Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax Review

Keeping your car properly waxed is critical if you want to keep your paint finish looking as good as possible for as long as possible.

I won’t go into all the benefits of waxing your car in this short review, but suffice it to say that you are doing your car a disservice if you don’t wax it.

When it comes to car wax, there are all sorts of products to suit all tastes and budgets.

From basic paste waxes up to eye-wateringly expensive, deluxe ‘sealant’ products, there are simply so many options out there when it comes to waxing your car.

In recent months, I’ve been adding a number of product reviews to this website – both individual product reviews, and roundup reviews (e.g. a detailed guide looking at the best Bluetooth FM transmitters, for example).

Today, I’ll be looking at one specific car wax product that I’ve been using for a while and wanted to share my feedback on.

In this Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax review, I’ll be running you through the pros and cons of this popular car wax.

Meguiar’s products have a loyal following, but are they as good as many claim?

Where Can You Buy It?

I purchased my bottle from Amazon.com and had it shipped to New Zealand. Even when I took into account customs and shipping fees, it was still a better deal than what I would have got buying from a local retailer here in New Zealand.

However, it pays to shop around and see if your local auto store or big box retailer has a good deal on this product.

For example, on special the Supercheap Auto chain here in NZ has it for a better price than I can bring it in from the United States, but good specials seem few and far between.

This isn’t some ultra-niche product that is hard to come by (famous last words, owing to how bad supply chains are at the moment) and unless you live in a very remote location, you should be able to pick up a bottle for a reasonable price.

You can purchase here on Amazon, but I’d also look at local retailers etc for pricing comparison’s sake as well.

What Do You Get In The Package

The product comes packaged in a sturdy cardboard box, with very professional looking graphics. I’ve always been impressed at how good of a job Meguiar’s do at making their products look and feel premium.

Inside the box, you get:

• The bottle containing the wax
• An applicator pad
• A microfiber buffing cloth

Overall, it’s a premium feeling package – you’ll walk out of the auto store feeling like you have something a bit special. As mentioned above, I’ve consistently found with Meguiar’s products that you get a great “feel” from the packaging, labelling etc.

Please note that the packaging – at least according to Amazon – appears to have changed since I purchased this product (as you can see from the photos I took).

I must admit that a black applicator pad and cloth (for the new packaging) doesn’t strike me as the most sensible idea as it’s hard to see how dirty both have become.

Nonetheless, at least you get everything you need to start waxing your car with this kit. Is there anything more annoying than buying a new car detailing product, only to find when you get home and get ready to bust it out that you don’t have the right applicator/buffing cloth or pad? No such worries here.

How Well Does It Work?

This is the important bit. It doesn’t matter how nice a product’s packaging is, if it doesn’t work well.

So, how well does Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax work?

Extremely well.

Honestly, I’ve been really impressed by most aspects of this product.

When I first got into cars, I remember grinding away with a bottle of my dad’s old Turtle Wax paste wax, and having a miserable time trying to apply and buff it.

There was a period of time (and forgive me for I have sinned) where I was also a bit of a spray wax user, simply because it felt faster.

But with the Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax it is such a nice product to use. It applies easily and quickly with an applicator pad, and you don’t need to apply too much effort or elbow-grease to buff it off and leave a brilliant finish with no residue.

I’ve waxed my Volkswagen Touareg and my old Volvo 940 with this product – both of which are BIG cars – and it was a quick and enjoyable process, at least compared to trying to do the same with more conventional and less expensive paste wax products.

Ben – the other editor of Garage Dreams – is better at taking photos than me and has superior equipment, so I’ll get him to take  professional before and after shots when he gets a chance. In the meantime I’ve just grabbed some basic product photos with my phone … but it’s a bit of an old device so not really suitable for picking up the nuances of the post-wax finish.

What Isn’t So Good About It?

Honestly, there isn’t much I don’t like about Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax.

In an ideal world, it would be cheaper. But then again, I’d like many products and services I buy to be cheaper. A basic Turtle Wax product is probably less than half the price of this, at least on special, so if you just want the cheapest car wax on the market, then this isn’t the right product for you.

That being said, there are far more expensive products on the market, and I feel that Meguiar’s have done a good job here at achieving an excellent “price to performance” ratio with this particular product. It might not be the best, but from what I’ve tried it offers some of the best results for the price.

I have noticed that the wax separates quite substantially with storage, especially after a warm spell. You’ll want to shake the bottle thoroughly before using, or else you open the cap and get a spurt of watery residue that makes a bit of a mess.

In fact, you can see this residue on the lid of the bottle in the intro photo for this review. I’ve been caught out a few times not properly shaking the bottle, and that is the outcome.

Will Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax Remove Scratches?

No, Ultimate Liquid Wax – like any wax/sealant type product – isn’t designed to remove scratches.

However, the wax/sealant layer applied to your paint may work to minimise the visibility of some minor scratches and imperfections, so if you have very light scratching on your car you might find that a regular waxing with something like Meguiar’s Ultimate gets the paint looking good enough that you are happy with it … but this is really more of an “illusion” as the scratches are just being masked to some extent, rather than properly removed.

If you want to properly remove scratches from your car’s paintwork, then you’ll need to use a polish or compound product, or something like Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wax/Polish which can lift minor scratches, hazing and swirl marks etc while also giving a wax finish. Or you might choose another Meguiar’s product, such as their popular Ultimate Compound, which I will be reviewing in the near future.

You may also want to use your compound/polish with an orbital or DA. Check out our guide to the best cutting pads and discs for your orbital or DA, so you can get a better finish.

Can You Use Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax On Plastic?

Ultimate Liquid Wax isn’t made for use on plastic.

Although getting some on plastic won’t be the end of the world (and due to the formulation of the product shouldn’t leave too much ugly staining and white discoloration) you won’t get much of a benefit either.

If you want to clean and protect plastic or vinyl trim on the interior or exterior of your car, then you are better off using a product made specifically for that purpose.

However, if you have been detailing your car with this product and accidentally got some on plastic trim, there’s also no need to worry about causing any damage.

Is Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax A Sealant?

Yes – Ultimate Liquid Wax is not really a wax in the conventional sense of the term. It is a 100% synthetic product, whereas wax products are typically made from naturally occurring wax such as carnauba.

Therefore, many people refer to this product as a sealant, despite the fact that it says on the box it’s a wax.

Conclusion & Recap – Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax Review

Overall, I’ve been very impressed so far with Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax.

I’m sure that someone will be along in the comment section shortly after I publish this article, telling me how X, Y or Z product is much, much better.

But honestly, for a “detailing simpleton” like me I am satisfied with my purchase and the results I have been getting on multiple cars.

If your budget is limited, then you can get away with a cheaper wax … anything is better than nothing. However, if you can stretch to buying this particular product, then I would strongly recommend it. It’s easy to apply, easy to buff off, and leaves an attractive shine and appears to repel water very well.

The most important thing is that the wax doesn’t seem to disappear too quickly either, at least compared to other waxes I’ve tried.

The other product I really like using – Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish & Wax – is a better option if you want a “one stop shop” solution to improving the finish of a car and adding a protective wax layer. If you’re the kind of person who would only have time to wax a car once a year, then I would pick that simply because you can “correct” your finish and protect it in one go.

If – on the other hand – you’re like me and wax your car every 3-6 months, then the Meguiar’s product is a great option. If you demand the absolute best, then you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. For those of us who seek a product with a strong “price to performance” ratio, then Meguiar’s have knocked it out of the park here.

I was pleased with the price I paid for this product on Amazon – go here to learn more and purchase.

If you take your car’s paint seriously, then you might also like to read our roundup review on the best paint thickness gauges for cars.