Ioncoat Naviwax Review

Now im not a sealant man, and as good as the Amigo + PowerLock looked after a wash, i just had to layer a carnauba

Thinking about what to test next, i decided on my Ioncoat Naviwax

For those that dont know, this is a premium Japanese wax that is getting some attention from the UK detailing folk. I bought it off ebay UK for around AUD $60 bucks landed - which isnt alot considering you get about the same amount of wax as FK1000

The tin is huge! Though it is somewhat deceiving as enclosed within is its own sponge applicator. Directions are to dampen the sponge app and WOWO. Initially the sponge app felt a bit coarse, but did soften in water and proved to work perfectly with this wax

Note! All pics are off my iphone and are completely unedited. I was so impressed with the finish, i decided to take crappy iphone pics to show just how good it looks.... if that makes sense

Ok so time to prep the pad. Dampen and rotate 2 times in the tub. This is definitely not a fragrance'd wax, those who are familiar with Colly waxes will recognise the carnauba/chemical odour. Its not over powering like 476S feels at times, but is there with you throughout the detail



By dampening the pad, the wax does spread very far, though you cant go any further than one panel at a time before the pad dries out and starts to grip the paint. On the rear quarters i split them in two along the body crease line. Ring the pad out in a bucket of water and keep going. Total time taken was around 25 mins



Wiping the wax off reminds me of RBOE. The mf grips on initial swipe, but then it's carnauba business as usual. Not quite one swipe Lusso/Vic Red/Blackfire MS easy, but nowhere near as fussy as the Colly waxes in terms of having to worry about applying thin or leaving it on the paint too long

The finish left behind is very impressive. For some reason i was expecting a 476S/915 style finish (mainly due to the smell, price and durability claims) but this far exceeds them

It has definitely added that carnauba depth the PowerLock was lacking and hasnt appeared to mute it's high clarity/reflections at all. This particular version of Naviwax is deigned for dark colours, and it shows in the depth it has added - and does prove you dont need a heavy montan tinted wax to achieve a deep black finish (ie; my Crystal Noir testing)

Driving home on a very sunny day, the wax feels like it has done a zymol trick and melted into the paint. The gloss is definitely improved and there is a deep black liquid shimmer over the paint i havent seen since applying Lusso Oro over CK RMG/VMG

Pics are immediately after app. On reading this wax's sheeting party trick, i wet one panel and was blown away, the sheeting is the best ive ever seen, im talking literally a dry panel. Next wash ill have to video it and update this thread then
















.......a JDM wax for a JDM car

 

Looks nice Sam. Maybe get some pics with a good camera as well.

 

Beading pictures?

 

Can't wait for the update on beading. Do you know what the durability is on this wax? I have always wanted to try some waxes or products from Japanese manufacturers.

Btw, is that a pakshak ultra plush mf?

 

^yep micropak ultra-plush - i used to be the Aus distributor

durability is meant to be Collinite good according to the UK guys who have been testing it. I'm actually going to test this wax properly this time, rather than be quick to remove it and try another cleaner/wax combo. Im just thinking whether i should add another layer, as when i have tested waxes in the past, it's always been after 2 layers

Ken, i was thinking about another photo session, but then every LSP looks good when taking digicam pics.....the iphone never lies. I might take some digicam pics say a month after app to show how it's holding up

beading/sheeting pics and vid next wash

 

pretty nice, would be interesting comparison with other waxes but then again its not gona be huge difference,
did quick search on ebay and looks like there are two versions, for light and dark colors

 

update!!

ive been testing durability of this one coat of naviwax for 7 weeks now and its still going very strong

ive washed the car 4 times since application, and left the car for 3 weeks without washing during which we had record spring rainfall followed by scorching aussie sun

there are absolutely no water spots on the paint and the finish still looks as good as the day i applied it. Im very impressed with this wax, and has to be the only wax ive used so far that hasnt left water spots under our harsh aussie sun

beading /sheeting is only slightly down compared to the first wash but still better than most waxes fresh out of the tub

now the vids as promised... i used my iphone4 and not sure why the vid is so narrow

beading - hosing off pre-wash DP Xtreme Foam in WG Foam Gun




sheeting - after washing with lusso oro shampoo




drying - wet mf wiped across the panel shows no water spots at all




finish - dried with CG miracle. No QD used here, this is straight after washing with lusso oro shampoo

 

Mmmm I really should look into this if I go to japan for vacation again (And go back to Hk in may)
Just need to first figure out where do they sellem in japan ( or I guess I can ask my friend in japan to look it up )
Is it catered to Japanese paint work?

 

i dont really believe in paint specific waxes (polishes yes), but id imagine during development they'd have tested it on japanese cars more than anything else

you can buy it off ebay uk, the seller ships international

 

well if i got to japan for vacation, i can always stock em up in my suitcase =p
having said that, if i do find em, i probably could smuggle a few into NA and maybe send a few from Hong Kong.
we'll have to see in may and see if i enter the unemployment ring or not

 

Very impressive shots and results. Like yourself using powerlock, cannot resist the urge to follow up with a wax, which in my case has dramatically changed the appearance of the cars i have tried it on. Using 476s by the way.

 

I have been a member of this forum for over a year but do not post, just read the great information and member expertise. Really like this site for my go-to information and product feedback. Been into detailing for over 20 years, long before it grew into the hobby it is now. Love the new products and technologies that have impacted and improved this industry sector over the years.

However, I am the US rep for Naviwax and we are trying to get it over here to the states in the near future through some of the great vendors we have available to us. It is really new to the market so we are working on distribution as we speak.

 

looks great, but i found one thing about this car that i dont like.... Orange peel, i knew car wasnt perfect lol
hows durability?

 

yeh the peel is quite apparent given its solid black, especially in full sun pics

nowhere near as bad a new BMW though lol

i dont think there is enough clear coat on the car to wet sand and continue my frequent correction/product testing

durability on this naviwax is extremely impressive. Ive only ever seen Z2/Z5-Pro hold onto it's looks this long

people arent giving this wax enough credit imo. It's showing all the durability everyone loves in the colly waxes, but without the tricky app and MUCH better looks

 

is it just the pics or does that car have a ton of orangepeel

 

Domino how much does it go for and where did you order it from?

 

i bought it for around AUD $60 landed, and our dollar is pretty much at parity with the ever decreasing US dollar now

cheapest place i found it was ebay uk

 

Thanks I guess I will try and wait until it makes it to the states thats if it ever does. I'll just have to keep googling online.

 

now the vids as promised... i used my iphone4 and not sure why the vid is so narrow

Hey Domino, when you record a vid with a smart phone you have to turn it sideways while recording so it will display as a widescreen video.

 

Thanks for the review Domino. I actually contacted the UK ebay vendor that is selling the wax and shipping for the wax bundle (both dark and light color tins) is about 30 sterling pounds to Virginia. It's about 145 US dollars for both tins shipped which is not a bad deal, but I can't afford (or need) these new waxes right now.

I'll wait until they are sold in the US.