Making the RIGHT decision! Wax VS. Coating | FAQ Series by Esoteric!

Wax vs. Ceramic Coating...the classic matchup! Which is right for you and your car?
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[@Esotericdetail]

If you're looking for more detailed information on how to be better at paint correction and ceramic coating, then check out our new ONLINE training at: www.esotericdetail.com/education

[@grandfinish2364]

I’m pleased to see I’m not the only one that appreciate a good wax application.

[@Esotericdetail]

There's just something about it, right?!

[@ramonmalaya8451]

I agree with your video. Once I coated the car, I missed the engagement involved with waxes. Sure, there are maintenance products but it’s not the same. I’ll be going back to waxes once the coating wears down. Car maintenance is therapeutic.

[@Marexie]

I have to say that I am really impressed by how Esoteric takes the time to reply carefully to so many comments. Those replies are almost as helpful as the video.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@andrebassick4360]

Thank you, Todd, for another great video. This was very helpful.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@pranaydubey20]

I really love waxing(Pinnacle souveran natural brilliance paste wax) my car once 2 or 3 months... Best experience... it's a relationship with ur vehicle... every time I get that pop ... really love it...

[@dakotamcclure1513]

very informative video, thanks for the upload!

[@abramians1]

Great info! Thank you!

[@davidd7175]

This was definitely helpful, and I never thought about the fact coating would mean not having to do anything for sometime. I actually enjoy working with the car! Just got the 75th anniversary TW and hope it’s good stuff.

[@tier1detailcompany]

I enjoy working with my own cars as well, and they are all coated. There are plenty of coating maintenance products out there to use when you want. The differences are 1 you don't have to if you don't want to, 2 the physical protection is far superior to a wax, and 3 the overall performance is way ahead of a wax as well. But you can use spray coating products or even ceramic paste waxes over the base coating if you want that experience. Cheers!

[@Esotericdetail]

@@tier1detailcompany Waxing over coating is definitely not recommended. I hear you on the maintenance products, as we truly enjoy using our favorite Cosmic Spritz from Polishangel. But having said that, it's still not the same level of engagement that a traditional paste wax provides.

[@DetailingBreakdown]

Just did a review on the TW 75th. Was terrible in durability. Sorry man

[@carlloftin2850]

Wax for now - I am learning the detailing process and enjoy the experience - i like the warm glow a good wax provides - I may apply a coatings on my old daily driver for the learning opportunity

[@friedkiwivlogs8490]

You can get the same glow out of the coatings from kamikaze that esoteric sells.

[@brian_s3castro305]

starting up a compan yin a couple weeks and absorbing every detail! thank you sir easy explanation

[@Esotericdetail]

Thanks, and best of luck to you!

[@user-sx3yk8wx5n]

Аккуратно, красиво. И долго 😊

[@DirtMagert97]

Wax for the look, coating for the protection

[@soapa4279]

Eh not really. Polish for the looks. Wax is also protection, just a lighter form compared to coatings.

[@ntwalipat2]

Heard coating offers superior looks too though!

[@yooz3R]

try gyeon cancoat evo - really nice shine

[@gartw6381]

Wax, hands down!

[@lindseybuckinghamfanchanne4394]

From an amateur perspective - some coatings or sealants can go over trim (chrome, black trim, etc.) without discoloring (and even seem to provide protection for those surfaces) - which, to me, seems like a big advantage. With waxes, you have to be careful not to get the wax on the black trim or you will have white discoloration. While I like to wax, I don’t like to tape off the trim.

[@Esotericdetail]

True, but the wax-enthusiast simply deals with this because they love the process.

[@dezcanso1540]

Hi there Esoteric! Great video, a few question that seems to be difficult when trying to get a correct answer from online forums. 1. Matte / Satin finishes OEM or Aftermarket warps - can you wax them / polish them paint correct etc? Is there a correct way to wash or fix them if they are roughed up or have water etching or minor scratches in the paint work? 2. Racing stripes on a Sports car running down the middle - Similar to in this video around the 1:07 mark on the silver red striped Ferrari. Are racing stripes always Vinyl or are they painted on with a different color of paint? And if so depending on the material of finish of these stripes matte/satin/vinyl is there a correct way to handle those? Such as can we wax/ceramic coat them or polish them or will it ruin the stripes? Very confused in this part of car care especially when it comes to detailing a vehicle with stripes. Thanks!

[@Esotericdetail]

1. No and no. You can using coating on them, but that's about it. 2. Depends on the manufacturer. If they are vinyl, leave them alone other than coating. If they are painted, then you treat them the same way that you would the rest of the painted surfaces. Thanks.

[@sunny1234321]

Quick question- what type of waterless wash is safe for ceramic coated car?

[@sergioruizlopez3301]

Thank you always great videos! I had a question can you reuse Rayon Glass polishing pads after you polish Glass. Do you take the same cleaning procedures as you would with foam or wool pads ?

[@Esotericdetail]

Most likely, however we do not use them.

[@deepaksahoo1428]

Can i do a ceramic diy spray coating over a wax ?

[@tonywilliams4302]

Well said brother. I enjoy detailing my vehicles too much to ceramic coat them.

[@ntwalipat2]

🤯 Think of the superior protection ceramic would give your car, and the time it would save you to enjoy other hobbies!

[@tonywilliams4302]

@@ntwalipat2 True, but detailing IS one of my hobbies. Nothing more relaxing to me than zoning out on quiet day, just me the car.

[@jjjjjjjjjjjhjjjjjhjj]

Have you tried the UltraLock by Jescar ? Would love to see you review it heard it is brand new possibly even stronger than regular powerlock

[@Esotericdetail]

We just received samples of it, so it will need to go through a bit of real world testing first.

[@gravity5660]

recently got a 11" LS 460. with an older vehicle, would you recommend a 1 maybe 2 step paint correction, polish, and wax? Or would you recommend ceramic coating? I hand wash my car weekly btw. ( previous ppf needs to be removed or reapplied, i have that white line lol)

[@Esotericdetail]

I like to go with the least aggressive method in order to gain desired results. So you would need to decide just how good you want to make it. In many cases, a proper one-step may get you exactly what you are looking for. And from there, you just need to decide what your maintenance goals are. If you enjoy waxing, and don't mind doing it every few months or so, then you can stick with that. If you go the coating route, you'll just want to use a dedicated coating maintenance spray every now and then and you're good to go.

[@karlhulme8014]

Waxing the car is my number one go to excuse for NOT going shopping at the weekend !

[@Esotericdetail]

HA!

[@747rotate]

Personally for me there's something about a coating that just doesn't look right. It just looks fake. Waxes are far more natural and warm and I think have more eye appeal. With a coating if you don't like it you've got to do a lot more steps to remove it than just using a panel wipe. I've seen some high end waxes that a coating can't even compare with.

[@ntwalipat2]

Interesting! I believe for coating it’s best to take the car to a professional service!

[@chrisoo8998]

Yes alot of high end show cars my friend paints they use wax still they say same thing gives more pop at shows

[@nightflight1454]

The coating is harder, it will protect better and longer .Carnuba wax produces the best shine ,but it's not as hard and durable

[@oscarguzman127]

If your car has swirls and you want to protect it with a sealant after washing and claying but you don’t have a polisher do you think adding a glaze before the sealant could work to give it the same look, since it fills those swirls?

[@Esotericdetail]

No glaze is that good!

[@Builtbyronny]

👍

[@brazillianguy01]

The question I have is if I put a coating on. What can you top it with to maintain and/or enhance its shine with washes ?

[@Esotericdetail]

Use a dedicated coating maintenance product, as most coating manufacturers offer something. Our favorite for that is POLISHANGEL Cosmic Spritz. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6rMmKeHfd-CpNE

[@Dejan_23Unlimited]

Waxing is more fun... Wax can cost $50-$500 and the car will look Magnificent. Coating *if you can apply can cost $200 or more $1,000 if someone else will apply. On the end of the day, good quality wax all day 😉

[@apexprdtr7887]

Omg 50 for wax? It’s 2 dollars here where I live, and it’s high quality wax

[@jorgebarrantes1386]

IN your opinion which is t he best self cleaning ceramic coating if I only want to use an air blower for drying the car after each wash?

[@nightflight1454]

The new nano graphine spray .303

[@ShineAndPreserveDetailing]

Do you have any opinion on Gyeon Q2 Wax? Any experience using it in your shop? Thanks.

[@Esotericdetail]

It's a decent wax for sure, especially for the money. I just applied it to a battleship-sized Cadillac from 1960!

[@oma424]

I use ceramic wax, cheap and almost same effect as ceramic coating, only that you have ți apply it every 2 months

[@Esotericdetail]

Not all products with the term "ceramic" on the label are created equally!

[@cheesedoodle4236]

I live in Europe and we usually have 50%salty roads, 30%dirty water rain and 20%clean hot sun. Wax or ceramic coating? Or just a spray on coating?

[@Esotericdetail]

You want to go for as much durability as you can, so a traditional ceramic coating would be your best bet.

[@halamadrid6733]

If I go with a wax, can I use a bodywash + wax shampoo or only use a regular car wash shampoo

[@Esotericdetail]

Chances are that any "wax" found within a shampoo is going to be of a much lower grade than the wax that you put on the car. So given that, I would simply use a standard car wash like Gyeon Bathe.

[@patricks1206]

Which one would you use to protect your car during the winter

[@Esotericdetail]

Coating 100%

[@dtna]

How can you tell the difference between an expensive wax and an economical wax? I have used Pinnacle, P21S, Dodo, Poor Boys, Mother's and I can't tell the difference, the gloss looks the same. Is it all hype?

[@Esotericdetail]

A $100 wax won't look 10x better than a $10 wax. A $10K watch won't tell time better than a $100 watch. A $2,500 hand bag won't carry your things better than a $50 one. You will typically find incremental differences in looks, quality of raw materials used, ease of use, hydrophobic properties, durability, etc.

[@azmanyusof7009]

Can I apply super hardshield wax after applying hydrophobic?

[@Esotericdetail]

I don't understand the question. What do you mean by "applying hydrophobic"?

[@tommyneil303]

Coating for me like the its done and protected A bit off topic I've ordered sonax pf from a recommendation on one of your other videos and plan to use rupes yellow pad Would you reccomend the new DA rupes pads or stick with the old version Is the foam just the same Thanks Tommy

[@marybetheby5184]

Slight change in the formula making the newer pads..both work fine.

[@Esotericdetail]

Well hopefully you purchased from us since we brought you the info! :). Both of those pads work just fine. The old ones are being phased out and you'll only be able to buy the new ones.

[@tommyneil303]

@@Esotericdetail Thanks so much for the reply I know you are a busy man. I'm new to all this detailing but can see myself getting more obsessed with it I await your videos and am going through your back catalogue I've looked at your site and can't find about international shipping (scotland) But import charges would be on top Thanks for the advice Tommy

[@LuisSanchez-vu6uv]

If I polished+ceramic coated my Vehicle can I still add a layer of wax after the ceramic coat cures or will that damage or remove the ceramic coating that I just added? Or there’s no need for me to add wax if my car is already ceramic coated?

[@Esotericdetail]

Here's your answer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emK6mIhsqdVmkMU

[@LuisSanchez-vu6uv]

@@Esotericdetail thank you so much for the response! It really helped me a lot

[@felixlau9704]

Hi, a very good coating vs a very good wax, which one will have better looks like gloss, depth and slickness ? Thanks

[@Esotericdetail]

Machine polishing will create the best looks. There isn't a "better" in your scenario as it's all very subjective, and depends on what you want to accomplish.

[@felixlau9704]

Thanks for your kind reply. My car is new, do I still need to machine polish it ? I want to make my new paint (Lexus Graphite Black Glass Flake) super glossy/shiny and wet looking !

[@Esotericdetail]

@@felixlau9704 You don't "have" to, however you can still make brand new paint look better by proper machine polishing.

[@trevorgarrett7602]

@@felixlau9704 buff it with an orbital before anything. 👌🏼

[@felixlau9704]

Thanks for your advice 👍🏽

[@marti8053]

Can you wax matted ceramic tile, or would that yellow it over time?

[@marti8053]

@Esoteric also, will it give the matted ceramic tile a little bit of a shine?

[@Esotericdetail]

You'll have to give it a try and let me know how it goes...never tried that before!

[@paulhayman7407]

Ian not a big fan of buffing cars just a good quick fix to get the car out The door new car owner is left with buff the swerl 😮 Marks

[@chrisoo8998]

I prefer wax because I like to work on my cars

[@azxc5562]

Todd, is Angel Polish Cosmic V2 is a coating or wax?

[@Esotericdetail]

It is a coating.

[@NewtownGraphics]

If you have a car that never goes out in weather, and you just want a good shine, is wax the way to go?

[@Esotericdetail]

Either way would be a good choice, really. If in that case you're someone who enjoys waxing from time to time, then by all means...wax it and enjoy the car from time to time. If the effort and time of waxing isn't your thing, then coat it because in that scenario, it will last a long, long time!

[@sko1beer]

Was talking to a very honest car wrap guy and I was going to get my car clear wrapped today. He said to me if I store my car in a garage away from the elements to wrap it . he has customers who still got good wrap on after 10 years old stored in a garage . I told him I park on the street and don’t always clean it he said wraps not for me and best get a ceramic coating. As I just came across your comment you sould have it wrapped as it will last much longer than ceramic

[@Esotericdetail]

@@sko1beer PPF plus coating is the best option for a car that sits outside all of the time. A coating by itself won't be enough.

[@sko1beer]

@@Esotericdetail thanks for the reply but the guy who gave me the quote on wrapping the whole car. is around the price of a car respray and cause my car is always in the sun it wont last long the bodyshop guy said 2/3 years. so i will ceramic coat it and when it looks worn i will just get a new paint job

[@AntEloftheHouseofEl]

The two are not mutually exclusive. For a start it depends what colour and finish you have on your car. Some people don't benefit from a wax, aesthetically at least.

[@chimpei3965]

What mistakes can you make while coating a car?

[@Esotericdetail]

Most notably leaving it on too long, or not doing a good enough job of wiping it off.

[@chimpei3965]

@@Esotericdetail Appreciate it!

[@ronitgupta5063]

COATING VS PPF

[@Esotericdetail]

They are for two completely different purposes, so it's not one vs the other.

[@jonathanl2748]

Why wax when one can use Polish Angel Cosmic Spritz?

[@Esotericdetail]

Yes, Cosmic Spritz will outlast the wax, but it's not the same type of experience that many enjoy so much with waxing.

[@nightflight1454]

Why so some guys enjoy rubbing their cars until they have a perfect shine ? I have always been that way .l don't like a dirty car .l like a perfectly shined car ,every single day .Same with my bikes ,they can't have a spot on them or it just doesn't look right

[@cesarjeronimo3269]

This is not chemical guys

[@Esotericdetail]

Sorry, but missing your point here...

[@cesarjeronimo3269]

@@Esotericdetail it’s just a joke buddy , I love your content 👍🏾

[@Esotericdetail]

@@cesarjeronimo3269 Got it...that comment could have went either way!

[@Chemike21]

Are you the type of person that has nothing better to do? Buy a wax.