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Originally Posted by 97Boxsterian
I am choosing wax for my artic silver Boxster. What is the difference between S100 vs P21S? Any other wax works good on silver besides them? Thanks.
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Here is an article I found on the internet regarding you question:
First, a little background. P21s and S100 are products made the same German manufacturer but produced for different market segments. P21s is an "automotive" product, and S100 is a "motorcycle" product. Obviously, either brand can be used on either vehicle, but the distribution channels etc are quite different.
In any event, the debate rages whether S100 carnauba wax and P21s are, indeed, the same wax but priced differently. I've been to the importer and spoken with the manager there (since I'm a retailer, they'll talk to me a little bit) and the party line is that the formulas are a trade secret held closely by the manufacturers in Europe and that nobody in the US knows the true formula. That part is probably true.
Before I continue, a little bit of carnauba wax information is required. Carnauba tree leaves produce a wax coating that is dried and removed from the leaves after a harvesting. The younger leaves produce a lighter, whiter wax whereas the older leaves produce a heaver yellow wax. Both waxes are used in paint care, but have different properties and characteristics.
For those carnauba waxes that want maximum durability, a higher percentage of the carnauba content will be yellow wax. It has higher durability characteristics, but it is not as optically pure as the white carnauba (duh, it's yellow!)
For those that still want a durable finish but prefer a more optically-pure wax, they would opt for a wax with a higher percentage of white carnauba.
Now, let's look at the differences in what a painted surface on a motorcyle would undergo versus a painted automotive surface. The paint on a motorcycle is in much closer proximity to the heat and gunk produced by the engine, whereas the engine in a car is normally hidden in a cavity and "sealed" from the outside. Some heat certainly dissipates to the hood, but most of the painted surfaces are not affected by the heat of the engine.
Ok, with that out of the way, let's open the lid and look at the wax itself. Hopefully I can get an accurately-colored photo posted soon, but for now, let me assure you that the P21s is markedly whiter than the S100. By corrolary, the S100 is much yellower than the P21s.
Based on the above facts, MY OPINION that the S100 has a higher content of yellow-carnauba wax, whereas the P21s has more white carnauba. This is evidenced by both the cost and the color. White carnauba is more optically-clear, more expensive, and less durable than the yellow carnauba. Therefore the yellow wax and its greater hardness would be most appropriate in a motorcycle application. On a car application, the paint is much more of an appearance item and tend to be lighter in color (whites, slivers) than would a motorcycle paint job and the white carnauba would still provide adequate protection but have a better optical clarity than the white.
In conclusion: are the S100 and P21s the same, but just tinted differently? Maybe. Only the German manufacturers know. But until I can find someone who can do some real scientific testing, I can't prove anything. But my educated guess is that there IS a difference.
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