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Hot Wax or Super Sealant?

rph9168

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An operator I know is remodeling his tunnel. He only has room to put one additional arch in his short tunnel. He is not sure if he wants to put in hot wax or one of those super sealants like RainX. I have a personal bias in favor of a super sealant because it affords more protection than hot wax but I know hot wax puts on a better show in the tunnel. If you had to choose which one would you pick?
 

BBE

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Is cost part of the issue? Or just the fundamental preference towards super sealant?
 

Earl Weiss

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IMO the marketing value is paramount. I don't think most industry brands of Super Sealant carry much value. I think "How Wax" still has marketing Value as does "Rain X"
 

BBE

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I'd go with hot wax. He can put the hot wax on through a regular rain arch, that way if he ever wants to switch over to a super sealant sometime down the line it's not a big deal to just switch the product going to it and drop the foamers from it.
 

washnshine

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An operator I know is remodeling his tunnel. He only has room to put one additional arch in his short tunnel. He is not sure if he wants to put in hot wax or one of those super sealants like RainX. I have a personal bias in favor of a super sealant because it affords more protection than hot wax but I know hot wax puts on a better show in the tunnel. If you had to choose which one would you pick?
IMHO, hot wax has the same longevity as the super sealants. I have used rain X as well as other super sealants and they do not last any longer than hot wax and shine. I should say hot wax lasts every bit as long as any of the other sealants and provides a better shine.
I put it on with k nozzles - no lava applicator for me, but the results of the product speak for themselves. Both types of products offer around 30 days of protection. By the time that time is up, most customers have returned for a wash. If not, then they are not too concerned about shine or protection!

Also, operators who offer both, always save the hot wax for the highest package. If customers are used to seeing the hot wax placement in the highest package at competing washes, they will want to see it in the top package at your friend's wash - even if he does not have a super sealer on the second package.

I would go with the hot wax.
 

robert roman

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Show is nice but what sells ice cream - whipped cream and sprinkles or Hagen Das underneath?

I would offer both products - foam or no foam. Reason being foam isn’t needed to produce hydrophobic effect.

So, your friend could use a single rinse arch equipped with two nozzle manifolds. Also possible is to mount a rain bar to the back side of a foaming arch.

Rain-X is paint and glass water repellent. It imparts a surface contact angle of around 100 degrees. Hot wax contains carnauba or synthetic wax so it shines better. It also imparts angle greater than 100.

This means hot wax beads up better and dries excess water faster.

So, I might sell products separately because applied at the same time would provide no cumulative benefit.
 
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