What is the most you will pay for a wax?

[Accumulator]

Some people are gonna see differences that others won't, and IMO a lot of it has to do with familiarity.



I can absolutely tell the difference between various LSPs on our silver Audis, and so can my wife-she spots a different LSP on hers without my saying anything and can clearly atriculate why it looks different to her (her fave is still Souveran, sorta a funny preference on a light metallic but she knows what she likes). But we've been looking at that particular paint code for many, many years and we know how we like it to look. And when you see the two identical-paint cars side-by-side you can sure see the differences between even similar LSPs- that's a great comparison to be able to make as they either look exactly the same or they don't.



OTOH, on the pewter Blazer and the carbon metallic DenaliXL I doubt I'd notice any differences unless they were pretty obvious. And on a paint that I'm not familiar with, the most I can say is whether I like how it looks or not.

 

[Clean Dean]

I notice that there a many threads on these forums related to favorite sealants and waxes and the arguably ridiculous (IMO) price tags that some of these products demand. I have been an auto detailing enthusiast for over 20 years and have detailed professionally for the past 10 years and my biggest concern when detailing a high end classic, collectible or exotic car is how the car looks after the final polishing process period. The final finish products that I prefer currently are from Menzerna and 3M. I could pretty much walk away from any customer's black car and be certain that they are happy with their vehicle after the final polish and not even put on a wax or sealant if I wanted to. Some of these cars are such garage queens they might not even need a coat of protection due to the environment it is kept in.



That being said shouldn't the final finish products enjoy these same crazy price tags and are they "missing the boat" on producing a final polish with some more expensive and exotic ingredients.



Is the day of a $2000 swirl remover just around the corner.

 

[nonsensez9]

That being said shouldn't the final finish products enjoy these same crazy price tags and are they "missing the boat" on producing a final polish with some more expensive and exotic ingredients.



Is the day of a $2000 swirl remover just around the corner.

hmmm.... you know for all those $300,000 car owners that just can't stomach anything less than a $2000 wax.... I say buy a gallon of your favorite polish, re-package it in 4 oz bottles, and sell it for a grand

 

[Banacheq]

I've had this conversation before and it really comes down to the fact that value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.



Are $800 jeans really that much better than an $80 pair? Are the materials and construction that much better? Do they fit that much better? Or is it that the buyer simply feels good wearing a $800 pair of jeans? The average Levi wearer might not realize jeans cost that much, but the prestige buyer is really holding out for the person that does recognize the brand and knows how much they cost.



Do Grado GS1000 headphones really sound that much better than the top of the line from Sennheiser or Bose that cost half as much? For the average Circuit City or Best Buy patron, a $1,000 for a pair of cans sounds ludicrous. These folks will most likely be able to tell the difference between a $100 pair of headphones and a $1,000 pair, but the $100 pair will meet their needs. It's the audiophile, or esoteric crowd, for which the Grados are made. They know that the mahogany air chamber and ultra-high purity, long crystal (UHPLC) oxygen free copper used in the voice-coils and connecting cord are contributing factors to the superior sound and sonic clarity that they just can't do without.



There are thousands of markets that are like this. And for each one there's the average user that is looking for a good product at a reasonable price. There's the prestige buyer who's really only interested in impressing others and there's the esoteric crowd that is completely obsessed with having only the best. I think most people fall into one of these categories at different times depending on what they're buying. There are exceptions of course.



Now, getting back to waxes... they're a little bit different than your average product since we're generally relying on the word of others as to the quality, durability, etc. As far as I know there's also no established authority or definitive way to test or measure them against each other. Even if there were though, many factors would still be completely subjective. Many of us may never see with our own eyes some of the highest-end waxes and for that reason we question their value.



For the most part, detailers are not the target market for these high-end waxes, which is why I think most of the folks here think the prices are just a tad nuts. I'm willing to bet however, that most of us would splurge on a tub of (enter your wax of choice) if we hit the lottery.



As for me and how much I would pay for a wax? I would go as high as $200, but only after I get something better to put it on.