# El Cheapo Wax test - THE TEST!



## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

*---/// 1 WEEK BEADING RESULTS - POST #39 BOTTOM OF PAGE 4 \\\---*

*---/// 1 MONTH BEADING RESULTS - POST #58 BOTTOM OF PAGE 6 \\\---*

Good afternoon ladies and gentleman of DW...

I'm Mr. Joe Public and i love keeping my car clean and shiney. I get all of my cacare products from Halfords and i think its ace. :thumb: I wash my car every week with wash & wax and my trusy old cloth and it makes it sparkle.

Every month or so i like to give it a bit of a buff with Super Resin Polish and this makes it shine even better, this makes my neighbours envious 

A friend of mine is a member of this site and decided to tell me i was doing it all wrong, and that my super resin polish would not protect my car and i need a wax to seal it in. He told me to get some Autoglym HD Wax because this is truely the dogs dingle dangles! So i hopped in my car and went down to trusty old Halfords to get some....

*£45 WHAAAAT???? PHA!!!!*

I'm not paying £45 for a tub of hairgel i can get in tesco for a fraction of that... So lets see what my friend can do....Hello Ebay. :wave:

I'll show you guys... £45 my ar£e!!!

So the delights i have found on e-bay are:

Autobright Original Fusion - £7.98 Delivered
Mean Machine Auto Wax - £2.98 Delivered
Carpride Wicked Wax - £2.01 Delivered
Turtle Wax Clear Vue - £3.39 Delivered
K2 Ultra Wax - £5.98 Delivered
Carpride Wax Polish Kit - £3.35 Delivered

While i was out walking round the own i got these too

Simoniz Car Wax - £1 from Tesco (I like bargains)
And 
Turtle Wax High Gloss - £1 from Poundland!

So, to show you lot how its done, and for me to find out which one is the best for my car i've taped up my bonnet and i'm going to do a test!!!

I had my supervisor keep an eye on me, make sure i was doing it right...










Thought id apply my trusty old SRP first. I truely love this and think everybody should use it!










Curing away nicely there... Always leaves me with a nice shine when buffed off










Nice...

So i have then taped my car bonnet into 8 parts to show the different products










Not exactly all square but the point is there...(Upset all you OCD people )

Heres a picture of all my little waxes ready for the test










Anyway, lets tell you more about the products, there ease of use and removal:

Wicked Wax: 
It's a very soft paste wax, doesn't smell particularly pleasant either may i add. But application was a doddle (even comes with its own applicator) and hazes quickly. I didnt rush to remove it and it came off very easily with very minimal effort.










Mean Machine:
Another very soft paste wax (identicle to wicked wax in every way) smell, consistancy and colour are all the same, infact they probably are the same. Again, went on easy, came off easy.










K2:
Also another soft paste wax. This is a 300g tin but was not as soft as the previous two. Again, this didnt smell particularly pleasant but this also came with an applicator. Application was very easy, hazed over within minutes and removed also very quickly with minimal effort.










Autobright:
Certainly an unusual one, (and the most expensive in the test) a 60g pot, which did shock me a little given its price. Certainly given the price given its size, not something myself as joe public would order again, seems too expensive. Altho i was told by my friend that it reminded him very much of CG XXX hardcore... (Are you sure you lot are talking about Wax???)
This had a much more solid consistancy and also spread easily, but it was difficult to see where you had been with it until it started hazing. Again, removal was painless, maybe a little more grabby on the cloth than the previous two, but certainly nothing to write home about.










I applied these 4 waxes over these 4 test beds and let them haze (as instructed given the shozzle the manufacturer gave)










Tried to get a hazing shot here... didn't do a very good job!

Anyway, these were buffed off and moved to the next 4

Turtle Wax High Gloss:
My uncle used to swear down by this stuff. This is what i would call a traditional paste wax. Certainly the consistancy you would expect to see. Applied it with a MF applicator and it seemed a little draggy, it certainly was not as easy to apply as any of the previous 4. It Smells very chemically also, so it wins nil poi on the smell front! 
It did haze up very well and buff easily considering its a little more difficult application, which is always a bonus.










Turtle Wax Clear Vue:
Been the first liquid wax on trial i found it a pleasure to use. Turned upside down on an MF applicator and applied with ease. Only needed the 1 pour for the whole test bed, certainly by far the least product used on test. 
Removal was certainly different tho, you have to rub it over with a damp towel first, then buff with a dry one to a high gloss shine... Hmmm, well i did as instructed and hey ho, it felt very slick under my fingers, maybe just has the edge of slickness on all the products here...










Simoniz Car Wax:
This was my bargain from Tesco. Give it a good shake and tipped onto an applicator... Here lies my problem - it was like water, like a bit of a greeny brown colour at that too, had i of spilt it down the rear of my trousers, it would of looked like id had an accident! 
Application was a shock as this was a breeze to apply. It seemed to take that little bit longer to cure than the rest, but removal was also a total breeze. Easiest to apply and remove on the whole test










Carpride Wax Polish Kit:
probably what i considered to be the worst one of the lot. For a liquid, I applied what i consider to be a substancial amount for the size of the area. It just did not spread as easily as i would have liked. It was the right consistancy but just did not want to spread. It removed easily enough but felt like i had to work it a little harder than the rest. Therefore this one is worst on trial for this!










Anyway, i removed these and then removed the tape seperating the test beds. They are all equally as shiny. I'd say none really dulled the finish, and none really stood out and said "Look at me, i'm shinier than the rest"










As there was a request for a testbed product, i used it. DW's PRODUCT X. This was applied a week ago










As you can see, unwashed:









Now... I've been told that you lot on here are "Beading Whores" (I have no idea what this means but i have been told what to do to please you lot, so here goes:










Just so we all have some idea of where each wax is, this gives you a general idea of the layout...










Out of the 3 "Soft" paste waxes id say that the K2 is the best by far. The beading is very high compared with the other two




























This is the beading from the Wicked Wax - It doesnt look as good as the others:














































Sheeting Test:

Whats sheeting? I just threw a bucket of water over it just to get rid of them beads... I have to say that the beds with the high gloss and simoniz got rid of the water very quickly indeed.




































Conclusions thus far:

Wicked wax & Mean Machine - Both the same imo. Beading is poor - Not expacting much from these two

Clear Vue - This was a funny removal but was very pleasant to use, very easy. We might have to watch this one

Simoniz - The most impressive on initial test. Nice tight beads, doesn't hold them and sheds them before they get too big. Might have looked like watery turd, but hell, its by far the best for beads

Anyway, this concludes the application and removal test. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and i'll answer it to the best of my ability.

--EDIT--
I Shall try and update weekly after i've given it a weekly spruce up with my trusty old bucket and cloth 

Mr. Joe Public


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## cmillsjoe (Jun 20, 2012)

total nutter


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## Dift (May 22, 2011)

Will be good to see how long they last


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Awesome, look forward to the results over the next few weeks or months


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## athol (Oct 3, 2009)

Hi Joe, looking forward to the results of this.... Regards bill public


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## Hasan1 (Jul 1, 2011)

Will keep an eye on this. Thanks for doing this test


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## DannyMair (Jan 18, 2013)

Great wee test! Very worth while


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## pxr5 (Feb 13, 2012)

Great stuff. I'm very interested to see the durability of these 'cheap' waxes.


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

A very useful post, thanks Mr Public,:thumb: I shall be keeping an eye on how they break down, how often do you think you will be able to keep us updated??


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Dift said:


> Will be good to see how long they last


it will, i'm not expecting miracles from some tho.



danwel said:


> Awesome, look forward to the results over the next few weeks or months


Certainly be interesting...



cmillsjoe said:


> total nutter


Yes... Yes i am - Made you smile tho i'm sure 



Hasan1 said:


> Will keep an eye on this. Thanks for doing this test


No worries, more for my own satisfaction and to see if i can find a little gem hidden amongst them



DannyMair said:


> Great wee test! Very worth while


I thought i'd run it like the joe average would apply it. once the weather gets better i may do another one with full prepwork before hand rather than just a wash with heavy duty car wash and G101. But we'll see how they perform for Joe...


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pxr5 said:


> Great stuff. I'm very interested to see the durability of these 'cheap' waxes.


It will be interesting to see if theres a good durable one among them...



ianrobbo1 said:


> A very useful post, thanks Mr Public,:thumb: I shall be keeping an eye on how they break down, how often do you think you will be able to keep us updated??


No worries - I'm hoping to wash it once a week and give an update. If i don't wash i'll try and get some of this "Beading Porn" i've been told about if it rains :thumb:


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## essjay (Mar 27, 2007)

Definitely somebody with too much time on their hands :thumb:

Bought some cheap wax myself 99p but not had the heart to stick it on yet


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## Rayner (Aug 16, 2012)

Haha could be good to see the results. Just out of interest what is the ruff price of the DW wax? Nothing too specific obviously as everyone will know what it is lol


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

Interesting reading Mal :thumb:

Thanks for taking the time

I've subscribed this post to watch future instalments with interest :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

essjay said:


> Definitely somebody with too much time on their hands


Just someone trying to help out those on DW not as fortunate as myself



rayner said:


> Haha could be good to see the results. Just out of interest what is the ruff price of the DW wax? Nothing too specific obviously as everyone will know what it is lol


Its not a silly expensive wax. Its a reasonably priced Wax i personally use on paintwork and wheels that everyone on DW has heard of, if not used!



Bristle Hound said:


> Interesting reading Mal :thumb:
> 
> Thanks for taking the time
> 
> I've subscribed this post to watch future instalments with interest :thumb:


Your welcome bud... I'll pass everyones thanks to Joe too! :lol:


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

Yep nice test,top man for doing it


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## DMS (May 4, 2011)

Great test :thumb:

I have seen the Carpride Wax Polish Kit in a cheap shop and wondered what it was like


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

DMS said:


> Great test :thumb:
> 
> I have seen the Carpride Wax Polish Kit in a cheap shop and wondered what it was like


It didn't blow my socks off...


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## DMS (May 4, 2011)

I took a pic of it in the shop


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## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

Fun reading that Mal! Nice one mate! :thumb:


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Excellent write up!


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> Excellent write up!


Cheers Bud


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## weemax (Sep 30, 2008)

Didn't you find a cheaper hat for your nipper on ebay? 

Nice work btw :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

weemax said:


> Didn't you find a cheaper hat for your nipper on ebay?
> 
> Nice work btw :thumb:


Where do you think i get all my stuff... Halfords or ebay


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## Dingo2002 (Apr 4, 2007)

I love these bargain basement tests.
"Easy to apply and remove" suggests a product that fits perfectly into a weekly maintenance wash so longevity is not necessarily high on the list of requirements. Good beading/sheeting and a shiny surface are what i look for in dead cheap waxs.

I have the Wicked Wax and have used it on my wheels in the past though it doent get pulled out very often, the Simoniz sounds more like a wax/sealant hybrid (or it had gone funny during storage lol)


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## Rayner (Aug 16, 2012)

Should of tried the Simoniz original as well  don't know why but I really want to try it...


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## horned yo (Feb 10, 2009)

Did you get the free tin of aerosol sealant with your mean machine wax? 

Got mine so did it on my golf clubs. Reckon 2 weeks it lasted in the dry :lol:

To be fair i got the wax to do bits under the bonnet, and for £2 it is what it is so i cant complain about it. 

Still use it and will probably always have a tub of it in my collection, I'm not a fan of expensive waxes. 

Good test to by the way, like to see that you haven't jumped on the usual band wagon of rubbishing cheap alternatives :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Dingo2002 said:


> I love these bargain basement tests.
> "Easy to apply and remove" suggests a product that fits perfectly into a weekly maintenance wash so longevity is not necessarily high on the list of requirements. Good beading/sheeting and a shiny surface are what i look for in dead cheap waxs.
> 
> I have the Wicked Wax and have used it on my wheels in the past though it doent get pulled out very often, the Simoniz sounds more like a wax/sealant hybrid (or it had gone funny during storage lol)


Can't say im overly impressed with the wicked wax or the Mean Machine wax. I actually preffered the K3 wax (Which i think is from Poland) which seem to have everything that the other two pastes didn't

Altho it looked rather disgusting, its application (altho a little runny) was painless, and for the beading and sheeting was pretty impressive.



rayner said:


> Should of tried the Simoniz original as well  don't know why but I really want to try it...


I was going to as i seen it was £7 in tesco and reduced to £4 if memory serves me correctly, but i already had 8. If i do another rerun, it ma be worth adding and considering :thumb:



horned yo said:


> Did you get the free tin of aerosol sealant with your mean machine wax?
> 
> Got mine so did it on my golf clubs. Reckon 2 weeks it lasted in the dry :lol:
> 
> ...


Noooooo, i would never rubbish anything i have not tried myself. Plus, its always handy to know that if i get into the position where i cant afford luxuries such as the higher end carcare products, that i have a cheaper alternative where i can achieve similar results even if they do not feel as good or special to use as the more premium brands.


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## id_doug (Apr 6, 2011)

Great write up, been looking forward to it 

You do realise that if one of them turns out to be good that everyone on here (myself included) that has spent a fortune on Nuba waxes will no doubt be out looking for you for shattering there illusions :lol:


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

How are they holding out?


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## Adrian Convery (May 27, 2010)

Good test! Although two great waxes that are cheaper than AG HD are Dodo Juice Supernatural Hybrid which is around £30 and Auto Finesse Temptation at £25 IMO


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Very impressive test here, thanks for taking the time to post :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> How are they holding out?


Not sure... Not had any rain here. Altho im hoping to give the beast a wash tomorrow :thumb:



Adrian Convery said:


> Good test! Although two great waxes that are cheaper than AG HD are Dodo Juice Supernatural Hybrid which is around £30 and Auto Finesse Temptation at £25 IMO


Yeah, i agree... But Joe Public have never heard of DoDo or Auto Finesse... I'm just going off halfords stock list bud. Was meant as a bit of a joke...



Trip tdi said:


> Very impressive test here, thanks for taking the time to post :thumb:


Cheers Trip. Always like to take the time to try something different 



id_doug said:


> Great write up, been looking forward to it
> 
> You do realise that if one of them turns out to be good that everyone on here (myself included) that has spent a fortune on Nuba waxes will no doubt be out looking for you for shattering there illusions :lol:


But i'm Joe Public... I look the same as all the rest of the "shiney swirly car brigade"

Besides, i live in a bunker, you'll have to find me first! You'll never take me alive :devil:


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## gatman (Jun 13, 2012)

Haha brilliant write up, you should do some more


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

gatman said:


> Haha brilliant write up, you should do some more


I have some weird and wonderful ideas...


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## jonnywells (Dec 29, 2006)

Well just to add i brought my autoglym HD wax for £28.

Seems better than collinite 476 i use to use. AG HD wax is the best wax ive used


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## horned yo (Feb 10, 2009)

jonnywells said:


> Well just to add i brought my autoglym HD wax for £28.
> 
> Seems better than collinite 476 i use to use. AG HD wax is the best wax ive used


Try Bilt Hammer Finis Wax and Colly 845 and you will change your mind

AG HD wax still rocks though :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

jonnywells said:


> Well just to add i brought my autoglym HD wax for £28.
> 
> Seems better than collinite 476 i use to use. AG HD wax is the best wax ive used


Please don't take this the wrong way...

The point of the test is that "Joe Public" does not know of anywhere to buy things other than ebay and Halfords. I got that price from Halfords, which is where the price point came from.

This is also designed as a bit of fun, and not to compare waxes that are commonly found on DW.

Like i said, its not meant as a dig but all i am comparing is the 8 waxes on test.

Thanks for looking tho, and keep your eye on the thread for weekly updates :thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Hello Guys and Gals of DW - Joe Here

Just thought i would give you all an update of how my "Brilliant CHEAP waxes are going... £45 for wax indeed - Eesh!!!

All i can say is you lot must have very understanding wifes and husbands... My missus would throttle me if i spent that kind of money on something like that just to rub over the car, I'd get "Theres much more important things we could have bought with that"

I've been browsing DW and i must say i'm extremely impressed with how much time and dedication you guys put into this, give yourselves a big pat on the back!!! But i also have to say its a very friendly place, thank you for making me welcome with my little test...

ANYWAY, DOWN TO BUSINESS!!!

I started washing the car, and low and behold the heavens opened... I don't know why i bother sometimes.

Anyway, i give it a wash with my trusty bucket and cloth with that AutoGlym shampoo which i got free with Auto Express Magazine (Must say, i like it) and give the bonnet a quick rinse... Sorry, "Sheeted with an open ended hose" (Trying to get your terminology right)



















Still protected (Even my Super Resin Polish is holding up )

Anyway, heres some of your "Beading Porn" you lot love










K2:










Mean Machine & Wicked Wax:










Simoniz (Top Right) - Oooft 



















K2 Again: (pretty impressed with this)










Wicked Wax:










Wicked Vs Turtlewax










Clear Vue:










Clearvue Vs Carpride Polish Kit:










More Simoniz:










K2 Vs Autobright:










DW Product X (ALSO UNWASHED):



















The car has not had a heavy usage this week. I've been to the town a few times this week, but the car lives outside. Pollution still quite prolific, which i am expecting to have a detrimental effect on the waxes.

1 Week in and Conclusions thus far:

- They are all still there protecting (Bonus)

- Still unimpressed with mean machine and Wicked - not floating my boat!

- Simoniz the strongest at beading and sheeting, Very impressive

- K2 still quite impressive, still beading and sheeting well

- The rest still holding out but not as impressive as the other two

Again, i'll try and answer anymore questions you have...

Regards
"Joe Public"


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Wow Simoniz wax looks like a bargain gem... beads very nicely!


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> Wow Simoniz wax looks like a bargain gem... beads very nicely!


At the moment. Its the best beader, closely followed by K2.

Its pretty impressive at the moment


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm going to pop down to Tesco to see if they have any simoniz left... 

Anywhere else you know that sells this?


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> I'm going to pop down to Tesco to see if they have any simoniz left...
> 
> Anywhere else you know that sells this?


Maybe Boyes or Wilkinsons?


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Hope Tescos has some left then!


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> Hope Tescos has some left then!


Did you find any?


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Yep! 

Just bought 5 bottles... Scanned through at 60p each!!!!!! Bargain for 500ml of wax!!!!


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

pharmed said:


> Yep!
> 
> Just bought 5 bottles... Scanned through at 60p each!!!!!! Bargain for 500ml of wax!!!!


I'm hoping it holds out well then...

You can see the fallout that i have to deal with in Teesside. This is from the steelworks and Wilton International. I do live about 1/2 a mile from both and i know i do not get the durability from my waxes and sealants as you guys generally do... BUT

We will see how it goes....


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## Soul Hudson (Jul 5, 2011)

Sirmally2 said:


> I'm hoping it holds out well then...
> 
> You can see the fallout that i have to deal with in Teesside. This is from the steelworks and Wilton International. I do live about 1/2 a mile from both and i know i do not get the durability from my waxes and sealants as you guys generally do... BUT
> 
> We will see how it goes....


Don't be silly they don't do no steel work in Boro. Ha!

Forgot all about this test but glad I stumbled onto it. A very good read and looking forward to future posts.

Keep up the good work and may thanks for that hard work.


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Soul Hudson said:


> Don't be silly they don't do no steel work in Boro. Ha!


No Soul you're right, they do it outside my ruddy hoose in Redcar! Lol.

I got a few beading shots in the rain yesterday, i'll try and get them uploaded later this evening


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## Guest (Mar 10, 2013)

Good test il keep an eye on this as I'm new


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Paul.smith said:


> Good test il keep an eye on this as I'm new


Welcome to DW bud :thumb:


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Why not put a £60 to £100 wax up against it but be prepared for the fallout, will be watching your results


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Derekh929 said:


> Why not put a £60 to £100 wax up against it but be prepared for the fallout, will be watching your results


There will be alot of fallout i think... :lol:


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Sirmally2 said:


> There will be alot of fallout i think... :lol:


Comon man up:thumb:


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Derekh929 said:


> Comon man up:thumb:


When the day comes when i want to get banned, then i will. Hows that? :lol:


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## ADW111S (Aug 22, 2012)

Simoniz seems to be a winner there!
its a great idea to test all these cheaper waxes.

Nice one buddy


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

ADW111S said:


> Simoniz seems to be a winner there!
> its a great idea to test all these cheaper waxes.
> 
> Nice one buddy


It does appear to be very good at the moment... But the test is only a week in. We'll see just how durable it is 

Altho they are all beading quite well (except the wicked and mean machine) its hard to argue at the moment which one stands out


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Hello Ladies and Gentleman of DW - Joe Public Here!!!

As its been so damn miserable i've thought sod this crappy english weather and i went away. Pha! (Privilages of been old you know!) :lol:

Anyway, as we have had a short break in the snow i thought i would update verybody on how my little test is coming along.

The car has not had a wash in over a month, obviousley doe to weather and other commitments. Anyway, it is rather minging if i do say so my self, and i am very ashamed. So just for you special people i give the bonnet and onepart of the roof a quik once over so we can see how things are performing now they have been on one month:




























Back to shiney shiney:










Yes - that is the sun reflecting in the bonnet!!!!










Wicked Wax - Still very poor. I do not see whats wicked about it!










Simoniz - Still holding up well










K2: - Sheeting on par with Simoniz










Carpride Polish & Clearvue:










Simoniz top right - Turtle wax left



















"DW APPROVED PRODUCT X"










We can all safely say this is an awesome wax!

DW PRODUCT X vs WICKED WAX










K2 VS autobright










Conclusions 1 month in:

-Sheeting has slowed down on all products.
-Simoniz beading still the best
-K2 Is surprising me at its beading. Far better than wicked wax & all others bar simoniz
-All waxes bar wicked wax and mean machine seem to be holding well
-Id of removed wicked wax and mean machine by now.

Anyway - I hope to do another update at some point next week (Weather dependant)

Signing off

Joe Public

P.S - My friend has just bought Swissvax Best of Show... £195 A POT!!!! You people REALLY ARE CRAZY :doublesho


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## Chrissyronald (Jan 15, 2012)

Nice review mate :thumb:


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

Thanks for the updates


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## Focusaddict (May 31, 2010)

Where did you get the K2 from, just curious.


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

Focusaddict said:


> Where did you get the K2 from, just curious.


Ebay matey :thumb:


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## Daveskater (Jan 13, 2012)

Got to be honest, I can't see much difference between most of them, apart from the not-so-wicked wax. A good idea for a test though, and well worth trying to see if there's any decent stuff hiding on the shelves of Tesco.


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## Sirmally2 (Feb 28, 2011)

My iphone isn't the clearest... There is a very noticable difference when your stood infront of it tho


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