roscopervis
New member
A word of caution regarding paste waxes and application in colder temperatures - I recently did a test of 8 waxes to see how well they held up against multiple hits of Bilt Hamber Autofoam. I expected that most of them would do around 15-30 hits with the Autofoam at 4% or 1/25. The 8 waxes ( one of which was Collinite 915, another was FK1000P, others were durable waxes) were applied to a fully prepped panel (hood) and given a long time on the panel to cure, removed when they swiped clean or, in the case of some after a generous time as they don`t swipe clean.
They all failed after 3 hits! This caused quite the consternation over here. Many think that Bilt Hamber Autofoam (an alkaline snowfoam/TFR) strips LSP`s so I was investigating this. However, what I have since learnt, is that the paste waxes - all of them, didn`t like being applied in the fairly cold (4 deg Celcius) conditions, even given a very long time on the panel before removal.
Separately, I applied one of the waxes to the hood (again prepped fully) side by side, with 2 spray sealants (one being TW SnS) in the same coldish conditions and again it failed after 3 hits whereas the spray sealants shrugged off the Autofoam. I know that this shouldn`t happen so I then run the engine so the hood became warm and repeated the test. Not only did the paste wax apply and remove much more nicely and cured to remove cleanly much quicker, upon testing, it also sailed through 3 hits of Autofoam as it should, and now continues to perform on the car in that test which has now turned into a longer term analysis.
What I`m saying is that if you want to use paste waxes, then if it is cold, it will need a very long time on the panel before it cures properly. What I don`t know is what temperature suits each wax. Also, spray sealants are much more forgiving in this regard, though (as everyone should know) do require a fully clean base to bond with, whereas paste waxes often don`t and are more forgiving in that regard.
Out of those mentioned, I`d opt for Sonax PNS topped with BSD. Easy to apply and maintain plus provides top tier water beading behaviour. However, I do know that these are two products that are disproportinately affected by high and low pH products such as alkaline snowfoams and TFR`s so are best preserved with gentle products.
They all failed after 3 hits! This caused quite the consternation over here. Many think that Bilt Hamber Autofoam (an alkaline snowfoam/TFR) strips LSP`s so I was investigating this. However, what I have since learnt, is that the paste waxes - all of them, didn`t like being applied in the fairly cold (4 deg Celcius) conditions, even given a very long time on the panel before removal.
Separately, I applied one of the waxes to the hood (again prepped fully) side by side, with 2 spray sealants (one being TW SnS) in the same coldish conditions and again it failed after 3 hits whereas the spray sealants shrugged off the Autofoam. I know that this shouldn`t happen so I then run the engine so the hood became warm and repeated the test. Not only did the paste wax apply and remove much more nicely and cured to remove cleanly much quicker, upon testing, it also sailed through 3 hits of Autofoam as it should, and now continues to perform on the car in that test which has now turned into a longer term analysis.
What I`m saying is that if you want to use paste waxes, then if it is cold, it will need a very long time on the panel before it cures properly. What I don`t know is what temperature suits each wax. Also, spray sealants are much more forgiving in this regard, though (as everyone should know) do require a fully clean base to bond with, whereas paste waxes often don`t and are more forgiving in that regard.
Out of those mentioned, I`d opt for Sonax PNS topped with BSD. Easy to apply and maintain plus provides top tier water beading behaviour. However, I do know that these are two products that are disproportinately affected by high and low pH products such as alkaline snowfoams and TFR`s so are best preserved with gentle products.
