# Are more expensive waxes worth it?



## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

I've been looking at some new, more durable waxes, been considering Swiisvax, [email protected] and Supernatural, but are they worth it over FK1000 & Colinite?

I currently have some Nattys Blue and Orange Crush!


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## CupraRcleanR (Sep 2, 2007)

No.



















Zaino is tho.


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## PETER @ ECLIPSE (Apr 19, 2006)

im doing a sonax GB atm the product is excellent and sort of mid range as regards price
something to think about


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## HC1001 (May 27, 2007)

I have a few waxes (Not too pricey ) in the £50 to £70 pound bracket but I still end up going for the colly 915 over all the others................I don't know why I just do........:thumb:

I would love to buy BOS but a the mo I'm using the little money I earn from detailing to save up for an Xbox!! If you told me a tub of BOS or an Xbox only one would win.........:thumb:. I'll stick to my 915.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

Depends on the circumstances really.

Take us (polished bliss) for example: We paid the £1800 for Vintage (which comes with free re-fills for life) and are now on our 3rd re-fill. We charge £100 extra for applying Vintage to a car and I'd say we get at least 50 applications from the tub before sending it away to get filled again. Do the sums, from a business point of view it's a no brainer really 

The higher end waxes will obviously give you better durability and for some that is enough to warrant the extra costs, for some it isnt. It's also debatable whether they give any better looks once applied to a properly prepared surface, in my opinion they do offer that little bit extra and it's that little bit extra that counts :thumb:

End of the day it's a personal thing and you'll get conflicting views on this all day long!


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## Sandro (Mar 16, 2008)

Clark said:


> Depends on the circumstances really.
> 
> Take us (polished bliss) for example: We paid the £1800 for Vintage (which comes with free re-fills for life) and are now on our 3rd re-fill. We charge £100 extra for applying Vintage to a car and I'd say we get at least 50 applications from the tub before sending it away to get filled again. Do the sums, from a business point of view it's a no brainer really
> 
> ...


do you guys get free refills even though its commercial and not personal use?


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## THE CHAMP (Aug 1, 2008)

I would say NO


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## THE CHAMP (Aug 1, 2008)

Sandro said:


> do you guys get free refills even though its commercial and not personal use?


He has just told you he does


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

This is for a home amature user, so when i sam more expensive i men £70 to £100 as more expensice over £15 to £35


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## beardboy (Feb 12, 2006)

I'd seriously look at RaceGlaze 55 - it's not massively expensive, but it's my fav wax at the moment - i've just tried my FK1000 this weekend, so will see how that lasts etc.


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

for someone like clark i would say yes theyre worth it as they can charge more for an exclusive wax,

for myself not really,

collinite is fantastic for me 

though i would shell out £55 for SN just for shows etc


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## A20 LEE (Feb 20, 2007)

To me yes, i can see the difference on my cars and thats all that matters really. But if i could only have one wax (cost vs performance) its z concours. Above that its very hard to justify.


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## Hair Bear (Nov 4, 2007)

Clark said:


> Depends on the circumstances really.
> 
> Take us (polished bliss) for example: We paid the £1800 for Vintage (which comes with free re-fills for life) and are now on our 3rd re-fill. We charge £100 extra for applying Vintage to a car and I'd say we get at least 50 applications from the tub before sending it away to get filled again. Do the sums, from a business point of view it's a no brainer really
> 
> ...


WOW!

Tub 1 : £1800
Refill 1 : £0
Refill 2 : £0

50 applications each from original tub and refill 1 @ £100 'extra' a time = £10,000!!

£10,000 less £1800 cost price = £8200 profit :doublesho on wax alone

To break even for the original tub alone would be just £36 a pop! After refill 1 would be £18 a pop! And a second refill brings it down to £12 a pop!

£100 extra? I'm guessing this is on top of a detail which would have _*included *_an everyday wax?

Fair play chaps :doublesho


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

in a word, no. its (nearly) all down to the prep work that gives the end result. personnally, i can't see the point of using a wax costing say £200 when a wax costing £30 gives the same results.


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## petenaud (Feb 17, 2008)

fiestadetailer said:


> in a word, no. its (nearly) all down to the prep work that gives the end result. personnally, i can't see the point of using a wax costing say £200 when a wax costing £30 gives the same results.


Pretty much agree.

i love SN and will happily pay £60 for it, but BA is much the same. I know sn works for me, and it should last me a long time, so i dont even bother looking at other waxes.


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Hair Bear said:


> WOW!
> 
> Tub 1 : £1800
> Refill 1 : £0
> ...


refills are about £200 each iirc so not entirely free


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Hair Bear said:


> WOW!
> 
> Tub 1 : £1800
> Refill 1 : £0
> ...



Confused at the simple math 50*100 = £5000


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Avanti said:


> Confused at the simple math 50*100 = £5000


he was meaning £10,000 as clark has had his refilled
:thumb:

50 apps from original and a refill with a further 50 apps = £10k


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## Hair Bear (Nov 4, 2007)

Avanti said:


> Confused at the simple math 50*100 = £5000


tub = 50
refill = 50

He gets 50 applications from each


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## Hair Bear (Nov 4, 2007)

badly_dubbed said:


> refills are about £200 each iirc so not entirely free


"free refills for life" was the quote?


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

Hair Bear said:


> "free refills for life" was the quote?


It costs approx £150 (couriers/insurance etc) to send it back to the USA for refills mate


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## 94Luke (Mar 8, 2008)

£200 for insured shipping there and back iirc
Edit: ^^ oops, too late


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

Thanks for all the input people/ I am tempted by Collinite 915 - Marque D'Elegance Wax


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

buy it - you wont be dissapointed


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## Cliff (Mar 4, 2007)

I bought half a tub of BOS from another member on here, it is a lovely wax BUT I have still gone back to my favorite of the last 4 years ZAINO  and have just got some FK to try so I guess I will stay a sealant man


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Big Ells said:


> I've been looking at some new, more durable waxes, been considering Swiisvax, [email protected] and Supernatural, but are they worth it over FK1000 & Colinite?
> 
> I currently have some Nattys Blue and Orange Crush!


I bought some digital kitchen scales and weighed the before and after using a hard paste wax even adding extra for miscalculation I reckon 6g of wax per average Golf size car application which is 25 cars per tin, apply more than necessary say every 2 months, it is quick to see a 150g tin of wax will see you good for 2yrs :thumb:
So then you will have to judge on the final finish and that is down to the original surface prep, if colli sweets you you may as well stick with that, fi you didn't have a wax already then I would say get a £60 tub :thumb:


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Hair Bear said:


> tub = 50
> refill = 50
> 
> He gets 50 applications from each


Sorry I'm old school and we would have failed the maths exam putting the example as the poster did :tumbleweed: hence my confusion how he arrived at the figures quoted. :thumb:


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## reign (Oct 6, 2008)

Big Ells said:


> Thanks for all the input people/ I am tempted by Collinite 915 - Marque D'Elegance Wax


look on ebay for it... you can get it for total price of £24.00 delivered from usa to uk. :thumb:

worth every penny.

as for the other waxes... look on youtube for z*mol concours, and just watch........:doublesho


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

hehe go one better

you can get all 3 collinites for around £35

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Boa...arms=72:543|65:12|39:1|240:1318#ht_943wt_1186


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

badly_dubbed said:


> buy it - you wont be dissapointed


agree, superb wax and great value for money too


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## jasonbarnes (Sep 10, 2008)

supernatural all the way for me , but i'm quite tempted to try some 845 this year:thumb:


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## dubmike (Jan 26, 2009)

Just used collonite on a new r32 and a 02 ibiza cupra, superb gloss and protection. all for £24 and that will last me around 20 to 30 cars BARGAIN

Allthough i'll be buying supernatural for my cars during the show season


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

dubmike said:


> Just used collonite on a new r32 and a 02 ibiza cupra, superb gloss and protection. all for £24 and that will last me around 20 to 30 cars BARGAIN
> 
> Allthough i'll be buying supernatural for my cars during the show season


Which one did you buy fella?


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

reign said:


> as for the other waxes... look on youtube for z*mol concours, and just watch........:doublesho


Wish you hadn't said that lol, the videos look awsome! :doublesho


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

heres the 915 one






or from DaveKG's tests

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/...action=view&current=2008_0727WaxTest50232.flv


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## m4xmw (Mar 22, 2006)

no one has mentioned Vic` concours.... top wax for the money...

Bargain price for what it offers..

Mark


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## dubmike (Jan 26, 2009)

Big Ells said:


> Which one did you buy fella?


Sorry none, they were cars i detailed!


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## jasonbarnes (Sep 10, 2008)

why don't you flash the cash buy Zymöl concours, dodo sn, collinite and victorias and do a nice wax test for everyone


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

dubmike said:


> Sorry none, they were cars i detailed!


Sorry i ment which Collinite did you use?


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## wilson_let (Feb 11, 2007)

CupraRcleanR said:


> No.
> 
> Zaino is tho.


What he said.


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

jasonbarnes said:


> why don't you flash the cash buy Zymöl concours, dodo sn, collinite and victorias and do a nice wax test for everyone


Because i havent just won the pools lol But i dont want to fork out £120 if a £30 wax is just as good for a home user


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

it is.

for your needs

SN/Colly 915,476s,845,/vics/1000p

are all more than ideal


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## dazzlers82 (May 8, 2007)

dont forget ag hd either you can get it for not much more than £25 now and it is so easy to apply has good durabilty an looks great on the car.

i do have colli 476, purple haze, supernatural,blue velvet, rubbish boys juiced addition (not used yet) an still go for the hd


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## rossdook (Aug 20, 2008)

You'll get plenty of wax in a pot of 915. I think it's slightly wetter than 476 personally, but both are excellent value for money.


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## m4xmw (Mar 22, 2006)

You are more likely to get a much bigger difference in look by getting to a higher standard of finishing prior to most LSP`s!

Any decent £30 wax over a very well prepped surface will look great!


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

m4xmw said:


> You are more likely to get a much bigger difference in look by getting to a higher standard of finishing prior to most LSP`s!
> 
> Any decent £30 wax over a very well prepped surface will look great!


agree, i would say around 90% of the result comes from the prep work


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

I have a decent glaze and jet seal so should be ok!


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## joe_0_1 (Apr 7, 2007)

I'd say so, it makes me feel better having an expensive wax on the car.

Suppose it's like having a nicer name on my Belt too.

Detailing plays with your mind!!


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

Just made an offer on a house, so have to keep this on the low down from the missus lol


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

Eliot Your welcome to come try all the waxes i have in my collection (loads of Swiss, Z and dodo, inc SN and vintage) on various parts of your car, then you can make up your own mind, IMO they are worth it, but more for looks that durability, the waxes your stating are actually really sealants.


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## atomicfan (Jan 21, 2008)

@clark

How much is left after 50 applications?

I have about 20-25 applications ov vintage but the pot there is only 1/4 missing in the pot. I guess that i get about 150 applications of vintage from one pot after the first 25 i did


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

atomicfan said:


> @clark
> 
> How much is left after 50 applications?
> 
> I have about 20-25 applications ov vintage but the pot there is only 1/4 missing in the pot. I guess that i get about 150 applications of vintage from one pot after the first 25 i did


well ive got about 30-35 applications from my pot and its bang on half way now. so im going to say about 60 from my pot. all applied via applicator too

Z said from 80 - 120 iirc


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## dubmike (Jan 26, 2009)

Sorry fella i used 915


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

james b said:


> Eliot Your welcome to come try all the waxes i have in my collection (loads of Swiss, Z and dodo, inc SN and vintage) on various parts of your car, then you can make up your own mind, IMO they are worth it, but more for looks that durability, the waxes your stating are actually really sealants.


I may take you up on that fella, wish i had bought some of the waxes you had for sale now lol

The [email protected] looks like a nice wax/sealent.

So whats the difference and how do you tell?

Thanks all, this has turned out to be a great topic!


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

i got another 5-8 Z and S waxes im going to put up for sale, cheap too  just give me a buzz if you want to try them you can borrow them for a weekend or some thing and drop them back in the week,


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## Big Ells (May 12, 2007)

james b said:


> i got another 5-8 Z and S waxes im going to put up for sale, cheap too  just give me a buzz if you want to try them you can borrow them for a weekend or some thing and drop them back in the week,


You are a prince amongst men, give me the heads up when your selling so i can be quick on the draw, really would prefer second hand as i dont use them that often!


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

well I was always a cynic on the expensive stuff.....and then I had a play with Vintage and Royale on my own car, courtesy of a very generous friend 

There IS something special about Vintage in my opinion. It is amazing to use, is just superb to hand apply, and has a mystique about it. 2 layers have lasted 4 months on my bonnet through sleet and snow, rain etc and outside 24/7. and are still beading and sheeting incredibly well. I didnt believe that would be the case, and wouldnt believe it if I hadnt seen it and done it myself... 

Now other waxes will do that as well, for <£20 for enough to last a lifetime, but I do think there is something special about these products, if you enjoy maintaining your car like many of us do.

I'd seriously consider buying Vintage and apply it all day long IF it was really a free refill (in the US it costs about $30-40 shipping only) and wasnt going to cost me £200 each time I wanted to refill it. A lifetimes supply of that stuff would be worth it, and my cars would all have 5-6 layers on, reapplied every 3-4 months 

BUT, I can afford that, and certainly wouldnt sacrifice important stuff just for a wax. Supernatural is almost as good at a crazy fraction of the price, and v2 is lasting pretty much as well as Vintage, so in all honesty that is a much better buy as a high end quality wax that will do everything asked of it and more


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

I seem to be working my _down_ the wax scale rather than up as time goes on :lol: Before I joined DW and back in about 2003 ish I got mesmerised by the whole Zym*l thing and bought Carbon, Titanium and Concours (not all at once though). Sold the Titanium and Concours a long time ago and kept the Carbon for using on black trim. 
As I've been a member on here for nearly 2 years and learnt a lot about machine polishing and the importance of good prep work, I've found myself spending less and less on waxes but getting better results overall as the prep stages get better. I've almost finished a pot of Natty's Red and have just ordered some Meguiar's #26 to replace it with, so am now down to using a wax at less than a tenner! 
That's not to say the really expensive waxes aren't worth the money to the right person or business, of course. But in real terms, for the normal hobby detailer, money spent on a machine polisher, associated polishes and pads, and a good understanding of what they do will be money better spent than blowing it all on a 'high end' wax.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

atomicfan said:


> @clark
> 
> How much is left after 50 applications?
> 
> I have about 20-25 applications ov vintage but the pot there is only 1/4 missing in the pot. I guess that i get about 150 applications of vintage from one pot after the first 25 i did


I was just quoting worst case number, We always send it off when there's about a 1/4 left so I'd imagine we'd get close to arond 70/80 cars from a whole pot at least


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