This sealant spray is such a quick and effective alternative to car wax that using it feels like entering the cheat code into your favorite video game

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Amir Ismael/Business Insider

• Waxing a car with traditional paste or liquid wax is a very tedious process that most people don't have the time or patience for. I am one of those people.
• I've been using 303 Touchless Sealant, a time-saving alternative to wax. All you have to do is spray it on and rinse it off with water.
• 303 Touchless Sealant uses a SiO₂ (silicon dioxide) base to create a hydrophobic and UV barrier on paint, and it's also safe to use on windows and wheels. It made my car shiny, smooth, and repelled water longer than other waxes I've used.
• At $24.99 for 32 ounces, it might be a little bit more than the wax you use now, but the convenience and protection it provides makes up for the difference in price.

Waxing your car is a great way to protect your paint, add shine, and repel water, but it's a real labor of love - one that most people don't have the patience or time to do correctly.

For me, it's a bit of both. And because of that, I've gotten poor results with wax. Use too much and you'll be left with chalky or pasty residue all over your car. Speed through it and will have surely missed some spots. Since I would rather not dedicate hours of my already limited free time to meticulously waxing like the Karate Kid, I've long searched for a solid replacement - and I finally found it.

303 Touchless Sealant is a time-saving alternative to traditional paste or liquid waxes. It uses SiO₂ (silicon dioxide) technology to create a hydrophobic and UV barrier on the surface of your car to repel water and dirt, and since it's safe to use on paint, glass, and wheels, you don't have to cover windows while spraying.

Here's how it works

I first tested 303 Touchless Sealant immediately after washing my newly-acquired 2003 BMW 540i M-Sport, and it was extremely easy to use. While out of direct sunlight, spray it on the surface of your car, let it sit as you work your way around, and rinse it off with water. You'll immediately see the product at work. The water beads up and quickly runs off the surface. I also treated all of the glass, including my side mirrors.

Once I dried my car off, it was shiny enough to see reflections of the surrounding trees, cars, and clouds in the sky. It was also very smooth. One Amazon reviewer stated that he placed a can of soda on the hood of his car and that before he could grab all of his things, the can had slid off the surface of his car. It's that smooth.

Considering the very minimal amount of work involved and the initial results, using this sealant honestly feels like entering the cheat code into your favorite video game. It's a super satisfying product to use in comparison to the overly tedious processes associated with car detailing.

Amir Ismael/Business Insider

These photos were taken during the rinsing process after using the sealant. You can see the water beading up on the left and forming into larger streams on the right.

I was pleased with the immediate results of the 303 Touchless Sealant, but I really began to see the value it over the next few days. While driving in the rain, the water seemed to vacate my windshield as soon as it landed, making it much easier to see clearly. However, this by no means a viable replacement for windshield wipers. You should absolutely use them in the rain, regardless of what you've treated your glass with.

A full week later when I washed my car again, I noticed the same beading effect and that's what impressed me the most. The fact that the 303 Touchless Sealant was still on my car and activated after a few days of rain throughout the week and a full wash proved that it's very effective.

I've used other spray waxes and honestly, they're all pretty bad. You can't expect them to last longer than a few days, so they're only good for last-minute detailing before a car show, big date, or a photo shoot.

Amir Ismael/Business Insider

Here's what my car looks like after applying 303 Touchless Sealant. The 16-year-old paint is clean, shiny, and smooth.

The bottom line

After using 303 Touchless Sealant, I'll likely never use traditional car wax again. I found it to be much easier to use and it takes a fraction of the time. At $24.99, it's probably a few dollars more than the current wax you use, but the amount of time and effort it'll save you far outweighs the dollar amount.

Whether you're a car enthusiast who knows how tedious waxing a car can be, or someone who only goes to the extent of drive-through car washes every now and then, I strongly recommend using 303 Touchless Sealant on your ride.

303 Touchless Sealant 32 ounces, $24.99, available on Amazon

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