Mothers Synwax - Durability?

[JeffM]

I challange all of it and ask,





What is a wax actually protecting the paint from?



Surely not from bird bombs, or water etching.



UV ? LOL i doubt it.



So what then?



I think wax makes crap easier to wash off, and keeping stuff off the paint ( wahsing) is where the paint protection really is.



But i may be wrong, and if i am, i use water beading as a guide

 

[Intercooled]

I challange all of it and ask,





What is a wax actually protecting the paint from?



Surely not from bird bombs, or water etching.



UV ? LOL i doubt it.



So what then?



I think wax makes crap easier to wash off, and keeping stuff off the paint ( wahsing) is where the paint protection really is.



But i may be wrong, and if i am, i use water beading as a guide

I agree! I use a synthetic, and the beading characteristics tell me where I'm at with my durability and when its time to apply more, or when its gone. The manufacturer of the product I use agrees with me.

 

[wannafbody]

I agree! I use a synthetic, and the beading characteristics tell me where I'm at with my durability and when its time to apply more, or when its gone. The manufacturer of the product I use agrees with me.

YES HE DOES- and that is the point. Sal claims his product works a certain way and he probably is right considering what ingredients are in his product. A MSDS sheet could certainly give an explanation. Other manufactureres make different claims. IMO I don't think they are lying but a comparison of Mothers MEGS or FK MSDS sheets vs Zaino MSDS sheets could provide clues as to differences in water beading and durability. Some of those companies provides thier MSDS sheets online-one is quite a bit more secretive(or so I've heard).

 

[wannafbody]

Hybrid(carnauba/synthetic) waxes cannot be evaluated this way, as the synthetic component can be made to bead with synthetic components that create positive surface tension, thus mimicking natural waxes. Synthetics can be made to bead by positive surface tension, to sheet by negative surface tension, or pool by creating neutral surface tension. The component that creates surface tension can diminish at a diferent rate to the protective properties.



The same is even more true of pure synthetics like FX, Reflections, NXT, Zaino, SG, UPP, etc.



So if you use a synthetic wax (sealant), IMO you'll be foolish to look at beading as your guide to durability.



As a point to consider, brand new paint will bead for months with no protection.

As an example- I read a wax test that compared P21s to Glare. The test insinuated with pictures that P21s outlasted Glare based on water beading. Never once was it stated that a synthetic polymer product could still exist on the surface even though it had poor beading charactaristics. (Most people will claim that P21s could last 4-8 weeks depending on varying conditions). If someone wants to be foolish enough to believe that P21s outlasts Glare they are free to do so but to promote that by way of a "test" is questionable at best or could be interpretted as flat out misleading based on personal agenda. This same "tester" often interpretted several polymer products as being "dead" within weeks. IMO such interpretation of water beading for polymer products is pure rubbish. As professional detailers it is good and ethical to be able to explain to a customer how a product works and what the manufacturer claims. If you have a slightly differnet opinion you can explain that to a customer as well. But if you're telling a customer that beading is a sign of protection in order to UPSELL a more expensive product and charge more for a detail then maybe you should re-evaluate your business practices.