Polymers Vs. Regular Car Wax

This flawless, blue-grey Cadillac might look best with polymer wax.

When waxing a car, many owners agonize over whether to purchase natural (carnauba) wax or one of the many synthetics on today's market. While synthetic waxes are newer, whether or not they are an improvement over old-school carnauba wax is a matter of what compromises you're willing to accept.

Source

Carnuba or "natural" waxes are processed from the leaves of Brazilian palms. Polymer waxes are fully synthetic, and are more closely related to silicone than natural wax.

Thickness

Carnuba wax goes on in a very thick layer, making it ideal for covering up minor surface swirls and scratches. The protective layer formed by polymer wax is but a few molecules in thickness.

Shine

Because its forms such a thick coat, Carnuba wax imparts a deep and lustrous shine. Polymer waxes have more intrinsic reflectivity than carnuba, making their reflective qualities more mirror-like.

Durability

Synthetic polymers often last six months or more between applications. Carnuba wax loses about 50 percent of its shine after only 30 days.

Applications

Because their slightly bluish tint imparts a cool tone to the car's body, polymers tend to look best on blue, purple, gray, silver and green cars. Red, yellow or black cars would do better with Carnuba wax.

References

• Properautocare.com: Wax Comparisons
• Autogeek.net: Wax Comparisons
• Autoeducation.com: Car Wax FAQ