Polish and wax

We hang on to our cars for longer than ever before, so protecting thepaintwork is critical so we wanted not just a great shine but for it to last aswell. We put 24 top waxes and polishes on to a scrapyard panel and left it outduring the worst of the winter for eight weeks regularly checking to see whichwas still beading water. Check out our full test here.

Our Winner
Turtle Wax ICE Synthetic Paste Polish
Price: £19.99
Contact: www.turtlewaxeurope.com
While ICE has been around for a while, this paste version ticks all the boxes. It’s well priced, and comes with an applicator and buffing cloth, plus it offers stamina few rivals can get close to. At the front throughout the test, this is one very tough polish.

Commended
Collinite No 476S
Price: £18.50
Contact: www.shipshapenorfolk.co.uk
Hard wax No 476S is not the easiest product to apply, but it is worth putting in the extra elbow grease, as it protected our scrapyard panel brilliantly throughout the eight-week winter trial. This former Auto Express test winner has lost none of its water-beading performance – and it is the one to seek out if you are looking for a non-abrasive wax.

Simoniz Protection Car Wax
Price: £8.49
Contact: www.simoniz.co.uk
If you don’t want to commit the time and effort required to use a hard wax, this liquid version from Simoniz is the way to go. New for 2011, it can be easily applied and lived up to its name by protecting our test panel long after other liquid polishes and waxes had started to fade.