aded the Signature wax.



Damn! Made the silver just POP out at you!



Sure, I've tried Zymol and others, but go back to SOuveran!



Regards,

Deanski
 
I gave my s100 away to wifehatescar because I couldn't stand the durability issue with it. Honestly, meguiars #16 is just as good as s100, and is about double or triple the durability(honda accord is still beading after 8 months in michigan weather).
 
Durability aside............... Souveran on dark colors, and Natty's or P21S on light colors.
 
Red or black, Souveran if you don't mind paying the admission price. All other colors, I'd go with Meguiars #16....and even on red and black it looks really good.



If you want to try a liquid carnauba, I really like Clearkote's Carnauba Moose Wax. Very rich wet look and suprisingly good durability. Meguiars #26 is also a very good liquid wax and Stuf Carnauba (a newcomer) is showing promise. Extremely easy to use, a Meguiars #26 like shine but I haven't used it long enough to determine durability.
 
ForceFed4, this is my first post (!) so please bear with me.



I've been using Mothers GC Canauba for quite a while and have been happy with the way it goes on and comes off (for a Canauba). Also like its' durability. You have not had such a good experience with it, by the sounds of it.



Can I ask what trouble it gave you?
 
While I'm at it, may I ask the other Autopians what experience they've had with Mothers CG Carnauba (misspelt it before - I told you I was new! nervous!) and why? Need to learn more!!
 
Alfisti:



It's been a few years since I had that black car and used the Mothers wax, but I'll try to describe what I did and what happened from memory as best I can.



I used to wash the car w/ Meguiar's DC wash (the pink one), followed by Clay Magic clay bar. Then I prepped the paint with one of the Meguiar's GC products (forget the exact name, was a glaze & swirl reducer according to them).



The exact Mothers wax I was using was the California Gold Liquid pure carnuba (not the cleaner wax), bought brand new. The best way I can desribe the wax was that it appeared granular. The liquid was full of little tiny chunks of what I assumed was the carnuba. These didn't go away no matter how much I shook the liqud up or tried to mix it. Since the bottle was brand-new and unopened, I just assumed that was normal with this wax, so I tried it anyway.



I applied the wax w/ the provided foam applicator, let it haze, and buffed off with a terry towel.



What I got was a car covered in little speckles of wax/junk that were terribly difficult to buff off, presumably the result of those granules in the wax.



Needless to say I wasn't satisfied by those results and started using Meguiar's Synthetic Gold Class wax for clear coats instead. Since this was a breeze to apply/remove, I never really looked back until I found this site.



Knowing what I do now about car care I'd guess the Mother's wax I bought had separated, despite being new, and I shouldn't have used it to begin with. And honestly, as good as the synthetics of today work, I'm not sure I want to mess with the "cheap" carnubas; if I go through the trouble of a natural wax application I want it to be something special.



Thank you for all the responses so far; it seems that if I had a black car I'd definitely want Souveran. Since my car is a bright/light metallic blue though, perhaps I'll try out P21S or Pinnacle Signature first.
 
Alfisti said:
While I'm at it, may I ask the other Autopians what experience they've had with Mothers CG Carnauba (misspelt it before - I told you I was new! nervous!) and why? Need to learn more!!
Click to expand...



I'm still using Mothers 3-step product on my wife's car. The LSP is CG Pure Carnuba Wax. For me it lasts between 2 and 3 weeks (outside 24x7) but beads nicely during this time. Application is so-so, looks nice but nothing spectacular.

The only reason I use it is because I have some leftovers and I hate throwing usable stuff away.



I recently picked up some (actually quite a bit ;) ) of Poorboy's stuff and the S100 paste so I'll be playing with them for a while.



The bottom line is, you don't have to have a huge assortment of supplies like most people here (although it is addictive). Start with 1 or 2 product lines, see what you like and have fun.
 
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