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Head-to-head · Best Car Wax

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax vs Collinite 845 Insulator Wax

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Collinite 845 Insulator Wax comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.1 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about Owners in harsh climates who want the longest-lasting protection from a single wax and do not mind applying it thin and careful. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax
Ranked #4 in Best Car Wax
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax
2 sources1 derived$19.97as of Aug 1

Butter Wet Wax is Chemical Guys' value carnauba: it melts onto paint, wipes off in minutes, and leaves a warm, wet glow that rivals waxes costing far more. Durability is where it gives ground, so use it as a fast, affordable maintenance wax rather than a season-long coat.

Strengths
  • — Natural carnauba delivers a warm, deep, wet-looking shine
  • — Smooth liquid creme spreads and wipes off fast, even for beginners
  • — Lightly cleanses light scuffs, tar, and overspray as it applies
Watch-outs
  • — Carnauba durability is shorter than synthetic or ceramic options
  • — Best as a maintenance or topper wax, not a long-haul coat
  • — Shine is gorgeous but does not bead as aggressively as a ceramic
$19.97 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Collinite 845 Insulator Wax
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Car Wax
Collinite 845 Insulator Wax
1 source$20.95as of Aug 1

Collinite 845 is the durability king of this group, a 1936-vintage carnauba-polymer wax that detailing forums trust for four-plus months of protection through salt and sun. Spread thin, it goes on easily and takes to a machine. You give up a little show-car warmth in exchange for protection nothing else here matches.

Strengths
  • — Exceptional durability, commonly reported at four to seven months of protection
  • — Carnauba-polymer blend holds up through winter road salt and summer heat
  • — Liquid formula is easy to wipe on and off, and is machine-friendly
Watch-outs
  • — Must be applied extremely thin or it becomes hard to buff off
  • — Shine is durable and reflective but less wet looking than a show carnauba
  • — Old-school formula benefits from a fully decontaminated surface first
$20.95 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

The warmest, most show-car shine in this lineup and the best value, but it gives up real durability to the Collinite 845 Insulator Wax and the synthetic Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax. It is also less hydrophobic than the spray ceramics, the Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax and Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating.

Collinite 845 Insulator Wax

Out-lasts every other wax here, including the Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax and the spray-on Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax. It gives up some of the easy spray convenience of the Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating and a little of the warm gloss of the Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax, but nothing in this group protects longer.

Specs side-by-side

SpecChemical Guys Butter Wet WaxCollinite 845 Insulator Wax
TypeCarnauba liquid creme waxCarnauba-polymer liquid wax
Size16 fl oz16 fl oz
ApplicationHand or machineHand or low-speed machine
DurabilityWeeks (maintenance wax)4-7 months
CleansingLight scuffs, tar, overspray—
FinishWarm, wet carnauba shineHigh gloss, strong beading
UV ProtectionYes—
SurfacesAll paint and clear coatAuto, marine, RV, motorcycle
Dimensions2.5 x 2.5 x 8.2 inches; 1 pounds2.52 x 2.52 x 7.99 inches; 14.56 ounces
Best Practice—Apply thin on clean paint
Made In—USA, since 1936
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