Which would you say is best?

Chip.

Mer
;)

Having used both Mer nad Wax Wizard products I would say that WW is in a different league. Far easier to apply, better results and smells nicer :)

But that's just my opinion and I wouldn't want to say anything derogatory about Mer which I'm sure is a really good product with thousands of loyal users and who probably have a team of very expensive lawyers unlike Wax Wizard so on balance I'd probably say that Mer is by far the best product I have ever used in my entire life!!
Allegedly.

ww is very good, mer is ok- nothing special though. the idea that it can be applied on a wet car is handy but the overall effect is not as good as ww.

Tiggs

Chip

Here is some fat to chew over:

Standard off the shelve products are always a compromise and cannot do anything particularly well. Nearly all off the shelve products contain solvents and fine micro abrasives called silicates and usually contain synthetic waxes. These products by definition are called POLISHES.

Each time a polish is used you remove a microfine layer of paint. This is eveident on older cars where when looking along swage lines etc you'll often see undercoat instead of the top layer of paint. On clearcoat paints (modern metallic and pearlescent paints) you do not see this happing as the lacquer whilst still a paint is clear. It is a clear paint without the use of pigments.

There is a new breed of off the shelf products that are called waxes. However take time and carefully read the rear label and often you will find that it says " uses 100% carnauba wax" or there is a haz chem warning or an inflammable warning.

Let get this straight. If a product were to be 100% carnauba wax it would be unusable as pure carnauba arrives to us in the size of concrete blocks and needs to be smashed with lump hammers!

The clever play on words has you all going.

The standard wax content of the off the shelve products contain anywhere between 3 to 5% wax content by volume. The cheap products use synthetic resins and other waxes such a mondellia wax. The new breed of "off the shelf" waxes contain around 10% by volume carnauab wax. The also nearly always contain some form of solvent.

The cheaper the price almost garauntees the use of such solvents like naptha or toluene or xylene. In their raw state these solvents are extremely volatile and are not nice at all.

However where I differ (Wax Wizard/Swissol) and this includes Zymol is that we do NOT use solvents nor do we use abrasives or silicones.

Swissol and Zymol make waxes that are extremely carnauba rich (ranging from 30 to over 60% by volume). We both use natural "heavy oils" and light essential oils to carry the wax.

Both swissol and zymol rely on an initial two stage treatment to prepare the paint. The first stage is to deep clean the paint to remove contamination that washing alone cannot remove and to feed the paint the hvy oils that was origianally there. These hvy oils reinstate the losses thru solvents, detergents and sunlight and general weathering.

Once this stage has been done you then seal the paint using a wax to add further gloss gloss and to provide a microscopic thin film of protection.

Regular waxing (monthly) will give the optimum finish in terms of gloss and protection. Keep something regularly maintained is easy than letting it slide and then you face the shovel the sh*ite up hill again and need to re cleanse the paint.

We (swissol as well as zymol) recommend that you cleanse the paint twice a yr. This is best done from arond Ester to now and then again in October in readiness for the winter.

However where I and my collegues at Swissol have made much investment is to improve the ease of use of the waxes and have developed some super formulations including one that has teflon added.

Zymol waxes, whilst they are good, they need to be applied to a small section at a time, then wait for a "curing" time and then buff. In unskilled or for the novice this is boring and most 1st timers trip up here by appyling too much wax.

Swissol waxes have been further refined so that the WHOLE can be waxed before buffing. One wax, the new Shield Wax with Teflon can be applied and the car is then placed in the sun for the wax to cure. Buffing is a simple gentle dusting with a towel that is provided. The wax can even be applied to a warm paintwork and also be left for a few days before buffing.

Zymol as well as swissol waxes need to be applied very sparingly.Pots from either manufacturer will typical provide around 40 complete waxings.

I am currently still using the teflon wax that I cracked open in May last year and I use this wax on each and every car that I prepare. So far I have done over 40 vehicles and still have wax left.

Swissol as well as zymol are both simarly priced. Both our ranges are designed for those who want the ultimate in car care, the ultimate in gloss and ultimate in protection. Our waxes are edible! Try that with any of the high strret products.

Swissol and zymol CANNOT BE made production line style. The high quality of ingredients goes toward the what appears to be a very high price.

Consider that a £35 or £40 pot of wax that gives 40 applications is now suddenly very cheap on a cost per application. Consider also that neither wax from either manufacturer will stain any exterrior plastics nor leave or produce any white residue!!!

Swissol Saphir wax and Zymol Titanium are more or less the same. They have increased wax content as well as more refined oils. They are considered to be mid range waxes.

Swissol Shield wax with teflon has a wax content (pure white wax) of 50% by volume. The white wax is derived from No! yellow carnauba where the natural impurities are refined out of the raw wax. This produces a VERY pure wax and due to its purity will provide exceptional gloss but due to the added teflon the wax has extreme resiliance. The wax is suited to those who require the best gloss gloss and best protection and is ideally suited to those whose cars live outside 24/7.

Those that have experienced fine marks on the paint that look like scratches these are called swirl marks. They are caused form the use of harsh or even mild abrasives, cloths that are too harsh and from incorrect washing including the use of commercial drive thru car washes.

The problem is easily dealt with without the use of harsh abrasives.

What is needed is some time and dedication and the waxing afterwards is the icing on the cake. Preparation of a car if done properly is time consuming as it is not a race.

As a side step consider one product that maybe used by memebers that comes in a blue container and its name begins with M and has three letters and ends in R.

Now this product is a shampoo, a cleaner and a protector and sheds tons of white dust and ruins any black trim should you get some on. It is a jack of all trades and master of none.

people are often duped by the demonstartion whereby lighter fuel is pour on to a painted surface and set alight. Everyone gasps in wonder and thinks this is the bees knees in protection.

How many burnt out cars have you seen that have used this product!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

This trick can be displayed even on swissol pr zymol prepared finishes. The trick is that it is the vapour that is burning and not the fluid on the surface. Note how always the demonstartor extinguishes the flame before it reaches the paintwork. The temperature attained in this demo is more or less as the same with a car that has a dark paint when it has be exposed to midday summer sun.

Swissol is the product that has soaked me up and I represent. Zymol is a fine product as well. The off the shelves products are also fine but they unlike zymol and swissol are mass produced too a price using solvents, silicones and micro abrasives. They are designed for the masses who are not really interested in the ultimate gloss and protection.

Zymol and swissol are like Mobil Rally 1 and say castrol RS oils. They are the ultimate.

I wonder how many people here use cheap supermarket oils in their cars........not many me thinks. Why? Cos you want the best in lubrication etc for your car.

Any more questions I'd be more than happy to help and try to give you unbiased answers.

those who need to contact me please do so at:
waxwizard@eurobell.co.uk OR mark.underwood@swissol.co.uk
or please bell me on 07966 713177

The choice is yours.

CHIP

if you are serious in having a kit I can always do you a special deal together with an exterior valet and engine bay treatment!!!

Mark, YGM!

BOB :D

New users using to much wax, never!
i've waxed four times and almost used a full tub - oooooooopppssss methinks i need a practical lesson hehehehe

seriously though, in 16 years of driving (has it really been that long!!) ive never used a product as good, in fact half as good would have been impressive!

have tried all manner of autoglyms, mer, turtle wax, max wax the lot.

I've also tried quite a few different products but nothing compares to the Wax Wizard products. It's in a completely different league.

Cheers,

Wrexy.

Mark, excellent discrption of polish vs wax. When will your web site be ready and will it contain more advice on cleaning and waxing like your old site did?

Roger

Mer sucks. Anyone want a bottle ? Only used once ;)

I'm another convert to WW... the next clean after a wax is sooooo easy.. the crap just slides off... marvelous!

Chip,

I have both and WW is a lot better, Zymol does smell nicer then the WW Merlin Wax I have though.

Simon

Some stuff in English on http://www.lotusecosse.com/car%20care.htm, with prices for some of the waxes etc.

I bought a pot of Mark's "Subaru Wax" when he was Zymol UK, and it's still over half full. Whilst the pot was expensive, it lasts and lasts and lasts and lasts. Plus the results are simply stunning.

Cleaned and waxed the car and drove 200 miles last weekend. I didn't wax the front bumper. Result? Front bumper covered in dead flies, front edge of bonnet perfectly clean. The little buggers couldn't stick to it :)

Mark,

very informative,thanks for taking the time!

one question though.I have bought soem Zymol Titanium and I have to apply it by hand and the bloke said to use a pea size bit for a full frint wing,so I am awar not to use to much.But he said to buff staright away,you have said to wait.What is your opinion on that?

thanks?

Good one John!

I use the Samurai wax (Subaru or Japanese paint wax),on my MY00 Impreza turbo WR blue scoob, and it has a very strong, very nice yummy smell of blue bubble gum. You can smell the car as you approach it from at least 10 metres away! :eek:

The next time I washed the car, I could not believe the way the water was beading off the car. It was literally bouncing off. OK, with other waxes it would bead off, but not like it did with the Wax Wizard Samurai wax. Washing was a breeze.

I even gave our Kia Shuma the WW treatment. Wash, claybar, cleanse and wax and it came out better than when I had bought it brand new in 1998. :eek:

You'll be happy if you buy and use it. I certainly recommend the stuff.

Cheers,

Wrexy.

DBA

OK you have titanium wax by zymol. As you were instructed take a pea size amount of wax and melt in the palms of your hand. You'll feel the grittiness of the wax disappearing as the small lumps of wax melt in the warmth of you hand. Apply the wax using the bare palms of your hands and spread over as wide an area as you can.

Then immediately, with a fold towel, wipe the wax in one direction only. This is important as you need to layer the wax and also to remove the uneveness. This you will see that it removes the finger marks etc. Whilst doing this bit ensure that you use only the gentlest of pressure. When you have "wiped" the wax once allow it to stand for a few minutes.

Now, using a clean towel, gently but very briskly buff the area that you waxed. If you find that the wax streaks or blooms when buffing its a sign that you have done one of the following or a combo : used too much wax, or the towel is not soft and clean enuff or the temp is too low or their is moisture in the air.

If you see streaking...dont panic. Continue waxing the car and buffing as indicated. When you have completed the vehicle proceed as follows to remove streaks or blooming.

Warm some clean towels in a tumble drier. Taking a clean cloth re buff half of the carand make sure you turn the cloth frequently. Repeat on the other half of the car using another clean warm towel.

Swissol waxes are applied to the whole of the vehicle and then buffed. To deepen the gloss you allow the vehicle to stand in the sun so as to cure the wax further. Only at the top of the swissol range might you have apply by hand (melt the wax). Our teflon wax ca be applied to warm or cold panelwork and can be applied in direct sunlight and even be left for a day or so before buffing.

WW every time :D :D

RogerE

Thx for your comments.

The main website will soon be in English, German (3 variants), French and Italian.

However I am considering writing another website built around the main site but this one will feature in depth articles etc. This website will be purely in English and dedicated to UK tastes etc.

A full range of services( valeting etc) will also be offered on this website with on line ordering etc. More of that soon but I exoect it to be a while yet as my work load is immense at the mo.

My intentions are to offer a feature pacted website that not only revolves around the product but will heavily feature before and after pictures, valet servixces, the articles etc plus loads of links and maybe a running competition.

ptholt

Pete my old fruit....I know you want your car waxed etc and I know you are trying to get me to do it at Hickstead as a demo car! Good ploy here me thinks!

thanks a lot mark,i appreciate the time it must have took to type that reply,cheers!!

sorry mark,one more question,are you referring to common bathroom towels,or are you referring to the microfibre cloth that came with the wax?

cheers

Mark YHM ref prices
Cheers
Marc

Marc R

Got yer mail. I will reply a bit later as I have to go and collect my daughter. You'll have it in an hour or so.

Rgds
Mark

Mark -- sent you a mail about tar the other day. Did you get it?

Carl...the answer is no. Not that I can remember. I have sent you an email...be grateful if you could re send the mail. Thx.

My ISP has had server problems over the last week and some mail has "vanished"

me subtle, never :) its a nothern thing :)

mark, have posted some of your stuff on the japuk performance email list as there was lots of people asking about waxes etc, so have posted your details on there.

Pete

"mark, have posted some of your stuff on the japuk performance email list as there was lots of people asking about waxes etc, so have posted your details on there."

I am grateful mate...many thanks. :-)

thanks a lot mark,i may very well do that! I'm in Surrey,Epsom to be precise,is that on your travels!!