SON1C Synopsis 26 + PapaSmurf : Chemical Guys - Pete's 53 Black Pearl Signature Liquid Crystal Polymer White Carnauba Paste Wax Review

[Caleb@ImpeccableImage]

Pete's 53 is a Paste Wax by Chemical Guys, usually found on sale for ~$37 for 8 ounces it is without a doubt a bang for buck product. This review will discuss the product and how it performed for us -> SON1C and PapaSmurf
Pete's 53 - Black Pearl Signature Paste Wax - Liquid Crystal Polymer White Carnauba Paste Wax ( 8 oz ) is a hybrid wax -> thus it is a Carnauba Wax boosted with Sealant polymers and other additions, the reasoning behind hybrid waxes at least in my understanding is that you want to achieve the "nuba look" -> generally wet deep glossy warm etc with sealant durability, generally speaking waxes look better than sealants however fall short in comparison in terms of durability.
One of my local buddy who is a wax ##### himself (here is his collection) lended me an application of petes 53 onto my vehicle after we had finished waxing his vehicle
We did some extensive testing on petes 53, and if applied properly thin and wipe on wipe off, application is easy, however if one applies too heavy it is very tough to remove, some paint marring may be induced. Another issue with over application of this product is that it will ghost or carnaba wax sweat if this occurs, hours days weeks later the wax will reappear as if you had not buffed off the area, to make matters worse it is literally like cement on your paint.
No worries though, proper application and you will not face these problems!
Prior to this wax application I had performed a full paint correction on my vehicle, more information can be found here
http://mustangforums.com/forum/detailing/688132-son1c-blue-full-paint-correction-picture-heavy-d-50-hours-invested.html
Prepped the surface for petes 53 with a heavy strip wash leaving a bare paint surface LSP ready!
wheels were cleaned up with

Now to wrap up my thoughts on the product..
Easy application if applied properly otherwise possibly the worst not my saying but remember "thin is in"
Durability? very stout, impressive durability for a paste wax, it went strong for 4 months or so before I stripped it
No issues with excessive dust and dirt collecting like some waxes can do
Looks? Great looks, a solid noticeable improvement with gloss, depth and wetness once removed, this is where this product shines and becomes a bang for buck (including relatively large 8 ounce size)
After sending this reflection shot in to www.Autogeek.net they decided to feature the hedgehog as the weekly ride
Negatives? Unfortunately in my experience petes 53 has a HUGE negative, it destroys trim, it will turn brand new trim into the awful wax stained white you hate
Not all of that is done by petes, however a good chunk is, yes I do wax some of my trim, why? to test if the wax will stain, and as you can see some do, awfully
So with all of that said, Pete's 53 is a great bang for buck wax, but because of the trim staining issue I have no real interest in it, people might say well just don't wax your trim, tape up, take caution, depending on whether its my car or a clients vehicle, I do take the necessary precautions, by why use a product that has the capability when there are many alternatives that look as good or better with similar durability and price, that don't stain trim?
Overall a great wax with a big negative -> now some pictures to wrap it up
*Well my side of the review at least! Stay tuned for PapaSmurfs entirely separate review on his experiences with Pete's 53*
After buff off..



Showcasing Petes 53 at the Annual American Muscle Car Show for charity 1000+ Mustangs in attendance



note the rest of pictures did not come out all that well, apologies!



Alright my turn now lol. SON1C did an awesome job on describing Petes 53 but Ill add some of my thoughts and opinions on it.

Ive owned several different waxes (none over $50) as im all about affordability, and from my personal experience Petes 53 is the best Ive ever used in terms of looks and performance. It is really affordable. It looks way better than the Dodo Blue Velvet Pro and Purple Haze Pro. I will say this: DO NOT LET IT HAZE. I learned this the hard way the first time I used it. Wipe it on and wipe it off. If you dont it is a pain to remove and takes a little work. I would say its like concrete when it dries. Also tape up any plastic trim or moldings otherwise you'll spend some time trying to get it off of them. Overall I love this wax. Its very affordable and has a nice subtle but pleasant coconut smell with a hint of carnuba.... very nice.

Here are pictures of of my trunk corrected with Megs D300 topped off with a coat of Petes 53.





Misc shots







Clients '69 Camaro SS Topped with some Petes



Thanks for reading everyone!

[SON1C]

Ironic we have the same paint from the same year? Lol glad you got it up man!

[Caleb@ImpeccableImage]

Not a problem. It was fun! Just shows you how much down time I have at work lol.

[Ross]

Great review!

Regarding the trim staining, which alternatives in this price range do you recommend?

[SON1C]

Not a problem. It was fun! Just shows you how much down time I have at work lol.

Lol then there's no excuse we shouldn't be seeing more reviews from you!

Great review!

Regarding the trim staining, which alternatives in this price range do you recommend?

SON1C Synopsis 20: Pinnacle Natural Brilliance - Signature Series II Paste Wax Review Picture Heavy :D (Featuring Dodo Juice, Mothers, Chemical Guys)
A direct comparison and replacement I'd go with this
Dodo juice panel pots are fun as well
SON1C Synopsis 18 : Dodo Juice - Banana Armour Carnauba Wax Review
Also I have only heard great things of maxwax and it claims to not stain as well