[CocheseUGA]

Originally Posted by Less

Hopefully this is my last post in this thread. I'll try to answer the above question.

1) Highest carnauba content by volume
2) Highest grade (No. 1) carnauba
3) Free refills for life
4) Seemingly superior customer service (thanks MDRX8 for sharing your experience)
5) Extremely nice packaging
6) Dozens of other ingredients that don't seem to be found in other waxes. It's not clear to me what exactly these are for. Perhaps all they do is make the wax smell nice. who knows. But if I were in the market for a $2K wax, I would certainly ask the question.

Now, some, or possibly all of these things may not mean much to YOU. But that doesn't mean that that they aren't important to SOMEONE.

Going further (Warning: blatant speculation ahead), it's entirely possible that Zymol simply has higher operating costs than other companies. I'm guessing from MDRX8's experiences that it's probably that Zymol mixes up a tub of Vintage in very small batches, or possibly even individually. This means that the costs of materials and manufacturing setups gets spread over a much smaller number of units. It's not like Mother's or Meguiars where they're manufacturing tens of thousands of units at a time ready for immediate distribution to stores worldwide.

As mentioned, Zymol markets their product very well. This also costs money and is therefore calculated into the price.

And even if everything i just mentioned is complete mumbo-jumbo, you can't deny that their marketing and presentation of their product is superb. Imagine this example: Two restaurants serve the same T-bone steak. One is served to you in a quiet booth by a finely dressed waiter, on expensive china. The other serves your steak on a chipped piece of farberware, by a sweaty guy named Murray wearing a stained white tank-top. Can you REALLY say that one is no better than the other? If you don't care about ambiance, atmosphere, professionalism, or cleanliness, then sure, you can say that both steaks are exactly the same. But if you DO care about those things, then they obviously have value to you, and the restaurant has every right to charge you for it.

Honestly, it sounds like the marketing has done a good job on you. I still haven't heard a compelling argument (besides the refills, which I've already commented on) as to why I should buy it. You said yourself, the person who wants it on their car should ask what's in it for them. I'm pretending to be that person, and I haven't found a satisfactory answer.

Originally Posted by Less

Marketing is NOT the only answer. I've posted a few just a moment ago before I saw your post.

I think if you re-read what I've posted you'll see that there IS a difference between the $100-$300 waxes and the $2000 wax.

Besides $1700, what exactly? The packaging? The DuPont Registry ads? As a consumer who is considering having this put on my car, neither one matters to me.

Originally Posted by Less

I'm not a math major, but I'm pretty sure that 61 is more than 50. And usually more of something, means it's better.

next time you go to the drugstore, pick up a bottle of Nyquil. Take a look at the active ingredients. Notice the one that says "Cough Suppressant" and note how much it contains.

Then pick up a bottle of Delsym, and notice how much of that same ingredient it contains.

next time you have a cold, try both and see which one stifles your cough better.

Do the same thing with Halls cough drops. Notice how much menthol-lyptus is in the cherry flavored compared to the ice blue flavor. Try 'em both and see which eases your symptoms better.

Now, if carnauba wax is what protects paint from contaminants, water spots, etching, bird crap, etc. It seems logical that more carnauba means a more protective coating.

If you're still not convinced, go buy a gallon of Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint. Then go buy a gallon of Behr paint from home depot. Do a side by side comparison. There is NO DOUBT that the more expensive brand uses higher quality ingredients and covers better.

More isn't always better. Working in healthcare, I see it every day. And simply having more carnuba doesn't, or shouldn't, sell wax. At what point do you start getting diminishing returns? Is there a point where more is worse?

Originally Posted by Less

General Mills Honey nut cheerios taste better than store-brand Tasty-O's

I could go on like this forever. Sometimes there is such a thing as HIGHER QUALITY. And a company that manufactures higher quality would be a fool not to charge for it.

I find it interesting how some people can try to put a cap on how much a wax should cost. As if there is some arbitrary limit where the added quality and cost stop yielding better results.

I'm not saying that Zymol isn't overpriced. I really don't know enough about their operation, or their manufacturing costs. But I am just saying that if it were REALLY an extra $1700 JUST for a swanky box and some sexy marketing, they wouldn't sell a single unit.

I don't doubt that some of the inflated cost is simply "status" and "perceived value". But you can't put a number on that, and neither can I.

You don't work for Zymol. You don't know how they make their product. you don't know what goes into it. And you don't know what it does to paint on a microscopic level. So to sit there and claim that Fuzion, Supernatural, and Souveran are equal is completely naive.

I think alot of the anti-zymol sentiments here are motivated by jealousy.

It's all opinion. When someone is charging an extra $250 on top of a $1000 job, then I would make less of an argument. Although, it should really be about the quality of the detailer and less about the components. I'd go to the guy who got more out of less, but that's just me.

I wouldn't expect someone to detail an Enzo with Turtle Wax Ice, but there comes a point where you just spend money to say you're spending it. And, IMO (because I don't work for them and neither does anyone else here), I think there's a good bit of that in play here.

As for the claim about not being able to sell a single unit just by putting it a shiny case and marking it up, someone missed all the GM products from the 80s and 90s. It works, and more than you think.

And I'm looking forward to more hands-on reviews as well. Refills for life sounds great, but if it's limited to personal use, are you ever going to get it refilled?