Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
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Please take a look at the rules for posting in the Technical section as all posts will be moderated accordingly...
Technical Section Rules
Please take a look at the rules for posting in the Technical section as all posts will be moderated accordingly...
Technical Section Rules
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- Lord of the Sponge
- Posts: 10704
- Registered for: 13 years 8 months
- Car Make: VW
- Car Model: Sea Blue Polo Vivo
- Membership No: 1676
- Location: Durban
Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Background
I was contacted a while back by Joey from Turtle Wax asking if I would try out some of their products and provide my thoughts on them. Anyone who knows me, be it in person or online (it's one and the same) will know that I like to call it how I see it and so I appreciated that Joey [and Mark in later conversation] encouraged an honest review, be the results positive or negative.
There was no hesitation in providing the safety data sheets (when any company is not willing to supply these, be they detailing related or not, it should raise a red flag as these are a legislated requirement for all products containing hazardous chemicals) as well as the technical data sheets and Mark was more than willing to answer all the questions I had when we chatted.
I also want to make it clear that I was not offered any compensation for the review (nor would I accept any) and so what follows are just MY THOUGHTS from my initial time with the products. As I use them more, I will come back and provide any additional feedback. There are 2 other products I still need to test and will add my review of those into this thread too.
The testing was done on a practice BMW bonnet which has been repainted at some point. Its black with clear coat on it. It was a typical Durban summer's day on the day of testing, so as hot as hell and I had a mate with me (8VALVE-zn on the forum) so that it wasn't just my opinion judging each step in the process. I used Menzerna 'equivalents' to compare the results of the polishes abilities as this is a known quantity for me in terms of performance. Menzerna top inspection was used to remove any polishing oils from the paint for a fair analysis when inspecting and a clean MF towel and pad was used for each step to avoid cross contamination. Its also important to note that the results are what was achieved on this paint, on this day - different paint systems and different ambient conditions could influence the results. After each step was complete the results were checked with multiple light sources from multiple angles - the camera however remained mounted to the tripod throughout to help keep track of what was done where. Section passes, machines speeds, pressure and arm speeds were all kept as constant as humanly possible.
At this point I think it is important to define a few terms which are used because there is unfortunately no standardisation across the industry and this leads to a lot of confusion and so if nothing else, at least this will hopefully help improve your understanding of what is actually in the bottle and when to use it.
Polish (verb) - to abrade away the surface of an object (in this case your clear coat) in order to leave behind a uniform scratch pattern, which, if fine enough, is imperceptible to the human eye and therefore appears 'perfectly smooth' and so it "shines".
Polish (noun) - some form of abrasive (typically something like aluminum oxide) suspended in a carrier liquid instead of being glued to a piece of paper like sandpaper. It does the same thing - abrades away the surface to smooth it out. On your car's paint polishes can be used to abrade the paint surrounding a scratch down to the the bottom most level of the scratch thereby removing it.
Aggressiveness - much like you get low grit sandpaper (aggressive) and higher grit (fine) sandpaper, polishes also vary in their 'aggressiveness'. Typically in the industry, polishes which are very fine (like a high grit sandpaper) are referred to as finishing polishes, ones which are very aggressive (like low grit sandpaper) are referred to as compounds, and you guessed it, ones somewhere in the middle are referred to as medium cut polishes/compounds.
Wax/'hybrid'/sealant - a non-abrasive substance designed to provide a hydrophobic surface, which makes it harder for stuff to stick to the paint (and therefore its easier to remove dirt GENTLY reducing the chance of scratches) and provides some UV protection. Typically waxes are more 'natural' in that they are comprised of waxes and oils (mostly) whilst sealants are 'synthetic' made by chemists and tweaked to provide more effective protection. Hybrids are a mix of the two and even are more common than many assume.
Chemical cleaner - a chemical designed to break down certain types of 'dirt'/'staining' that will provide additional cleaning power over say a regular car shampoo. These are often found in AIO's (see explanation below) and glazes.
Filler - often something like kaolin clay is used to help fill in the 'valleys' of shallow scratches in order to help temporarily level out the surface, thereby improving the 'shine'.
All In One (AIO) - a combination of a chemical cleaner, some fine abrasives, some fillers, and some wax/hybrid/sealant designed to improve the appearance of the paint in one step by doing a little bit of everything.
Ok so after all that text, it's about time for a picture, so here are the products I tested in the initial review.
From left to right you have 3 polishes from their Professional Range which decrease in aggressiveness as you go from left to right, and then what is labelled as a Bright Wax and Dark Wax, which are essentially both AIO's - one designed for light cars and one for dark cars. Usually the one designed for light cars contains more chemical cleaners and the dark one more fillers. The reason is simply that because swirls and scratches appear a white'ish silvery colour they stand out much more on a dark background and so by filling more on a darker car you make more of a visual impact than chemically cleaning the clear coat. Conversely cleaning white paint has more of an effect than filling swirls on it.
Turtle Wax T10 Coarse Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T10 Course Compound is a high performance compound for automotive clearcoats. T10 Course Compound eliminates sanding marks of 1500 and traces of use very fast and offers a constant high gloss. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 9 and a gloss of 7.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). That being said the cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 8 and 8 respectively whereas the TDS states 9 and 7?
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as SHC400. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe it's the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
So the first thing I did was sand down most of the bonnet and tape off 2 sections which i could use to compare T10 to SHC400, neither of which claim to be able to remove 1000 grit sanding marks (btw, this claim is usually in reference to 'fresh' paint which is much softer than cured paint). I was never expecting either to completely remove the sanding marks.
First I correct the bottom section with SHC400
Then the top with T10
Working time - longer than SHC400
Wipe off - slightly more oily than SHC400
Cut - more than SHC400
Gloss - I really struggled to make a call on this one but i think it may just be slightly better than SHC400
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T10
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html - R950/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R867.50/l
SHC400
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/menze ... 400-1-ltr/ R557/l
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1276 R568/l
My verdict - Straight off the bat I will tell you that this surprised me a lot (in a good way). It's a really great product in terms of performance and I definitely would use it again from that perspective, however this performance doesn't warrant the current pricing in my opinion.
Turtle Wax T20 Medium Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T20 Medium Compound is a highly effective compound for new OEM and repair coatings. T20 Medium Compound eliminates signs of wear and tear as ll as grit 2500 sanding marks without leaving holograms and mirco scratches. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 5 and a gloss of 7.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). That being said the cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 5 and 7 respectively matching what the TDS states. This however a spelling mistake on the label – ‘even’ is spelt as ‘evan’
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as PF2300. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe its the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
Next up a I re-polished the top section (initially done with T10) with SHC400 and then re-polished the bottom section (initially done with SHC400) with T10. This left both the top and bottom sections in a very similar state. I then divided the bonnet vertically
Then on the RHS I split that section in half again vertically and removed the tape in the middle that had been running horizontally in order to expose the original 1000 grit sanding marks meaning I could now test the medium cut polishes cutting ability over these sanding marks, as well as over the 2 sections which had both been subjected to T10/SHC400 combo (just in a different order)
Working time - longer than PF2300
Wipe off - slightly more oily than PF2300
Cut - less than PF2300
Gloss - less than PF2300
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T20
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html - R820/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R700/l
PF2300
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1008 R548/l
My verdict - Menzerna's medium cut polish outcuts it, has more gloss and is a lot cheaper. I don't see myself purchasing this product
Turtle Wax T40 Ultra Fine Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T40 Ultra Fine Compound is a versatile finishing compound for all types of original and repair paints. T40 Ultra Fine Compound guarantees perfect mirror finish. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 2 and a gloss of 10.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). The cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 2 and 10 respectively matching what the TDS states.
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as SF4500. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe it's the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
I couldn't compare it directly to Menzerna's equivalent (which would be SF4500, also rated at a cut of 2 and gloss of 10) as I didn't have any on hand. I did have SF4000 which is rated on the same scale as a cut of 4 and gloss of 10.
So the area I had just tested T20/PF2300 on was sanded once again provide a completely uniform area.
Then began polishing
Working time - about the same as SF4000
Wipe off - about the same as SF4000
Cut - less than SF4000 - but this was to be expected so should not be seen in a negative light.
Gloss - about the same as SF4000
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T40
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html R770/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R657.95/l
SF4000
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... cts_id=170 R568/l
My verdict - It's a really great product in terms of performance and I definitely would use it again from that perspective - dare I say it's the same as SF4500 (which I have used extensively in the past), however the current pricing in my opinion is still not competitive enough.
Turtle Wax Perfect Finish Finish Flawless Dark Car Wax
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does state 'Perfect Finish Flawless Dark Car Wax has been specially developed for cars with dark paint work which is more susceptible to visible swirls and micro-scratches that ruin your flawless finish. Polishing agents remove swirls and micro-scratches, and durable natural waxes add to a deep gloss shine. Our hardest ever finish that withstands the most extreme weather conditions – the results of 70 years of continuous innovation.' and provides directions for use.
Scent - couldn't identify the smell... my daughter says it smells like medicine...who knows? Its not a bad smell. Frankly I don't think the scent really matters when using a product like this...
Working method - It was machine applied using a Flex 3401 with a White Lake Country Hybrid Pad on speed 4, making 4 section passes to work the product in. It was also used a little 'wet' or 'heavy' [moreso that you would a traditional polish]. I literally taped of a section which ran at 45 degrees across all of the previous testing areas, so that I could test its ability to restore shine on various paint 'conditions'.
Wipe off - It states to allow it to dry to a haze and remove. But I did find that leaving it on for anything more than 5 minutes and the wipe off was very difficult
Performance - worked well and is comparable to most other AIO's out there. In my experience they are all relatively similar in performance with some excelling at cleaning, some at filling, some at abrading and some at protecting.
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/paintcare/wa ... 300ml.html R250/300ml
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1124 R218/300ml
My verdict - It's a competitively priced well functioning AIO that I would happily reach for
Turtle Wax Perfect Crystal Bright Car Wax
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does state 'Perfect Finish Crystal Bright Car Wax has been specially developed for cars with light paint work as ingrained grime can make paint work look dull and dirty, ruining your flawless finish. Solvents and cleaning agents remove dirt – the results of 70 years of continuous innovation.' and provides directions for use.
Scent - couldn't identify the smell... my daughter says it smells like medicine...who knows? Its not a bad smell. Frankly I dont think the scent really matters when using a product like this...
Working method - It was machine applied using a Flex 3401 with a White Lake Country Hybrid Pad on speed 4, making 4 section passes to work the product in. It was also used a little 'wet' or 'heavy' [moreso that you would a traditional polish]. I literally taped of a section which ran at 45 degrees across all of the previous testing areas, so that I could test its ability to restore shine on various paint 'conditions'.
Wipe off - It states to allow it to dry to a haze and remove. But I did find that leaving it on for anything more than 5 minutes and the wipe off was very difficult
Performance - worked well and is comparable to most other AIO's out there. In my experience they are all relatively similar in performance with some excelling at cleaning, some at filling, some at abrading and some at protecting. Obviously working on black paint (which was not 'dirty') I couldn't really test the cleaning ability of the product.
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/paintcare/wa ... 300ml.html R250/300ml
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1125 R218/300ml
My verdict - It's a competitively priced well functioning AIO that I would happily reach for
Lastly, here are a couple of pics showing different 'sections'
I was contacted a while back by Joey from Turtle Wax asking if I would try out some of their products and provide my thoughts on them. Anyone who knows me, be it in person or online (it's one and the same) will know that I like to call it how I see it and so I appreciated that Joey [and Mark in later conversation] encouraged an honest review, be the results positive or negative.
There was no hesitation in providing the safety data sheets (when any company is not willing to supply these, be they detailing related or not, it should raise a red flag as these are a legislated requirement for all products containing hazardous chemicals) as well as the technical data sheets and Mark was more than willing to answer all the questions I had when we chatted.
I also want to make it clear that I was not offered any compensation for the review (nor would I accept any) and so what follows are just MY THOUGHTS from my initial time with the products. As I use them more, I will come back and provide any additional feedback. There are 2 other products I still need to test and will add my review of those into this thread too.
The testing was done on a practice BMW bonnet which has been repainted at some point. Its black with clear coat on it. It was a typical Durban summer's day on the day of testing, so as hot as hell and I had a mate with me (8VALVE-zn on the forum) so that it wasn't just my opinion judging each step in the process. I used Menzerna 'equivalents' to compare the results of the polishes abilities as this is a known quantity for me in terms of performance. Menzerna top inspection was used to remove any polishing oils from the paint for a fair analysis when inspecting and a clean MF towel and pad was used for each step to avoid cross contamination. Its also important to note that the results are what was achieved on this paint, on this day - different paint systems and different ambient conditions could influence the results. After each step was complete the results were checked with multiple light sources from multiple angles - the camera however remained mounted to the tripod throughout to help keep track of what was done where. Section passes, machines speeds, pressure and arm speeds were all kept as constant as humanly possible.
At this point I think it is important to define a few terms which are used because there is unfortunately no standardisation across the industry and this leads to a lot of confusion and so if nothing else, at least this will hopefully help improve your understanding of what is actually in the bottle and when to use it.
Polish (verb) - to abrade away the surface of an object (in this case your clear coat) in order to leave behind a uniform scratch pattern, which, if fine enough, is imperceptible to the human eye and therefore appears 'perfectly smooth' and so it "shines".
Polish (noun) - some form of abrasive (typically something like aluminum oxide) suspended in a carrier liquid instead of being glued to a piece of paper like sandpaper. It does the same thing - abrades away the surface to smooth it out. On your car's paint polishes can be used to abrade the paint surrounding a scratch down to the the bottom most level of the scratch thereby removing it.
Aggressiveness - much like you get low grit sandpaper (aggressive) and higher grit (fine) sandpaper, polishes also vary in their 'aggressiveness'. Typically in the industry, polishes which are very fine (like a high grit sandpaper) are referred to as finishing polishes, ones which are very aggressive (like low grit sandpaper) are referred to as compounds, and you guessed it, ones somewhere in the middle are referred to as medium cut polishes/compounds.
Wax/'hybrid'/sealant - a non-abrasive substance designed to provide a hydrophobic surface, which makes it harder for stuff to stick to the paint (and therefore its easier to remove dirt GENTLY reducing the chance of scratches) and provides some UV protection. Typically waxes are more 'natural' in that they are comprised of waxes and oils (mostly) whilst sealants are 'synthetic' made by chemists and tweaked to provide more effective protection. Hybrids are a mix of the two and even are more common than many assume.
Chemical cleaner - a chemical designed to break down certain types of 'dirt'/'staining' that will provide additional cleaning power over say a regular car shampoo. These are often found in AIO's (see explanation below) and glazes.
Filler - often something like kaolin clay is used to help fill in the 'valleys' of shallow scratches in order to help temporarily level out the surface, thereby improving the 'shine'.
All In One (AIO) - a combination of a chemical cleaner, some fine abrasives, some fillers, and some wax/hybrid/sealant designed to improve the appearance of the paint in one step by doing a little bit of everything.
Ok so after all that text, it's about time for a picture, so here are the products I tested in the initial review.
From left to right you have 3 polishes from their Professional Range which decrease in aggressiveness as you go from left to right, and then what is labelled as a Bright Wax and Dark Wax, which are essentially both AIO's - one designed for light cars and one for dark cars. Usually the one designed for light cars contains more chemical cleaners and the dark one more fillers. The reason is simply that because swirls and scratches appear a white'ish silvery colour they stand out much more on a dark background and so by filling more on a darker car you make more of a visual impact than chemically cleaning the clear coat. Conversely cleaning white paint has more of an effect than filling swirls on it.
Turtle Wax T10 Coarse Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T10 Course Compound is a high performance compound for automotive clearcoats. T10 Course Compound eliminates sanding marks of 1500 and traces of use very fast and offers a constant high gloss. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 9 and a gloss of 7.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). That being said the cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 8 and 8 respectively whereas the TDS states 9 and 7?
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as SHC400. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe it's the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
So the first thing I did was sand down most of the bonnet and tape off 2 sections which i could use to compare T10 to SHC400, neither of which claim to be able to remove 1000 grit sanding marks (btw, this claim is usually in reference to 'fresh' paint which is much softer than cured paint). I was never expecting either to completely remove the sanding marks.
First I correct the bottom section with SHC400
Then the top with T10
Working time - longer than SHC400
Wipe off - slightly more oily than SHC400
Cut - more than SHC400
Gloss - I really struggled to make a call on this one but i think it may just be slightly better than SHC400
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T10
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html - R950/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R867.50/l
SHC400
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/menze ... 400-1-ltr/ R557/l
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1276 R568/l
My verdict - Straight off the bat I will tell you that this surprised me a lot (in a good way). It's a really great product in terms of performance and I definitely would use it again from that perspective, however this performance doesn't warrant the current pricing in my opinion.
Turtle Wax T20 Medium Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T20 Medium Compound is a highly effective compound for new OEM and repair coatings. T20 Medium Compound eliminates signs of wear and tear as ll as grit 2500 sanding marks without leaving holograms and mirco scratches. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 5 and a gloss of 7.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). That being said the cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 5 and 7 respectively matching what the TDS states. This however a spelling mistake on the label – ‘even’ is spelt as ‘evan’
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as PF2300. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe its the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
Next up a I re-polished the top section (initially done with T10) with SHC400 and then re-polished the bottom section (initially done with SHC400) with T10. This left both the top and bottom sections in a very similar state. I then divided the bonnet vertically
Then on the RHS I split that section in half again vertically and removed the tape in the middle that had been running horizontally in order to expose the original 1000 grit sanding marks meaning I could now test the medium cut polishes cutting ability over these sanding marks, as well as over the 2 sections which had both been subjected to T10/SHC400 combo (just in a different order)
Working time - longer than PF2300
Wipe off - slightly more oily than PF2300
Cut - less than PF2300
Gloss - less than PF2300
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T20
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html - R820/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R700/l
PF2300
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1008 R548/l
My verdict - Menzerna's medium cut polish outcuts it, has more gloss and is a lot cheaper. I don't see myself purchasing this product
Turtle Wax T40 Ultra Fine Compound
From the TDS (Technical Data Sheet) : T40 Ultra Fine Compound is a versatile finishing compound for all types of original and repair paints. T40 Ultra Fine Compound guarantees perfect mirror finish. On a scale of 1 min and 10 max it has a cut of 2 and a gloss of 10.
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does have a indicator of cut and gloss on the label which is helpful and there are at least icons showing the need for PPE (personal protective equipment). The cut and gloss indicators on the label rate it as 2 and 10 respectively matching what the TDS states.
Scent - it smells very 'industrial' is the only way I can describe it to someone who hasn't used any Menzerna polishes before. If you have, it smells exactly the same as SF4500. Some people hate it, but I really don't mind it - maybe it's the association with 'making paint look good' that makes it so.
Time to use it.
I couldn't compare it directly to Menzerna's equivalent (which would be SF4500, also rated at a cut of 2 and gloss of 10) as I didn't have any on hand. I did have SF4000 which is rated on the same scale as a cut of 4 and gloss of 10.
So the area I had just tested T20/PF2300 on was sanded once again provide a completely uniform area.
Then began polishing
Working time - about the same as SF4000
Wipe off - about the same as SF4000
Cut - less than SF4000 - but this was to be expected so should not be seen in a negative light.
Gloss - about the same as SF4000
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
T40
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/professional ... pound.html R770/l
http://www.auto-dna.co.za/product/turtl ... und-1-ltr/ R657.95/l
SF4000
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... cts_id=170 R568/l
My verdict - It's a really great product in terms of performance and I definitely would use it again from that perspective - dare I say it's the same as SF4500 (which I have used extensively in the past), however the current pricing in my opinion is still not competitive enough.
Turtle Wax Perfect Finish Finish Flawless Dark Car Wax
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does state 'Perfect Finish Flawless Dark Car Wax has been specially developed for cars with dark paint work which is more susceptible to visible swirls and micro-scratches that ruin your flawless finish. Polishing agents remove swirls and micro-scratches, and durable natural waxes add to a deep gloss shine. Our hardest ever finish that withstands the most extreme weather conditions – the results of 70 years of continuous innovation.' and provides directions for use.
Scent - couldn't identify the smell... my daughter says it smells like medicine...who knows? Its not a bad smell. Frankly I don't think the scent really matters when using a product like this...
Working method - It was machine applied using a Flex 3401 with a White Lake Country Hybrid Pad on speed 4, making 4 section passes to work the product in. It was also used a little 'wet' or 'heavy' [moreso that you would a traditional polish]. I literally taped of a section which ran at 45 degrees across all of the previous testing areas, so that I could test its ability to restore shine on various paint 'conditions'.
Wipe off - It states to allow it to dry to a haze and remove. But I did find that leaving it on for anything more than 5 minutes and the wipe off was very difficult
Performance - worked well and is comparable to most other AIO's out there. In my experience they are all relatively similar in performance with some excelling at cleaning, some at filling, some at abrading and some at protecting.
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/paintcare/wa ... 300ml.html R250/300ml
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1124 R218/300ml
My verdict - It's a competitively priced well functioning AIO that I would happily reach for
Turtle Wax Perfect Crystal Bright Car Wax
Packaging - not too sure what to say here because honestly, I only really care about how the products work. It does state 'Perfect Finish Crystal Bright Car Wax has been specially developed for cars with light paint work as ingrained grime can make paint work look dull and dirty, ruining your flawless finish. Solvents and cleaning agents remove dirt – the results of 70 years of continuous innovation.' and provides directions for use.
Scent - couldn't identify the smell... my daughter says it smells like medicine...who knows? Its not a bad smell. Frankly I dont think the scent really matters when using a product like this...
Working method - It was machine applied using a Flex 3401 with a White Lake Country Hybrid Pad on speed 4, making 4 section passes to work the product in. It was also used a little 'wet' or 'heavy' [moreso that you would a traditional polish]. I literally taped of a section which ran at 45 degrees across all of the previous testing areas, so that I could test its ability to restore shine on various paint 'conditions'.
Wipe off - It states to allow it to dry to a haze and remove. But I did find that leaving it on for anything more than 5 minutes and the wipe off was very difficult
Performance - worked well and is comparable to most other AIO's out there. In my experience they are all relatively similar in performance with some excelling at cleaning, some at filling, some at abrading and some at protecting. Obviously working on black paint (which was not 'dirty') I couldn't really test the cleaning ability of the product.
Cost - will vary depending on where you purchase it. At the time of writing this review here are some comparative prices
http://www.turtlewax.co.za/paintcare/wa ... 300ml.html R250/300ml
http://www.crazydetailer.co.za/index.ph ... ts_id=1125 R218/300ml
My verdict - It's a competitively priced well functioning AIO that I would happily reach for
Lastly, here are a couple of pics showing different 'sections'
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- Cadet
- Posts: 309
- Registered for: 11 years 5 months
- Car Make: VW Golf 1
- Car Model: 2.0 h8 valve
- Location: Durban
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
A lot was learnt out of this one ...The pics don't really show how well the TW T10 worked, I couldn't help but feel shocked after seeing him shocked ...and as always thank you for the lessons sir!! There's a lot more testing lined up I'm sure
2000 Golf 1 Chico- CRANKCASE [Std 2.0 bottom end, head gas flowed,ported & chopped by Fastcar, 288 Estas Billet, 4-2-1 43mm Brospeed Branch, 50mm-57mm-63mm Exhaust] + THE PART (2B1 speacials) -Final power @ Autotrix 111wkw & 210wnm
2007 Velociti- WHITEWALKER [Std 2.0 bottom end, head gas flowed,ported, valve swirled, 276 Estas, 4-2-1 Branch, 57mm piping from front to back]
2007 Velociti- WHITEWALKER [Std 2.0 bottom end, head gas flowed,ported, valve swirled, 276 Estas, 4-2-1 Branch, 57mm piping from front to back]
- chucker02
- Captain
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Awsome write up as always Lawrence. I used turtle wax original hard shell shine car wax this past weekend and I was very impressed with the results. I saw it was on special at Makro for R139 and thought I would give it a try. I did not expect much at first seeing as how cheap it was. It is like a green paste type wax that comes in a green tub. On first application I could see that a little goes a long way and the dry time I gave was about 3 min. When wiping off it does not leave any of that white powder that you get from rally all car wax that is pretty much similarly priced. It gave the paint a very deep look and the water beading is fairly good. It rained saturday night and on sunday morning as the car was drying in the sun you couldnt even tell that the car was wet. Every panel looked freshly waxed with no water spots or streaks of water. I personally have never used any "proper" wax before like collinite 845 or any of the CD range stuff but I was very impressed with the results. I dont know if you will be testing that exact wax be would be nice to have your take on it.
Current:
2006 Citi Golf 2E, Dictator, 4-2-1
Ex:
2003 Audi A3 1.8t, Thanas Tuned, FMIC, coilies, DP and exhaust
2007 Citi golf. ADY with Spitronics 60-2, estas 282, 4-2-1, coilies
Rides thread: http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=183329
2002 Citi golf. ADY carb, estas 282, 4-2-1, GW delarey big brake kit.
Rides thread: http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=157603
1971 VW beetle
2006 Citi Golf 2E, Dictator, 4-2-1
Ex:
2003 Audi A3 1.8t, Thanas Tuned, FMIC, coilies, DP and exhaust
2007 Citi golf. ADY with Spitronics 60-2, estas 282, 4-2-1, coilies
Rides thread: http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=183329
2002 Citi golf. ADY carb, estas 282, 4-2-1, GW delarey big brake kit.
Rides thread: http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=157603
1971 VW beetle
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- Lord of the Sponge
- Posts: 10704
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- Car Model: Sea Blue Polo Vivo
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Thanks for adding in your experience with the product. Its worth mentioning that there is a perception out there (a carry over from days gone by) that their products are 'cheap'/'ineffective' but so far in my limited experience with them this isn't the case. As I have mentioned many times in the past, I don't believe any one brand makes the best of every type of product - they all have some products that are great and some that are not so great - and people need to be more concerned with how whatever it is in the bottle, performs, and less worried about what the label says, what the price tag is or how much 'street cred' it has.chucker02 wrote:Awsome write up as always Lawrence. I used turtle wax original hard shell shine car wax this past weekend and I was very impressed with the results. I saw it was on special at Makro for R139 and thought I would give it a try. I did not expect much at first seeing as how cheap it was. It is like a green paste type wax that comes in a green tub. On first application I could see that a little goes a long way and the dry time I gave was about 3 min. When wiping off it does not leave any of that white powder that you get from rally all car wax that is pretty much similarly priced. It gave the paint a very deep look and the water beading is fairly good. It rained saturday night and on sunday morning as the car was drying in the sun you couldnt even tell that the car was wet. Every panel looked freshly waxed with no water spots or streaks of water. I personally have never used any "proper" wax before like collinite 845 or any of the CD range stuff but I was very impressed with the results. I dont know if you will be testing that exact wax be would be nice to have your take on it.
I am not intending on testing that particular wax but will be testing some of their Perfect Finish Weather Guard Car Wax
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- Committee Member
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Great write-up guy.
I am also in the process of completing a few product tests on TW Products, and will post them all here when I am done with the box of goodies I was given to try.
One thing I did notice, and see you have also, is that the TW products are a little more "oily" and does have an advantage on working time compared to Menz (I've always only used Menz, as I'm happy with its consistent results delivered).
I've personally found myself 80% happy with a panel with Menz, and just wished I had a bit more working time to get the panel perfect, only to have to stop, clean pad & panel & go after it again.
The TW T10 specifically, I have that smidgen of extra working time, which gives me the ability to do the panel 100% and not having to stop to re-load.
Now, if you take that into consideration RE the pricing, the TW would work you out cheaper, as you do not have to reload to achieve your desired results.
I am also in the process of completing a few product tests on TW Products, and will post them all here when I am done with the box of goodies I was given to try.
One thing I did notice, and see you have also, is that the TW products are a little more "oily" and does have an advantage on working time compared to Menz (I've always only used Menz, as I'm happy with its consistent results delivered).
I've personally found myself 80% happy with a panel with Menz, and just wished I had a bit more working time to get the panel perfect, only to have to stop, clean pad & panel & go after it again.
The TW T10 specifically, I have that smidgen of extra working time, which gives me the ability to do the panel 100% and not having to stop to re-load.
Now, if you take that into consideration RE the pricing, the TW would work you out cheaper, as you do not have to reload to achieve your desired results.
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- Cadet
- Posts: 186
- Registered for: 9 years 1 month
- Car Make: Volkwagen
- Car Model: CW Polo 6R GTi
- Location: Cape Town
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Polish(noun) - the demonym for people of Poland
Master product review bud! Objective reviews like these, until the verdict point of course, are exactly what saves other detailers time and money, so thanks for that
Master product review bud! Objective reviews like these, until the verdict point of course, are exactly what saves other detailers time and money, so thanks for that
Interesting find Gaven, would like to hear more on this, as I too find myself having to do a second step in some instances also because I'm a stickler for that last 15-10%. In extreme cases I use SHC300, but it was designed for rotary use, so T10 could fill that gap. I see T10 saving time, money too, however at a lesser margin due to the high price pointGaVeN wrote:Great write-up guy.
I am also in the process of completing a few product tests on TW Products, and will post them all here when I am done with the box of goodies I was given to try.
One thing I did notice, and see you have also, is that the TW products are a little more "oily" and does have an advantage on working time compared to Menz (I've always only used Menz, as I'm happy with its consistent results delivered).
I've personally found myself 80% happy with a panel with Menz, and just wished I had a bit more working time to get the panel perfect, only to have to stop, clean pad & panel & go after it again.
The TW T10 specifically, I have that smidgen of extra working time, which gives me the ability to do the panel 100% and not having to stop to re-load.
Now, if you take that into consideration RE the pricing, the TW would work you out cheaper, as you do not have to reload to achieve your desired results.
- Kyle
- General
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- Car Model: Adidas TYP 64
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- Location: Durban
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Nice review bud, yet to try the brand out TBH...
Well done on taking the time to educate the forum!
Well done on taking the time to educate the forum!
Current:
'03 BMW E46 330i Individual
Ex:
'06 Impreza 2.0R Wagon
'03 S3 8L
'11 A3 1.6TDi
'70 VW Beetle 1600 Twin Port
'00 A4 2.4 V6,
'09 Ibiza Cupra 1.8T,
2013 Vivo Gran Turismo,
E36 M3 Coupe,
E46 320i Individual MSport,
'98 Civic V Tec,
E36 318is Msport,
E30 318i Coupe,
GOLF MK1 GT
Why make things easy for yourself when you can make them incredibly difficult and complicated.
-
- Enlisted
- Posts: 1
- Registered for: 13 years
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Lawrence we would like to thank you for doing such a great review on our products, We have noted all the pro's & con's and will see how we can better the products. Coming to the price point of the review Turtle Wax compounds prices will be adjusted in the first week of March as Turtle Wax has been working on this for the last 2 months. Again thanks for the honest review.
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- Lord of the Sponge
- Posts: 10704
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- Car Make: VW
- Car Model: Sea Blue Polo Vivo
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- Location: Durban
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do the test and for being so open to the honest feedback - its really refreshing to see such a willingness to improve and shows a solid commitment to the industry. I have been pleasantly surprised at the performance of your products and am sure that anyone who uses them will be too.joey@perfection wrote:Lawrence we would like to thank you for doing such a great review on our products, We have noted all the pro's & con's and will see how we can better the products. Coming to the price point of the review Turtle Wax compounds prices will be adjusted in the first week of March as Turtle Wax has been working on this for the last 2 months. Again thanks for the honest review.
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- Lord of the Sponge
- Posts: 10704
- Registered for: 13 years 8 months
- Car Make: VW
- Car Model: Sea Blue Polo Vivo
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Thanks Kyle - as you guys know I am always eager to help educate the forum (and anyone who will listen ). I truly believe that we as detailers have a responsibility to do this as ultimately it is going to help our potential clients understand the difference between a proper detail and a hack job, will help justify the prices a quality detailer will demand, and will help car owner's who love their cars look after them better.Kyle wrote:Nice review bud, yet to try the brand out TBH...
Well done on taking the time to educate the forum!
If we as detailers don't do this, who will?
-
- Lord of the Sponge
- Posts: 10704
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Here is a link to a vehicle that I used T10 on as a 1 step correction, as well as some of the Perfect Finish Paste Wax
http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=205444
http://vwclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=205444
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- Captain
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Brilliant finish Lawrence.....
So there was no need for refinement after using the T10?
How long per section did you use on the paste?
Thanks
So there was no need for refinement after using the T10?
How long per section did you use on the paste?
Thanks
Golf 6 Ed. 35 - 2013 (FR&R Tuned)
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
-
- Lord of the Sponge
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- Registered for: 13 years 8 months
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- Car Model: Sea Blue Polo Vivo
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Correct - no need to further refine the paint, in this specific situation. Remember the objective was to get the paint back into the condition it was before the over-spray hit it, so it wasn't an all out effort to achieve maximum depth/gloss/DOI in the paint. If that were the case, I would definitely still follow up with a finer cut polish.
T10 makes an incredibly good fairly aggressive 1-step polish, especially on lighter colored cars. But at the end of the day, deciding on if you need to further refine your initial step is dependent on so many variables like client expectations, what the client is paying for the detail, how hard or soft the paint is, how aggressive your initial cut was etc etc
As for the paste wax, I reckon you would realistically be able to apply it to say a fender, then immediately buff off - I reckon it needs to sit on the paint for 30 seconds to a minute to haze up, before removal.
Remember too though that ambient conditions will play a major factor in this (heat, humidity, wind speed etc) so you really should apply and conduct the swipe test to determine the optimal haze up time. Swipe with a clean finger (gently) and if there is clear paint with no streaking where you swiped, its good to come off. If it is still 'smeary' where you swiped, it needs to haze up a bit more
T10 makes an incredibly good fairly aggressive 1-step polish, especially on lighter colored cars. But at the end of the day, deciding on if you need to further refine your initial step is dependent on so many variables like client expectations, what the client is paying for the detail, how hard or soft the paint is, how aggressive your initial cut was etc etc
As for the paste wax, I reckon you would realistically be able to apply it to say a fender, then immediately buff off - I reckon it needs to sit on the paint for 30 seconds to a minute to haze up, before removal.
Remember too though that ambient conditions will play a major factor in this (heat, humidity, wind speed etc) so you really should apply and conduct the swipe test to determine the optimal haze up time. Swipe with a clean finger (gently) and if there is clear paint with no streaking where you swiped, its good to come off. If it is still 'smeary' where you swiped, it needs to haze up a bit more
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- Captain
- Posts: 2866
- Registered for: 15 years 7 months
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- Location: Gangsta's Paradi$e - GP
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Understoodlawrence wrote:Correct - no need to further refine the paint, in this specific situation. Remember the objective was to get the paint back into the condition it was before the over-spray hit it, so it wasn't an all out effort to achieve maximum depth/gloss/DOI in the paint. If that were the case, I would definitely still follow up with a finer cut polish.
T10 makes an incredibly good fairly aggressive 1-step polish, especially on lighter colored cars. But at the end of the day, deciding on if you need to further refine your initial step is dependent on so many variables like client expectations, what the client is paying for the detail, how hard or soft the paint is, how aggressive your initial cut was etc etc
As for the paste wax, I reckon you would realistically be able to apply it to say a fender, then immediately buff off - I reckon it needs to sit on the paint for 30 seconds to a minute to haze up, before removal.
Remember too though that ambient conditions will play a major factor in this (heat, humidity, wind speed etc) so you really should apply and conduct the swipe test to determine the optimal haze up time. Swipe with a clean finger (gently) and if there is clear paint with no streaking where you swiped, its good to come off. If it is still 'smeary' where you swiped, it needs to haze up a bit more
As always thanks for the detailed response
Golf 6 Ed. 35 - 2013 (FR&R Tuned)
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
- panic-mechanic
- Panic's Place
- Posts: 26715
- Registered for: 21 years 8 months
- Membership No: 79
- Location: Benoni, putfontein.
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Are any of these professional products available in stores other than online. I am the impatient type and prefer to walk into a shop and buy rather than wait for a delivery to arrive.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10
Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10
Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
- Ian_F
- VWCSA Member
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
KWH Agencies in Midrand are the distributors of TW in SApanic-mechanic wrote:Are any of these professional products available in stores other than online. I am the impatient type and prefer to walk into a shop and buy rather than wait for a delivery to arrive.
I'll pm you the number.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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- Captain
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Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Crazy Detailers is also a walk in shop Panic But they in Beuyers Naude off ramp...... there will also be a a lot of different products to choose frompanic-mechanic wrote:Are any of these professional products available in stores other than online. I am the impatient type and prefer to walk into a shop and buy rather than wait for a delivery to arrive.
Just remember to loosen those joints before starting to polish cause its much harder than these detailing guys make it out to be
Golf 6 Ed. 35 - 2013 (FR&R Tuned)
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
Tiguan 2018 R-Line
Polo 6C Ex
2004 Golf 1 Baby 1.4i +VAT 76.3 WHP@K.A.R
Polo 2008(9n3)Ex:-(
Golf 1(2 door)branch,exhaust,domingo's,leather seats,electric windows, 2.0L 16v ( sold ) Ex.
Golf 2 2L 16v full house(RIP) Ex
Jetta 2 1.8 16v full house(sold) Ex
- panic-mechanic
- Panic's Place
- Posts: 26715
- Registered for: 21 years 8 months
- Membership No: 79
- Location: Benoni, putfontein.
Re: Turtle Wax Product Review/Testing
Oh no I have buffed cars in my life before using the old style rotary things(before these new fangled no swirl jobs came along) and I am well aware of what it takes. It will be like a panel a month excersice for me.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10
Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10
Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.