# Meguiars Gold Class revived for 2012



## Nick_Zee (Oct 29, 2011)

I have to say I was a bit surprised by Meguiars' 2012 new releases. After years of mega hyped "next generation" products and "Ultimate" products, Meguiars has gone retro and revived its all-but-dead Gold Class range. There is now a new spray wax topper and a quick detailer, both with darkening properties. This follows on from the reformulated Gold Class wax in 2010, which registered the first surprising beap on the life support machine that Gold Class had been on for many years. 

I thought Gold Class was heading for the dust bin of detailing history to make room for the fully synthetic Ultimate range. But Meguiars seem to have decided that it needs Gold Class to retain a presence in the carnauba based wax market. It may also be a sign that the Ultimate range is struggling. A lot of Meguiars fans have snubbed the Ultimate range for no particular reason other than the fact that they wish to remain in the Gold Class or NXT "camps". You only have to spend some time on the Meguiars forums to notice the tribal nature of support for products pre-dating the Ultimate range.

Meguiars launched Gold Class in the 90's to be its flagship carnauba-based wax, differentiating it from its other carnauba based waxes by adding a high portion of glazing oils and some mild cleaning ability. The idea was that the glazing oils would add gloss and produce a darkening effect normally associated with Meguiars Show Car Glaze. There'd no longer be a need to glaze and wax separately. But the glazing oils caused Gold Class' most talked about shortcoming - durability.

I must admit that Gold Class got me started in detailing. I quickly moved onto other products, but my bottle of Gold Class occassionally gets dragged out to revive those "memories". It still remains one of the most enjoyable waxes to work with because of its refined texture and the way it spreads. 

I think I might grab a bottle of the reformulated wax now that it has a matching spray wax topper and QD. It ain't a bad wax on dark colours and its ease of use, refinement and scent make it oddly alluring.


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## robtech (Jan 17, 2011)

just tried there new ultimate wax and thought it was rubbish .too thick hard to apply and a pig to buff off..ive really gone off a lot of megs stuff lately.


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## maestegman (Mar 3, 2011)

Not a huge Megs fan but I must say that Gold Class Shampoo and NXT Glass Cleaner are very decent products IMO.


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## Kokopelli (Sep 18, 2009)

These are nice advancements in product lines, I think. Gold Class offers Carnauba, while Ultimate range is mainly sealant based. They usually a choice of taste so I think Megs made a right move in reviving the Gold Class range and adding QD, topper wax and more to make it a more complete one. I really think of getting the new Carnauba based spray wax and the QD that offers a boost in colors. Like I'll get waterless wash spray in the Ultimate range, too.


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## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

Let's not forget Meguiars is a huge company over in the states and has been for years and years, they have many loyal fans & followers to cater for. I'm still a fan, use allot of their stuff and have done since before any UK launch. Though i have moved on to other waxes for my own cars which i prefer. Cleaner Wax and Gold Glass will always sell in massive numbers in the states, in a similar way to how we all know our fave Autoglym products


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## Tazz (Aug 23, 2010)

somebody say the word Meguiars? lol

if its good enough for california, its good enough for the uk

as mentioned, megs has such a huge range (twice as big in the US) but they simply cant import everything over here, deep crystal shampoo? nxt gen insane tire shine? hot rims alloy wheel cleaner?

but the products that are over here, can cater for everyone and everything, every range has its strengths and weaknesses, deep crystal, nxt gen, gold class, ultimate, detailer and even mirror glaze, although im interested to know what the next range will be

they have the best quik detailers on the market (6 to choose from), as well as a choice of amazing shampoos, a great tyre shine that out last most as its not a spray, its a gel, and as for polish, everyone raves about ag srp, but megs have a product exactly the same, ultimate compound, to which i use and think its great, although you need to be prepared to really work with it

ill defend megs to the hilt as its this thats got me into car detailing, before hand i used to use turtlewax shampoo, a sponge, a natural chamois, t-cut and an old t-shirt!!

its autoglym i find outdated and trying to play catch up with companies, the only decent products are srp and fast glass


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

robtech said:


> just tried there new ultimate wax and thought it was rubbish .too thick hard to apply and a pig to buff off..ive really gone off a lot of megs stuff lately.


User error??


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## Kokopelli (Sep 18, 2009)

bigmc said:


> User error??


This can happen. Like I also found Autoglym's UDS a pain in the ... product to use, but everybody talks how easy it is.

Maybe it is lack of the sun, while they usually have a hot ball in the sky in California.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Kokopelli said:


> This can happen. Like I also found Autoglym's UDS a pain in the ... product to use, but everybody talks how easy it is.
> 
> Maybe it is lack of the sun, while they usually have a hot ball in the sky in California.


This DOES happen, too much, people use too much of a product then complain it's dusty, hard to buff off etc.


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

While I am a big fan of Gtechniq, Carpro and Wolf's I am also a big fan of Meguiars and really like some of the Ulitimate and NXT range and they have a place on my shelf and always will


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

bigmc said:


> This DOES happen, too much, people use too much of a product then complain it's dusty, hard to buff off etc.


very true, can't always blame the product, when i tried the megs ultimate polish and paste wax on a mates car earlier this year i found it fairly easy going in all honesty:thumb:
Although the products didn't wow me enough to keep them, sold them to the guy whos car i did with them


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## DMS (May 4, 2011)

I started out with a few AG products but quickly moved onto Meguiars.

The Ultimate wax only needs a very slight touch from the applicator and that'll cover a whole panel.


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## sidewalkdances (Apr 19, 2007)

Megs fills a great hole in the market IMO - the Halfords/car shop ranges are great for when you need a decent product without having to wait in for it. Stuff like the Hot Rims Wheel Cleaner, NXT Spray Wax (lasted almost a year on my sisters 206 daily driver), Endurance Tyre Gel. I used to give my car a couple of coats of Cleaner Wax and it was a solid, middle of the road wax. Same if I run out of clay/drop a bar - I can run up the road and buy a decent clay bar. 

Then you have the gallons which are a cornerstone of many details for pro's and enthusiasts alike. Bits like APC, Super Degreaser and Hyper Wash are fantastic VFM.


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## country boy (Feb 21, 2011)

I've always really rated the NXT 2 wax and have used Gold Class in the past. I notice though that they both claim to contain some cleaners so does this mean they'll clean off whatever is underneath them i.e Blackhole,SRP etc?? I'd like to try Gold Class again but i really like to use a glae under my LSP.


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## Kokopelli (Sep 18, 2009)

Meguiars consumer series waxes usually glaze by themselves so there may not be a need for this but would like to hear the reply too.


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## Brooklands (Jun 12, 2010)

I really love Megs products. My faves are ultimate compound (but you are right you really need to work it, worth it though!), ultimate quik wax, endurance gel and Gold class shampoo.


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

only product i like of meguiars retail range is the gold class US Galon of shampoo

few trade products are good but overpriced


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Meguiars are class products, no product in there line has ever failed to impress me, i absolutely love meguiars and autoglym.

These are the two brands i get on with, plus farecla have impressed me alot this year, there retail range.


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## Nick_Zee (Oct 29, 2011)

country boy said:


> I notice though that they both claim to contain some cleaners so does this mean they'll clean off whatever is underneath them i.e Blackhole,SRP etc?? I'd like to try Gold Class again but i really like to use a glae under my LSP.


There's no testing to determine this issue. Nobody knows how Meguiars consumer waxes and sealants work with glazes made by other manufacturers, but you would guess the mild cleaners would have some impact. But Meguiars own glazing oils are designed to work well under NXT 2.0, while Gold Class has its own glazing oils and does not need a glaze underneath.

The performance of the cleaners depends on whether you apply gently by hand or thoroughly by machine. The cleaners are gentle and are meant to pick up lightly ingrained dirt that regular shampoo does not remove. But the cleaners are not as strong as a true cleaner/wax and nowhere near as strong as what you would find in a stand-alone paint cleanser. The idea is to help consumers achieve better bonding to the surface without having to know a whole heap about detailing.

A lot of people find Meguiars waxes applied by machine perform better. The reason is simply because the cleaners are fully activated when applied by machine.


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## Nick_Zee (Oct 29, 2011)

Kokopelli said:


> Meguiars consumer series waxes usually glaze by themselves so there may not be a need for this but would like to hear the reply too.


Only Gold Class has glazing oils in it. Hence why it has the kudos as the flagship carnauba based wax in the Meguiars range.


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## Mike k (Oct 14, 2011)

I swear by the gold class shampoo, so waxy and beads up really well. 

The tyre shine stuff is amazing too. Last for weeks


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Mike k said:


> I swear by the gold class shampoo, so waxy and beads up really well.
> 
> The tyre shine stuff is amazing too. Last for weeks


Gold class shampoo, i love this stuff as well, i love the smell of the product, its a very good shampoo.


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Must admit some of the megs is still present in the detailing bag, muchly so the nxt metal cleaner,glass cleaner and the quick wheel detailer!... thought the ultimate polish was good especially at the price.


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## Nick_Zee (Oct 29, 2011)

NXT All Metal Polysh (yes, that is the correct spelling!) is quite good in the sense that it has very strong chemical cleaners and leaves behind sealant protection and rust inhibitors. Its basically an AIO for metal surfaces, which is not that easy to find. 

Still sold in a 1990s-style green and blue pot (even though it was actually released in 2004).


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## Mike k (Oct 14, 2011)

I do find though as an all rounder ag srp cant be beaten. Leaves a nice feeling finish, is brilliant even on plastics like lights, good on glass but obviously Dont do outside of front screen, and any bit of tar on bodywork just rub bit harder and off it comes.

I find meguiars u have to get all the different cleaners for all the seperate jobs like any tar etc.


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## Tazz (Aug 23, 2010)

both meguiars and autoglym make a spray tar remover, megs is part of the GC range

both meguiars and autoglym make a light abrasive and filler polish in ultimate compound and super resin polish

both meguiars and autoglym make a great glass cleaner in nxt gen and fast glass

imo, all these products reflect in the same performance, so its just individual support on which side of the fence you sit

however, meguiars is miles ahead with tyre shine, endurance, with the ag tyre shine absolutely awful

the ultimate wash and wax is a great shampoo, however ill be trying thr GC next, then probably go back to the wash and wax


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