The 4 Best Car Wax Options For Your Vehicle

For many automobile owners, few weekend rituals are quite as important or as satisfying as giving that vehicle a good wash. If that applies to you, you likely already have the various tools that are necessary to keep your car, truck, or sport utility vehicle clean and shiny for every trek about town.

Should that be the case, we'll go ahead and assume you know what not to do when giving your vehicle a good scrub down. We'll also assume that you've graduated from using dish soap as your cleansing agent, opting instead for a cleaner designed specifically for automobiles. There are, of course, also certain finishing touches to consider in your car washing routine because anybody who takes the task seriously will have opinions on things like waxing the vehicle after the fact, as that is the best way to help protect its exterior from harmful elements.

Yes, a good coat of wax also leaves your vehicle looking shiny and new. If you have opinions about waxing, you surely have others about what wax might be best for shine and to protect your vehicle. Even if you already have a favorite, you might be interested in hearing about a few other waxes we think any car owner should add to their arsenal. 

It has become popular for some companies to advertise certain products as "not your parents'" this or that, but in certain circumstances, it is perfectly okay to use the same product used by generations past. Waxing a car happens to be one of them, and if you're anything like me, Turtle Wax was the product you watched my parents use whenever they waxed a vehicle. I'd lay even odds it was also the wax their parents used, as Turtle Wax's origins trace all the way back to the 1930s.

Turtle Wax's Super Hard Shell Finish was also the first product I used when I set about waxing a vehicle for the first time on my own, and it's one I still favor today. There are many reasons for that, and cost is a big part of the equation, as you can pick up a 9.5 oz can directly from the company for just $6. That cost is made all the more appealing when you consider that a 6oz can of Super Hard Shell Finish lasts for several months, depending on the size of your vehicle. Most importantly, I can confirm that the Super Hard Shell Finish remains one of the most effective and easy-to-use paste waxes on the market for those who prefer the time-honored "wax on, wax off" method of waxing.

While waxing on and off with a paste is the most traditional way to properly shine a vehicle, it is also the most time-consuming method. Not everybody has the time for such undertakings, even if you're sticking strictly to the recommended intervals between waxes. This fact has not been lost on companies that manufacture such products, with many now offering spray-on options.

One of the most common complaints of spray-on waxes is that they can leave streaks. Having used Meguiar's Quick Wax spray on a handful of occasions, I can tell you that its makers have not completely solved the streaking problem. Even still, Meguiar's delivered what I believe to be one of the more effective and easy-to-use spray waxes on the market. And yes, it's one of the quickest ways to wax your vehicle to boot. 

That last fact is in no small part due to the ability to apply the wax whether your car is wet or dry, and not having to wait until you dry your car to apply a coat of wax can indeed trim significant time from your routine. That being said, in my experience, Meguiar's is more effective when applied to a clean, dry vehicle, so take that for what it's worth. As for cost, Meguiar's is also reasonably priced, with Amazon currently offering a 2-pack of 24 oz Quick Wax bottles for $15.94.

Some car waxing purists might refuse to look beyond a paste, but even they might agree that a good liquid cream wax can be just as effective in giving your car a lustrous shine and protection from harmful elements. However, some liquid creams can err on the side of pricey, and for that reason, it's not an option I've turned to myself very often. That being the case, I can't personally vouch for the effectiveness of Chemical Guys' Butter Wet Wax, but judging from the product's 4.9 stars out of 5 rating in the Chemical Guys' web store, a personal seal of approval doesn't feel entirely necessary.

As far as its application goes, Butter Wet Wax is used the same way as a paste, with users spreading on a thin coat and then wiping away any remaining residue. Unlike a paste, however, liquids can be applied to a wet vehicle, meaning you'll be able to shave some time off of your cleaning routine by using one. Butter Wet Wax is advertised as safe for use on all makes, models, and finishes, with Chemical Guys utilizing a blend of Carnauba, polymers, and resins to deliver the "deep wet shine" that's advertised on the bottle.

Per user reviews, there are not many complaints to be had about this product, though some find its banana scent unnecessary or outright repulsive. As previously noted, price might be a concern, too, with Amazon listing a 16 oz bottle of Butter Wet Wax for $19.97.  

Griot's Garage Premium Carnauba Paste is currently listed on Amazon at $38.88 for a 12oz tin. We fully understand if you stop reading now, as dropping almost $40 on 12 ounces of car wax is just not a reasonable option for a lot of people. If, however, you're the sort that spares no expense when it comes to your vehicle's beauty routine, this option is one you should definitely check out.

For the record, I'm among those who generally can't justify the cost of this wax, but I have had the opportunity to use an acquaintance's can of Griot's Premium Carnauba Paste Wax once or twice. I can confirm what many other users have said in their 5-star reviews of the product –  Griot's Premium Carnauba Paste Wax is one of the easier-to-use pastes available to consumers and is just as effective at glowing up and protecting any vehicle you might choose to apply it to, so long as its paint is in good condition.

The company claims that the product's quick-curing design can save you a little time between application and removal, but I didn't feel the time between was dramatically reduced compared to some other high-end brands. You'll just have to decide for yourself if this one is worth such a considerable investment.

When selecting the various car wax options that made this list, we accounted for several deciding factors. Among the most important of those factors were things like cost, availability, and relative ease of use. We also took into consideration reviews given by consumers who have actually used the products and, whenever possible, our own personal experience with each. Despite efforts to make this list as comprehensive as we could, it should by no means be considered an "end-all, be-all" sort of account of what's available in the consumer car wax arena. As such, we heartily encourage you to do your own research on the matter before you invest even a modest sum of money on any of the items we've listed here.