One of the most frequently asked questions that we get is why does Meguiar’s make so many different waxes? When standing in front of a shelf at the automotive retailer or staring at a computer monitor, it can often be overwhelming and even confusing to have so many different options. So, why does Meguiar’s make so many different waxes?
One of the main reasons for making so many different waxes is that many of the different products serve different functions. If you take an ASE certified mechanic at a dealership and slide open one of the drawers of their tool kit, you’ll typically find a least one drawer full of different types of screwdrivers. Lined up in a row, you’ll notice some are Philips head, some slot head, some may be Allen head while others are Torx head. They may also have different sized tips, handles that vary in lengths, and they may even have different angles. You get the idea. They are all screwdrivers but each one serves its own individual function and excels better in specific situations depending on the job at hand.
Waxes are just the same. Some people don’t want to do multiple steps, and for this person a cleaner wax would be the perfect selection. Others may not need any cleaners and love that warm glow and shine of a carnauba on their classic car. Then, you may have a person with a daily driver where their car sits outside all the time. This person will probably want a longer lasting protection like a sealant or a hybrid ceramic wax. For someone who’s short on time, they may want to make use of a spray wax where they can get protection on the paint very quickly.
Another reason for having so many different waxes is that our chemists are always working toward making the very best product. Over time formulas are refined, technology advances and we are able to make newer and better products. Naturally we always want to new products that are easier to work with, last longer and leverage the latest technology. As we continue to make the latest and greatest products, there may be a product with older chemistry that has a good following and it continues to remain popular in the market as a result. In the end it continues to be produced as it’s a quality product that works well and fills a niche in the market.
A great example here is a carnauba wax. Carnauba waxes have been around for decades, so there’s no arguing that they aren’t the most advanced protection for your paint. Does a carnauba wax last as long as a full polymer, sealant or ceramic wax? No, it doesn’t However, carnauba wax continue to be a very popular product that people want, so we continue to produce it.
Sometimes a wax is formulated to perform better in a specific situation too. Take for example Meguiar’s M305 Ultra Finishing Glaze. When a car is freshly painted it needs to fully cure and outgas before you seal it with a wax or sealant. Part of it has to do with the silicones in waxes, and most of the waxes out there have silicone in them. M305 fills that niche in the professional market allowing a body shop to apply it to get some additional shine and protection on the paint while still allowing the paint to breathe and cure as it should.
One last reason we produce so many different waxes simply comes down to personal preference. There are many people who use their current wax because that’s what their dad used to use when waxing his car. Some grew up using paste waxes, so they are more comfortable with a paste wax making it their format of choice. Price can be a factor in the equation. For some, they want to use the best possible product and cost doesn’t matter, while others may want to protect the paint on their car but only want to spend a certain amount of money. In the end, people are different and have diverse wants and needs, and as a company we want to have an excellent option that performs really well for each and every one of those wants and needs.
