i use it as a quick detailer and do not expect it to last, it works great for me.

the new bottles say it lasts something like 4x longer if i recall correctly. i haven't tried it though.

i have about 6 or 7 different kinds of wax including some meguiars gold. They all seem about the same to me if you apply/remove them the right way. None have really shown any major shine differences. the ice is just super simple/easy to put on and take off.