Pinnacle Souveran

[99monguse]

Is Souveran a show wax only? I would like to try it but for $100, if there's no durability...what's the point! I don't want to have to re-wax after a couple weeks

[Dr Oldz]

Looks awesome and is super easy to use but durability is 3 weeks or so depending on enviromental conditions. The extreme ease of use makes it a breeze to reapply tho.

[Silverstone]

Try the liquid souveran then if you haven't already. I've been using it since last summer and love it. Looks deep and wet and lasts a long time.

[NickZ28]

Try the liquid souveran then if you haven't already. I've been using it since last summer and love it. Looks deep and wet and lasts a long time.
:iagree: I used it last week on the wife's Vette and it looks awesome.

[trhland]

:xyxthumbs::xyxthumbs: its one of my favorite waxes!!!

[Jaretr1]

And right now liquid souveran is on bogo!

[Kris R]

Yeah the durability is my biggest beef with it.

I bought it for a 55 thunderbird show car I prepped for a show.

It won by the way.

http://img.tapatalk.com/43bef9d8-9e14-5c57.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/43bef9d8-9e25-2dca.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/43bef9d8-9e52-946c.jpg

[shoeless89]

Durability sucks, looks are great! Up to you

[Mike Phillips]

Is Souveran a show wax only? I would like to try it but for $100, if there's no durability...what's the point! I don't want to have to re-wax after a couple weeks



First, since this is your first post to our forum,

Welcome to Autogeek Online! :welcome:

Be sure to check our our Roll Call thread, it's so much nicer to be able to address people by their first name versus their forum nickname.

Roll Call - What's your real first name? (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/33701-roll-call-what-s-your-real-first-name.html)


99monguse,

How long ANY wax lasts depends upon how the paint is touched afterwards.


Some cleaning soaps, like a dishwashing soap and an aggressive wash mitt or even aggressive washing "style" will wear a wax coating off faster than using a high quality, non-detergent car wash with a premium quality wash mitt and good technique.


If you wash carefully using a pH balanced car wash like Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo and use a spray detailer like Pinnacle Crystal Mist in-between a normal wash and wax you can get up to 3 months of protection with Souveran Paste wax.

And "yes", Pinnacle Souveran is a true show car wax and it's incredibly easy to apply and remove. I use it on a lot of the show cars work I do, for example,
this 1954 Corvette

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette022.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette023.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette024.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette025.jpg



Here's a shot of the dash and cockpit...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette026.jpg


Comfortable seating for two...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette027.jpg



The 1954 Corvette had little fins leading back to the tail lights...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette028.jpg


Chrome Headlight protectors protect the headlights and give classic Corvettes a unique style

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette029.jpg



The shape and design of the front grill is a work of art...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette030.jpg



These are the original 1954 Corvette Hubcaps... do an eBay search and see what just a full set of these goes for now days...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette031.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette032.jpg

Pinnacle Souveran, a true show car wax also called a finishing wax...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette035.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/928/1954Vette036.jpg



:xyxthumbs:

[Mike Phillips]

The below Camaro took BEST OF CLASS at this last weekend's Super Chevy Show. Tommy, the owner sent me this picture this last Sunday...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/BestofClassatSuperChevyTommy.jpg

Glassy wet-looking finish created entirely by machine and finished off using Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro069.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro061.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro062.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro063.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro064.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro065.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro066.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro067.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro068.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/1970Camaro060.jpg




He also won "Best of Show" just a few weeks ago at the John Staluppi Cars of Dreams show


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1279/TommyBestofShow01.jpg



And he has more people asking the below questions than ever before,



Did you have your car painted?
What wax do you use?
Would you like to sell your Camaro?


:)

[Mike Phillips]

On the technical side,

How to maintain a freshly waxed car (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/40056-how-maintain-freshly-waxed-car.html)


One of the most, if not THE most asked question about any car wax, (or paint sealant or coating), goes like this,

Question: How long will blank wax last?

The answer to that question comes in different parts, there is no definitive, single answer to the above question because there are too many variables that affect how long a wax will last.


First part of the answer
From a technical point of view, the first part of the answer goes like this,

How long a wax will last starts with how well the surface is prepared to accept the wax.What this means is a quality protective car wax is formulated to bond or stick to car paint, not a layer of roadgrime or dirty stained paint. So making sure the paint is clean is your first goal if you want the wax to last.


Second part of the answer
From a technical point of view, the second part of the answer goes like this,


How long a wax will last depends upon how the paint is cared for or touched after the wax has been removed.That is to say, there are factors that we control that have a HUGE affect as to how long a coat of wax will last. Washing and if needed, using Detailing Clay to remove any above surface bonded contaminants that didn't come off during the washing process dramatically affects gloss, (gloss comes from smooth paint), and longevity, (how long a coating of wax will last).


Washing Carefully
For example, washing the paint carefully using a pH balanced, non-detergent car wash soap using a clean, soft, high quality wash mitt that's gentle to the touch and using both of these tools using expert technique will maximize how long a coat of wax will last.

Expert technique could be something as simple as NOT scrubbing the paint over and over again while moving the wash mitt over the surface but instead only making a few passes with the wash mitt over a section of paint to loosen the hold of any dirt so it can be flushed off the surface with water.


Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo, non-detergent and pH balanced and Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Pinnacle Clay Lubricant
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1241/PinnacleLine02.jpg



Not washing carefully
Washing with a detergent wash and a tatty mitt, sponge or brush and not focusing on the task at hand, that is to say, scrubbing the paint or simply not paying attention and being careful or worse, taking your car to any type of car wash where you let someone else "touch" the paint. Washing like this will act to remove any coating of wax faster than washing carefully.

The above is just off the top of my head but I think it makes the point.


Maintaining your car's finish
After any detailing session where you've invested your time, energy and perspiration to restore the finish on your car just as important as the prep steps are how you maintain your end-results.


Most of the popular brands of car care appearance products are available in a chemically-matched line of products which are formulated to be a system approach for maintaining not just the vehicle, but the results created by the product line. Pinnacle offers a system approach to car care.

An example that most brands offer are the maintenance products such as a spray detailer and a spray wax or spray sealant of some type.

By using maintenance products correctly like a spray detailer to remove light dust, fingerprints and smudges, or a spray-on wax to restore the just-waxed-look, you automatically extend the time a coat of wax will last. Whether a person correctly uses these types of products or not is also a factor as to how long a coat of wax will last, that is correctly applying these products and more important carefully removing them using a premium quality microfiber towel.



Pinnacle Crystal Mist Carnauba Detail Spray and Pinnacle Souveran Liquid Spray Wax are two products that are designed to enable you to take care of the results you create using Pinnacle Polishes and Waxes along with microfiber towels that are clean, soft and gentle to delicate clearcoat finishes.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1241/PinnacleLine05.jpg




If your goal is truly a show car finish, then after washing and drying your car's paint you'll need to inspect the paint for things like swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation and if discovered, after the washing and claying steps, but before applying an type of protective wax or sealant you'll first need to remove any paint defects.

Carefully and correctly polishing the paint perfectly prepares the paint to accept the wax while taking your car's finish to its maximum potential. Depending upon the condition of the paint, (which you diagnose when you inspect the paint after washing and drying), you may only need a non-abrasive paint cleaner like Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or you may need to machine apply a medium or light polish like the Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover and/or Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish.


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1241/PinnacleLine03.jpg




Then after the paint is perfectly prepared to accept the wax the fun part is actually applying the wax, assuming the waxes are as well formulated as the waxes in the Pinnacle line of products.


Pinnacle Signature Series II, Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax and Pinnacle Liquid Souveran
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1241/Pinnacle66Vette13.jpg



Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax is a true finishing wax, that is there are no cleaning agents or abrasives in the formula, it's totally focused on bring out the best shine, depth and gloss out of your car's paint. Pinnacle Signature Series II is also a true finishing wax that creates the deep wet shine that both enthusiasts and perfectionist work towards. The Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Car Wax is liquid version of the Souveran Paste Wax that closely mimics the look of Souveran Paste Wax only blended with synthetic polymers for longer lasting paint protection. All three of these products are incredibly easy to apply and remove by hand or machine.


You don't have to own a show car to get the show car look, you simply have to use a system approach to your detailing process using premium quality products from start to finish and you can't help but reach the success you're after.

When used correctly, you can get up to 30 applications of wax out of a single jar of Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax. That means it will cost you less to wax your car than it will to buy just a single gallon of gas at today's gas prices.

As for dust issues, I've done multiple tests over the years comparing and testing for dust attraction to car paint and without miss, any product I've used causes paint to attract more dust than using nothing at all. This has to with the static electricity already in the paint itself and increased by the wipe-off of the wax using a microfiber towel. For the most part, it's the process, not the product that causes dust accumulation.


After using this classic 1966 Corvette Stingray for a series of videos (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/39914-video-shoot-matt-steele-autogeek-s-show-car-garage-tv-studio.html) last week I came in the following Saturday to polish and wax the entire car using Pinnacle Natural Brilliance. A classic 1966 Corvette deserves a finish worthy of it's name and using good technique and simply following a simple process of washing, (wiping clean in this case as you don't introduce water to classic, restored cars), claying, polishing and then waxing the results speak for themselves...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1241/Pinnacle66Vette14.jpg


See more before and after pictures here,

1966 Corvette Stingray - Machine Polish & Machine Wax (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/40053-1966-corvette-stingray-machine-polish-machine-wax.html)



Key thoughts...
When washing or wiping-down a freshly waxed finish, focus on the task at hand, don't scrub the paint and use the highest quality products you can obtain anytime you "touch" the paint.

Don't use detergent soaps, ONLY use soft wash mitts...
Use a non-detergent car wash shampoo, only use wash mitts that are new or like new, DON"T use a wash mitt that is tatty looking, shows sign of wear or has been used for things like washing fender lips, wheels and tires, front or rear bumpers, etc.

If you have a show car finish with a fresh coat of wax or a paint sealant, you should really be using a new or almost brand new wash mitt, something that looks and feels soft and gentle.

Spray Detailers and Spray Waxes - Maintenance Products
Use spray detailers and spray waxes when you can to maintain the finish which will extend the amount of time between having to use a normal car wash apply a normal coat of wax.



http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/images/smilies/xyxthumbs.gif

[Mike Phillips]

Sacrificial Barrier Coating = The purpose of a wax or synthetic paint sealant (http://sacrificial%20barrier%20coating%20=%20the%20purpos e%20of%20a%20wax%20or%20synthetic%20paint%20sealan t/)


Sacrificial Barrier Coating
The primary purpose of a car wax or synthetic paint sealant is to act as a sacrificial barrier coating over the surface of your car’s paint. The idea being that anytime anything comes into contact with your car’s paint, before it can cause any damage to the paint it first has to get past the layer of wax or paint sealant. When your car’s paint is under attack, the layer of wax or paint sealant sacrifices itself so your paint doesn’t have to sacrifice itself.

Or in other words, the layer of wax or paint sealant gives itself up so your car’s paint doesn’t have to give itself up.

Make sense?

The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and the laws of Entropy
In simple terms, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics and the laws of Entropy mean that everything is in a state of chaos and everything trends towards getting worse and worse with time, not better and better. That includes you and me and our physical bodies and that includes the paint on a daily driver.


Accepting this is true, then if your car is a daily driver, exposed to the elements and wear-n-tear from use, then it is normal to assume the wax or paint sealant on your car’s paint is always in an act of wearing off and knowing this you need to actively maintain a protective coating to keep the paint protected.


How often you need to replace the sacrificial coating of wax or paint sealant depends how your car is used, how it’s washed and where it’s parked most of the time, indoors or outdoors.


Miracle Waxes
It’s pretty common for marketing companies to market products like a “Once a year Car Wax”, and while these types of products are a great idea and appeal to a lot of people, the reality is there is no such thing as a once a year car wax that works, if in fact the car is a daily driver. If it could replace itself when portions of it wear off then it would be a once a year car wax, but last I checked the way we get wax onto the car is we have to apply it ourselves.


New Sensationalism!
http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/sensationalismjpg.jpg



The good news…
The good news is you and I can easily, (and in a cost effective manner), go out to our garage and apply a coat of wax to our car’s paint to replace any wax that’s worn off. This is called maintenance; we actively maintain this sacrificial barrier coating in order to protect and preserver our car’s finish.


Good looks…
There’s another important reason we wax our cars and that’s to make the paint look good. A good quality car wax will restore a clear, glossy finish to paint in excellent condition. A cleaner/wax can restore a neglected finish by removing light oxidation, built-up road grime as well as helping to either remove or conceal fine swirls and scratches. Either type of wax will restore a sacrificial barrier coating but the non-cleaning wax will tend to leave a more substantial coating than a product that’s cleaning at the same time it’s leaving behind protection.

Major Investment
The purchase of a new car, truck or s.u.v., and even the purchase of some used cars, trucks, and s.u.v.s tend to be a major purchase for most people and not only do most people want to wax their cars to protect and extend their investment, but to also make their vehicle look good too…


Transportation or Personality?
Some people look at their car as transportation, that is a means to get them from point A to point B. Others look at their car as an extension of their personality; it’s their reward for working hard and often times a hobby in and of itself. Both types of people understand the importance of protecting their investment and typically both types also like their investment to look good.


How long does a coat of wax last?
One of the most common questions related to detailing cars is,

How long does a coat of wax last?

Another common question which is really just a different way of asking the first question is,

How often do I need to wax my car?


There is no standard, accurate answer to either of these questions because there are too many variables involved that are specific to each car and their owner.

Factors that influence how long a coat of wax will last


Parked inside when at home, or parked outside exposed to weather.


Parked inside at work, or parked outside exposed to weather.


Type of use the vehicle sees, which would equate to the type of wear-n-tear the vehicle is exposed to.


How the car is washed, carefully by hand or a Tunnel Brush wash or something in-between?


Type of soap used to wash the car.


Type of wash mitt used to wash car.


Geographical climate – Is the vehicle subject to rain and road grime like in Oregon or extreme heat and sunlight like in Arizona?

Those are just a few influencing factors that affect how long a coating of wax will last and visa/versa, how often you need to wax your car.

The technically correct answer for how long a coat of wax will last goes like this, it’s a statement I’ve been saying and typing for over a decade so it’s now a quote…

Quote:
"How long a coat of wax will last first depends upon how well the surface is prepared to accept the wax" –Mike Phillips

A good quality car wax is formulated to stick or adhere to paint, which is a type of resinous material which varies from technological advancements over time. Point being, a car wax or a paint sealant is designed to stick to clean paint, if the paint is dirty with a film of road grim, or above surface bonded contaminants, then from the very start, the ability for the wax to stick to the paint is compromised.

This is why before applying a coat of wax to your car’s paint you need to first wash and dry the car and then evaluate the condition of the paint. You evaluate the condition of the paint by inspecting the paint both visibly and with your sense of touch. The results from your evaluation will let you know if before you apply a coat of wax you need to first clay the paint and/or use any type of pre-wax cleaner.

From my experience, anytime a car’s paint needs to be clayed, it also needs to be cleaned and polished before applying a coating of wax.


Two extremes and people in-between
How often you need to apply a coat of wax or a paint sealant is a personal decision that only you can make. That said, there are two basic categories of car waxers... the Minimalist and the Maximallist, and a third catagory... everyone in-between...


Minimalist
My guess is a minimalist is more than likely going to be the type of person that looks at their car as a means of transportation. Wax your car 1-4 times a year. This would be a benchmark number for the minimum number of times you can wax your daily driver and expect the paint to hold up over the service life of the car and for it to look good to some level. Assuming your car is a daily driver, parked outside, then waxing your car just one time a year won’t probably maintain your car’s finish to show room new condition but everyone has their own standards and expectations so find a routine that works for you.


Maximallist
My guess is a maximallist is more than likely going to be the type of person that looks at their car as an extension of their personality. This type of person usually doesn’t need anyone telling them how often to wax their car because they already wax their car often. They wax their car often to protect and preserve the paint but just as important to them is to make the paint and by default, the car look good.

In-between
My guess is that waxing your car is something that never makes it on to your "A-List" of projects and probably not even your "B-List" of projects. It probably gets done by you or someone, it's just not a priority or your passion.


Oil Change
Whether you’re the Minimalist or the Maximallist, or someone that falls in-between, here’s a better method to the madness as to determining when or how often to wax your car, two words… Oil Change

No I don’t mean wax your car every time you change your oil, what I mean is think of waxing your car in the same way you think of changing your oil. Here’s what I mean…


PM = Preventative Maintenance
Most people change their oil every 3000 miles as that is what the manufacture recommends to prevent pre-mature failure of the moving parts inside the motor. The motor won’t blow up at 3001 miles as going past 3000 miles doesn’t mean the oil is no longer lubricating the moving parts, it’s a Preventative Maintenance Practice.

The idea being to remove the old, worn out oil BEFORE it’s so worn out that damage can occur. This approach to engine maintenance works and millions of miles on millions of engines documents this practice.

Now take that same idea and apply it to waxing your car’s paint… that is re-apply a fresh coat of wax before all of the last coating has completely worn off. Apply a coat of wax BEFORE there is so little protection left on the surface that damage can occur.

If you car is in fact a daily driver, then a good minimum number of times to apply a coat of wax to your car’s finish to insure that it’s fully protected against attack would be 4 times a year, that's once every 3 months.

In a perfect world, if you have the time and inclination, then waxing more often certainly won’t hurt anything, you can decide how often for yourself. I put a coat of wax on my daily driver truck at least once a month. For me it’s different than it is for others because I work in the car wax industry… I usually have a new wax to test often enough, or a new wax I’m curious about that it’s just so easy to go out into the garage and apply a coat of wax. So don’t use me as a benchmark…


Time for action…
If after reading this you have a desire to wax your car but you’re not sure which wax to use, here’s a general guideline.


Paint in Excellent Condition
If the paint is in excellent condition, that is it’s like brand new… it feels smooth and is defect free, at least to your standards, then you can use one of these,



Finishing Wax – Generally considered a Carnauba Wax, either paste or liquid.
Finishing Paint Sealant – Generally considered an all synthetic product with no natural ingredients.
Finishing Hybrid – Most waxes and sealants are actually blended using both natural and synthetic protection ingredients.

Everything Else
If the paint on your car is anything but “Excellent Condition”, they you should consider using a Cleaner/Wax out of one of these groups…



Cleaner/Wax – Generally considered a Carnauba Wax with some type of cleaning action.
Cleaner/Sealant – Generally considered an all synthetic product with some type of cleaning action.
Cleaner/Hybrid – Generally considered a blended product with some type of cleaning action.


For more information on the different types of waxes, please see this article…

How To Choose The Right Wax or Paint Sealant for your Detailing Project (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/23263-how-choose-right-wax-paint-sealant-your-detailing-project.html)



Here's another quote...

If you want your car's paint to always look like it was just waxed... then just wax it...


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Is Souveran a show wax only?




One of the first questions I normally always ask when a new member joins the forum and asks a product or technique question is this,


What are you working on?




:xyxthumbs:

[hoyt66]

Is Souveran a show wax only? I would like to try it but for $100, if there's no durability...what's the point! I don't want to have to re-wax after a couple weeks

I have only 2 waxes to compare. Souveran and Fuzion. The Souveran on my wifes red journey is unreal. It makes it so deep in color. You can literally see the difference

from the Fuzion. I wax to often to speak to the durability. The shine on dark colors is crazy though.

[mdb917]

Welcome to AG!

As a follow-up to what Mike P. asked is why are you working on it? For show, for a daily driver (DD), as a garage queen, etc.?

I use Souveran and think it is one of the best of the best. As for durability, again like numerous posters have stated -- that depends on what conditions the car is exposed to. If your car never leaves the garage then Souveran will last a long, long time.

Souveran is one of the easiest WOWO (wipe on/wipe off) waxes out there and it absolutely pops on red and blacks.