Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

[ChevyNick]

Hey guys. Today at work I brought some Ultimate Liquid Wax to use on the work van since I don't care much for the liquid version on our cars at home. Before today, I have applied multiple coats of D151 on the van without any issues. Probably 4 coats of D151 since Christmas 2011. I went to apply ULW today on the van, and by the time I finished applying it to only half of a side of the van, the wax appeared to have vaporized into thin air!! I was dumbfounded. I tried applying it pretty thickly and then it didn't disappear as much. It was like applying lotion on dry skin. It just got sucked in or something.

I also observed that when applying ULW with the foam applicator, it was extremely hard to move the pad around, like the paint just had absolutely no previous D151 on it, which it very possible I guess.

So what exactly is going on here? The pad was definitely filled with plenty of wax, yet it took quite a bit of force to move it around. And like I said, there was basically nothing to wipe off because the wax on the surface basically disappeared before my eyes.

I'm thinking the van needs to be hit with D151 first, then followed up with ULW.

Suggestions? Thoughts on what happened?

[Car Potential]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

is the van white?

[Murr1525]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

It kind of sounds right that there isnt much left to wipe off. Did it feel/seem waxes after?

[ChevyNick]

The van is like a metallic brown or something.

It kind of sounds right that there isnt much left to wipe off. Did it feel/seem waxes after?

It did feel smooth after. Even the towel itself just slid right across the paint unlike before.

[wifpd4]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

At a minimum, I use ColorX then ULW. I use an applicator around mirrors, handles, etc and glides on just fine. Thin to win. With a PC, it disappears as you apply it.

[ChevyNick]

Is it ok for the product to just disappear?

I've had that happen with Ultimate Polish and my GG6 while polishing the family fleet. After a pass or two it just kinda hazed away...

[bernard78]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

Yup sounds like UW liquid. I applied thin and it disappear almost like nothing to buff & its slick.

[ajb39oh]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

I does that to me too. Makes for easy buffing.

[ChevyNick]

Hmm strange... alright then.

Since we are still on the disappearing subject, what about other products such as Ultimate Polish, D151, and Ultimate Compound? Is it normal for these products to essentialy varporize as I am working working them in by D/A? Am I still getting maximum results if this is happening?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Ultimate Liquid Wax Absorbed Into ClearCoat???

A couple of different things going on here relative to product "disappearing" as you work with it.

Ultimate Wax, especially in liquid form, uses what we call "thin film technology" and from what you guys are all describing (which is perfectly normal, by the way), that term is pretty accurate! Yes, UWL goes on super thin and will appear to be almost gone before you come back to wipe it off. The lighter the paint color the more it will seem to disappear and be hard to see on the surface.

The other observation, that of D151, UC, etc seeming to disappear while buffing with a DA would appear to indicate you may be buffing a bit longer than you should be. We always caution against going to a dry buff situation, mainly to prevent marring of any sort. But if you work any of these products long enough, they will "go away" as the lubricants evaporate and/or become absorbed into the pad.

Now, about those 4 coats of D151 and the difficult application of UW: this time of year in Michigan can be a big challenge for any wax, and D151 was not formulated to be an extremely long lasting wax - it's more of a potent all-in-one geared toward volume reconditioning where wax longevity is low on the priority list. And because of the effective and efficient cleaning ability of it, even though you may have applied it 4 times in the past couple of months, you only have a single coat on the paint - each successive application removes the one before it. But even so, UW should go on like warm butter, even if you don't have an existing wax on the surface. That you found it difficult to apply is a bit odd since we've never seen that, even when surface temp of the panel we're working on approaches 150 degrees F.

[ChevyNick]

Now, about those 4 coats of D151 and the difficult application of UW: this time of year in Michigan can be a big challenge for any wax, and D151 was not formulated to be an extremely long lasting wax - it's more of a potent all-in-one geared toward volume reconditioning where wax longevity is low on the priority list. And because of the effective and efficient cleaning ability of it, even though you may have applied it 4 times in the past couple of months, you only have a single coat on the paint - each successive application removes the one before it. But even so, UW should go on like warm butter, even if you don't have an existing wax on the surface. That you found it difficult to apply is a bit odd since we've never seen that, even when surface temp of the panel we're working on approaches 150 degrees F.

Ahh alright thanks for that informative reply. I didn't really think about D151 removing itself with each application when I went ahead and bought that. I still have 3/4 of a gallon left of it at work lol. I honestly think there was enough UW on the foam applicator pad so I dunno what's going on.

But alright this is all good information to know. Thanks everyone!