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Good car wax can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the long run. Good car care, like protecting a car’s paint job from harmful UV rays and harsh weather, requires good car care products. The best car waxes make it easy to create this protective layer without spending hours detailing the car. That’s why countless automotive manufacturers promise a lot in terms of what their waxes will do.
Car Guys Liquid Wax is one such product that offers great shine and protection from a single bottle. While their marketing claims are a bit excessive (as you will see below), the wax actually does deliver on a lot of promises in several key areas.
Overall Design
Car Guys Liquid Wax is a type of wax that avoids trying to be more than what it really is. Unlike the 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 solutions that offer some combination of a wash, polish, and wax for convenience, Car Guys wax is all about creating the protective layer that can prevent sun and weather damage on the car’s paint.
The overall design of the car wax is straightforward and simple. Coming in 8- and 16-ounce bottles, there is enough wax to last a couple of car detailing depending on the size of your vehicle. Conveniently, the bottle comes with a small detailing kit that includes a pad and microfiber towel to apply it quickly onto the vehicle’s surface.
The idea behind this wax is all about quick application. Unlike paste waxes, the solution wipes on easily with less elbow grease required. The formula itself is similar to nearly any other liquid wax, although Car Guys’ marketing materials suggest there are “advanced” additives to “boost” protection without going into too much detail.
In fact, the marketing materials really elevate the wax to hype heights normally reserved for snake oil salesmen. Terms like “advanced science” and “ultimate liquid wax” promise a lot in terms of performance.
Use
If you can ignore the overuse of exclamation points, often in rapid succession, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out that a lot of the hyperbole in the wax’s marketing materials isn’t far removed from the actual results. In the application department, this one lives up to the convenience most liquid waxes offer.
The wax is easy to work and apply onto the paint finish of a vehicle. Unlike spray waxes, the nozzle is large enough to create a consistent flow of liquid without it running too thin, making it easy to apply the desired amount of wax. Whether applied onto a pad, towel, or the paint itself, the liquid reacts well to wiping it around so you can get an even, uniform coat, even in awkward areas around the vehicle. It does, however, tend to stick to the applicator, so you may need something that’s disposable if you’re concerned about using clean applicators on each section of the vehicle.
For the most part, the liquid wax wipes off without leaving a noticeable residue, especially on black cars, although the effort required to remove it is greater than getting it on in the first place. It can, however, leave a foggy spot or two that may require some touching up to get the best results. There’s also some noticeable marks if the wax gets onto plastic parts of a vehicle. These marks are most noticeable on black plastic where they appear as white scratches or streaks.
Like other car waxes, the Car Guys solution does require some good prep to get the mirror-like shine you see on the photos, making it more suitable for people with some detailing experience under the belt. A good car wash, clay, and polish will provide the best foundation for the liquid wax along with the right environmental conditions like the lack of direct sunlight, rain, extreme heat, and high humidity.
Results
After a couple of hours of curing, the final results actually live up to the product’s marketing hype for the most part. With the right prep, for example, it leaves a very noticeable shine that reflects the surroundings. It’s not necessarily a showroom quality of shine, but it does get the job done for the average car owner.
More importantly, the initial protection the liquid wax provides is high in quality. Water beads well over the layer, showing that the weather protection against rain and snow is good enough for the average bout of bad weather. Dirt also tends to come off quickly.
Longevity wise, Car Guys has a “one or two times a year” application process, meaning the wax should easily last six months or more. In reality, the wax layer itself can definitely last that long if prepared/applied correctly, but the overall performance starts to degrade sooner than that. You can expect the basic protection to last around three months. After that, the wax loses its silky feel, dirt starts to collect, and the water beading and shine start to fade around the three-to-six-month mark.
Final Takeaways
Car Guys Liquid Wax is definitely not the best car wax on the market, but it’s pretty close if you are looking for a high-quality, dedicated waxing solution. The application is mostly easy, save for some extra required elbow grease for removing it. The shine is noticeable, and the wax layer offers a good three months or so of protection before you’ll notice any diminished performance.
Final Verdict: Car Guys Liquid Wax is worth considering if you want something that delivers some good results for your car’s paint at an affordable price.
