This from consumer reports is a bit outdated, 2 years old, but here is the bottom line of their testing (they actually did scientific studies like to see how the shape of the water beads changed over time, as well as opinion surveys of how shiny the car looked afterwards). One of the big conclusions they made was that the 3-step products (like mothers) aren't any better and do not warrant the extra work involved. They actually said something like "waxing once is not fun, why would we want to do it 3 times in a row?"
None of these polishes will be all things to all people. Even the highest-rated products fell down somewhat in one or two areas of performance, so choose according to your priorities. If water still beads on your car's finish, you may not need to wax at all. Simply wash the car regularly.
For a moderately weathered finish, 3M One Step Cleaner Wax 39006 liquid is the clear choice for its cleaning ability--that is, if you don't mind waxing more often. Its durability was only fair. It costs about $6.45 for a 16-ounce bottle. For a badly oxidized finish, you may need to start off with a polishing compound, available at auto-parts, discount, and department stores.
If a shiny finish is your paramount concern, first consider Zymöl Cleaner Wax liquid and Nu Finish Car Polish paste. But be prepared to make some compromises. The cleaning ability of both products was so-so, and Zymöl's durability was just middling. Also, the Nu Finish tended to scratch or haze somewhat, a problem especially with dark-colored cars. The Zymöl is also quite expensive, at $16 a pint. The Nu Finish costs about $6.20 for a 14-ounce can.
Among the high-rated polishes, the Prestone Bullet Wax, about $7.25, and Armor All Car Wax, about $5.55, lasted the longest. But neither one quite matched the gloss that the Zymöl and Nu Finish paste produced. The Armor All scratched or hazed more than most.
A convenient applicator made Prestone Bullet Wax easier to apply than any of the other liquids and pastes we tested. Although spray polishes win hands down for ease of use, they aren't effective on cars with a very dirty or oxidized finish. And be prepared to do the job often; the durability of the sprays we tested was no better than fair. Of the three sprays, Turtle Wax Express Shine Spray Car Wax performed the best overall.
I tried looking for the prestone bullet wax since it had a "handy applicator" and was one of the top-ranked waxes in durability and gloss, but couldn't find it anywhere. Maybe it's discontinued.
I live in Florida so with this sun i do not have the option of waxing once a year... no matter how much you spend on wax this sun will kill it. The meguiars has stood up for a little over a month know but is not beading like it used to needs another coat this weekend!!!!
