Wax experiment!!!!!
09-12-2007, 02:40 AM
#16
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The pads are 7.5" LC CCS pads......of course a 4" pad is ideal, since it is much more focused....but would take forever to finish the whole car?
The 7.5 CCS pads do correct pretty good on my Acura (clear coat)....its just the paint on these cars is old school solvent based single stage.....really hard stuff!
I do think I will end up with a rotary in the near future..& will test it on this hood!
The 7.5 CCS pads do correct pretty good on my Acura (clear coat)....its just the paint on these cars is old school solvent based single stage.....really hard stuff!
I do think I will end up with a rotary in the near future..& will test it on this hood!
09-12-2007, 10:31 AM
#17
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I noticed the Optimum side not beading uniformly as well. The rejex and trade secret side is beading much more uniform in size and shape. The more round the bead, the greater the protection. This is due to surface tension. From wikipedia, "Beading of rain water on the surface of a waxed automobile. Water adheres weakly to wax and strongly to itself, so water clusters into drops. Surface tension gives them their near-spherical shape, because a sphere has the smallest possible surface area to volume ratio." Did you apply the optimum correctly or is it the product that's not performing compared to the other two. Just curious; I've heard a lot about optimum but based on your test, can't say the result is impressive protection wise.
09-12-2007, 11:31 AM
#18
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Larger beads means larger adhesion surface means higher adhesion means less effective product. Smaller beads means greater repulsion means better product.
09-12-2007, 02:07 PM
#20
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Excellent experiment!!
I find that Poli Seal also doesn't bead well at all. I guess all the Optimum seals use different chemicals, causing more sheeting than beading? I might switch to Rejex next go around. I like beading and easy drying!
I find that Poli Seal also doesn't bead well at all. I guess all the Optimum seals use different chemicals, causing more sheeting than beading? I might switch to Rejex next go around. I like beading and easy drying!
09-13-2007, 06:15 PM
#21
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Moe-H
I think part of the reason is the side with Optimum products was slightly more downhill due to the angle of the sidewalk and slope of the not exactly square hood.....
I plan on putting it in my backyard exposed to the weather and sprinklers starting tomorrow...Too keep it fair I will rotate the hood once a week to make sure the sprinklers get all areas evenly (bumper down for a week then bumper up...repeated)....I figure in a month it will be very telling how much "protection" is left....water test will be interesting then!
Anyone that is local is more than welcome to come over and offer their opinions.....I actually prefer 2nd opinions to make sure I am not biased for or against any of the products.... To be honest Rejex has impressed me the most.....it still is the slickest of the bunch...
I think part of the reason is the side with Optimum products was slightly more downhill due to the angle of the sidewalk and slope of the not exactly square hood.....
I plan on putting it in my backyard exposed to the weather and sprinklers starting tomorrow...Too keep it fair I will rotate the hood once a week to make sure the sprinklers get all areas evenly (bumper down for a week then bumper up...repeated)....I figure in a month it will be very telling how much "protection" is left....water test will be interesting then!
Anyone that is local is more than welcome to come over and offer their opinions.....I actually prefer 2nd opinions to make sure I am not biased for or against any of the products.... To be honest Rejex has impressed me the most.....it still is the slickest of the bunch...
09-14-2007, 04:05 PM
#22
would have loved to have seen this with a cheap over the counter product like Turtle Wax, Meguiar's or Mothers.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
09-14-2007, 04:54 PM
#23
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would have loved to have seen this with a cheap over the counter product like Turtle Wax, Meguiar's or Mothers.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
09-14-2007, 09:08 PM
#24
Race Director
Thread Starter
would have loved to have seen this with a cheap over the counter product like Turtle Wax, Meguiar's or Mothers.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
I have long had a suspicion that boutique brands and OTC brands do nearly an identical job in the short term. Since most enthusiasts detail often long term results are almost irrelvant as the car is never left untouched for long periods.
09-17-2007, 05:33 PM
#25
That would be great because I have a standing $5 challenge to any enthusiasts who can distinguish between identically prep'd cars finished with either Zaino, Klasse, Poorboys, etc. or the mass produced stuff. I'm of the opine that it would take a very very trained detailer to spot one acrylic vs. another acrylic, one carnauba vs another carnauba brand, etc. The only justification for spending more is that the boutique brands tend be more concentrated requiring less product and less elbow grease. But with good prep the cheap stuff will give you an nealry identical shine.
The only areas where I see a difference between cheap and expensive are with certain swirl removers.
The only areas where I see a difference between cheap and expensive are with certain swirl removers.
09-17-2007, 06:18 PM
#26
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Perfectlap your experience is your world 
No issues, as for me I have seen Rejex for many months protect the shine on my car, despite rain and dust. In fact those spots wash off really easily after a treatment with Rejex. I know it sounds like an ad ... but, this is my experience. Yes others do similar ... but they do not last. I am lazy when it comes to washing the car. Once every few months is about right. I have so many cars, it would take me a week to wash them and I'd rather be driving them.
No issues, as for me I have seen Rejex for many months protect the shine on my car, despite rain and dust. In fact those spots wash off really easily after a treatment with Rejex. I know it sounds like an ad ... but, this is my experience. Yes others do similar ... but they do not last. I am lazy when it comes to washing the car. Once every few months is about right. I have so many cars, it would take me a week to wash them and I'd rather be driving them.
09-17-2007, 07:30 PM
#27
Rejex is a quality product produces an excellent shine and leaves a smooth surface. Although I find other products buff away with less dusting and remnants than Rejex.
You may not wash often but I on the other hand have my parked outside 100% of the time so it gets washed more often then a garage queen. I have put all these brands boutique and mass produced to the durability test, you name it I have tired it in the last 10 years. I rarely order the same bottle twice with rare exceptions. What I have found is that the less you wash the car the longer the shine and beading. If you use a less invasive cleaning regiment with something like a waterless wash (Optimum No Rinse, QEW, PB's) the durability won't be affected as much. The use of anti-static sprays has been the big development for me. No matter what brand of wax/sealant I'm using these sprays will significantly extent the life of the waxes and minimize the paint taking on soot/dust, particularly if you use carnaubas for layering.
Another thing I have noticed is that many newbies who buy the over the counter products tend to wash the car in tunnel washes which the diluted over the counter can's stand up to as well. When the newbie then moves onto a more concetrated product like Zaino for instance he/she will think twice about driving the car through those automatic car washes and instead do much of the washing themselves or go to higher end car wash where its done by hand.
So my point is that its not really the product that are more less durable but the practices of the car owner that tend to affect durability. And as I said before as far as shine is concerned there is little or no difference in results between brands if the prep is the same.
You may not wash often but I on the other hand have my parked outside 100% of the time so it gets washed more often then a garage queen. I have put all these brands boutique and mass produced to the durability test, you name it I have tired it in the last 10 years. I rarely order the same bottle twice with rare exceptions. What I have found is that the less you wash the car the longer the shine and beading. If you use a less invasive cleaning regiment with something like a waterless wash (Optimum No Rinse, QEW, PB's) the durability won't be affected as much. The use of anti-static sprays has been the big development for me. No matter what brand of wax/sealant I'm using these sprays will significantly extent the life of the waxes and minimize the paint taking on soot/dust, particularly if you use carnaubas for layering.
Another thing I have noticed is that many newbies who buy the over the counter products tend to wash the car in tunnel washes which the diluted over the counter can's stand up to as well. When the newbie then moves onto a more concetrated product like Zaino for instance he/she will think twice about driving the car through those automatic car washes and instead do much of the washing themselves or go to higher end car wash where its done by hand.
So my point is that its not really the product that are more less durable but the practices of the car owner that tend to affect durability. And as I said before as far as shine is concerned there is little or no difference in results between brands if the prep is the same.
09-19-2007, 01:27 AM
#28
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Hose down the hood with some really hard water, let it dry. Then report back which one had the easiest to remove water spots.
10-01-2007, 05:11 PM
#30
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Thread Starter
Its currently outside in the weather and sprinklers for a couple weeks now....generally it looks pretty damm good.....the touch test still has rejex winning by a mile..& surprisingly trade secret seems pretty good too.... I'll have pics in the next few days!