# Mer Hybrid Wax - My Review



## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

My 50mL sample of Mer Hybrid Wax arrived this week, and it was perfect weather so I gave it a go. It's main selling point is it protects for up to 6 months.


IMG_5232 by simonhowes, on Flickr

I washed the car down with AG shampoo, and then polished with SRP to give the wax a decent surface. I didn't clay, most of the paint sounds silent when you pass your hand on the surface.


IMG_5234 by simonhowes, on Flickr

The wax is quite thick.


IMG_5235 by simonhowes, on Flickr

So thick it ends up gunking up your pad. I can see this being hard to use with machines too.


IMG_5237 by simonhowes, on Flickr

A major problem is it sets pretty quick. By the time you buff it on its goes hard within seconds, you can't spread it evenly and then streak it in the direction of the bodywork. I started to get worried I wont have enough to complete parts of the car.


IMG_5238 by simonhowes, on Flickr

Oh, no, I was wrong. I had enough to cover the whole car.


IMG_5239 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5241 by simonhowes, on Flickr

It was then time to remove all the wax. It's hard work, very hard work. It is also very dusty and gunks up your microfibre cloth in no time. Those who do not like AG products because of the dust, this Mer product may not be for you.

A quick inspection of swirls, I was quite impressed.


IMG_5243 by simonhowes, on Flickr

I still had some wax left in the 50mL sample pack. So I ventured on. Gave the first coat half and hour before I applied the second. A relief, as I was worried I may have missed parts as the thickness of the wax made it hard to get a good even coverage.


IMG_5244 by simonhowes, on Flickr

I tried some of black plastic, to see if it leaves any mark afterwards.


IMG_5250 by simonhowes, on Flickr

The 50 mL sample was enough to do the whole car, twice. Huzzah!

Swirl test after second coat.


IMG_5253 by simonhowes, on Flickr

And the final images.


IMG_5255 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5256 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5258 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5260 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5261 by simonhowes, on Flickr


IMG_5262 by simonhowes, on Flickr

My verdict.

Ease of application: 3/10
Ease of removal: 4/10
Removing swirls: 7/10
Depth: 9/10
Gloss: 9/10
Beading: I'll review this part next week when I do the next wash.

I haven't looked at the price, I have refused to look until I have written this review. I'm guessing if it comes in 500mL bottles, £40, 1L £70.

It's far better than UDS for shine and depth, almost as good as HD Wax. It's dripping wet to the look, all the bodywork has static electricity feel all over it. It's far better than SRP + Blackhole + EGP. Definitely one for the weekend car cleaner.

:car:

EDIT:

One month and one week after application. I left the car outside for one week in the pouring rain. Car has done 2,000 miles. Cleaned once a week with AG shampoo, it has now stopped beading in small droplets, water does still sheet off to a certain degree though.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

it's £13.99 for 500ml , £19.99 for 1 litre :thumb:


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

I have a sample of this stuff, i reckon if the application was carried out in the shade and spread a bit thinner you may have had a easier time with application, i may be wrong but i think its priced at £14 in halfords not that its in stock any way, thanks for your post any how.


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

Avanti. Yes, just looked at Halfords.

Think it may replace some of my normal products. I use UDS on this car, think I may bin the stuff.

If only the Mer product was easier to apply.


dennis, I'm one for applying very thin coats. I tried my best to get it as thin as possible - it's impossible. I tried damping the applicator, had no effect. You can't move the product around the bodywork as it sets in seconds, even on cool panels that is in the shade.


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

Doesnt look bad, especialy for that money ?


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

i only managed 1 full coat and top half of the car in a second coat on my 5, i reckon the sample would of struggled to do the whole of my missuses omega, it was quite thick going on but i found it fairly easy to remove, although i only left it long enough to haze on each panel not do all the whole car, quite liked it. its sort of like a thick colli's 845, or thats what the sample was like anyway


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

loadbang said:


> Avanti. Yes, just looked at Halfords.
> 
> Think it may replace some of my normal products. I use UDS on this car, think I may bin the stuff.
> 
> ...


Yes I mentioned it was very viscous, so it is difficult to get a small amount out of the bottle and spread, the buffing off though I found easy once it cured, it leaves a good gloss , as you say it's just a wait and see ho long it lasts, 3 months will do as far as Im concerned anything more is a bonus :thumb:


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

loadbang said:


> Avanti. Yes, just looked at Halfords.
> 
> Think it may replace some of my normal products. I use UDS on this car, think I may bin the stuff.
> 
> ...


Sounds like a panel at a time product if it cures that fast, i think i'll reserve it for alloy wheels as it sounds like hard work :lol:


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm curious to know how long it lasts against Turtle wax - the only wax I know that stops beading after 1 week.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

dennis said:


> Sounds like a panel at a time product if it cures that fast, i think i'll reserve it for alloy wheels as it sounds like hard work :lol:


Why dismiss it , until you have tried it?
As the author has mentioned , it does leave you wanting to 'bin' your current products and just use this :thumb: and it's good on the wheels too.
I will be using it again over the weekend hopefully :thumb:
A long over due product to market .


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

I didn't find it hard work to remove at all, I used the amount in your 3rd picture to do 2 coats on a mondeo bonnet so it looks like your problems removing might be down to using too much of it.


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

i caked it on and still had no probs removing


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

What made it hard to remove was the dust clogged my towel. I gave it half an hour to cure so it was fully cured. Could just be my towel.


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

or leaving it on to long?


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Possibly, although I wasn't particularly clock watching when I used it I'd say it was left in direct sun for 10 minutes before I buffed it off, it came off pretty easily.


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

Interesting point msb.


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## PaulTheo (Sep 26, 2010)

I found it went on thinner with the DA but you really do need to leave it at least 20 mins before buffing it off. The jury is out at the moment as I tried it on the other halfs Tahiti MGF and I normally use SRP on this car. I found the finish much the same but it does seem harder to use than SRP its more like a paste wax to apply and buff off. The finish is good but does not seem to be better than SRP but if it lasts longer the extra effort might be worth it.


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

It's a better filler than SRP in my books. I think we need to find what other products are good to use with this one.


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

loadbang said:


> It's a better filler than SRP in my books.


i would agree and should be more durable as well?


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## PaulTheo (Sep 26, 2010)

I was not able to tell if it fills better as I have recently polished the MGF and it already had a couple of layers of SRP. But my brother is visiting this weekend and his Merc has some serious swirls that would be a good test. I might give his bonnet a 50/50 test. LOL


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

PaulTheo said:


> I might give his bonnet a 50/50 test. LOL


Please.


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

Avanti said:


> Why dismiss it , until you have tried it?
> As the author has mentioned , it does leave you wanting to 'bin' your current products and just use this :thumb: and it's good on the wheels too.
> I will be using it again over the weekend hopefully :thumb:
> A long over due product to market .


I have not dismissed it, just a bit of light hearted banter, its not the sort of product i would use on my own vehicles during the summer as i enjoy using proper wax, i'll wait till the winter then apply it to one of our vans, it's application sounds simlar to that of silq aio made by voodoo ride, not easy to work with but a good product, my product collection is vast with a capitol v i love trying out new products, its a good thing that i do this for a living and not just a weekend warrior


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

dennis said:


> I have not dismissed it, just a bit of light hearted banter, its not the sort of product i would use on my own vehicles during the summer as i enjoy using proper wax, i'll wait till the winter then apply it to one of our vans, it's application sounds simlar to that of silq aio made by voodoo ride, not easy to work with but a good product, my product collection is vast with a capitol v i love trying out new products, its a good thing that i do this for a living and not just a weekend warrior


unfortunatley i tend to agree its an ok product on first impressions, obviously can't comment on durability yet, but in all honesty its not going to make me ditch all my other products which are equally as good if not better:tumbleweed:


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## who45 (Feb 8, 2008)

ill be honest on the sample i used - i did it the other day, - the mer was really bad in putting on in comparrison and removal. ok result but better liquid based products out there that i have used - i just found the mer dragged too much upon application - it lacked the oily ability to spread and be able to leave it to haze off like other products


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks for the test, certainly mounting up with the tests on this now... Certainly shows that a free sample gets stuff tested...:lol:


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

james_death said:


> Thanks for the test, certainly mounting up with the tests on this now... Certainly shows that a free sample gets stuff tested...:lol:


Good marketing..


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## scratcher (Jul 20, 2010)

Am I one of the few that had no problems with this product? After about 2 pannels I managed to get nice thin layers.
Finished the whole car and buffed one side off... No problems, not a lot of dust that I noticed.
I left the other half for a further 10 minutes and that came off just as well. 

From the sample sachet I done 1 coat on an A Class and still have loads left. Put it in a little pot to stay fresh


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## Reflectology (Jul 29, 2009)

got plenty on there mate, may have been the reason for the removal issue


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

scratcher said:


> Am I one of the few that had no problems with this product? After about 2 pannels I managed to get nice thin layers.
> Finished the whole car and buffed one side off... No problems, not a lot of dust that I noticed.
> I left the other half for a further 10 minutes and that came off just as well.
> 
> From the sample sachet I done 1 coat on an A Class and still have loads left. Put it in a little pot to stay fresh


Worth trying it on alloys too, and it is holding out well so far on the panels and rims.
I didn't send off for a sample I had purchased a 500ml bottle and will use it on as many cars as possible until the bottle is empty :thumb:


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## M Raw (Mar 22, 2011)

Agree with Who45 went on not too well felt gritty and difficult to spread, came off ok tho, was put on about a month after EGP to be honest think I prefered the liquid ones and the more blingy finish of the EGP. Will see how it lasts tho.


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## Jason M5 (Jul 15, 2010)

To hard to apply i won't be buying it.


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## Bence (Dec 21, 2006)

Holy thick application batman!

50 ml should be enough to do the lil' MX-5 3 times and a larger sedan twice. Thinner layer will greatly help the removal process too.


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## thehulk2002 (Mar 16, 2011)

I thought you only do a panel at a time so its easy to wipe off ?


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## Bence (Dec 21, 2006)

Bence said:


> Holy thick application batman!
> 
> 50 ml should be enough to do the lil' MX-5 3 times and a larger sedan twice. Thinner layers will greatly help the removal process too.


Addendum: this advice was/is for beginners or with products that are a bit reluctant to spread well. We (thin application fanatics) use as a thumb of rule around 10 ml per layer on a midsize sedan.

You can practice this by loading a big syringe with a liquid product, and you can follow the exact dosage with the help of the markings.


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## loadbang (Nov 8, 2010)

One month and one week after application. I left the car outside for one week (last week) in the pouring rain. Car has done 2,000 miles. Cleaned once a week with AG bodywork shampoo, it has now stopped beading in small droplets, water does still sheet off to a certain degree though.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

loadbang said:


> One month and one week after application. I left the car outside for one week (last week) in the pouring rain. Car has done 2,000 miles. Cleaned once a week with AG bodywork shampoo, it has now stopped beading in small droplets, water does still sheet off to a certain degree though.


Seems strange, I was going to ask how folk are getting on with the durability, I would say the beading on my car is tighter than when originally applied, also the coating I put on the draining board in the kitchen is certainly withstanding and still beading fine :thumb:


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## Kokopelli (Sep 18, 2009)

Found this thread while looking for more information about Mer Hybrid Wax. As far as I could see the durability and swirl filling is on par with Valet Pro's Banana (House) Wax and 3m's Polish Rosa. But these two are easy to use waxes. So, any points in getting Mer's wax? Is it any better in looks or durability, while a bit hard to use?


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Kokopelli said:


> Found this thread while looking for more information about Mer Hybrid Wax. As far as I could see the durability and swirl filling is on par with Valet Pro's Banana (House) Wax and 3m's Polish Rosa. But these two are easy to use waxes. So, any points in getting Mer's wax? Is it any better in looks or durability, while a bit hard to use?


Only you can decide :thumb:
The last set of results I posted were met with threats, so it 's no point posting the truth sometimes.


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## Ricwin (Apr 8, 2011)

I quite liked the Mer Hybrid, applied directly to a prep'd surface (no ploish used first)
Definately good at filling light swirl marks and gives a nice shine even on a white car lol

However even applied in very small amounts, its a damn nuisance to remove.
3 thin layers is certainly lasting a while on a regularly used MR2. Its still glossy even after a few weeks of not being washed. But the beading has loosened up.

Not easy to work with but it does offer alot for its low price.


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

£13.99 for 500ml and readily available from Halfords.. not bad considering the finish achieved but as mentioned it does look as if you applied a tad thick. Based on your review I'd buy it :thumb:


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## maestegman (Mar 3, 2011)

Great review. Thank you.

I used to use Mer products back in the day (basically because my dad loved Mer).

I've never been disappointed with the finish but the residual powder is a right royal pita.


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