ScottWax and 35TH LE (and others) have pretty much expressed my sentiments regarding #16, which my family's been using since the '50s. SilverLexus knows what *he's* experienced with these waxes too, so it's just a YMMV thing.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the way #16 tends to "turn liquid" as it's applied. Using the PC (or better yet the Cyclo) helps to effect this and makes it easier to get that thin application.
*I* generally do the whole car before buffing off, and FWIW I now do it this way with "W-O-W-O waxes" such as Souveran too. No, it doesn't make for any problems (note that some waxes like Victoria shouldn't be allowed to set up, but with P21S and Souveran it works fine) and the durability is a bit better. I sometimes wonder if the W-O-W-O method being used with one wax and not the other factors in to the perceived ease/difficulty :nixweiss You can W-O-W-O every wax I've ever tried if that's what you like doing, just keep an eye out for the possible durability compromises.
How thin to apply? If you wax several cars on a regular basis (in my case, much more frequently than is really needed) a can should last many years; I got over a decade from my last can. So that $30 worth of wax will go a *long* way
I buff off with MF bonnets on the PC/Cyclo and do a quick follow-up by hand (often with a CBT). With the thin application, I can buff all the #16 off the A8 with one or *maybe* two MF bonnets; when I did the rent-a-Suburban it took three, but I'd put it on thicker than necessary. If your bonnets are really loaded with wax when you're done you used way too much.
RogueM3- I don't think you'll need the QD, but if you do I'd use one that leaves something behind (Pinnacle CM, Griot's Speedshine, FK425 oughta work OK) and not one that does a lot of cleaning; it might compromise the not-yet-cured wax. Doing it with one of the QDs I mentioned (or a similar one) shouldn't be all *that* different from a slow-motion spitshine.
That reminds me, I did a "psuedo-spitshine" with #16 a few times: misted the surface with one of the above QDs, then applied #16 via Cyclo, really *working* it until the wax nearly disappeared (I ended up using more wax than normal this way). It did do *something* as I got more spherical beading, but it seemed to slightly compromise the durability. I didn't do any really rigorous study of this, and gradually quit doing it just to KISS the process, but it might be worth playing around with if such stuff is of interest.
) Heh heh, sure hope you got yours for a lot less than that e-bay seller wants! Oh, and don't worry about it being old stuff, I've never heard of an actual shelf-life for the stuff as long as the lids are on tight and it's not allowed to freeze (and I'd question how much freezing would really matter too).