# Race Glaze Black Label Concours Car Wax



## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

*WHAT IS IT?*

Race Glaze Black Label Concours Car Wax
(Image shamelessly pinched off Race Glaze's site)










*WHAT DOES IT BRING TO THE TABLE?*

Race Glaze say

"Race Glaze Signature Black Label Concours Car Wax is a truly premium hand crafted fine Carnauba wax for the true connoisseur. There is no doubt this is a very special product which will be appreciated by the cognoscenti.

Developed in spring 2010, this wax is winning admirers worldwide, not only for its stunning packaging but also its performance. Unlike many other waxes, it does feel that you are leaving protection behind, even as you buff off.

Some of the UK's leading professional detailers now offer Black Label to their clients for an additional premium - companies like Supercar Detailing, The Ultimate Shine, Perfection Detailing, Polished Bliss and others."

*WHAT AM I TESTING IT ON?*

2007, 80k+ miles MkV Golf Match

*WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?*

I think it's very nice and I like it, there's a couple of buts (not bad ones), that won't apply to everybody, and I will come on to those in due course.

I'm very lucky to have had an opportunity to test and review this after cheekily asking Race Glaze in a direct sort of way 
I had a couple of coats of Black Label on the Octavia after visiting MCC and liked the way it looked on the car, I wasn't going to use it on the Octavia again as I wanted to try this on a darker colour. The DW Mods asked if I'd cover off my process, which is slightly different to the usual review format, but here we go. I'm not going into detail on any of the products I used as they are not up for review. All cruddy photos with the iPhone.

Take a dirty car:


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr


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Give a spray with the foam lance with a mix of degreaser and snow foam to make it stick


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr

Give it a wash with some shampoo and a mitt. I'd also cleaned the wheels which was more of a pain than I thought it was going to be given the sealant I'd used, but I won't go into that.


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr

Give it a rub with the clay bar, although I'd only clayed about 6 weeks ago so after the plastic bag test on the rest of the car, I didn't do anymore.


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Dried (I need some new towels)


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An onto pre-wax cleaning. I used FK AIO this time, I don't know whether the car was quite clean to start with or if the FK is just not as good as the likes of Prime and P21s - tbh I can't remember what I used last time.


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr

And out with the wax. Not a lot of pics I'm afraid. Load a pad with a single swipe and take it to the paint. It spreads and spreads and spreads - as the pad is loaded you'll use less and less wax, which makes it quite an economical product to use.


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And after application/buffing on the roof


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And finished


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*SO WHAT'S IT LIKE TO USE?*

First thing's first, the jar is a work of art - machined out of a solid billet of aluminium, that's definitely not cheap and not something you're going to chuck out once you've finished with it. Race Glaze will refill it for you too....
The wax itself was quite a lot softer than I was expecting - I don't know if the ambient temperature effects the consistency as there had been a few very hot days when it turned up in the post and the weather had been fairly consistently good. I doubt this has had an effect on the use (I want to use the word operation, but how do you 'operate' a wax?) or its durability or looks, as said it was very easy to use although I used it in full sun (no indoor detailing for me) and whilst it buffed without a fight, it definitely felt a little grabby as it had baked in the sun. I didn't feel this was an issue, although when it was applied indoors to the Octavia, it did buff very easily.

In terms of looks, it definitely adds a warmth or a glow to a car. Some people say that a wax can have the effect of muting a metallic paint - I didn't feel that exactly but my wife summed it up when she said it doesn't look as 'blingy' as usual - ie when I've used a synthetic sealant. Maybe this was the FK rather than another pre-cleaner, as Prime seems to leave a glass coat over the paint (can't describe it really), but I think the final finish with the BL is amazing. Although not as blingy, Mrs A says she thinks it looks great - different, but great and for me, that she could tell the difference means there is definitely value in the product. That it is easy to apply and remove to boot, adds value IMO.

I only applied a single layer as I was happy that I had properly applied to every panel. On the Octavia I got about 3 months before the beading stopped although I had been a bit slack on the washing due to the poor weather and the time constraints. Now both the Golf and the Octavia are nice and clean, I can dedicate an hour on a Saturday giving both cars a quick scrub and can see what the durability is like when looked after.
*
What do I like about it?*

Looks, dead easy to use, jar looks fantastic, one jar ought to do loads of cars.

*What am I not sure about?*

OK, so these are the buts. For me the biggest but is the cost and it's a personal one. I personally don't have the budget to spend the thick end of £300 on a wax however, bear in mind that one jar _ought_ to do 40-50 cars, that's £5.70 per car. RG will refill it for £200 - that brings your second jar down to £4 per car - if you're a pro and can add a premium for a wax upgrade, then it's a no brainer. Judging by the wife's reaction, the customer will notice the difference. I'm not a pro and I have a pyschological barrier to spend nearly £300 on a wax - that's kind of like the first time I spent more than £1000 on a guitar - once you cross that barrier, it's probably no big deal and I'd have to say, it's worth it (although I've never, ever used anything else at that level).

The other thing that I am not 100% on is the looks - yes it's looks great and it's entirely a very personal thing. My wife said it doesn't look as blingy as usual - I kind of like the blingy thing, which is why I've been using synthetic pastes and spray sealants. That said I do like it and there would definitely be a place for it amongst my kit.

I like it, you will too and I'd be very happy if RG sent me a big pot as a birthday present!! 

And....nearly forgot the obligatory beading shot.


Untitled by jonnyguitar, on Flickr


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