The Turbo Wax Challenge

[Tere]

Here it is, the great Turbo Wax challenge -- one coat of Turbo Wax versus 50 coats of Zaino.

But first some comments: Turbo Wax is fast and easy to use by comparison to Zaino. The big fluffy mircofiber from Turbo Wax is the best I've ever used -- great for that final polish! The Turbo Wax tire gel is good stuff -- show car quality -- the solid black non-greasy luster that judges look for. Overall, the products are top quality and the variety is about everything you need to do up your Viper right.

Now you be the judge -- Zaino on the right versus Turbo Wax on the left. (click on each photo for a huge photo)

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The Turbo Wax product lineup. The 3-step headlight restoration kit is good stuff to clear up oxidized (fogged) headlights -- cleaned up the '03 350Z headlights with no problems in 15-20 minutes.

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[Tito Tw]

Hello Tere, I want to thank you for taking the time to detail both cars for a comparison review and allowing us this great opportunity.

 

[Tere]

Hello Tere, I want to thank you for taking the time to detail both cars for a comparison review and allowing us this great opportunity.

I enjoyed trying out your Turbo Wax products! What is nice is having products that address the detailer's problems and they work! As I refine my techniques with Turbo Wax, I'm sure I'll be able to get better results. As it is, I thought Tubo Wax did a great job with only one coat. Wait 'til I get a chance to do my usual three coats per detailing session!

I detail my cars once a week (weather permitting), so this weekend was pretty normal routine. Aside from doing the headlights on the 350 with your headlight restoration kit, the 350 only got a quick detail -- I put a little more time in on the Viper since I wanted to learn about how your products work. Thanks for letting me try them out -- a risky challenge when you're up against a long-time Zaino user!

 

[silverz06vette]

Do nothing except for washes to both cars for 4-6 months, then let us know which one is still protecting. Since we don't know how each car was prepped, how can we really compare them?

Prep- machine polishing the paint is 90% of your paints appearance.

 

[xlrashn]

Do nothing except for washes to both cars for 4-6 months, then let us know which one is still protecting. Since we don't know how each car was prepped, how can we really compare them?

Prep- machine polishing the paint is 90% of your paints appearance.

You make a very valid point for a car that leans more to the daily driver side of the spectrum. However, many Viper owners only drive on nice days and lean closer to the garage queen side of the spectrum. Since my collection is in the later group, I find great value in immediate results, ease of application, and time needed to do so, since total exposure to the elements is actually quite limited before they would be getting another detail and wax anyway.

Just my $.02 worth.

 

[RobZilla]

Who honestly "only" washes their car every 4-6 months??? You're killing me smalls... go back to the vette forum.

Do nothing except for washes to both cars for 4-6 months, then let us know which one is still protecting. Since we don't know how each car was prepped, how can we really compare them?

Prep- machine polishing the paint is 90% of your paints appearance.

 

[ShadowLight]

It's also hard to say because they are two different colors. I know what Tere's car looks like in person and it looks VERY different in these pictures, so that might mean she got some excellent results. I suppose I'll have to check out the paint at the next meet!

 

[silverz06vette]

Who honestly "only" washes their car every 4-6 months??? You're killing me smalls... go back to the vette forum.

Sorry that you did not understand me. What I ment was only do washes as a part of your maintance, for some folks that is every week and others that is once a month. So no quick detailers or spray sealants for 4-6 months. This would be a true test of a products ability to protect the paint for an extended period of time.

 

[silverz06vette]

You make a very valid point for a car that leans more to the daily driver side of the spectrum. However, many Viper owners only drive on nice days and lean closer to the garage queen side of the spectrum. Since my collection is in the later group, I find great value in immediate results, ease of application, and time needed to do so, since total exposure to the elements is actually quite limited before they would be getting another detail and wax anyway.

Just my $.02 worth.

I have a few clients that fall into the same group as you. One in particular who owns this Black ACR is out of the country more then not. I don't think he has ever returned into town to find his ACR dirty.

With a good base of zaino, all I do is wash and apply some Z8 spray sealant every other wash. Being that the car is of course stored indoors, it will be at least a year before any additional applications of sealant need to be reapplied.

 

[Tito Tw]

If you and your clients are happy with the car care products you use/provide that's all that matters.

 

[Tere]

None of my cars are "garage queens" and each is typically driven 3-4 days a week. All are driven in the rain and they sit in the parking lot baking in the south Texas sun all day.

A good quality polish is very important to me since I also show my cars. I've used Zaino for years and won many show trophies. But folks who know me, know that I also drive the heck out of my cars.

The Turbo Wax challenge was fun and interesting. Overall opinion from a very obsessive-compulsive detailer, is that Turbo Wax is a very good quality line of products, and has an advantage of speed -- fast and easy to use. When you typically detail 2-3 cars almost every weekend, speed has an obvious advantage.

I'm going to continue to work with Turbo Wax on the Viper, and develop product specific techniques that work best. It will interesting to compare long-term use. The thing to remember as well is we're comparing one day of Turbo Wax use against six years of religious Zaino detailing -- with that in mind, Turbo Wax came out pretty good!

Although different colors, both finishes are dark pearls. Zaino typically rules with dark pearl finishes, but Turbo Wax isn't bad in bringing out the pearl luster -- more polish coats may give a deeper luster.

 

[Tito Tw]

Tere-

Yesterday we released our latest product which I will be sending you for testing. We are confident that we will have a great contender against any other car care products if you talk about single product single application.

 

[Tere]

Sorry that you did not understand me. What I ment was only do washes as a part of your maintance, for some folks that is every week and others that is once a month. So no quick detailers or spray sealants for 4-6 months. This would be a true test of a products ability to protect the paint for an extended period of time.

No way on earth could I drive my cars for 4-6 months without detailing weekly. I'd go completely looney tunes! It's been bad enough driving the Viper in the rain for three days without having a chance to do any waterspot cleanup!

Even with three days of rain and road dirt, you can still see the shine coming through!

LOL... I think I'm about the only person who will sometimes detail my cars on my lunch break -- yep, I always carry my towels and quick detailing products in my trunk!

 

[Tere]

Tere-

Yesterday we released our latest product which I will be sending you for testing. We are confident that we will have a great contender against any other car care products if you talk about single product single application.

Looking forward to giving it a try!

 

[texas_venom]

Is it a silicone based product?

 

[Tito Tw]

Hello,Thank you for asking I have taken the liberty to add a few more common questions regarding the subject.

Which Turbo Wax Products have silicone?
The car wax has a small amount, and the tire gel and LVR also have small amounts.

In a 16 oz. bottle, what % is in it?
This is company proprietary formula information and is not given out.

Does everyone else use silicone in their products?
In a word, No. Now, there are many reasons, one is the cost, silicone adds a significant cost to the product. Another is that not everyone knows how to formulate or blend silicone into their products to achieve the desired results.

Why the use of silicone?
Silicone does many things, one it adds lubricity to the product, another is, is a surface protectant within itself, another, it adheres to whatever surface it is attached to. Also it resists being washed off by regular PH balanced products.

Is silicone harmful to the paint finish?
No. It does not possess a ph factor to be detrimental to the finish. Think about this, there are products in the silicone family in many of the hand lotions we use.

Why do you use silicone in your products?
To promote longevity of the waxed surface, provide protection to the surface it is put on, protection mainly from the elements, rain, sun, etc.

How do we know what silicone base product to use?
Most of this would be proprietary, but we arrived at this knowledge through constant research in our lab and testing many formulas.

Compared to other wax products, do you use more or less silicone in your products than other products?
This would vary depending on whose product(s) you were doing the comparison with, but to give this information out would be a lot like writing out the formula!

 

[agentf1]

I have a few clients that fall into the same group as you. One in particular who owns this Black ACR is out of the country more then not. I don't think he has ever returned into town to find his ACR dirty.

With a good base of zaino, all I do is wash and apply some Z8 spray sealant every other wash. Being that the car is of course stored indoors, it will be at least a year before any additional applications of sealant need to be reapplied.

I agree, looks are more a product of the proper prep work. I judge a product by how well and how long it protects me from the elements, how well the water sheets after a wash and for how long it sheets and cleans up real easy, ease of application and removal.

It is a hobby of mine trying different car care products and I have tried just about every product on the market (haven't tried Turbo yet AFAIK but a lot of products are sold under various names) and have to say I have found NONE that perform as well as Zaino, not even Zymol Vintage that cost thousands or some of the sealants that are supposed to be some of the most durable on the market such as Rejex etc etc...

 

[Tere]

Something wild happened. I drove the Viper for three days in the rain, so it was pretty dirty. Sunday I blew off debris (130 psi) and hit the Viper with detailing spray and microfiber towels. The Turbo Wax finish is so slick that the dirt film came off with no effort (no smearing). In other words this was a quick detailing -- around a half hour.

When I took a look at it in the bright Texas afternoon sun, the pearl really popped! In fact in some spots the pearl was so strong that parts of the finish appeared to be a medium silver (color is slate crystal). The detailing spray made the previous week's polish look even better! I looked at it again this morning just to make sure I wasn't seeing things, and both pearl luster and overall reflectivity are improved. The Viper looks awesome. Two passersby took photos this morning.

What is it about the detailing spray that enhances the polish?

(sorry, I don't have my camera with me)

 

[silverz06vette]

Something wild happened. I drove the Viper for three days in the rain, so it was pretty dirty. Sunday I blew off debris (130 psi) and hit the Viper with detailing spray and microfiber towels. The Turbo Wax finish is so slick that the dirt film came off with no effort (no smearing). In other words this was a quick detailing -- around a half hour.

When I took a look at it in the bright Texas afternoon sun, the pearl really popped! In fact in some spots the pearl was so strong that parts of the finish appeared to be a medium silver (color is slate crystal). The detailing spray made the previous week's polish look even better! I looked at it again this morning just to make sure I wasn't seeing things, and both pearl luster and overall reflectivity are improved. The Viper looks awesome. Two passersby took photos this morning.

What is it about the detailing spray that enhances the polish?

(sorry, I don't have my camera with me)

I am pretty sure you are scratching/marring your paint by wiping off a dirty car with any quick detailer. QDs should be used at the most for very light dust.

You can try QEW or ONR, if you want to do a quick cleanup of your car without scratching it.

Some QDs contain silicones or oils that will mask defects in your paint.

 

[Tere]

I am pretty sure you are scratching/marring your paint by wiping off a dirty car with any quick detailer. QDs should be used at the most for very light dust.

You can try QEW or ONR, if you want to do a quick cleanup of your car without scratching it.

Some QDs contain silicones or oils that will mask defects in your paint.

Nope. No scratches, no swirls. Remember I blow off all debris/grit with compressed air at 130 psi (cleans out all the little nooks and crannies too). After the blow off, all that's left is a hazy film -- no debris, grit, or dust. Remember, you're talking to an expert detailer with many first place show trophies. If there's one thing I can do well (besides driving) it's detailing. If the finish were marred I'd know it.

The effect I'm talking about is the luster of the pearl being enhanced. It's the effect that Zaino is known for. The point being I got an effect very similar to the Zaino effect.

 

[silverz06vette]

Nope. No scratches, no swirls. Remember I blow off all debris/grit with compressed air at 130 psi (cleans out all the little nooks and crannies too). After the blow off, all that's left is a hazy film -- no debris, grit, or dust. Remember, you're talking to an expert detailer with many first place show trophies. If there's one thing I can do well (besides driving) it's detailing. If the finish were marred I'd know it.

The effect I'm talking about is the luster of the pearl being enhanced. It's the effect that Zaino is known for. The point being I got an effect very similar to the Zaino effect.

Do 99% of judges at a show know what a swirl is?

Lets say that a pressure washer at 2200psi can't remove enough dirt off of the surface of a car to make QDing a cars paint safe. How does using compressed air do any better?

When you got your viper what process did you use to remove the swirls?

I'd really like to learn from the master.

 

[Tere]

You presume that it had any significant swirls/scratches to start with. It seems to me that you continually presume far too much. My techniques work well and give good results that very tough show judges like -- my first place car in the last show got three trips from the judges for almost an hour with every bit of the car thoroughly inspected outside, inside, and engine bay -- my other two cars in the show took second places in category. It's again extremely presumptive to say that the judges did incomplete or cursory judging.

The missed point of this thread is that Turbo Wax appears to be a good quality series of products which gives good results.

 

[silverz06vette]

You presume that it had any significant swirls/scratches to start with. It seems to me that you continually presume far too much. My techniques work well and give good results that very tough show judges like -- my first place car in the last show got three trips from the judges for almost an hour with every bit of the car thoroughly inspected outside, inside, and engine bay -- my other two cars in the show took second places in category. It's again extremely presumptive to say that the judges did incomplete or cursory judging.

The missed point of this thread is that Turbo Wax appears to be a good quality series of products which gives good results.

Congratulation on being that 1 in a million person who buys a car that does not have swirls.

So have you ever machine polished paint?

You presume that I was talking about the judges in your specific show/s. I was talking about judges in general.

Ok back on topic. Let say you rate Zaino 5 out of 5 stars? Would you rate Turbo wax a Four star product?

 

[SkyBob]

Do 99% of judges at a show know what a swirl is?

You presume that I was talking about the judges in your specific show/s. I was talking about judges in general.

Wow. Nice back-peddling there, Mr. silverz06vette.

You weren't talking about judges in general. You were making an un-supportable statement to help you make your point.

Tere has said she spends much time detailing her cars. She could see if there were swirls in the paint of her cars as well as 99% of judges at a show. Uh oh. Did I just make a statement I couldn't prove?

Bob

 

[Tito Tw]

I find it ironic that all of your posts in here are in a negative way. I’m not sure what is your purpose or your agenda. I’m not even sure why you even care who make's my products?

I have already mentioned earlier in another post, if you and your clients are happy with the products you provide them, that’s all it matters.

Why don’t you pay for your own section in the forum and sell and promote whatever you want.

And By the way God Bless you.

 

[silverz06vette]

Wow. Nice back-peddling there, Mr. silverz06vette.

You weren't talking about judges in general. You were making an un-supportable statement to help you make your point.

Tere has said she spends much time detailing her cars. She could see if there were swirls in the paint of her cars as well as 99% of judges at a show. Uh oh. Did I just make a statement I couldn't prove?

Bob

Bob, Thanks for your input.

I guess in your world 99% of the judges out there means a specific group of judges.

So tell me Bob, does it look like to you that is very possible that this ACR looks great and is swirl free:

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So even if the sun was out, what % of judges in your opinions would pay attention to the following defects:

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By the way this is a brand new ACR after a long trip home and a wash.

Under the lights:

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True paint correction on the upper half:

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After 30 hours of paint correction, I guess its a little better:

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[silverz06vette]

I find it ironic that all of your posts in here are in a negative way. I’m not sure what is your purpose or your agenda. I’m not even sure why you even care who make's my products?

I have already mentioned earlier in another post, if you and your clients are happy with the products you provide them, that’s all it matters.

Why don’t you pay for your own section in the forum and sell and promote whatever you want.

And By the way God Bless you.

Mr Turbo wax, When I first posted to this thread, I was responding to the fact that applying a product to a car and having it shine is not a very good indication of overall performance of any product.

I then was reminded by you that whatever makes people happy is fine. Heck I agree.

But when someone posts a questionable car cleaning method that will marr or swirl a finish, as a detailer I feel its my responsibility to alert others that this is not the proper way to clean a car.

I understand that it is possible that peoples feeling are going to get hurt when their methods are called into question. But we do live in a land of reality, not smoke and mirrors.

Now if people choose to live in the later mentioned and condone these methods, I guess there is nothing I can do about it.

 

[Tito Tw]

If you feel that from you're experience you can contribute in a positive way to the detailing community I’m all for that, there’s nothing wrong with sharing the knowledge. I’d be the first one to praise anyone that will improve my knowledge.

However, some of your comments were post in a negative way, if you had any idea how hard we had to work to get us here, at what cost and the sacrifices that my family owned company had to make, maybe you could re think some of your comments.

We don’t come into the forums to start battles about products or procedures; we try our best to help when we can and we try to provide customers with alternative car care products.

Good job on that viper.

 

[agentf1]

I am pretty sure you are scratching/marring your paint by wiping off a dirty car with any quick detailer. QDs should be used at the most for very light dust.

You can try QEW or ONR, if you want to do a quick cleanup of your car without scratching it.

Some QDs contain silicones or oils that will mask defects in your paint.

I have to agree, Tere's method of cleaning is a definite no no in my book. I too highly recommend looking into the QEW method as that is what I do when needed. The only time I will use a Calif duster and then QD to clean my car is if it has dust on it from sitting in my garage, once it is driven I either do a full wash or use the QEW method. And I don't care what or who's products are on your car you will introduce swirls in your paint doing it any other way.

 

[Tere]

LOL... I wouldn't use a Cali duster ever -- it just drags dirt, grit, and excess Cali wax all over.

So let's be practical -- how many folks are going to spend big bucks to have a 30 hour job done even once a month?

So what do you do in between those 30 hour detailing jobs? You do some fast detailing, using products and techniques that work well given the situation.

I spend over a week prepping a car for a show. But in between show car preps, practicality is the name of the game.

And yes, all the show judges I know would spot those defects right off the bat -- dark solid colored cars make it easy to spot defects.

Out on the road prep? Blow off at any service station with compressed air and detail. Why not pressure wash? You don't know the water quality -- hard water will leave a tough to remove mineral film (dulls finish).

So now that we're back to practicality, does Tubo Wax do a good job? Yes, it does. Is it fast and easy to use? Yes, it is. Is it in a league with other top quality products? Yes, it is. So that pretty much sums it up.

Take your pick, pay big bucks to have someone do a 30 hour job every week or DIY with detailing products that give good results within the bounds of the practicality of the situation.