I decided to do a comparison of some of the more popular under $20 waxes. All of these were under $20, with the exception of the CG Pete's 53. My local walmart has AG HD for $20. In the test: Collinite 845 Collinite 476 S100 Autoglym HD Chemical Guys XXX Chemical Guys Petes 53 Meguiars 26 liquid Adam's Buttery The test subject is my wife's 2004 Lexus GX 470. I'll try to rate in as many categories as I can think of and post updates monthlyish as in the other wax tests. Let me start by saying that all of these seem to be great products, although I can tell that they have slightly different purposes. The car was washed with a mixture of Joy dish soap and Adam's car shampoo to strip any remaining wax, clayed, and then IPA wipedown. Each wax received two thin coats, spread 24+ hours apart. Each application of each wax was done with a new spong to avoid cross-contamination. Smell Not really an important factor to me, so everything was basically fine. The collinite products have a noticeable odor, but no big deal for me. So I'll give this as a 6-way tie for first, with the collinite products being tied for last. Ease of Application Here the S100 separated itself from the pack as the easiest to wipe on. A very close second was Adam's buttery wax. Third would be Collinite 845. The rest were basically the same. I'd rate all of these waxes as easy to apply, although the S100 or Buttery would be preferred if you were in a hurry. I had no issues with applying 476 thinly with a slightly dampened pad as recommended on the jar. Ease of Removal The first application I let these products stand for about 3 hours. The second coat I left them on for only about 15 minutes. Adam's buttery wax stands out as the easiest to remove--their marketing is spot on that the weight of the towel is enough to buff it off. Second would be 845, followed by all of the rest in a tie for third. I'd rate all of these waxes as easy to remove; nothing major enough that I would avoid the product in the future. Again, I had no issues with the 476s coming off, although I will admit that the 476s and AG HD required a bit more attention. For example, both of the CG products XXX and Pete's 53 came off easier than the AG HD. I also did an entire car with XXX and an entire car with AG HD one night during this test, and the CG XXX did come off easier than AG HD throughout the whole process. The XXX went on a car over two coats of 845 and definitely added wetness to the black sides. The AG HD went all over the rest of the test car, which had already received two coats of 476s. Gloss / Reflection Well I looked at all of these waxes from a bunch of angles in different lightings and took a bunch of pictures. The bottom line is that there were no differences that I could readily notice even looking closely at the paint. From 5 feet away, or driving down the road, no chance you'd notice a difference on this color of car. Now maybe there would be a different result in wetness had I done the side of the car, but doing a flat surface like the hood it all looked the same. For silver, white, and champagne, the product does not seem to have any effect on gloss. Below are a bunch of pictures for you to do your own comparison. Slickness of Surface All of these left a nice slick surface. I'd rate the buttery wax as first, followed by 845. The rest were basically in a tie for third, although I'd put Meguiars 53 as last by a slight margin. Water Sheeting Powered water over the hood after all of the second coats were on. With freshly applied wax, this test was pointless. Water ran off all of the surfaces quickly. Water Beeding Next I sprayed water all over the hood. No extreme scrutiny needed for this test; the CG Pete's 53 noticeably separated from the pack. A close second was Collinite 845. A close third would be XXX and AG HD. Both had beads where the bottom of the water drops seemed smaller and tighter than the top--a very nice look. One step down was Megs 26 and 476s. Yes, the collinite 845 beaded noticeably better than the collinite 476s, despite that they are just different formulations of the same stuff (that's my understanding). Not sure what the deal is there. Noticeably in last here were S100 and Adam's buttery wax, with the buttery wax bringing up the rear. Both definitely were beading, but not in the manner like the other products where the water seemed to almost be hovering over the surface. Some of the spots were spread out and slightly deformed - not perfect circles. Summary Different products do have different purposes. Time will tell on probably the most important factor for this color of car (to me) - durability. Perhaps one or two are yet to separate themselves. I figured 476 would have great beading, but the Pete's 53 was noticeably better. Maybe over time the 476 will maintain its beading while Pete's 53 declines. S100 was so easy to put on I thought it would become my go-to wax, but then at the beading test I was underwhelmed. AG HD offered a nice finish and beading, but it took a bit more attention and effort to remove. CG XXX seemed like a great all-around product for the price, as it did nothing poorly. Collinite 845, likewise, deserves its reputation as a great wax -- easy on, easy off, fantastic beading, rock bottom price, but the smell may induce vomiting in some. Buttery wax seems like an excellent choice for a quick, easy application before a local car meet, but the initial beading suggests protection short of the others. Now, on to the pictures. Taken after two coats + buff off. While you may see some differences, I can tell you this is like just due to different camera focuses on the various portions. One without the tape. Beading: To be updated....
