Collinite 845 Insulator Wax Review

Collinite 845 is another wax from the Collinite team. Unlike the 476s wax which is a paste, 845 is instead a liquid wax. This has been available for decades now, which should give an indication of just how well it performs.

Application

Unlike other liquid waxes, 845 Insulator Wax is pretty solid initially. It needs to be warmed up to turn it into a form in which it can be applied to the paintwork.

One thing I should point out is that when warming the wax up to turn it into its liquid warm, it should not be submerged in hot water. It will seriously deform the bottle and can cause it to crack. Instead, when I know I’m going to use it, I normally put it in direct sunlight for a few minutes and it really does a great job of melting the wax safely.

With respect to the application of Collinite 845, I like to apply it by using a microfibre block. Only a small amount of it is needed with a 50p size blob enough to cover half of a car bonnet. Since it’s a liquid wax, I like to apply it in straight lines and then go over it again in a cross hatch fashion. This ensured that I covered every section of the panel.

The curing time is really quick for this is well, which is always a bonus. After less than five minutes, it had dried to a haze. This was easy to buff off leaving a flawless finish.  All in, I was able to wax the entire car in twenty minutes thanks to the ease at which is spreads over the paint work. It really does go on buttery smooth and it’s a pleasure to work with.

Points To Consider

As an experiment, I also decided that I would overapply the wax, in direct sunlight and leave it on for over an hour. At this point, the wax was rock solid and it was difficult to remove. When doing so, I was wary that I may cause marring to the paintwork underneath. There are very few situations where a user would find themselves in this scenario. However, applying a thin layer over the previously applied wax will allow it all to be removed with ease with a plush microfibre towel.

I certainly wouldn’t suggest that others over apply it in the direct sunlight and leave it for a considerable period of time, though. This was really an experiment I wanted to try so I could pass this information onto the readers of this review.

It is important to point out however that you need to keep this away from rubber trim. I do like to test on my car what kind of result is left behind when a wax is applied to the trim and this did leave behind a white residue. This was easily rectified with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, however. Having said that, it’s good practice anyway to not apply wax to trim.

One downside that others have pointed out is the smell. In my opinion, it actually smells pretty good, but some people don’t like the synthetic smell that is in it. This isn’t really a big deal breaker, though. Whilst it does have a smell to it than some people aren’t a fan of, this isn’t a strong smell and is not something that will linger for a foreseeable period of time (unlike fallout removers which seem to linger for a long time!).

Results

The results are nothing short of exceptional. This really is a great water beader, and it also gives great gloss levels as well. It’s actually surprising how impressive both of these are considering the price point of 845. Added to the this is the fact that only a small amount is needed to bring about these results.

The fact that it is great at beading water also gives a strong indication to how well it is at protecting the body work. After a 20 mile drive, the car had picked up some road dirt and dust. Running the hose over the car removed all of this with ease. Similarly, when the car is dirtier, it’s never a challenge to get it clean when 845 has been applied to the paint work.

I was left extremely happy with the results obtained from using 845. Whilst spray waxes are great for those in a pinch, there’s something therapeutic about using a wax as well, be it paste of liquid. The fact that it was so easy to apply as mentioned above really makes the whole experience worthwhile.

Durability

With Collinite 845, you’ll get between 2-3 months per application. This may seem someone lower than the other waxes we’ve reviewed but  it is generally cheaper than the other waxes as well. One thing I really like about it is how well it works with other products, namely Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I was pleasantly surprised about how well the two worked together. Whilst you would hope that this would be the case, unfortunately different brands are not always compatible with one another.

As with other wax products, iron fallout removers did not cause degradation to the wax, nor did strong shampoos i.e. those did not have the correct dilution ratios. I have seen some waxes degrade rapidly if used with powerful detergents, so it’s nice to see that this wasn’t the case with 845. It is unfortunate that Collinite do not have their own shampoo, so I will use either Autoglym Pure Shampoo or UHD Shampoo to clean the wax when 845 is applied.

The 2-3 month durability range is something which has stayed constant over the years with Collinite 845. Some may think that’s a bad thing, but I think the opposite. Collinite knows what works with this product, and they haven’t tried to alter the chemical makeup of it, which may otherwise negatively impact it in other areas.

One coating of this will easily see you through the summer. Should it be the case that it is layered, I have tested this as well. After leaving it overnight, I rinsed down the car, dried it and applied a second coat. Doing so got an extra 5 weeks out of the wax. For those that want a wax to see them through mild winters, this is a really good option. For those in harsher climates, a more suitable winter wax would be 476s or UHD Wax.

Collinite 845 Liquid Insulator Car Wax

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Last update on 2023-09-25 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.