Most of us are very familiar with the back and forth that happens in the detailing world as to whether or not, as professionals, we should use products that the general public is familiar with. Of course Meguiar’s is on the top of that list of names people are familiar with. For those of us that have been in the detailing industry for a while, we know that Meguiar’s has recently gone through a lot of changes, and while their products in the early to mid 90’s were sub par in many circles, they have really revamped their product line.  One of their newer and more popular products is Meguiar’s NXT Tech Wax 2.0.  This is one example of a product Meguiar’s took a look at and completely rebuilt (chemically speaking) from the bottom up.

So, before I get into some of the finer details of the Meguiar’s Tech Wax 2.0 itself, let’s look at how it does differ from the Tech Wax 1.0 (upgrade!). While the general thought was that version 1.0 was a good product as far as durability, it was very difficult to apply and you needed to keep re-applying it to your pad since it dried up pretty quickly. The second issue was removing it. Since you did need to reapply the wax itself to the pad quiet frequently, it was hard to put a thin layer on and therefor it caked up and was difficult to wipe off.

Version 2.0 completely changed that. It’s a very easy product to use, and you do not need to reapply it constantly to the pad. Personally, I apply it most often with a Dual Action polisher and I only apply a small amount to the pads about every three panels if I am using it as a LSP.  It’s also very easy to apply by hand (it even comes with a cool blue Meguiar’s applicator pad). As far as wiping it back off, I will get into that later. One other huge difference is the Tech Wax 2.0’s ability to remove and hide minor damage such as oxidation and micro marring compared to it’s predecessor.  So, let’s get into it.

What It Is: With all the debate over sealants vs. carnauba waxes, it’s hard to tell with some products exactly what they are. The Tech Wax actually falls somewhere between a carnauba wax and a sealant as far as its durability and longevity.  Since it does have some polishing ability, it is actually more of an All In One then a “wax”. It gets its cleaning ability from Calcined Kaolin Clay.  The protection that it gives your paint comes from Polyglycerol Ester which can be described as a “waxy substance” but actually is not a carnauba wax. I contacted Meguiar’s to get the whole story and they told me that the Tech Wax 2.0 is a completely synthetic wax with no carnauba in it.  So while the polyglycerol ester will give you more protection than a traditional wax will, it will not protect as long as some traditional sealants like the Menzerna Power Lock or Blackfire Wet Diamond.

Preparation: Preparation is the key to a great final result and dramatically effects the longevity of any wax or sealant. For information on how to properly prep the paint on your vehicle, please read PREP TIME!!! A couple of steps before polishing by Eric Shuster,  Ask-A-Pro: The Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) Wipedown  by Todd Cooperider, and other articles written about how to prep the paint before applying your wax or sealant.

Application: As I mentioned, you do not need a ton of the Meguiar’s Tech Wax 2.0, only a very thin layer to get maximum effect. Meguiar’s does recommend putting on two coats just to achieve total coverage, but they are also in business to make money, so if you use twice as much, they sell more (think of lather, rinse, repeat on shampoo bottles). If you are using a machine to apply the Tech Wax 2.0, just make sure you go back and apply the product by hand to areas you could not fit the machine. You do not need to use a ton of this product either. The Tech Wax 2.0 contains Hydrotreated Distillate and Isoparaffinic Hydrocarbon. Both of these components keep Tech Wax 2.0 from drying up on your application pad and makes it easy to spread in a thin layer.  Check out every 2-3 panels to make sure there is still product on your pad and you should be fine.

Drying Time: Personally, I have never found drying time to be an issue with the Meguiar’s Tech Wax 2.0. It’s not a product that you immediately need to remove, so that’s not an issue. Also, I have never found it to be a product that is difficult to remove if it has been left on a surface for a long time. All in all, once you have applied the Tech Wax 2.0 to the whole car, you can wait about fifteen to thirty minutes before removing the product.

Longevity: The longevity of any product is difficult to give an accurate measure of since one person may not prep the paint the same way another person might. In my experience with my preparation, I have seen the Tech Wax 2.0 last anywhere from a month to three months depending on the time of year and how the customer treats the car afterwards. It’s important to note again that this product is not a carnuba wax, but it also does not quiet live up to the definition of a sealant either. I can’t stress enough how important the preparation is to the durability and longevity of this product as well as all other waxes and sealants.

Uses: Personally, I feel that the Tech Wax is a great All In One to use when you are short on time and need to get a temporary deep wet look without having to go through a major paint correction process. It’s a great AIO product to use as a maintenance or express detail if you are looking for a great, temporary shine in a short amount of time. Since it does have very mild polishing and cleaning abilities, it certainly does bring out the color of the paint and will help to emphasize any metallic flake in the paint.
One final use I have for the Meguiar’s Tech Wax 2.0 s to use on rims if I want to really make them pop when prepping a show car for my customer. Keep in mind that since the rims of your vehicle are exposed to a very harsh environment, the Tech Wax will not provide a high level of protection and should not be relied on for long term protection.

Final Steps After Application: To avoid streaking and overuse of other products, I have found that using cold water to moisten a Microfiber Towel and following up with a dry microfiber towel works just as well as a final wipe down with a spray detailer.  Now this is where I have an issue with the Tech Wax 2.0. On high impact colors such as dark blues, maroon reds and of course black, you can see that it tends to leave an oily residue behind that may not be visible until you bring the car out in the sun or put it under high intensity lights. It does leave the same residue on low impact colors such as silvers and whites as well, it’s just not as evident.  The oily residue is even more evident in climates that have high humidity. To help prevent this from happening, use the cold, moist microfiber cloth and the dry cloth as described above and very slowly make sure you wipe every inch of the exterior paint, or just allow the oil to dry in the sun a little and then wipe it down with a cold microfiber towel.

Pros of Meguiar’s NXT Tech Wax 2.0:
1). Ease of use
2). Great go to All In One product
3). Durability when paint is prepped properly
4). Smells good

Cons of  Meguiar’s Tech Wax 2.0
1). Can be difficult to remove oily residue especially on high impact colors
2). Humidity dramatically effects drying time
3). Not as durable as some similarly priced sealants or AIOs

Why should I add this product to my detailing arsenal: Overall, it’s a great inexpensive All In One product that is very easy to use at any level. It’s also very easy to get if you are ever in a bind and you find yourself out of your favorite All In One since I have found it pretty much everywhere auto supplies are sold.