3M Performance Finish, 3M Perfect-It Wax (Paste), or Both?

A

ajwan

New member
Hi all,



Is there an advantage in using one or over the other? Or should I be using both (i.e. Performance Finish first followed by the wax)? Which one is more durable? I'm primarily concerned with durability as it rains 8 months of the year here in Vancouver, BC. The other 4 months are either full of pollen, cottonwood seeds, or dust from a summer drought.



Also, notice that both, particularly the Performance Finish, have a lot of silicones in their formulation. As everyone knows, silicon-based waxes and sealants have gotten a bad rap from body shops. If 3M has such a good reputation, why would they put out silicone-based products?



Here's the composition of the Performance Finish (Shop 3M: 3M Performance Finish, 39030, 16 oz



Ingredient C.A.S. No. % by Wt

WATER 7732-18-5 40-70%

DECAMETHYLCYCLOPENTASILOXANE 541-02-6 5-15%

DODECAMETHYLCYCLOHEXASILOXANE 540-97-6 1-10%

HYDROTREATED LIGHT PETROLEUM DISTILLATES 64742-47-8 3-7%

ALUMINUM SILICATE CLAY 66402-68-4 3-7%

SILOXANES AND SILICONES 71750-80-6 1-5%

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 67-63-0 1-5%

STODDARD SOLVENT 8052-41-3 <3%

NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM), HYDRODESULFURIZED HEAVY 64742-82-1 <3%

SILOXANES AND SILICONES 69430-37-1 0.1-1.0%



And here's the composition of the Perfect-it Wax (Paste)(Shop 3M: 3M Perfect-it Show Car Paste Wax, 39526, 10.5 oz Net Wt

Ingredient C.A.S. No. % by Wt

HYDROTREATED HEAVY NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM) 64742-48-9 15-40%

HYDROTREATED LIGHT PETROLEUM DISTILLATES 64742-47-8 15-40%

CARNAUBA WAX 8015-86-9 10-30%

Siloxanes and Silicones, di-Me 63148-62-9 7-13%

MONTAN WAX 68476-03-9 3-7%

SYNTHETIC HYDROCARBON MIXTURE (NJRTK # 80100348-5009P) Trade Secret 1-%5

SILANE POLYMER WITH SILOXANES Trade Secret 0.5-1.5%



I'd appreciate some advice.



Thanks,

AW
 
While I haven't had a chance to do any durability tests with 3M Perfect-It Paste Wax, I have used 3M Performance Finish quite a bit since it came out, and its durability continues to impress me. I've had it outlast Duragloss 105 and Collinite 476S on a car that sat outside and got rained on nearly every day. I won't say how long it will last on your car, since that is entirely subjective, but I would expect at least a couple months through somewhat harsh conditions. To me, that's impressive because most products won't make it past 1 month on a car sitting outside everyday through a south Florida summer.
 
The paste wax is pretty durable...silicon is not bad at all in the consumer market. It is only bad in body shops that do paint work as it can cause fish eyes, but it does nothing at all to fully cured paints and should not be looked down on.
 
The reason I have concerns with silicone is because of the bad rap *ehem* Nu Finish has garnered, which I believe, is also silicone-based.
 
A lot of products contain silicone. It will not harm cured paint in any way. Keep in mind there are different types of silicones, and I'm no chemist, but I'll venture to say that 3M would not put out these products if they harmed paint.
 
Can't seem to access the link due to some restriction. Was the link some sort of a head-to-head shootout between sealants/waxes?
 
That 3M wax sounds very similar to the older version of their Showcar Paste Wax, which I was always quite happy with. That stuff does *NOT* contain the "nasty" silicones that can be so hard to get off/out of paint; it cleans off fine when body/paint work needs to be done.
 
I did a comparo with Klasse SG/Performance Finish last year and thought it was has durable and had a little nicer look to it.



Much easier to apply and remove. Quality product.



x2 coats fwiw :woot:



Top it with DG AW occasionally and your set.......



I just wished I would of stocked up when Walmart had it on clearance for $10.
 
The reality is, none of these results mean anything to us that regularly wax/seal their cars. I could never even imagine going 6 months without waxing my car. I'm sure most Autopians feel the same way. It *is* a fascinating test, though.
 
mborner said:
The reality is, none of these results mean anything to us that regularly wax/seal their cars. I could never even imagine going 6 months without waxing my car. I'm sure most Autopians feel the same way. It *is* a fascinating test, though.
Click to expand...



I would beg to differ, that is, depending on where you live. Here in Vancouver, BC, you seldom ever get a chance to wash and wax your car from November to April due to the winter rains/snow. I would imagine the same would be for everyone else living in Canada and the northern half of the USA!!



In this case it's almost imperative that the longest-lasting and most durable wax/sealant be found and used, hence my query. :)
 
yea, sorry about the link. the one someone else posted is the one i was trying to give a link for. 3m performance is some seriously durable stuff. i stocked up on it for real cheap a few months ago, and im glad i did.
 
mborner said:
The reality is, none of these results mean anything to us that regularly wax/seal their cars. I could never even imagine going 6 months without waxing my car. I'm sure most Autopians feel the same way..
Click to expand...



Heh heh, guess it might just be more of my Autopian Heresy, but I go as long as possible without redoing my vehicles, and the way some LSPs can last for many months means a lot to me.



E.G., for me, the best approach for the dog-haulers is to pull each one off the road for a while, layer up a looong period's worth of protection, and then just wash until I notice some marring I can't live with.



I do the frequent LSPing on my garage queens, and to me it's simply a drag.
 
my customers appreciate having something that lasts on their cars too. so knowing what last and what doesnt can be the difference between having a return customer, or not.
 
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