84bandit

anybody got an opinion on either of these waxes Ive heard really good things about the ice, but I wonder which one is better? any and all thoughts welcome

Iroctopless

Haven't tried both, but I have had great results from the NXT line.

Mike-in-Orange

ICE is designed to be used on paint and plastic trim, but in a review I read when the guy did this his black plastic bumpers looked great.....until it rained a couple of nights later. The ICE literally washed off the bumpers so one can only assume it washed off the rest of the car too.

Some say NXT doesn't last very long, but the truth is it only stops beading water after several days, but it's still there. It was developed to behave like this with the thinking that water beading really is not such a good idea. All those little beads of water tend to concentrate mineral deposits, acid rain, etc and you're actually better off with protection that sheets water instead of beading. That's all fine and well, but from a marketing standpoint the thinking is flawed because the general public has this perception that beading means protection, no beading means no protection. But I can wash/clay/polish a car and water will bead like mad for a while, even though there is NO PROTECTION AT ALL from that process. So people complain about NXT but it's really a misconception. It's very good stuff, but you might actually prefer the (potentially) deeper look of Meguiar's Gold Class Liquid wax. It's available wherever you find NXT for the most part.

mike_c

iTrader: (13)

I really like NXT as well. Haven't used the ice stuff, but my buddy does uses it on his car and doesn't seem to hold up as well over time as Meguires. My paint will still be nice and smooth after 3-4 months and his will make that waxless, sqeaky (best way I can describe it) sound when you run your hand over it after only a week or two. Granted mine is garage kept (but driven almost daily) and his is outside all the time. NXT also removed some fine swirl-marks in the finish that I inherited when I bought the car.

mike1986fyrbird

I tried turtle wax ice.
It goes on and off really easy..
It doesn't really protect anything though... water doesn't bead on it either.

IROCThe5.7L

Both have been known for average to poor durability. But from what I've seen/read, the NXT lasts longer. I used NXT for a while and was very pleased. Then I got into glazes/carnaubas and never looked back.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Turtle Wax ICE is trash. It goes on really easy but takes a lot of rubbing to get rid of that swirl look. It also only lasts maybe 2 or 3 days tops. Too much work for that kind of longevity.

My favorite waxes are The Wax Shop carnauba wax, and Mothers FX wax.

1bad91Z

iTrader: (1)

What do you guys think about Zaino?

Mike-in-Orange

It's very good stuff, but it's also terribly over hyped. It may well be the longest lasting sealant on the market today but for me the final look is too plastic in appearance - not enough depth. I also think the concept of layering is a load of crap and just a ploy to sell more of what is already a relatively expensive product. Their sealant does a decent job of filling in and hiding fine swirl marks, which is probably why people like to layer it. I'd rather get rid of the swirls in the first place though, do it right!!

I used to use Zaino exclusively but have since found that I can get equal results, if not better, using other products. All I use on my cars now is the Meguiar's Professional Line (no NXT stuff, no Gold Class except for the wash) and my cars look better than when I was using Zaino.

Ultimately the results you get are due more to your technique and less to the product itself. Find something you like, that works well for you, and stick with it. You'll be happier in the long run, and your car will look better.

84bandit

well I read over the posts and decided to skip both of these products and went with meguiars gold class liquid (recommeded by mike in orange).

so here what i think about it

this stuff is amazing, I did a spot 6" around on my door and half my hood and roof, its like another shape of paint. the look is much deeper and removed all of the swirl marks on the hood It is, with out a doubt, worth the money and way better than turtle wax liquid, which I used before

however, there is a down side. this stuff is extremely hard to get off It took me 2 hours to do my entire hood roof and spoiler. and to get them looking perfect. I had to use water on the wax residue to get it all off. it would not come off just by buffing out with a cotton pad. this was done at about 6:00 so the paint wasn't too hot. but it might have been too humid. Not sure if humidy affects wax (?)

but I would recommend this stuff, it really is deep and looks amazing

anyway thanks for everyones answers and helping me make a good choice and not wasting my money

Mike-in-Orange

Glad you like it Bandit, it's great stuff and I use when I detail cars for friends and family because it's inexpensive and leaves a nice, dark, clear finish.

I have to say though, the problems you had removing it were almost certainly because you put it on too thick. Probably way too thick. Any wax or sealant, from any company, should always be put on so thin you almost can't see it. Gold Class has always been very easy to remove for me. The only other possibility is that the humidity played a small role combined with it being on too thick.

You should be able to cover an entire car with just 2 ounces of wax, that's it. The picture below is from one of Meguiar's open garage sessions from a few months ago. The owner of this car wanted to test two different waxes on his hood so we laid a tape stripe down the center to separate it. The coat of wax on the left side is waaaay too heavy, but on the right it's just about perfect. Keep in mind that when you buff the excess off the car, what's left behind is microscopically thin. Anything that you wipe off is basically lost product so there's no need to take it out of the bottle to start with.

IROCThe5.7L

I also agree Gold Class is hard to remove. I'm sure it would be a little easier for you if you applied thinner coats. NXT removes much easier then Gold Class, and gives a better shine. Just my opinion though.

Some good priced wax some of you may want to look into are:

-Clearkote Carnauba Moose wax
-Nattys Blue (will make your dark car look dripping wet)
-P21S (a wee on the expensive side)


I've found that a good carnauba will apply like warm butter and come off with ease. I couldn't be more happy with my Pinnacle Souveran paste wax.

Mike-in-Orange

The greatest carnauba based wax Meguiar's ever made, M16, is probably the most difficult wax in the world to remove if put on too thick. You almost need a hammer and chisel to take it off. But if you put it on super thin you can leave it on overnight and it comes off with ease. The shine is just amazing too. Too bad they had to stop selling it in the US because of VOC issues.

IROCThe5.7L, you like that P21S but think it's a bit pricey? Go to a Harley Davidson dealer and get yourself some S100 - it's the EXACT same stuff, just branded differently, and a whole lot cheaper. Hey, wait a second......you love Pinnacle Souveran (and rightfully so, it's very good stuff) but you think P21S is pricey!?!!? That's funny!!

IROCThe5.7L

I meant pricey for the average guy that just wants to throw some wax on his car. Not an obsessed detailing weirdo like me.

Nattys Blue is some great stuff. I think it is VERY close to PS, and much cheaper. Just the PS comes on and off better than any product I ever used.

Mike-in-Orange

That's what I figured, and it's a perfectly logical answer!

irocbirdbuilder

i use the nxt now but the car doesnt see weather when its possible and it gets waxed more often than most, love the nxt shine seems to attract a ton of dust the first few days after waxing though, more than anything i've ever used

cpears

iTrader: (25)

I rock S100 all day long.

IROCThe5.7L

New "better" version coming out for the NXT line.

Mike-in-Orange

They're doing the same thing with the M21 Synthetic Sealant from their professional line and I'm trying to get my hands on some pre-release product. The hydrophobic technology is the same as what they're using in the Ultimate Quik Detailer, which is pretty amazing stuff actually. I'm looking forward to trying this new stuff out.

A little insider info: NXT was originally designed to stop beading water and sheet it instead, the thinking being that beads of water concentrate mineral deposits that can etch paint. The thinking behind this makes a lot of sense, but the general public thinks beading=protection, so the product got a lot of complaints about short life span.

Jason1313

iTrader: (3)

What do you all think of Mothers FX Engineered SynWax?
How does it compare to the other ones mentioned in this post?

IROCThe5.7L

My daily driver had NO wax on it. The water did not bead one bit. While the car was slightly dirty, I sprayed and whiped it down with the Ultimate Quik Detailer one time. The water beeded on that car for about 4.5 weeks. Great stuff!

Mike-in-Orange

Yeah, it is pretty amazing stuff. But wax your car. UQD may do a great job beading water but it really doesn't offer any serious protection - it isn't designed to. A good wax or sealant, applied regularly, will help fend off clear coat failure on a base/clear paint system, or fend off oxidation on older single stage paint systems.

IROCThe5.7L

The daily driver dosen't have much more time left. It's a 1986 Pontiac 6000. The most reliable car I have ever owned. I just can't keep up with the body after 20 years of Buffalo winters. Kind of a lost cause. But it drives perfect, and the trans shifts fine, it's a shame.

buell

WHAT? something with the word harley is cheaper?
Sry my father owns one and i know how expensive accessories are....

bsporty

Never tried the turtle wax.The NXT is awesome.There isnt a product that Meguires makes that I dont love.