Why is #16 so good again?

Z

zimmerDN

New member
Or is it all hype? I wasn't here when this product was widely discussed and I couldn't find much about it when I searched. Why did it end production (some kind of regulation compliance conflict right)?
 
Good old Megs #16 fell victim to VOC regulations.

Theres about four pages of information in the Product Reviews section.



I liked it, went on easy as S100 but was a little harder to remove. Didn't shine like S100 but lasted longer. I'm not sure of what wax now avalible is the most like #16. Meguires said its #26 but I didn't find that to be true.
 
I was never a great fan, but for a carunuba it is meant to be quite durable. It is quite a heavy wax, something like Blitz would compare in that way. I find Nattys Blue quite a like in consistancy and use.
 
So is it a sealant wax or just a topper. If it is a sealant how long would it typically last? I want something that will last for the winter time but I have a dark color cars and depth and wet look is most important next to durability. So Klasse is out of the question already.
 
I don't miss it at all. I bought it three different times in the last couple years, trying to figure out what the excitement was all about. For me, it's just another wax. It's mostly notable for smelling like crayons and being blue. It has less depth and more reflection than most carnaubas, but it is very good with the jetting/gloss (wetness). Comparable products that I've used are Deep Crystal Step3, Natty's, S100, Mother's Cal Gold Natural Formula.



As a matter of fact, The Mother's Cal Gold Natural is almost a dead ringer in appearance and is easier to use, but is a butternut color and smells like bubble gum.



If you mean by "sealant wax" is it a synthetic polymer, no. It is a pure wax with no cleaning ability. It will seal in the same way any wax does. By "topper" do you mean will it layer, or will it NOT remove a previous product? It has no cleaning ability and other than the natural solvents that make it workable. It won't "clean" previous products away like perhaps Meguiar's ColorX would. So, within a system that accepts the belief that you can layer products for effect, then #16 would be a topper, and also a sealant wax (because all final protective products "seal" to some extent).



For a dark car with a premium on depth and wetness, #26 is a far better choice. Your black car will look like a pool of oil, like a tar pit. Start with #81 (clearcoat) or #7 (single stage) and finish with #26 paste. Go really really thin with the #26 (or the #16 if you use it), the stuff can get hard to remove when it's too thick.





Tom
 
zimmerDN said:
So is it a sealant wax or just a topper?
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ZimmerDN, I noticed in one of your other threads you seem to be a little confused over the terms "sealant" and "wax". As Mosca alluded to, a wax IS a "sealant", the term sealant was coined to denote a difference between a natural product, made from plant waxes, beeswax, etc., and a synthetic (polymer) product. They are all LSP's (Last Step Products). Some waxes are considered to be more "beauty" products, due to their limited durability; I guess that is what you are referring to as a "topper".
 
I think it is all hype actually. I've been getting better results with Blue Nattys.



A lot of people have nostalgia for the product.
 
In my opinion #16 offers a very good balance. It is not the best at any one thing, it is not the wettest looking, not the "most" durable, and not the easiest to apply. But it does offer a fairly wet look, as well as pretty decent durability(better than alot of carnauba's), and when applied thinnnnnnn, it is fairly easy to use. I think that #16's ability to do alot of things well, made it a favorite for some people. I really like using #16 when I know that I have a bunch of projects coming up and I won't have time to do more than just wash the cars for awhile. I know that the wax will hold up and look good for a couple of months.
 
BillyBarou said:
I think it is all hype actually. I've been getting better results with Blue Nattys.



A lot of people have nostalgia for the product.
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50 year old product vs. few months old product.



It's a very durable paste that was available at a low price and easily found. #16 has durability that's right up there with a lot of sealants costing much more and made with "new" technology.
 
I'm still using it, bought enough to last me this lifetime and then some.



I think it is all hype actually..A lot of people have nostalgia for the product.
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I'm probably in that camp. But it's not like anybody ever looked at the A8 and thought I should be using a different LSP on it. Even when the A8 is parked beside the S8, the #16 might look "different" but it doesn't look *deficient*. Note that before it got phased out (in the US), a *lot* of pros used it. They weren't using it for the smell or the nostalgia, they used it because it gave then what they wanted.



I like how it looks on silver and a few other colors too. I *REALLY* like how it works and I'm very familiar with it, having used it since I was a kid in the '60s (my family started using it when it first came out)- there's that "nostalgie factor" :D It lasts a long time, doesn't stain trim, and I like the way it's "self cleaning" in the rain. I like the beading characteristics and the "heavy wax effect" that's forgiving on an imperfect finish.



What *don't* I like about it? It's not as slick as UPP and it doesn't give great depth like Souveran. It doesn't "darken" a finish the way #24 or even BF will. And it doesn't last like KSG or Collinite. So I'll use some of those products on vehicles where those characteristics are important.



Not saying there aren't better products out there (and I only use #16 on one of our vehicles these days), but it works well for me and I like using it. IMO it's all about enjoying this stuff and I enjoy using #16.
 
#16 looks great on light colored cars (very nice glow at nite) and has lasted me up to 3 1/2 month in this HOT South Florida heat. It's cheap and last a long time becuase it goes on so thin, I see my 4 tins as an investment. It looks great works perfect for me so there is no need for me to buy any carnuba (unless I want to experiment) for the next 40 years literaly.
 
Modern carnaubas do have advantages....there is better formulation due to chemistry advances and the amount as a percent and quality of carnauba has improved. #16 has stood the test of time but you could come up with several waxes like Nattys and Souveran that look much better and apply much easier. In my experience durability is more dependent on local weather than anything.
 
Why is #16 so good? Though the depth is slightly less than that of its modern counterparts, it’s remarkably durable. Yes it’s an older formulation, but it looks very good. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that I prefer it over Natty’s, P21S, and Souveran. Initially all three look better, but after 3-4 weeks #16 takes the cake and maintains its depth and shine for yet another month. Heck wasn’t NXT (with polymer protection) the replacement for #16? What a joke . . . I like NXT, but #16 runs circles around it.



This is simply my observation of course :lol
 
bluemoon said:
In my opinion #16 offers a very good balance. It is not the best at any one thing, it is not the wettest looking, not the "most" durable, and not the easiest to apply. But it does offer a fairly wet look, as well as pretty decent durability(better than alot of carnauba's), and when applied thinnnnnnn, it is fairly easy to use. I think that #16's ability to do alot of things well, made it a favorite for some people. I really like using #16 when I know that I have a bunch of projects coming up and I won't have time to do more than just wash the cars for awhile. I know that the wax will hold up and look good for a couple of months.
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Agreed. Not necessarily the best in any one catagory but an excellent all around performer.
 
#16 I just plain like the way it looks. I haven't found any other wax that looks quite like it (granted I haven't bought as many waxes as some people either) and it provides a good set of features. It looks good, beads like mad, and lasts a really long time. One coat lasted from October to April last year in a Michigan winter. Granted, by April it was no longer beading well, it was almost completely gone, but there was still some protection there.



Like wystang said, 4 tins will last you almost a lifetime. You use so little, and it goes so far. I literally put the app in the tin like 4 times and I can do an entire car. I think it is just one of those things that you either love or hate.
 
Knockwurst said:
I’ll even go out on a limb and say that I prefer it over Natty’s, P21S, and Souveran. Initially all three look better, but after 3-4 weeks #16 takes the cake and maintains its depth and shine for yet another month.
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Totally agreed :xyxthumbs .
 
LOL, four tins last a lifetime? One will... but then again, I'm prolly older'n most of youse, now that I think about it. Still, it's one of those "How long ago did I buy this?" products. I'm glad somebody is getting good use out of the cans I sent them.





Tom
 
So for winter protection, should I buy #16 or Klasse Sealant? But don't I have to get the Klasse twin to get the full effect of their durability (so it bonds properly)?
 
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