Basic Question about wax

[Shep]

Hi all, I am new to washing my personal vehicle and have a basic quesiton.

 

Car wax:

 

What is the difference between the Buttery Wax and Americana besides one being liquid and one being solid?  Is one better than the other?  Should I use both products at the same time?

 

Sealant?  What is this?  Should I use it, and do I put it on after waxing?

[mc2hill]

What is the difference between the Buttery Wax and Americana besides one being liquid and one being solid?  Is one better than the other?  Should I use both products at the same time?

 

 

 

Protection time.  The Buttery will last a couple of months, while the Americana will last twice as long.  Not really a 'better' type thing, just a personal preference.  No need to use both at the same time, as they both do the same thing.   

 

Sealant?  What is this?  Should I use it, and do I put it on after waxing?

 

You can think of sealants as polymer waxes.  They do not contain the Carnuba that give waxes their 'deep' look, but the polymers can allow them to protect longer.  They work best on daily drivers.

Sealants 'bond' with the paint vs. waxes that sit on top of the paint.

 

Many on AF apply LPS, then top that with BG and Americana.  You get the protection of the sealant and the look of wax.

[Performance Auto Detailing]

I own both Buttery and Americana and as Michael said, you can expect a much longer life out of Americana. Americana gives you some more depth and shine too. Buttery also has some minor filling properties that can hide some scratches. 

 

And as far as sealants go, they are great to put on a daily driver, as they are going to last much longer than a wax. If your car sits outside for an extended period of time or isn't garaged, lay down a sealant such as Quick Sealant or Liquid Paint Sealant, before waxing your car. 

 

If you're going for the most insane protection and best shine, your plan of attack would be to lay down a layer of Liquid Paint Sealant, then glaze, then Americana. 

Edited March 28, 2014 by lax

[GerryC]

From another post of mine regarding BW vs Americana:

 

Buttery is less expensive, and easier and quicker to apply and remove, especially in direct sunlight. If you are doing your detailing outside rather than in a garage this may be a factor for you. A coat of Buttery Wax lasts about 4-6 weeks, offers decent protection, and in my experience you can do 15 full size vehicles with one bottle. The shine is better than every other liquid wax I have ever used.

 

Americana is more expensive, it is pretty easy to apply but must be removed within minutes of applying, otherwise it will harden and become difficult to remove without significant effort. This will make applying Americana more time consuming (do only 1 or two panels at a time) but the end result is definitely worth it. Ideally you would want to apply Americana in the shade and on a cool surface. A coat of Americana will last roughly 2-3 months, again depending on wash frequency, road conditions, etc. It offers better protection than Buttery as well as a superior shine. You can do about 50 full size vehicles with a tub of Americana. 

 

When you do the math, the cost per application of both waxes is nearly identical.

 

Sealants are synthetic products that bond to the surface of your car and boast upwards of six months of protection. Sealants go on before wax. Tim and Mike pretty much nailed everything else.

[Chewy]

Buttery can also be applied to a warm car and in the sun.   It's great for owners that don't have a garage.  Americana, can NOT be used in the sun and it prefers a cool surface.  Americana should also only be applied to a couple of panels and then removed.  If you do the whole car, it turns into concrete and gives your arm and shoulder a heck of a work out.   

 

I'm a sealant guy myself.  ONLY my GXP which isn't a DD gets carnuba and it still has a base of sealant.

 

Chris

[Shep]

Thank you everyone!  That was perfect!

[Rich]