What is the best wax to use?

[osprey6]

I have a 2012 vert in Carbon Flash and was looking to buy some nice wax for a black car?

[Adam's Polishes]

Kind of a loaded question... like asking what everyones favorite beer is, or where you can get the best burger. All of the opinions will be subjective.

Since my opinions obviously gonna be skewed I'll leave specific product recommendations for the other members to make.

One thing I will put out there is "wax" doesn't care what color your paint is... don't buy into the hype of color specific products. The primary purpose of a wax is to PROTECT the paint... the secondary benefit is that it will help enhance slightly whats there. The look is more determined by the prep work you put in (claying and polishing). I can hand you the worlds most amazing wax, but its not going to look that great over poorly prepped paint.

This is a writeup I did for our forum on the subject that might be helpful:

"I have a black car and I want it to look its best. What wax is the best for black cars?"

Its a common question we see, and probably one you see posted on a variety of forums. I'm here to dispel any myths, misconceptions, or rhetoric about color specific waxes.

The very first thing to understand is that your choice of wax really has very little to do with the color of your vehicle. Wax doesn't know what color paint paint its being applied to, nor will it change characteristics based on what color paint is under it. Your choices of wax need to be predicated more on your desired effect: Durability // Aesthetics // Ease of Use // Price

Yes, there are waxes out there marketed as to only be used on a specific color. I'm here to tell you they're more snake oil than hard facts. Some contain oily tinted fillers that will give you a short lived 'masking' effect to help hide imperfections, but this has more to do with the filling ability of the product than it does with the fact that its dyed black. The same effect can be had using a NON-tinted glaze, like Adam's Brilliant Glaze, so the addition of color specific dyes is moot.

Waxes DO NOT remove swirl marks or correct paint issues! This is a common misconception among many newcomers to detailing. Wax is a coating, nothing more. In order to remove imperfections like swirl marks, spider webbing, scratches, etc. a car will need to be polished (most likely by machine) Once the paint is perfected the wax can provide the most possible enhancement. Applying the very best wax to poorly prepped paint will only result in disappointment.

That being said certain colors do display a wider range of characteristics that can be ENHANCED by your wax choice. For example black is a color that, when cleaned and corrected, will display great depth and a 'wet look' as opposed to colors like silver or white. Using a carnuba wax on black will generally produce a deeper/wetter look, assuming the paint has been properly corrected and prepped. That same wax applied to silver or white won't have the same effect, thats not to say there isn't an enhancement, but its less noticeable as white/silver aren't colors that display depth to begin with.


SO HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT WAX FOR MY BLACK CAR?

Your Last Step Product (LSP) should be chosen based on your criteria for what you're trying to achieve. Below are some outlined characteristics to help you understand what each products strengths are.

• SEALANTS - Products like Adam's Machine Super Sealant or Quick Sealant are synthetic. They contain no naturally occurring 'wax' but many people will still refer to them as a wax. Sealants are typically more durable than a naturally occurring wax due to their overall higher melting point and detergent resistance. Products like these are typically the best choice for someone seeking the longest lasting protection for their paint. Sealants are also typically known for very bright, reflective, mirror like, shines. They tend to lack the depth/wetness of a natural wax but still give very intensely reflective shine.
  
• GLAZES - Products like Adam's Brilliant Glaze are excellent for enhancing gloss on a finish and are actually made using some carnuba wax. The drawback is that due to their composition glazes are not intended to provide protection. They are highly susceptible to heat and detergents, meaning that glazes alone, though good for paint enhancement in a hurry, are not long term solutions for protection. Use glazes in conjunction with sealants or waxes for better results and protection.
  
• BASIC CARNUBA - This is a term that is very familiar to most detailing enthusiasts and car nuts in general, but its also widely misunderstood. Carnuba is a naturally occurring wax harvested from a variety of different palms and can come in varying grades. Typically the quality/grade of the wax dictates the durability, ease of application, and how it will enhance a cars finish. Liquid waxes on average utilize a lower grade yellow carnuba, which is relatively inexpensive and generally easy to apply. Adam's Buttery Wax for example utilizes these types of waxes, blended with other ingredients resulting in an easy to apply, easy to remove, 'quick' liquid wax. The trade off for these characteristics are lowered heat/detergent resistance and slightly less enhancement to the paint as compared to waxes made with higher grade carnuba.
  
• PREMIUM CARNUBA - On the other hand Adam's Americana Paste Wax is comprised of the highest grade of carnuba available. This specific type of carnuba is chosen for its higher heat and detergent resistance. In addition with the physical particles of wax being substantially larger than its lower grade cousins this wax will provide more enhancement of depth and gloss on dark paint. These characteristics are more exaggerated on black and dark colors, but are present on any color the wax is applied to.

In the end, what I hope you take away from this thread, is that the choice of 'wax' has very little to do with the color of the vehicle and more about what you're trying to achieve. Waxes can only do so much to enhance whats there, proper paint correction and prep do more for black than wax can. A wax is meant first to serve as a layer of protection and secondly a way to enhance the characteristics of the color a small amount. So choose your last step product (sealant, glaze, wax, or a combination) based on what your primary goal is - If you're all about protection go with the sealant. If kicking that gloss up just a little is your goal, then carnuba is the way to go! Also don't be afraid to experiment to find your shine.... as much as detailing is a process, its very much an art, and like art very much subjective. Find the product(s) you think make your car look best and enjoy!

Hope you find this helpful and happy detailing! :pc:

[NYJETSFAN]

Wolfgang is good.

[osprey6]

Agree... it is a loaded question and it sorta was meant to be. I would like to hear what people are using and if they would recommend it. I hear people like Adams and some really enjoy the "Black Box". I want to keep the car looking new and shiny for years to come.

[caliguy]

ADAMS FTW!!

[StarkCamaro]

I use Pinnacle Liquid wax. Pinnacle Shampoo and Detailer/Clay. My car is Carbon Flash as well , i have a post called "My washing process" it has some decent pic of my paint.

[StarkCamaro]

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202564
here it is

[Mark's SS]

osprey6 as mentioned above, the important thing is the steps you take washing and preparing your paint for the final step of sealer/wax (the shine is really in the paint, not in the wax). Then it becomes a personal choice of what products give you the results you like. I like to use Adam's products for washing and polishing. Then I use Zaino. Just make sure that you are washing and drying your car correctly before you put on that sealer/wax to protect your paint.

[osprey6]

All great information--- Thanks for the insight.

[CamaroDreams07]

Some of the more highly-regarded sealants on detailing forums are Wolf's Body Wrap, Werkstatt Jett, and Aquartz.

I can personally vouch for the last two, but I haven't had a chance to try out the bottle of Wolf's sitting on my shelf.

If you want an actual wax, I really like Adam's Americana. I'd recommend a sealant for a dark color though.

[Blau camaro]

Proper 2 bucket wash a good claying if needed. Then Adams Brilliant Glaze and a coat of Adams Americana and .

[garcmol]

Okay, I'll say it cause it's gorgeous on black cars. And I think it would look gorgeous on Carbon Flash.

Zaino Z2 FTW

[1FAST SS]

Originally Posted by Blau camaro

Proper 2 bucket wash a good claying if needed. Then Adams Brilliant Glaze and a coat of Adams Americana and .

This is the way I would go. Adam's products are great, but the customer service is beyond great. Check their site out: http://www.adamspolishes.com/