[GoudyL]

The argument here, or at least the argument that I'm trying to make, is that the average high-end car owner probably has a good enough head on his shoulders to ask why he's paying a premium for this wax.

Most of them are not going to admit the real reason.

The opinion perpetuated by others in this thread, is something along the lines of "fools and their money.....etc.".

I just find the notion that there are people in this world who are savvy enough to earn the money to buy a high-end car are, at the same time, naive enough to judge the quality of a product based solely on it's price. It's ludicrous.

Why? There are lots of rich people who are very stupid, especially when it comes to money.

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.

More != better, especially when we are talking about a mixture containing functional ingredients.

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.

Not really, straight carnauba is hard to emulsify and won't form a level film all by itself.

As for protective coatings, a layer of carnauba wax floating on the paint has nothing on an branched polymer film that is anchored to the paint with aminosilicones.

And of course in many cases the Carnauba wax (which only costs ~$10/kg is cheaper than the highly functional silicones, polymers, and functionalised waxes that make an LSP what it is.

Demand for natural wax increases

You are fooling yourself if you think there is more than a few dollars worth of carnauba wax in a tub of Vintage. And it's probably not the most expensive ingredient in the formula either.

Finally, remember that as the wax dries, whatever ingredients are in it, will become more concentrated, so the composition of the final wax film really doesn't depend on the absolute concentratation of ingredients in the dilute product.

it's entirely possible that Zymol simply has higher operating costs than other companies.

Doubt it, and if they did, they could subcontract production to professional folks just like they do for the Z-503 Cleaner wax.

I wouldn't expect someone to detail an Enzo with Turtle Wax Ice,

Why not? If you look at the patent for TW Ice it's clearly a very advanced formulation. Very much suitable for an Enzo, or any other car worthy of it.

(WO/2007/126773) LIQUID POLISHING COMPOSITION AND KIT

* Silicone grafted carnauba wax.
* Silicone co-polymers
* Hyperbranched Poly-alpha olefin wax.
* PDMS Oils
* Amino silicone fluids
* Hydrophobic silica nanoparticles.

In the the liquid polishing compositions of the invention, the arnino-functional silicone and silicone-based wax components provide strength, durability, and water resistance to the resulting wax and silicone film after application to a surface; the poly(alpha olefin) component provides wax- like protection and promotes uniform shine and polish deposition, the volatile silicone component provides ease of application and helps control drying time; while the petroleum-based carrier provides chemical cleaning, controls the deposition of the various ingredients of the composition, and provides for easy removal of excess polishing composition.

To be perfectly honest, I would gladly bet a TW Ice Paste polishing kit, vs Lucite Cube of Zymol Vintage that given equal surface preparation, a car polished with properly applied TW Ice paste (e.g Applied, hazed, and then sprayed with Ice QD before buffing) would either not be distinguished from or even preferred to Zymol Vintage by a blind panel of judges.