The Wax is Off, Now Time to Wax On

Disclosure

Like 148% of the households out there, I am the primary car caretaker in the family. Whether it is changing oil, topping of fluids or applying a thick coat of wax, I am the only one who practices “A stitch in time saves nine”.

Twice a year I fully detail the daily-use minivan, and occasionally my wife’s convertible ‘fun car’. When it comes to keeping them detailed, she seems to be allergic to car cleaning projects. This is fine with me, it keeps me out of the house when it is laundry time.

Over the past three decades I’ve purchased nearly every brand name in the car detailing realm known to man. Meguiars, Mothers, Turtle Wax, Zymol, Zaino, store brand, etc., you name it, I’ve tried it. I have one car that I only use Zaino on (at $25/bottle) as it is tried-and-true for show cars. For my daily vehicles, I typically try to use something better as well, without spending a huge amount of money or time on it. ArmorAll has been my choice for 20+ years when it comes to detailing the interior, but now I hear they have a brand new product – ArmorAll Ultra Shine Butter Smooth Wax.

Until today, I was not aware of the product, but it appears I must be out of the loop. I had to go to two Walmarts to find it, and even then I got the last bottle! Want to see exactly how the shop went? Go to Intersect for a short slideshow of my experience!

Here’s the great thing! Right now there is a manufacturer’s rebate for $5.00 off a second item when you purchase the Butter Smooth Wax! Basically that makes most ArmorAll products FREE! I took the opportunity to pick up another new product, their “Natural Finish Detailer” which cleans and protects the interior without leaving a glossy shine. The intention is it will look more natural and more like it came from the factory. I can’t wait to try it out.

Back to the wax. Bad news…it is full sun today, and like most car wax products, it should be applied on cool clean surfaces. I’ll have to pencil in time to wash one of the cars tomorrow so I can apply the wax this weekend. But for the purposes of this review, I elected to test it on a small area of the van. It is a white van, so photos really can’t show the before/after at all, but after washing a small area and applying the wax, I am very impressed! With a name like “Butter Smooth Wax”, I envisioned a greasy product that would have bugs sticking to it on my first drive. I also wondered if it would ‘cure’ at all in the heat. I am pleased to say I was incorrect in both instances. The product went on as described (“no hazing”) and wipes off as easily as it goes on. The surface of the car did feel noticeably smoother, even without using a clay bar on it first. (As any good detailer knows, you almost always clay bar or buff before applying any finishing spray or wax.)

Overall I’m very excited about this new line from ArmorAll. Under $9 at Walmart, it is nearly 65% cheaper than the show car polish I use, and much easier to apply than the old standard paste wax. Maybe I can convince the wife to try it – I know, I’ll tell her she’s learning karate – “Wax On, Wax Off Nicole!”